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Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier led the Central European Rally after two stages on Thursday as Thierry Neuville was perfectly placed to capture the 2024 world title despite colliding with a bale of straw.
Ogier, behind the wheel of a Toyota, had a lead of less than a second over Belgian driver Neuville in a Hyundai on the opening day of a rally which speeds through the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany.
Neuville has a 29-point lead in the title race over teammate Ott Tanak and needs to outscore the Estonian by at least two points this weekend to secure a maiden championship with one round to spare.
Tanak, the 2019 world champion, was down in fifth on Thursday, more than two seconds behind Neuville.
The Belgian suffered a minor scare on Thursday when he drove into a bale of straw, slightly damaging the front of his car which hampered him during the two stages after the start in Prague.
“I took off the aero at the front right by stupidly touching a straw bale and it will handicap me tomorrow,” he said. “I can’t be happy, to be honest.”
Six more stages take place on Friday.
Top five after the first day:
1. Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (FRA/Toyota) 7:50.6, 2. Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL/Hyundai) at 0.9, 3. Andreas Mikkelsen/Torstein Eriksen (NOR/Hyundai) 1.7, 4. Takamoto Tatsuta/ Aaron Johnston (JPN-IRL/Toyota) 2.0, 5. Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveola (EST/Hyundai) 2.1
Stage winners: Sebastien Ogier (SS1), Thierry Neuville (SS2)
jld/dj/jc
