Thierry Neuville found redemption in Portugal after a stroke of bad luck for Sébastien Ogier. Just a month ago, Neuville lost a certain win in Croatia due to his own mistake. This time, it was a puncture on the penultimate stage that denied Ogier victory, gifting the top spot to the Belgian.
The final day of the Portuguese rally was marked by rain, which seemed to add drama to the battle for the lead. Neuville clawed back 7.6 seconds on Ogier in the first stage, Vieira do Minho. The Frenchman responded in the next stage, Fafe, gaining 3 seconds. But everything changed on the second pass through Vieira do Minho, where Ogier suffered a puncture, handing the win to Neuville on a silver platter.
For Neuville, this victory was a sweet relief after the disappointment in Croatia. It was also Hyundai’s first win of the season. Neither Neuville nor Ogier had tasted victory since the last round of 2025 in Saudi Arabia. “This is a very special win after what happened in Croatia,” said an emotional Neuville at the finish. “Not just for me, but for my co-driver and the whole team. I owed them this, and we deserved it. Tonight, I can finally sleep peacefully.”
Puncture troubles also hit Sami Pajari, who was running third at the time, allowing Oliver Solberg and Elfyn Evans to join Neuville on the podium. Evans continues to lead the drivers’ championship, with Takamoto Katsuta (fifth) just behind. Solberg won the ‘super Sunday’ classification, while Adrien Fourmaux took the ‘power stage’. Dani Sordo finished eighth, frustrated by incidents that hampered his return to the country where he is the reigning champion. He will be back in action at the Acropolis Rally in June.
In WRC2, Jan Solans saw his chances vanish after going off the road in Vieira do Minho, rolling down a ravine and forcing his co-driver to find a way back to the stage. Gil Membrado also crashed out in the same stage, ending his hopes for victory in the Junior and WRC3 categories.
The next stop is the Rally of Japan, from May 28 to 31, returning to asphalt stages. Sébastien Ogier, the winner of the last asphalt rally in Spain, will be there. Alejandro Cachón, who triumphed in Japan last year, will make the long trip to defend his title.
Final Classification:
1. Neuville-Wydaeghe (BEL/Hyundai), 3h 53m 1.7s
2. Solberg-Edmonson (SWE/Toyota), +16.3s
3. Evans-Martin (GBR/Toyota), +29.1s
4. Fourmaux-Coria (FRA/Hyundai), +54.8s
5. Katsuta-Johnston (JPN/Toyota), +1:12.6s
6. Ogier-Landais (FRA/Toyota), +1:26.6s
7. Pajari-Salminen (FIN/Toyota), +2:50.9s
8. Sordo-Carrera (ESP/Hyundai), +4:10.0s
Drivers’ Championship Standings:
1. Elfyn Evans, 123 points
2. Takamoto Katsuta, 111 points
3. Oliver Solberg, 92 points
4. Adrien Fourmaux, 79 points
5. Sami Pajari, 78 points
