Thierry Neuville was very upset at the end of a Latvian stage as sees his championship advantage disappearing while he made a state on the existence of the part-time drivers and on how his road position affects his championship hopes.
The Belgian driver is leading the championship since the end of Rallye Monte Carlo where he secored 30 points, but he was forced to open the roads on the opening day of a rally since Rally Sweden. FIA's rule is the championship leader to start first on Fridays, but the road order starts in the opposite way depending how the crews completed the classification on Friday and Saturday. The most disastrous event for Neuville is Rally Latvia so far this season as this event has some stages running only once which means that he had to sweep five stages yesterday. In addition to that, he finished ninth on Friday and started second on the road today as Esapekka Lappi was opening the stages due to the fact that he competed the top ten on Friday. Neuville's run was affected again today as starting second on the road means that he had to do less cleaning than yesterday, but still he was slower than his main title rivals, Toyota's two Champions and the newcomer Martins Sesks who is now at the podium positions on his second outing at the top level. Last but not least, it must be mentioned that FIA's road order is running in World Rally Championship for many years with Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera managing to become WRC Champions despite the road cleaning effect while ERC has adopted a qualifying stage which defines the road position on the opening day of a rally.
"I don’t know what to say", Neuville said.
"Obviously, the strategy to win the championship is not the same anymore.
"Now things like doing a part-season are much more fun and a bigger benefit for everything, so it is something to think about".
"Yeah, definitely", he answered when he was asked if he stood by those comments directed at part-time drivers and the current road order rules.
"I mean, why I should have the pain in the ass all weekend, all year long?
"I mean, we did a great job in the beginning of the year, and now there's no reward at all.
"Basically, you see your championship going down.
"There's nothing you can do and nothing you can fight against the others.
"We could have, whoever it is, Ott, Elfyn or myself, the winner of the championship at the end of the year winning maybe one rally.
"It's an endless discussion, so I don't know what I should still add to it.
"It has been said many, many times.
"When Ogier was opening the road there was some tarmac rally in the middle of the gravel rallies, and now we have eight gravel rallies in a row, what can you do?
"Even with a 40-point lead, there's no way to keep those points, so we have to fight.
"How many years have we mentioned it?
"Nobody wants the qualifying stage.
"I guess that the FIA and promoter are super happy with a young driver, driving for a second time, starting 10 on the road and able to set the fastest times.
"So that's what they like, but that's not what the manufacturers want".
Source: Motorsport.com
Photo Credits: Hyundai
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