Thierry Neuville hadn’t even arrived in Toyota City, and he was being quoted as saying Rally Japan was more about 2026 than it was the rally ahead. So maybe his dismal event doesn’t matter one iota?
But Martijn Wydaeghe’s quip to DirtFish, when we pointed out it had been a difficult morning, was telling: “Difficult year,” he replied.
Let’s list it all out: there was a transmission problem on Thursday’s shakedown, a rear differntial issue on Friday morning, a driveshaft failure on Saturday that prompted an oil leak, and then electrical gremlins that stopped his wipers working (when the rain was coming down hard) on Sunday.
That’s all just in Japan.
As Andrew Wheatley pointed out: “I think Thierry’s had one of those weekends where you just say, ‘OK, it’s not happening. It’s just not happening this weekend’.”
It’s hard to see how Neuville doesn’t become the first world champion since Richard Burns to fail to win a rally during their title defnse. A fresh start in 2026 really can’t come soon enough.
Fourmaux manages what team-mates can’t
AloJapan.com