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Neuville abandons Turkey WRC due to suspension failure, leaving Ogier in the lead

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<i>Image: OZAN KOSE / AFP</i>
<i>Image: OZAN KOSE / AFP</i>
OZAN KOSE / AFP

Championship leader Thierry Neuville dropped out of the Turkey WRC on Saturday after breaking his suspension on the first special stage of the day.

The Belgian, who led Sebastien Ogier by 0.3 seconds overnight, was 8.0sec faster than the Frenchman two thirds of the way through the 34.24km eighth stage, but then the top mounting punched through the bonnet of his Hyundai, the World Rally Championship website reported. He limped on but crossed the line 3min30sec down.

'We didn't hit anything'

Neuville, who leads Ogier by 23 points in the driver standings, could rejoin the rally on Sunday in the hope of picking up some championship bonus points in the closing Power Stage.

READ: WRC: Neuville reels in Ogier to win Rally of Italy

"Something is broken. We didn't hit anything. I don't know, unlucky, really unlucky," Neuville told the website.

"Despite trying to make some repairs on the car, @thierryneuville is unfortunately forced to retire after SS8 due to the suspension damage he picked up during the stage," Hyundai tweeted.

That left Ogier 25.5sec ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen in a Hyundai but the Frenchman suffered mechanical problems of his own on the next stage, smashing his right wheel on his M-Sport Ford. He was forced to slow and finished seventh, 18 seconds behind Mikkelsen who won the stage.

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