Local hero Neuville was embroiled in an enthralling battle with Breen, however after ending second within the first three levels, a win on the ultimate stage of the loop secured a 0.4s lead as crews returned to service.
Hyundai has employed a “no stone unturned” method to the occasion, finishing 4 pre-event take a look at days, and its preparation paid off by profitable the opening quartet of levels.
Breen and Neuville, each earlier Ypres Rally winners in its former guise as a spherical of the European Rally Championship, made essentially the most of their expertise to tame the quick and slippery asphalt roads, punctuated by a number of junctions.
Fellow Hyundai driver Ott Tanak ended the afternoon in third total, after profitable the primary stage, however is 16.4s adrift having struggled to match the tempo of his team-mates.
Elfyn Evans headed Toyota’s cost in fourth total, an additional 0.8s again, whereas team-mate Sebastien Ogier is sixth after being delayed by a entrance left puncture on the third stage.
That dropped him behind Estonia winner Kalle Rovanpera, who holds fifth.
However, worse was to befall M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux, who retired from the day’s motion following a wild spin on stage three. The crew’s day went from unhealthy to worse as Gus Greensmith discovered himself caught in a ditch after a spin on the ultimate stage of the afternoon, which pressured his retirement.
The laborious tyre-shod Hyundai trio dominated the opening stage of the rally, recording a one-two-three end, nevertheless it was Tanak who emerged on prime relatively than anticipated favorite Neuville.
Tanak made essentially the most of his street place to finish the primary 15km take a look at 2.3s quicker than dwelling hero Neuville, benefitting from a cleaner floor than the dusty street his team-mate confronted.
Breen accomplished the Hyundai dominance with the third quickest time, simply 0.2s slower than Neuville regardless of a scare on one of many transitions to a concrete street floor.
“I had an enormous bang on a concrete lip that I attempted to drive round, and it dropped the rhythm as a result of I used to be positive I had a puncture,” stated Breen.
Evans in fourth was the quickest of the Toyotas, all electing for a tough/delicate tyre compound combine, however was some 6.4s again with Rovanpera fifth and Ogier sixth.
Neuville produced a blistering effort within the second take a look at however was once more denied a stage win by his team-mate, as Breen pipped the Belgian by 0.9s, and took the general rally lead by 0.7s.
It was a powerful time for Neuville contemplating he was struggling along with his glasses.
“I used to be combating like hell with my glasses – they had been slipping on a regular basis,” he stated.
While Breen and Neuville set the tempo, opening stage winner Tanak missed a junction and ran huge right into a area, which dropped the Estonian to 3rd total, after shedding 9.6s to the leaders.
Evans was as soon as once more the quickest Toyota in fourth forward of Rovanpera, Tanak and Ogier.
Breen continued his tempo into the penultimate stage of the loop to assert his second stage win of the day, pipping Neuville once more by 0.9s because the thrilling struggle between the pair raged.
It would proved to be a an eventful stage as Ogier was hampered by a entrance left puncture in direction of the top of the 23.62km take a look at, whereas Fourmaux misplaced the rear of his Fiesta on a muddy left-hander that resulted in a crash.
Neuville lastly chalked up a win on the ultimate stage of the loop, beating Breen by two seconds.
Tanak discovered some tempo to complete the stage with the second quickest time, forward of Evans, Breen and Ogier.
In WRC2, M-Sport’s Teemu Suninen leads the category with a 22.7s margin over Oliver Solberg, who’s giving Hyundai’s new i20 Rally 2 automobile its occasion debut.
The Ypres Rally continues this night with a repeat of the afternoon levels, starting at 17:15 BST.
