Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT NG Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 “Huge disappointment but tomorrow is coming. The suspected alternator issue for Katsuta proved terminal which left the Japanese driver stranded on the road section before the test. The Rally1 field was reduced to seven cars at the start of stage three (Arganil - 18.72km). It's very loose and we have to take care of the tyres,” said Neuville. “I took a lot of care of the tyres at the end of the stage but we had a vibration on the rear-left so I thought one was delaminating. The world champion wasn’t the only driver struggling for pace as team-mate Evans, along with the Hyundai duo of Lappi and Neuville completed the timesheet. Croatia winner Evans felt the brunt of the road cleaning duties and subsequently dropped 7.9s. Rovanpera was 0.3s shy of Tanak but the Toyota driver was faster than Katsuta - hampered by an electrical issue - Lappi and Neuville, who all started further down the road order. The 2019 world champion was only 2.3s adrift despite starting third on the road, and describing his Ford Puma’s ride as like a “wooden horse” across the rough gravel. Hyundai’s Sordo, who was ahead of Loubet on the road, was 0.3s slower, but it was M-Sport’s Tanak, who produced arguably the most impressive time. M-Sport’s Loubet made the most of the road conditions, starting last of the Rally1 runners, as the Frenchman set the fastest times to claim a fourth career WRC stage win and the early rally lead. Road cleaning was always going to be factor for the leading runners and so it proved on the opening gravel stage. Pierre-Louis Loubet and Esapekka Lappi completed the Rally1 field after Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta retried with an electrical issue. Dani Sordo led Hyundai’s effort completing the loop in third, 3.6s adrift, but ahead of team-mate Thierry Neuville, 14.6s back, and road sweeper Elfyn Evans who is 18.0s off.
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