The Latest Breaking News from Ott Tänak

Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier will take a slender lead over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak as 14s separated the top three heading into the final four stages of the Central European Rally.

Ott Tanak says Thierry Neuville is “not safe yet” after taking a nibble out of his Hyundai team-mate's World Rally Championship lead at Rally Chile.

This month’s Rally Sardinia featured the joint-closest finish for a win in World Rally Championship history, as Ott Tanak and Sebastien Ogier contested a thrilling battle. It culminated in Tanak claiming victory by just 0.2s after the Hyundai driver overhauled a 17.1s deficit to Toyota’s Ogier on the final day.…

Tanak was embroiled in an intense fight for the rally lead with Toyota’s Ogier across Saturday’s rough gravel stages.

Anti-lag system issues affected all three Hyundais in Monte Carlo, with Tanak hit the worst by the problem that team principal Cyril Abiteboul admitted was exacerbated by the 2019 world champion’s driving style.

Tanak and team-mates Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen all suffered from a throttle mapping issues on their i20 Ns during the first two stages of the Monte Carlo Rally last Thursday.

The Toyota driver could afford to take a measured approach given his sizeable advantage, but ended the morning loop, held in dry conditions, winning two of the four stages, to lead by 1m35.5s. Nearest rival Ogier was able to claw 14.4s back on Evans across the morning.

This weekend’s Central European Rally will undertake a first for the WRC as it hosts a rally that will feature stages in three countries, namely the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. 

The British squad has been forced to reconsider its driver options for next season following confirmation its star signing Tanak has elected to leave the team after one season.