WRC leader Thierry Neuville criticizes the WRC regulations – The Belgian always has to be first on the stages on Fridays
Thierry Neuville is frustrated because, as leader of the World Rally Championship (WRC), he always has to start the stages first on Fridays. This means that his rivals always have an advantage over the Belgian at the start of a rally. The Hyundai driver can only change his starting position on Saturday and Sunday, as the rally classification then decides the order.
For the first time, the WRC is making a guest appearance in Latvia, where Neuville always kept the track clean for his rivals on Friday. So Neuville doesn’t stand much of a chance against Kalle Rovanperä, local hero Martins Sesks and Sebastien Ogier. Despite his better starting position, the Belgian is still more than two minutes behind the leader Rovanperä in eighth place on Saturday. He lost 1:23.3 minutes to the leader on the first day.
Neuville had already conquered the overall lead at the season opener in Monte Carlo, since then he has defended first place in the overall standings, but according to the regulations, he has always been at the back of the field on Fridays. With the exception of the Monte Carlo Rally, he never won a round and only finished on the podium twice afterwards – in Croatia and Portugal.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Neuville. “The strategy to win the championship is no longer the same. These days, it’s much more fun to drive a part-time season because you get more out of it.” The Belgian is alluding to Rovanperä and Ogier, who may not contest the entire season for Toyota, but who are always among the front runners in their sporadic outings thanks to good starting positions.
Ogier has finished first twice and second twice in the four rallies so far, and the Frenchman is fourth in the overall standings. Rovanperä is sixth and has also taken two victories as a part-time driver. Esapekka Lappi won another rally as a part-time driver. Only Ott Tänak and Neuville have ever won a rally as full-time drivers.
“Why should I do this to myself every weekend all year round?” grumbles Neuville. “We did a good job at the start of the year, but we’re not being rewarded for it. We are seeing our championship results plummet. There is nothing we can do to fight with the others. “
Part-time drivers at an advantage?
Neuville criticizes the fact that a full-time driver could become world champion at the end of the 2024 season with just one win, because the part-time drivers do not collect enough points but divide the victories between them. “Even if we have a 40-point lead, we have to fight, because there is no chance of maintaining that lead,” he says.
While Neuville talks about endless discussions with the WRC organizers, the European Championship has introduced a simple system: There is a qualifying session at the start, which determines the order of the drivers on the stages. The WRC had a similar system in 2012 and 2013, but it was then abolished.
Neuville is angry: “How many years have we been talking about this? Nobody wants the [qualifying stage]. I think the FIA and the promoters are super happy that a young driver driving for the second time can set the best time from tenth on the grid. That’s what they want, but it’s not what the manufacturers want. “
Rovanperä with a different opinion
For the 2024 season, the WRC has changed the points system to compensate somewhat for the disadvantage on Friday. Until the end of Saturday, the winner receives 18 points. On Sunday, the winner of the final stage will receive seven points, plus five possible points on the Power Stage. This guarantees an exciting battle for WRC points until the end of the rally.
Meanwhile, Rovanperä rejects Neuville’s criticism: “It’s been like this for years. It’s no more difficult today than in previous years. Thierry now knows what it’s like to open the stages on Friday. I complained when I had to do it, and Seb before me. That’s the way it is and that’s how you have to take it. If you don’t want that, you can’t lead the championship. “