Neuville wins Rally Italy by 0.7 seconds
In one of the closest victories the World Rally Championship has ever seen, Thierry Neuville overhauled his main rival for the 2018 Championship Sebastien Ogier, on the very last stage in a dramatic conclusion to win Rally Italy by just 0.7 seconds.
Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul had started on Sunday's stages 3.9s behind Ogier but won all four of the day's tests to pip Ogier, in what was the equal third closest finish in WRC history. Esapekka Lappi claimed his first podium of the year in third place but almost two minutes off the leaders following a final-day fight with Toyota teammate Jari-Matti Latvala, who suffered a broken alternator at the end of SS16 to drop out of contention
Neuville now takes a healthy 27 point lead in the 2018 World Rally Drivers Championship to the next round - Neste Rally Finland 26-29th June.
Rally Italy - Top Ten Finishers
1 Thierry Neuville, N.Gilsoul Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 3h29m18.7s
2 Sebastien Ogier, J.Ingrassia M-Sport Ford WRT 0.7s
3 Esapekka Lappi, J.Ferm Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 1m56.3s
4 Hayden Paddon, S.Marshall Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 2m55.2s
5 Mads Ostberg, T.Eriksen Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT 3m10.9s
6 Craig Breen, S.Martin Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT 4m31.7s
7 Jari-Matti Latvala, M.Anttila Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 11m22.1s
8 Jan Kopecky, P.Dresler Skoda Motorsport II 13m14.6s
9 Ott Tanak, M.Jarveoja Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 13m18.2s
10 Teemu Suninen, M.Markkula M-Sport Ford WRT 15m30.4s
2018 World Rally Championship - Top Ten Positions after 7 of 13 Rounds
1 Thierry Neuville 149
2 Sebastien Ogier 122
3 Ott Tanak 79
4 Esapekka Lappi 70
5 Dani Sordo 60
6 Andreas Mikkelsen 56
7 Elfyn Evans 46
8 Kris Meeke 43
9 Jari-Matti Latvala 37
10 Craig Breen 34
11th June, 2018