Tänak in charge in Sardinia, the French respond

Ott Tänak finished the first loop on Friday at the head of a Rally of Sardinia where the French Pierre-Louis Loubet and Adrien Fourmaux were in good form.

Published on 03/06/2022 à 11:56

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Tänak in charge in Sardinia, the French respond

Ott Tänak leads the debates in Sardinia. ©DPPI/N. Katikis

After 4 different leaders during the first 4 special stages of this Rally from Sardinia, Ott Tänak (Hyundai) was the first driver to string together 2 consecutive SS in the lead to return to the Service Park in control ahead of Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) and Pierre-Louis Loubet (M-Sport).

However, Ott Tänak was not necessarily the fastest man of the morning in Sardinia but undoubtedly the most consistent. Although he was unable to achieve the slightest scratch in 4 special stages, the Estonian was always in the Top 4 of all the special stages contested during this first Friday loop. A consistency which allowed him to hold on to the leading position acquired during SS1 when Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) lost almost 4 seconds on him.

However, nothing is decided in this Rally of Sardinia since Ott Tänak does not have a considerable lead over his pursuers who are determined to go after him like Esapekka Lappi. Very close to the 2019 world champion, the Finn almost regained the lead at Service but a puncture on the front left during SS5 cost him a good handful of seconds. Nothing too serious in the end since the gap with the Hyundai driver went from 0″9 to only 3″7 with 4 special stages still to go this Friday afternoon.

Condemned to sweep the road this Friday, Kalle Rovanperä could not do much to try to stay stuck in the first positions. Logically in difficulty given his position, the championship leader has already conceded 42″5. A gap which could continue to increase during the 2nd loop of the day.

Loubet on the podium, Fourmaux hangs on

This first loop saw the French from M-Sport, Pierre-Louis Loubet and Adrien fourmaux, be competitive starting with the first. Increasingly confident at the wheel of the Ford Puma that he is discovering little by little, the Corsican started his day flat out with the 2nd time of SS2 just 8 tenths behind Elfyn Evans (Toyota). Very consistent throughout the loop, the Habs showed great mastery to finish in 3rd position less than 9 seconds behind Ott Tänak before attacking the 2nd part.

Adrien Fourmaux may harbor regrets. Victim of a front-left puncture in the final kilometers of SS5, the Northerner lost his place in the Top 5 to the detriment of Dani Sordo, the fastest man in the last two specials of the morning. The M-Sport driver still remains in contact with the leading group since he is only 11″5 behind the Spaniard, last in the Top 5 in Sardinia. Encouraging for the rest of Friday.

The setbacks of Evans and Neuville

This first loop did not please the world vice-champions. Third overall at the end of SS3, Elfyn Evans (Toyota) was forced to retire for the rest of the day. A water pressure problem which triggered a temperature alert on his Yaris forced the Welshman to cut his effort and head to the Service Park earlier than planned, thus removing him from the fight for victory.

A struggle in which also no longer appears, barring a turnaround, Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). After losing around ten seconds during SS2 where he was hampered by the lack of visibility, the Belgian finished SS5 with a faulty transmission which cost him more than 1'45. Overall, the native of Saint-Vith has fallen and is now more than 2 minutes behind Ott Tänak.