FILE PHOTO: FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 7 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 15, 2020. Thierry Neuville of Belgium (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) speaks to the media. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson/via REUTERS/File Photo
(Reuters) - Belgian Thierry Neuville's hopes of celebrating his first world rally championship were hanging in the balance after a nightmare Friday in the Japanese season-ender.
The Hyundai driver, who needs six points to clinch the title, ended the day 15th overall and seven minutes and 41.3 seconds off the lead while closest rival, teammate and 2019 champion Ott Tanak took over at the front.
"I can't really find any positives from the day. When the car was working the feeling was good, that's the only positive," said Neuville.
He was sixth overnight but moved up to second overall after the day's first two stages, with Tanak leading, before then losing turbo pressure on the third.
Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe had to nurse the car through the following five asphalt stages, losing more than seven minutes in total.
Their title hopes could rest on a strong showing on Sunday, when there is a chance to secure enough points under the scoring system.
Estonian Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja leads Toyota's Elfyn Evans by 20.9 seconds going into the penultimate leg's six stages with M-Sport Ford's Adrien Fourmaux in third place but one minute and 33 seconds behind the Welshman.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)
