Rally Australia organisers will be licking their lips, and will be beside themselves with joy after the results from Rally Catalunya left the 2018 World Rally Championship title on a knife’s edge heading into the final round.
It’s a promotor’s dream scenario, with just three points separating Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville, and with Ott Tanak still in with a mathematical chance of upsetting the apple cart in Coffs Harbour.
Rally Catalunya had more twists and turns than a John Grisham novel, with Toyota drivers Tanak and Jari-Matti Latvala both seemingly robbed of victory through punctured tyres.
Then, when he looked like he’d retain his WRC lead, Neuville’s Hyundai i20 WRC punctured near the end of the final stage, gifting M-Sport’s Seb Ogier the series lead, and the not-so-coveted first car on the road position for Rally Australia.
All the while, the legendary Sebastien Loeb was taking an incredible ‘come from the clouds’ victory, an astonishing 79th in his WRC career.
If Rally Australia is hot, dry and dusty – and there’s every reason to believe it will be – then Neuville’s second on the road start on day one could be imperative as he pushes for his first WRC crown.
The Belgian has been superb this year, hardly putting a wheel wrong, yet still he finds himself trailing five-time champion Ogier as the season reaches its climax.
Ogier knows how to win from the front, as we’ve seen time and time again, but you feel this year the advantage is clearly with Neuville.
The Hyundai is more than a match for the Ford on gravel, and if Neuville can keep his nerve (and his i20 on the road), then the championship may be his for the taking.
His biggest allies may well be his own team-mates, too.
Putting one, or even two, Hyundais in front of Ogier will take valuable points from the Frenchman, and both Andreas Mikkelsen and Hayden Paddon have had strong results in Australia in the past.
Mikkelsen is a past winner and was leading last year after winning five of the first six stages, while Paddon’s pace on gravel, and his podium in Coffs Harbour last year, will also stand him in good stead.
In contrast, Ogier’s team-mates have a less than impressive record Down Under.
Elfyn Evans has always struggled on the event, with a best finish of 5th, while young gun Teemu Suninen has never contested the rally.
In that regard, it’s advantage Neuville, but as we’ve already seen many times this season, nothing is ever that straightforward.
Rally Australia will be a fitting finale to an incredible World Rally Championship season. If you’re lucky enough to be heading ‘across the ditch’ in a couple of weeks’ time, you’re in for a hell of a show!
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