Thierry Neuville wins the Rally of Portugal
After a dramatic round of the World Rally Championship, Thierry Neuville secured his first victory of the 2026 season.
Rain made its mark on this sixth round of the WRC, leading to multiple twists and turns, with some sections becoming particularly muddy and treacherous.
Neuville spent much of the rally chasing France’s Sébastien Ogier. Unable to overtake him on pace alone, the Belgian driver took advantage of a puncture suffered by his main rival during the second pass of the Vieira do Minho stage to seize the lead. He then managed the remainder of the race to cross the finish line in first place, ahead of Sweden’s Oliver Solberg and Wales’s Elfyn Evans, claiming his first victory of the season.
The reigning world champion now boasts 23 wins in the WRC.