Corsica WRC: Neuville takes over, engine woes for Meeke

Hyundai driver Neuville started the day 25.8s behind Meeke, but rapid times on both of the Saturday morning stages allowed the Belgian to overhaul Sebastien Ogier, who was struggling with the springs on his M-Sport Ford Fiesta, for second.

That became a net lead when Kris Meeke’s engine expired on the Novella stage just before service. The Northern Irishman completed SS6 in the lead, but is out of the rally.

Dani Sordo gives Hyundai two cars in the top three after he used the morning to pass Craig Breen.

The Spaniard lamented SS5 as "the worst stage I have driven in my life", but his pace hasn’t reflected that, as he rounds out the podium spots.

Breen was forced to complete SS6 without an intercom, and despite the huge amount of corners on the Corsican roads, he completed the stage only eight seconds behind the Spaniard.

Breen is the sole remaining Citroen after Stephane Lefebvre crashed out in SS5, although he could return under Rally2 on Sunday.

Toyota driver Jari-Matti Latvala cursed the brake-feel on his Toyota, the Rally Sweden winner lying 10.7s behind Breen in fifth.

Hayden Paddon made sure all three Hyundais are in the top six, struggling with trusting his i20 WRC, but ending up only 14.6s behind Latvala, going quicker than the Finn in both morning stages. 

Elfyn Evans joined Lefebvre in crashing out of the event, the Welshman going out on a quick left hander.

Ogier's M-Sport teammate Ott Tanak is 13th, having also gone off the road on Friday, and also due to struggles with a suspected spark plug issue.

Juho Hanninen, who is in 14th after a crash on Friday, set third- and second-fastest times in his Toyota Yaris WRC, leaving the Finn wondering what could have been.

Andreas Mikkelsen, eighth overall, leads WRC2 in his Skoda Fabia R5, as Teemu Suninen's Fiesta trails by over a minute, second in class and 10th overall.

Stephane Sarrazin lies ninth overall in his WRC2-eligible Skoda Fabia R5.

Standings after SS6

Pos.	Driver/Codriver	Car	Time/Gap
1	Kris Meeke  Paul Nagle	Citroen C3 WRC	2h00m29.1s
2	Thierry Neuville  Nicolas Gilsoul	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	1.5s
3	Sébastien Ogier  Julien Ingrassia	Ford Fiesta WRC '17	9.7s
4	Dani Sordo  Marc Marti	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	46.8s
5	Craig Breen Scott Martin	Citroen C3 WRC	57.6s
6	Jari-Matti Latvala  Miikka Anttila	Toyota Yaris WRC	1m08.3s
7	Hayden Paddon  John Kennard	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	1m22.9s
8	Andreas Mikkelsen  Anders Jaeger	Skoda Fabia R5	4m37.1s
9	Stephane Sarrazin Jacques-Julien Renucci	Skoda Fabia R5	4m57.0s
10	Teemu Suninen Mikko Markkula	Ford Fiesta R5	5m42.4s