Corsica test crash leaves Neuville's WRC Hyundai in river
Thierry Neuville's Hyundai i20 Coupe was left stranded in a river after crashing on his day-long Corsica test on Wednesday
Neuville, who won the French island event 12 months ago, was concluding the Korean squad's running time in preparation for next week's Bastia-based event when he shunted the i20 Coupe WRC.
The team has confirmed Neuville slid wide at the exit of a left-hand corner, dropped off the road down a bank and came to a stop in a river.
Neuville said it was "all good" when he commented on the crash on social media.
A source told Autosport: "The car suffered some bodywork [damage] to the front.
"The bonnet took a hit and there might have been some engine damage, but they [Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul] were out of the car straight away - with wet feet.
"It wasn't a very big deal, probably the hardest thing for the team might be getting the car out of the river."
After a troubled round three run through Mexico, Rally Sweden winner Neuville dropped to four points behind Sebastien Ogier in the championship standings.
Neuville's Hyundai team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo completed their day of running in Corsica earlier this week.
M-Sport in Ford NASCAR tech tie-up for World Rally Car
Loeb's WRC Corsica preparation more straightforward than for Mexico
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic