SS21: Neuville fastest

Thierry Neuville has scored his fifth stage win on Rallye de France Alsace, round 11 of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Citroen Junior World Rally Team driver’s performance means he starts the final stage with a margin of 8.6s over Mads Ostberg in the battle for fourth overall.

“It was a very nice stage,” said Neuville, who was 2.9s faster than Ostberg. “I like this one, it’s bit like Ypres in Belgium so I really enjoy and the time is not so bad.”

Ostberg, who drives for the Adapta World Rally Team, said: “I have tried but I’m losing too much time so that’s it. There is still one stage to go, I’ve done my best but I still need to focus to get to the end.”

Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb completed the stage 3.6s slower than Neuville but will take a lead of 19.1s over Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala into the final stage, Haguenau.

Martin Prokop reported the recurrence of the misfire that hobbled him on Friday.

Hayden Paddon dropped out of the Super 2000 World Rally Championship lead on the previous stage when he got stuck in a ditch for several minutes. He eventually managed to complete the stage albeit following a considerable delay.