Leader of the world championship, Thierry Neuville has the formidable honor of opening the road this Friday at the Rally of Chile. Despite cool temperatures and heavy recent rain, the course remains largely dirty and sweeping is therefore present.
After the passes of Neuville, Ott Tänak and Sébastien Ogier, the French signing the best time with more than nine seconds ahead of the Hyundai drivers, the first special was simply canceled for safety reasons linked to spectators and their positioning along this 19.72 km route. All the drivers who were unable to compete in the special behind this trio were credited with the same time as Neuville.
Started five minutes behind schedule, the second special of the day came to an end and fell into the hands of Elfyn Evans, who was the first to interrupt his effort during SS1. The Welshman, taking advantage of the sweep of the three competitors in front of him, won the scratch ahead of the three other Toyotas entered, since he finished this 13.34 km course with 2.3 seconds ahead of Kalle Rovanperä, 2 .9 on Sami Pajari (who temporarily replaces Takamoto Katsuta) and 3.9 on Ogier. The compact Rally1 group was held in 8.4 seconds, with Martins Sesks bringing up the rear in his M-Sport Ford.
Ogier at fault then at stoppage
The longest special of the day, with 23.32 km on the program, SS3 was immediately marked by an exit that was too wide for Ogier in a right turn. The left rear wheel of the Toyota hit the shoulder with some violence, avoiding however the rollover and major damage, but suffering a puncture. Stopped in the middle of the special, the crew replaced the rear tire which took less than two minutes, but it is obviously a hard blow for Ogier in this event and for his meager hopes of coronation.
On paths which deteriorate significantly, particularly in the bends where the rope, often made of large stones, is taken, Evans maintained his good pace to take the lead of the rally, even if he was pipped to the post – by 0″1 – by his teammate Rovanperä for the scratch time, the Finn however ensuring that he was not at ease on the dry land of Chile. The two drivers were however only separated by 2.2 seconds at the end of the morning loop, while Pajari got off to a good start in third place.
Condemned to suffer precarious grip, Neuville did not sign any top 4 during this Chilean morning and is 13.8 seconds from the lead overall, in seventh position, even if he will be satisfied to see that one of his main rivals for the title is already relegated to more than 1’30 of his time. His teammate and also opponent, Tänak, is fifth, 7″3 from the lead.
Sesks, who until now had a clean rally, was the victim of an incident similar to that of Ogier in a different section, but with visibly more serious consequences: if he also stopped on the course to change left rear wheel, he left at a limited speed. He lost more than five minutes at the end of the special.
| Friday scratches | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ES1 | 19,72 km | Pulperia 1 | S. Ogier |
| ES2 | 13,34 km | Flight 1 |  E. Evans |
| ES3 | 23,32 km | San Rosendo 1 |  K. Rovanperä |
| ES4 | 19,72 km | Pulperia 2 | 19h46 |
| ES5 | 13,34 km | Flight 2 | 20h41 |
| ES6 | 23,32 km | San Rosendo 2 | 21h32 |
Rally Chile – Ranking after SS3
