Las Vegas GP || November 23 || 22h00 (Local time)
20 August 2024
SS3: Neuville snatches lead in Cyprus
“I prefer asphalt and I pushed very hard, to the maximum”
Thierry Neuville has snatched the lead of the Cyprus Rally by winning stage three, the 18.16-kilometre Salamiou test.
Driving a Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super 2000, Neuville was 11.2s faster than last year’s Cyprus winner Nasser Al-Attiyah in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000. As a result he leads overall by 8.8s.
IRC title leader Jan Kopecký, in a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia S2000, was third fastest with former pacesetter Andreas Mikkelsen fourth quickest after suffering a spin in his ŠKODA UK Fabia.
“We lost eight to 10 seconds,” said Mikkelsen, who slips to second overall. “I was coming into a loose section and lost the rear. It was my fault but we have to push to stay in front.”
Neuville said he relished the predominantly asphalt-based stage: “I prefer asphalt and I pushed very hard, to the maximum.”
Crews are now heading back to Pafos for a regroup and service halt. Stage four, the second Koilinia test, gets underway at 14:47hrs.
| Pos. | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neuville T. / Gilsoul Nicolas | Peugeot 207 S2000 | 35m12.1s |
| 2 | Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +8.8s |
| 3 | Kopecký Jan / Starý Petr | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +21.2s |
| 4 | Al-Attiyah N. / Bernacchini G. | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +25.2s |
| 5 | Sandell Patrik / Parmander S. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +56.2s |
| 6 | Loix Freddy / Dresler Pavel | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m01.1s |
| 7 | Kruuda Karl / Järveoja M. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m28.1s |
| 8 | Kahle Matthias / Göbel Peter | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m46.1s |
| 9 | Arai Toshihiro / Moscatt Dale | Subaru Impreza Sti R4 | +2m00.9s |
| 10 | Wallenwein Mark / Kopczyk Stefan | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +2m01.6s |
| 11 | Thomas Nicos / Loizides A. | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +2m22.2s |
| 12 | Panteli Petros / Panteli C. | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +3m20.1s |
| 13 | Raoux J. / Magat Laurent | Renault Clio R3 | +3m52.3s |
| 14 | Timotheou C. / Laos Pambos | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | +4m05.7s |
| 15 | Loucaides Doros / Laos Savvas | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +4m12.1s |
