2024 Rally Italia Sardegna – Saturday report
Sébastien Ogier is on target to say a outstanding third FIA World Rally Championship victory in succession after distancing Ott Tänak on Saturday’s gruelling second leg at Rally Italia Sardegna.
The eight-time WRC champion will begin Tremendous Sunday with a 17.1sec benefit over Hyundai i20 N rival Tänak after a turbulent day which included 4 lead adjustments and noticed championship chief Thierry Neuville bow into retirement.
Fortune initially favoured Tänak when in a single day chief Ogier’s determination to hold just one spare wheel for the morning checks backfired. A deflated tyre compelled him to make use of the identical set of rubber for 3 more and more tough and abrasive levels and, after buying and selling positions 3 times, he trailed the Estonian by 3.5sec on the mid-leg tyre becoming zone.
Within the afternoon’s legendary levels round Monte Lerno, nonetheless, Ogier threw warning to the wind. With Tänak’s tempo fading and the 2019 title winner hinting that he was being instructed to play it secure, Ogier stormed again into the lead after only one stage and proceeded to submit a trio of benchmark occasions in his GR Yaris.
A profitable Sunday for Ogier would observe back-to-back victories in Croatia and Portugal, and will see the Frenchman affirm his place as probably the most profitable driver in Rally Italia Sardegna historical past.
“It has been a optimistic day, and an much more optimistic afternoon,” he smiled. “This morning’s levels had been very tough, however I loved the afternoon a lot extra and it was a pleasure to drive the automobile.”
Thierry Neuville arrived in Sardinia with a 24-point championship lead over Elfyn Evans and appeared set to extend that margin after climbing from fifth to 3rd early within the day. Nonetheless, his podium hopes went awry when he misjudged a braking level in SS8, sliding his Hyundai off the street and into retirement.
Takamoto Katsuta was elevated to the rostrum in consequence, however the Japanese driver’s time inside the highest three was short-lived. His Toyota developed a transmission challenge which proved terminal on SS9.
The drama up entrance opened the door for Dani Sordo to finish the main trio in one other Hyundai. Regardless of struggling to search out his rhythm, the Spaniard trailed team-mate Tänak by nearly two minutes with Evans an extra 30.5sec behind. Grégoire Munster rounded out the highest 5 in an M-Sport Ford Puma.
In sixth total, Sami Pajari prolonged his WRC2 lead to nearly one minute in a Printsport-entered GR Yaris however it was championship chief Yohan Rossel who was elevating eyebrows on Saturday.
Pajari, who’s co-driven by Enni Mälkönen, grew his in a single day benefit from 18.3sec to 54.7sec on the penultimate day of this sixth FIA World Rally Championship spherical, closing in on what seems to be more and more more likely to be his maiden victory with Toyota equipment.
The Finn had a weight lifted off of his shoulders early within the day when Pierre-Louis Loubet, who had been second, dropped nearly two minutes after stopping to alter a wheel.
Grabbing the headlines on Saturday was championship chief Yohan Rossel, who began the rally on the again foot with a wheel change on the opening morning.
Rossel delivered some of the gorgeous comeback drives in latest reminiscence to climb from fifteenth to second total within the WRC2 class, gaining nearly 1min 20sec on Pajari and profitable each single stage.
Simply 12.0sec behind Rossel and on target for his second podium in as many rallies was Spain’s Jan Solans, driving one other Toyota. Fourth place went the best way of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 pilot Kajetan Kajetanowicz whereas Martin Prokop and Robert Virves, each driving comparable vehicles, accomplished the highest six.
Pajari heads Solans by 1min 6.7sec within the WRC2 Challenger class. Within the WRC Masters Cup, Armin Kremer is a cushty 4min 25.8sec away from Frenchman Pierre Lafay.
Sunday’s finale relies north-west of Alghero and consists of two loops of two checks, ending with the bonus points-paying Wolf Energy Stage, which finishes amid spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea. The 4 levels cowl 39.30km.
