Neuville praised by team boss van Dalen

Marc van Dalen has praised his new signing Thierry Neuville’s performance on Rally Islas Canarias, even though the young Belgian driver failed to finish the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.

Neuville, 21, was heading for seventh place on the Grand Canaria rally last weekend when he broke his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 S2000’s front-left wishbone after understeering off the road and striking a rock on the penultimate stage of the event.

Team boss van Dalen said: “I am disappointed for him because he was 20 kilometres from the end of the rally. But it was a very good performance on his second event in a Super 2000 car. He came here to get experience of the car and to learn by not taking risks. He has done that.”

Neuville is undertaking a six-event IRC campaign this season alongside co-driver Nicolas Klinger, who partnered Nicolas Vouilloz to IRC title glory in 2008.