Neuville zooms to Portugal Rally lead

World Rally Championship leader Belgian Thierry Neuville won the opening special of the Portugal Rally in his Hyundai on Thursday by 0.6sec ahead of the eight-time champion Sebastien Ogier.

The Estonian Ott Tanak also of Hyundai took third place two seconds behind in the same time as the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta of Toyota on the 3km city centre course.

Finland's Kalle Rovanpera won the last two editions of this rally and was fifth this time, 2.4sec adrift. While the Briton Elfyn Evans, second in the world championship, took eighth place at 4.3 seconds.

Over the next three days, the drivers will negotiate a total of 22 special stages representing a total of 337.04 timed kilometres around Matosinhos, not far from Porto.

For the first time this season Toyota is fielding the two multiple champions Ogier and Rovanpera at the same time, in addition to Evans and Katsuta. The Japanese firm, leading the manufacturers' world championship, hopes to widen the gap with its runner-up Hyundai.

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