First day with the landlord of the Ford who starts with a handicap. The two Toyota and Hyundai drivers take advantage of this with Rovanpera glued
– Tartu (Estonia)
It was supposed to be the redemption race for Ott Tanak and the M-Sport Ford Team, but the Estonian weekend started in the worst way. The landlord’s Ford Puma suffers from problems with the engine after the first passage of the shakedown, making it necessary to replace the internal combustion engine. Five minute penalty for him and the match decidedly compromised. Tanak puts his pride on the road and wins the show trial in Tartu. For him there is nothing left to lose and the goal will be to win all the specials scheduled.
evans and lappi snap
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Ott Tanak precedes the competition by 6 tenths, immediately making the difference in the technique and insidious opening test. The Estonian’s penalty promotes the duo formed by Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai) to the top. Only one tenth away from the championship leader Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota) who did not want to take unnecessary risks in the first special. Thierry Neuville’s Hyundai completes the top 4 ahead of Takamoto Katsuta’s Toyota. Great curiosity to see Teemu Suninen at work in his first race on a Rally 1. The Finn finishes in sixth place 3″9 seconds from the leaders, putting Pierre Louis Loubet’s Ford behind him.
so the wrc2: marczyk leader
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A rich startlist animates the Rally 2 class. The fastest in the Tartu round was the Polish Marczyk, on Skoda Fabia, ahead of the home driver Linnamae, on Hyundai i20, by just one tenth. Third position for the WRC2 2021 world champion Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda) who closes the absolute top 10. Right behind one of the race favourites, Oliver Solberg (Skoda). The first race started badly on the Hyundai of Emil Lindholm, reigning champion of the category. A broken arm on the left rear cost him almost 7 seconds of gap. Tomorrow the program includes 7 special stages for a total of 131 km against the clock.
classification
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This is the classification of Rally Estonia:
3. ROVANPERA (Toyota) +0.1
4. NEUVILLE (Hyundai) + 1.0
5.KATSUTA (Toyota) + 2.6
6. SUNINEN (Hyundai) + 3.9
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