Tänak tames Rovanperä to win Rally Finland

A victory full of character! Ott Tänak won the Rally from Finland for the third time in his career in WRC. L’Estonien a triomphé sur les terres de Toyota et de Kalle Rovanperä, au terme d’une bataille haletante tout au long de l’épreuve. Toujours très proches l’un de l’autre au classement général, l’Estonien a fini par surclasser le Finlandais pour s’imposer une deuxième fois cette saison, après le Rallye de Sardaigne.

😤 What. A.Statement 🤯@OttTanak has claimed @HMSGOfficial's first-ever @RallyFinland victory 🏅🏅#HMSGOfficial #WRC #WRCLive #RallyFinland

- World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) August 7

With this new podium, the sixth in eight races, Rovanperä further extends its lead in the championship. The Toyota driver now has 94 points more than Ott Tänak, who moved up to 2nd place in the standings ahead of Thierry Neuville.

Hyundai strikes a big blow on Toyota land

Ott Tänak had an almost perfect Rally Finland. Leading the event from SS2, the Estonian driver never relinquished his position despite the pressure from the Toyotas. Esapekka Lappi tried to overthrow the 2019 world champion during Friday, without success. It was then Kalle Rovanperä who got dangerously close to the Balt. The gap even went down to less than 7 seconds on Saturday, but Tänak held on and won after an intense battle. The two drivers even achieved the scratch twice on the same special stage (SS17 and SS20).

Pour Tänak, c’est un retour sur la plus haute marche du podium, après sa victoire en Sardaigne en mai. Pour Hyundai, c’est surtout un soulagement. La i20 N a été performante et fiable tout au long du week-end et a réussi à contenir des Yaris pourtant très rapides. L’écurie coréenne s’impose pour la première fois en Finlande depuis son retour en WRC, mettant fin à une hégémonie de 4 succès consécutifs pour Toyota dans la région de Jyväskylä. Hyundai score aussi sa 2e victoire de la saison.

Behind the infernal duo, it is Esapekka Lappi who occupies the 3rd step of the podium. Long in the running for victory, the Finn almost lost everything at home on the penultimate special. Having rolled over during SS21, the Toyota driver managed to hold on and maintain his 3rd place during the Power Stage despite a very damaged Yaris.

⚠ Car damaged for Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi

All the news from the WRC world championship pic.twitter.com/TpRkqws4hE

- CANAL + Sport (@CanalplusSport) August 7

Evans and Neuville anonymous, Loubet unlucky on the Rally of Finland

Among those beaten in the Rally Finland, we can cite Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville. The two drivers were never in the running for victory and were content to take the points for 4th and 5th place. Evans was in a good position on Saturday morning, but a broken suspension in SS17 destroyed his chances of a podium. 

Thierry Neuville suffered from the comparison with his teammate, winner again this season. The Belgian finished more than two minutes behind Tänak, without having experienced the slightest problem during the weekend. Lacking pace on all specials (except SS1, which he won), the Hyundai driver could not aim for better than 5th place ahead of Takamoto Katsuta. The Japanese could have aimed better without his multiple driving errors on the Finnish roads.

Week-end à oublier aussi pour M-Sport. Malgré 5 voitures engagées au départ jeudi, l’écurie britannique repart avec une maigre 7e place pour Gus Greensmith. Le Rallye de Finlande avait mal commencé, avec une casse de suspension pour Adrien fourmaux from the 3rd special. The day after, Craig Breen, then in the running for the podium, retired after hitting a dirt embankment and losing his rear wheel. And on Sunday, Pierre-Louis Loubet, 8th before the last special, was unable to start the Power Stage. The Frenchman remained stationary on the road leading to the start of SS22 and lost his place in the top 10. The only small satisfaction for M-Sport: the 10th place of rookie Jari Huttunen. For his first rally in the premier category, the Finn was able to score a point following Loubet's retirement. 

Rovanperä, first match point in Belgium

At the end of this 8th event of the season, Kalle Rovanperä is ever closer to the title. Now 94 points ahead of Ott Tänak, the Finn could even already be titled in Belgium (August 18-21). For this, very favorable circumstances will be required: Rovanperä will have to score at least 26 points more than Tänak, 25 points more than Neuville and 16 points more than Evans to be crowned in Ypres.

Thanks to his second victory of the season, Ott Tänak moved up to second place in the drivers' championship with 2 points and overtook Thierry Neuville (104 points). Elfyn Evans falls to 103th place with 4 points. Among manufacturers, Toyota is still well ahead with 94 points, 339 units ahead of Hyundai. M-Sport is 88 points behind the Japanese team.

The general classification of the Rally Finland: 

The Power Stage ranking: 

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