The Hyundai driver set the fastest time around the all-new 2.10km side-by-side super special stage, held inside the 45,000-seater Toyota Stadium, a host venue for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Neuville managed to comfortably beat newly crowned two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera by 4.0s in their head-to-head contest. Rovanpera’s time was only good enough for sixth.
“It looks like we were quite bad on this stage, like many of our cars,” said Rovanpera.
“Unfortunately we have to come here [to this stage] two more times so we need to find something.”
Hyundai will head into Friday with a 1-2 after Esapekka Lappi posted a time 0.7s adrift of Neuville. The Finn saw off Toyota’s eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier in their tussle.
“It is not really nice to lose four seconds straight away, but that’s how it is,” said Ogier, who ended the stage eighth overall, 4.7s in arrears.
“We need to check why. Of course I was not taking so many risks but it is still a lot to lose.”
Source: Autosport