Neuville Leads Hyundai Charge in Portugal Shakedown, Ogier Trails

Key facts

• Thierry Neuville set the fastest time in Rally Portugal's shakedown on Wednesday.
• Adrien Fourmaux secured a top-three position for Hyundai.
• Sébastien Ogier was the slowest of the Rally1 runners in the shakedown.
• Toyota has won all five WRC events prior to Rally Portugal.
• Hyundai has achieved two podium finishes so far in the 2026 season.
• The shakedown marked the first European gravel test of 2026.
• Rally Portugal commences with three stages on Thursday.

Hyundai Signals Gravel Strength in Portugal Shakedown

Thierry Neuville of Hyundai seized the initiative in Rally Portugal's shakedown on Wednesday, signaling a potential shift in the World Rally Championship's competitive landscape. His teammate, Adrien Fourmaux, also posted a time good enough for the top three, suggesting Hyundai's i20 cars are finding their footing on European gravel. The 3.5-mile Baltar test served as the first encounter with loose surfaces for WRC crews in 2026, following a series of asphalt rallies, a snow event in Sweden, and the Safari Rally in Kenya. This transition is crucial for Hyundai, which has expressed greater confidence in its gravel performance compared to its Tarmac capabilities. Neuville's benchmark time of 3 minutes and 51.2 seconds, set on his third attempt, edged out Sami Pajari's Toyota by three-tenths of a second. Fourmaux followed, a further two-tenths behind, reinforcing Hyundai's strong showing in this initial competitive outing.

Toyota's Dominance Challenged, But Still Strong

Toyota has been the undisputed leader of the 2026 season, having secured victories in all five previous rallies. Hyundai's season has been marked by a more modest return, with only two podium finishes to its name: Adrien Fourmaux's second place in Kenya and Hayden Paddon's third in Croatia. However, the shakedown results suggest that the gap may be closing, at least on this specific surface. While Pajari's Toyota was close to Neuville's Hyundai, other Toyota drivers were further back. World championship leader Elfyn Evans finished fifth, sharing the same time as M-Sport Ford's Mãrtiņš Sesks, and was within a second of Neuville's pace. Team-mate Oliver Solberg was a tenth behind Evans, and Takamoto Katsuta was the first of the Toyota drivers to finish more than a second off the ultimate pace, indicating a varied performance across the manufacturer's line-up in this initial test.

Ogier's Uncharacteristic Slow Start

In a surprising turn, reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier was the slowest among the Rally1 contenders during the shakedown. Ogier, a multiple-time winner of this event, only completed one representative run, with his second pass dedicated to a VIP passenger ride. On his initial competitive attempt, Ogier had placed fifth, 0.8 seconds behind then-pacesetter Fourmaux. However, by the end of the session, his final time placed him a significant 3.2 seconds adrift of Neuville's leading effort. This uncharacteristic performance from the seasoned champion raises questions about his setup or approach for the initial stages of the rally, especially given his reputation for strong starts on challenging surfaces.

M-Sport Ford and WRC2 Competitors Show Promise

Beyond the leading manufacturers, Mãrtiņš Sesks emerged as the quickest of the M-Sport Ford Pumas, setting the fourth-best time overall. His performance was 0.6 seconds off Neuville's pace and a substantial 1.1 seconds ahead of ninth-fastest Jon Armstrong, another Ford driver. Among the WRC2 category runners, Teemu Suninen, driving a Toyota, demonstrated his speed by topping the class. He finished ahead of fellow GR Yaris Rally2 driver Gus Greensmith and Andreas Mikkelsen in a Škoda, indicating a competitive field in the support category. Josh McErlean was also noted as being just two-tenths of a second slower than Armstrong, highlighting the close competition within the lower tiers of the rally.

Rally Format and Expectations

Rally Portugal is set to officially commence on Thursday with three stages, followed by an intensive schedule of 20 more stages spread across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The diverse terrain and conditions throughout the event will test the crews and their machinery. Hyundai's strong showing in the shakedown, particularly on gravel, sets an intriguing stage for the weekend. While Toyota has dominated the season, this initial performance suggests that Neuville and Fourmaux could be genuine contenders for victory. The rally will provide the definitive answer as to whether Hyundai's confidence in its gravel pace translates into a sustained challenge against Toyota's winning streak, and whether Ogier can recover from his uncharacteristic slow start.

The bottom line

• Hyundai's Thierry Neuville topped the Rally Portugal shakedown, indicating improved gravel performance.
• Reigning champion Sébastien Ogier posted the slowest time among Rally1 cars in the initial test.
• Toyota, dominant this season, faces early competition from Hyundai on European gravel.
• Adrien Fourmaux also featured in the top three for Hyundai, bolstering the team's prospects.
• The shakedown marked the first gravel test of the 2026 WRC season.
• Rally Portugal begins its competitive stages on Thursday.