Ogier counters to win today’s leg after Neuville’s off

• Sébastien Ogier wins Saturday’s leg of the Central European Rally
• Neuville’s rivals close the gap in the title race
• Tickets for the final day available on site, information at centraleuropeanrally.eu

Munich. Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) is the overall leader after Saturday’s leg of the Central European Rally. The Frenchman came out on top after a thrilling battle over the six special stages in Germany and Austria with Ott Tänak (EST, Hyundai), who trails the leader by 5.2 seconds after 14 of 18 stages. In third place is Elfyn Evans (GBR, Toyota), while WRC leader Thierry Neuville lost a lot of time after coming off the road in the morning and dropped back to fourth place. As the first points of the weekend are issued on Saturday evening in the WRC, championship leader has seen his lead shrink slightly. As such, the sporting action looks set to be even more exciting on the final stages on Sunday. Anyone wishing to watch the spectacular battles between the stars of the WRC along the route can still purchase tickets from each spectator point on Sunday. Visitors and those following from home can find all they need to know on the official homepage at centraleuropeanrally.eu.

Conditions were initially very slippery on the morning loop, making life very difficult for the drivers on the opening three stages: the light mist hanging in the air in places in the morning, combined with autumn foliage and some dirt on the roads made for some unpredictable conditions at times, resulting in a few ‘dodgy’ moments. Overnight leader Thierry Neuville defended his extremely slender lead on the first two stages of the day, but then lost over half a minute on the third stage, when he briefly found himself stranded in a roadside ditch after an off-road excursion. The title contender consequently dropped back to fourth place and was forced to admit: “They were difficult conditions, and my pace notes were a bit optimistic. It is obviously disappointing to lose the lead.” Neuville subsequently adopted a more cautious strategy: “We could not catch anyone in front of us in the afternoon, but nor could we be caught from behind if we avoided making any mistakes. As such, we just had to get through it calmly. Tomorrow we will push again, hopefully pick up a few points and, above all, make sure that we finish.”

Ogier counters at decisive moment
Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais led the rally in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid going into the afternoon loop, but had to fight hard to maintain that lead. Ott Tänak got off to a blistering start after the lunch break and closed to within 1.1 seconds of Ogier with a stage win. However, the Frenchman held his nerve and won the final two stages of the day in road conditions that were now dry and thus very fast. That allowed him to defend his lead and pick up 18 points for winning today’s leg ahead of Tänak and Evans. “The afternoon was really nice, the conditions were good, we had good grip and were able to push the car to the limit,” said Ogier at the finish. “We are leading the rally now. That is good – but it is really not a big lead. It is still all to play for.” It was important for the leading trio of Ogier, Tänak and Evans to leave Neuville behind, as all three managed to score points and close the gap slightly to the world championship leader. Although Belgium’s Neuville still goes into the final day of the rally with a comfortable lead at the top of the table, the fact that the front-runners are now bunched a little closer together adds some extra spice to Sunday’s racing.

Sunday – judgement day
Sunday’s leg of the Central European Rally features four special stages with a compact 54 kilometres against the clock. The final day could provide a furious finale, as Thierry Neuville still has the opportunity to be crowned world rally champion with one race still to come. Not only will that make the day particularly attractive for visitors, but the programme is also packed with highlights. For example, there is Sunday shopping in Hauzenberg, which serves as the centre for the ADAC Opel eRally Cup and will host a time check in front of the town hall square (Rathausplatz), complete with a competitor presentation. There is a huge spectator zone on the Hochwald stage (SS 15/17), with plenty to discover around the KNAUS TABBERT plant. The best news: this is the departure point for a shuttle to the finish on the final stage “Passauer Land”. The final spectator points of the weekend are to be found on the 17-kilometre stage, which is classed as the “Power Stage” and also provides the backdrop for the “Flower Ceremony” for the rally’s fastest drivers. However, the trophies for them and all the other winners and top finishers will not be presented until the podium ceremony from 15:30 in front of the historic town hall in Passau.

Always up-to-date: Smartphone app, homepage and more
The Central European Rally keeps spectators and fans from all over the world informed via a wide range of platforms, with something for everyone’s taste. The first point of call is the official homepage at centraleuropeanrally.eu, where visitor information, news and quotes on the latest action can be found, as well as many links to more content. Fans can also follow the action up close and personal on the event’s social media channels (facebook.com/wrccer | instagram.com/cerwrc | tiktok.com/@cerwrc). Anyone wanting all the information in compact form on their smartphone would be well advised to get the TW-Sportsoft app, which provides visitor information, a timing feature, and important news on the rally. Another great tip is the “ADAC Pendlernetz” app, which allows rally fans to connect and share lifts. The app is quick, practical and environmentally-friendly – and also offers the opportunity to win attractive prizes on each day of the rally.