The Hyundai Estonian leads the eighth round of the World Rally Championship after the second day of competition. Behind him the three Toyota of Lappi, Evans and Rovanpera, which he observes and manages. Neuville collapses, on Saturday another 8 PS
After 8 special stages (and not 9, because the PS5 was canceled for safety reasons) Ott Tanak is the best driver of the second day of competition of the Rally of Finland. Round eight of the WRC sees the Estonian Hyundai lead the drivers’ standings at the end of the day on Friday. A bit of a surprise, because on the eve everyone was expecting an internal duel at Toyota between the Finns Esapekka Lappi and Kalle Rovanpera. Fast special stages, with an average speed over 120 km / h and stretches at 185 km / h constant between bumps and counter-slope curves that transform the driving of the drivers behind the wheel of Rally 1 into a real dance. Monothematic choice with regard to tires, with all the big names who opted to mount four soft plus a fifth soft to be used in the event of a puncture.
Rally Finland WRC 2022: Tanak in command
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Ott Tanak still has the fire inside from Rally d’Estonia, his home event where he failed to get more than third place. Protagonist of the first half of the day and winner of 3 stages out of 8, the Estonian in the second half of Friday sees its gap narrow, with Esapekka Lappi winning the last 3 stages of the day and moving to 3 ”8 behind the leader. “By attacking desperately from the start you get nothing – said the Finn at the end of PS10, learning from his mistakes – I tried to use my head and now I’m really close to Tanak”. More detached the other two Toyotas, those of Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera, who had the task of leading the way. Nothing alarming, knowing that Kalle is capable of earning 20 ”in a single stage and that he probably started a bit with the handbrake on and then expressed himself at his best at the weekend. Craig Breen (Ford M-Sport) also did well, 5th at 32 ”5 and 3” ahead of Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota), winner of SS number 6.
Rally Finland WRC 2022: Solberg immediately out
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After the best time in the super special on Thursday night, Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) collapsed in the standings, 7th at 50 ”2 from team mate Tanak. On the other hand, he declared that it would be difficult for him to find the right set-up and the right pace, but Tanak’s performances show that – on paper – it was possible to do so. Pierre-Louis Loubet (Ford M-Sport) takes a couple of consecutive risks in PS10, the last of the day, and Teemu Suninen (Hyundai) enters the top ten with the i20 N Rally 2. Thanks to his feeling with the car of lower ranking than the Rally 1 hybrids, of course, but also due to various factors: the technical problems with the engine accused on the PS8 by Huttunen (Ford M-Sport), on his debut with the Puma Rally 1; of the rock hit in the PS3 by Adrien Fourmaux (Ford M-Sport), with the Frenchman who subsequently remained without power steering until the park service; and the retirement of Oliver Solberg (Hyundai) on PS2, the first of the day. An Oliver Solberg in tears in front of the cameras for yet another driving error this season, aggravated by the fact that the protective cage of the car has been damaged and therefore he will not be able to restart on Saturday with the super-Rally rule.
Rally Finland WRC 2022: the ranking at the end of Day 2
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- O.Tanak (East-Hyundai) in 50’41 “2
- E.Lappi (Fin-Toyota) at 3 ”8
- E.Evans (Gb-Toyota) at 19 ”3
- K. Rovanpera (Fin-Toyota) at 21 ”0
- C.Breen (Irl-Ford M-Sport) at 32 ”5
- T. Katsuta (Giap-Toyota) at 35 ”5
- T.Neuville (Bel-Hyundai) at 50 “2
- P. Loubet (Fra-Ford M-Sport) at 1’00 “9
- G.Greensmith (Gb-Ford M-Sport) at 1’02 “6
- T.Suninen (Fin-Hyundai-Rally 2) at 2’59 “9
05 August 2022 – 21:09
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