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Neuville’s charity drive

WRC points leader Thierry Neuville will be raising money for a mental health charity when he drives a Hyundai i20 R5 at the Ypres Rally in Belgium this weekend (22-23 june).

The Rally Italia Sardegna winner's car will feature a distinctive Red Nose Day livery in support of the Belgian charity which raises money for children and young people with mental health issues - a cause that is close to Neuville's heart.

"On rallies, we have the chance to meet many children and young people who are passionate about the sport and the message we want to give to them is that we can do a lot of things by giving it a go," Neuville explained.

"No dream or goal is impossible to achieve. Sometimes you can find the resources you need to make them happen and sometimes you need the help of professionals. This should no longer be taboo. We are proud to support Red Nose Day and help children with psychological difficulty."

As part of the fundraising efforts around the event, one rally fan donated €3,600 to secure a once-in-a-lifetime co-driving experience alongside Neuville. Tom Declercq called the pace notes for his Belgian hero during a pre-Ypres test. His auction prize also includes use of Neuville's recce car for a week as well as VIP tickets to the asphalt rally.

Neuville heads to Ypres in confident mood. He leads the WRC drivers' standings by 27 points from Sébastien Ogier after a dramatic last-gasp victory on the Live TV Power Stage in Sardinia earlier this month.

However, his results at Ypres have been mixed in the past. His best finish is third overall after taking part in the event five times.

He'll also face tough competition from two of his WRC counterparts this weekend. Occasional M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver Bryan Bouffier and WRC 2 front-runner Ole Christian Veiby are also on the Ypres Rally entry list.

Zdroj: wrc.com