Tänak in the lead, Loeb and Sordo cut off in their tracks in Portugal

Winner in Chile, Ott Tänak didn't wait long to move on to the right tempo on the first ES of the Rally from Portugal. Second on the road behind Sébastien Ogier (Citroën), the driver Toyota was not too bothered by his position on the road, and emerged in the lead of the Lusitanian event after the first loop of three special stages, designed around the Arganil myth.

The Estonian, author of the scratch in SS1 and 3, has a 6″9 lead over his teammate Jari-Matti Latvala, when Kris Meeke completes the 100% Toyota top three at 14″, despite intercom problems. Teemu Suninen and Elfyn Evans allow M-Sport Ford to place itself as the best team behind the Yaris armada at 17″ and 21″7, and precede Sébastien Ogier, logically disadvantaged by the sweep and who concedes 23″1 over Tänak.

Le clan Hyundai appears to be the big loser of this morning since if Thierry Neuville is in 7th place at 23″, the Korean brand saw its two other drivers Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo far behind in the general classification.

The two former Citroën Racing teammates lost big in SS3, victims of mechanical problems, forcing them to stop on the side of the road multiple times before finally reaching the finish.

“There is a problem in the fuel system, comments Andrea Adamo, Team Principal of Hyundai Motorsport. We know we made a mistake and it won't happen in the future. We still have a car in the race and all we can do is give Thierry as much support as possible. »

Loeb concedes 14'31" in this sector to Tänak, when Sordo, leader with his scratch in SS1, loses more than 18'. And without mid-day assistance, the rest of the first stage for the two drivers seems potentially compromised.

 @SebastienLoeb / @DanosElena with problems in SS3!

Watch #RallydePortugal NOW LIVE on https://t.co/twccZ0hRvh#WRC #WRCLive @rallydeportugal @autodoc_berlin pic.twitter.com/FUVWDavIXe

- World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) May 31, 2019

Another unlucky driver this morning, Esapekka Lappi (Citroën), suffered a puncture in SS3, and who lost more than 48″ in this mishap. The Finn is 1'15 overall in 9th position behind Gus Greensmith (M-Sport Ford).

The afternoon loop will begin at 14:51 p.m., and will always be followed live via our live-text.