Evans takes lead over Tänak in Corsica, Neuville is third

Rally Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta WRC) is the surprising leader after the opening day in the rally of Corsica. The Brit won today, three of the six stages and has a lead of 4.5 seconds on the first pursuer Ott Tänak (Toyota Yaris WRC), which is one ride won. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) made this afternoon a bit of catching up to good, and follows as the third at 9.8 Evans and 5.3 of Tänak.

In comparison with last year, this year is three-quarters of the trail in Corsica refreshed. That in combination with the fact that today there halfway, no assistance was provided for a rather unusual beginning of the rally. Riders reason this morning during the first passage earlier while searching and did not really fully. The first ride went for some dramatic. Kris Meeke (Toyota Yaris WRC) was the fastest on the road, but cut a corner too deep, damaged the rim on the left front with a flat tire as a result. Four-time winner in Corsica, Sébastien Loeb (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) slid against a boordsteen, damaged, in addition, suspension and lost two minutes.

Tänak changed this afternoon are tires with a lead of 1.3 to Elfyn Evans. The Brit started strongly at namiddaggedeelte, won two of the three stages and took the lead over Tänak. In the last klassementsrit took Evans to the slow moving Meeke, and he was not immediately pass. On the narrow Corsican roads, overtaking is no easy feat. Evans lost precious time behind his countryman, that, to him, obviously not immediately seen. Upon arrival was Evans 11.7 slower than Neuville. “Everyone has seen what happened. I hope that it soon can be arranged,” said Evans at the finish. The Ford management repte to the organizers and suggested to Evans the same amount of time to know if Tänak. The committee accepted that proposal, thus making Evans the day ended as a leader.

“Big attack”

unlike the morning knew Neuville a good afternoon, as a result, the fastest time in the final ride of the day. “I felt good in the car, but I miss some grip to go even faster. In some turns I doubted a little bit. Despite the fact that it was a ‘big attack’. I would like to get faster, want to go”, concluded Neuville.

Less good was the six-times world champion Sébastien Ogier (Citroen C3 WRC), who, like his team-mate Esapekka Lappi (Citroen C3 WRC), the car struggled. Ogier is sixth after the first race day. Lappi follows on the seventh position.

Guillaume de Mevius (Citroen C3 R5), decided the day as the 22nd. Sébastien Bedoret (Skoda Fabia R5) is 24th. Renaud Jamoul, corijder of Adrien Fourmaux (Ford Fiesta R5), had to give up.

to-Morrow the pilots to the north. Of the 347,51 km the riders, spread out over three days, for the wheels pushed get to be there Saturday 174,5 km driven, spread over six klassementsritten. The ride of Castagniccia is 47,18 km, is the longest of the rally.