Neuville breaks Hyundai's drought with dramatic victory in Portugal
Thierry Neuville claimed a vital victory at the Rally de Portugal, ending Toyota’s dominant win streak to start the 2024 season. The Hyundai driver capitalized on late-race misfortune for Sébastien Ogier, who led the event until the penultimate stage before a right-rear puncture forced him to stop and relegated him to sixth overall. Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe maintained a consistent pace across the weekend's treacherous, muddy conditions to secure their first win of the season by 16.3 seconds.
Oliver Solberg inherited second place after a challenging rally marked by fluctuating fortunes, marking his first podium since the Monte-Carlo season opener. Championship leader Elfyn Evans completed the podium in third, successfully extending his lead in the standings despite acknowledging a lack of peak pace. Meanwhile, Sami Pajari, who was battling for a podium finish, saw his hopes vanish on the same stage as Ogier due to a wheel change.
Adrien Fourmaux rebounded from earlier issues to take fourth, while Takamoto Katsuta and the recovering Ogier rounded out the top six. The result provides Hyundai with crucial momentum following a difficult start to the year. The WRC campaign now prepares for the upcoming FORUM8 Rally Japan.
