The Latest Breaking News from Oliver Solberg

It's been a difficult few years for British rallying but last week provided a flicker of light at the end of a tunnel.

A record entry of 155 crews, driving historic machinery started the brutal five-day 350-mile marathon that started in Wales, ventured into Scotland, and finished in England, taking in some of the UK's most famous stages.

A week ago, dressed in a period correct British Leyland rally jacket and sporting the beginnings of a Tony Pond-style moustache, Chris Ingram – one of Britain’s best young rally drivers of a generation – stood quietly at a deserted Sweet Lamb test venue looking at the Triumph TR7 V8.…

Tanak claimed two of the three morning stages but it was decision to run hard tyres for the final stage that helped the Estonian to open up a commanding 47.5s lead over Hyundai driver Suninen. Tanak had started the day with only a 4.2s overnight margin.

Neuville completed the rally's first loop of gravel stages with a slender 2.0s advantage ahead of overnight leader Rovanpera, who impressed despite starting first on the road.

The Toyota driver reeled off seven consecutive stage wins to turn an overnight 6.9s lead into a commanding 32.1s advantage over Neuville heading into the final day.

The pair elected to participate in last Saturday’s one-day gravel rally to aid their preparation for Rally Estonia’s high-speed stages.

Royal Rally of Scandinavia is a new event that utilises some of the famous roads that were part of Rally Sweden when the WRC round was based in the Varmland region around the city of Karlstad, before its move north to Umea in 2022.

The rally has prided itself on being one of the WRC’s jewel in the crown events given its difficulty to win. Its unique stages feature a mix of rough gravel and soft sandy roads sprawled across Kenya’s iconic wildlife-filled savannah. amid changeable weather, poses an altogether different challenge for crews.