Ogier started the morning 11.6 seconds adrift of Neuville however related accidents for each Neuville and Evans have pushed the eight-time world champion right into a 9.1s lead over Evans.
Evans and Neuville each reached the tip of stage 18 with broken vehicles – with the latter, who began the day main by 4.9s, now dropping to 3rd, 10.2s in arrears.
Hyundai’s Ott Tanak survived a second in stage 18 to keep up fourth [+1m02.3s] whereas M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux handed fifth general to Takamoto Katsuta [+1m57.1s]. Katsuta additionally leads the Tremendous Sunday classification by 3.9s from Tanak.
Sunday morning started with a blast by means of the vast and open roads of stage 17 [Trakoscan-Vrbno, 13.15km] with the lead trio all choosing completely different tyre methods so as to add further intrigue to the victory battle. Rally chief Neuville chosen one onerous and 4 softs, whereas Evans selected three hards and two softs and Ogier opted for 2 hards and three softs.
Evans’ choice appeared to assist the Welshman on the more and more soiled highway because the early runners dragged gravel onto the floor. The Toyota driver managed to take 2.3s out of chief Neuville to cut the deficit right down to 2.6s with three phases remaining.
“I’m fairly shocked already, plenty of air pollution and fairly slippery particularly on the finish of stage – general fairly good,” mentioned Evans.
Neuville wasn’t overly involved by Evans’ assault and felt assured his tyre choice would come again to him because the loop progressed.
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Staff Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photograph by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
“We’ve completely different tyre decisions, this one shall be actually soiled on the second move,” mentioned Neuville. “For the following one I feel we’ve higher tyres.
“It’s OK, it’s a unclean highway within the morning and we lose a little bit of time, however we’re going to push onerous.”
Ogier struggled to seek out the sensation behind the wheel of his GR Yaris however was in a position to match Neuville’s time to stay 11.6s adrift of the chief.
The stage was received by Katsuta, who took an early lead within the Tremendous Sunday classification. The Toyota driver was 1.8s quicker than Fourmaux with Evans third quickest. Tanak was fourth quickest regardless of battling a stage he claimed was “stuffed with gravel”.
However the rally was turned on its head in stage 18 [Zagorska Sela – Kumrovec, 14.24km] as Neuville, Evans and Fourmaux all hit hassle.
Fourmaux was the primary to make an error as he clipped an anti-cut gadget, which broken his entrance proper. The M-Sport driver pulled off the highway to repair the automobile and finally reached the stage finish after dropping greater than quarter-hour.
“After a nook I snapped the steering arm, typically it bends, typically it breaks,” mentioned Fourmaux. “This time it breaks. We have to rating some factors as we speak, so we have to regroup and sit up for the Energy Stage.”
Tanak additionally had what he referred to as “greater than a second” working off the highway, on his solution to profitable the stage, however he fared a lot better than lead duo Evans and Neuville.
Evans clipped a financial institution with the left rear of his GR Yaris, which pitched the automobile right into a spin, costing the Welshman an important 19.6s.
“It was only a slippery place, hit the rear onerous on the left and it simply took off and spun the automobile sadly,” mentioned Evans.
Minutes later, rally chief Neuville ran right into a financial institution, this time with the best rear of his i20 N, leading to injury to the entrance and rear wing. The Belgian, who dropped 23.3s to 3rd general, blamed the incident on a late pacenote.
“There was plenty of corners, once I obtained the pacenote it was far too late,” mentioned Neuville.
“We misplaced 20 seconds to Ogier so it’s a disgrace as a result of every thing was going effectively.”
Ogier was third quickest within the stage however inherited the lead forward of a repeat of the morning phases, which is able to conclude the rally.