Rallying-Tanak heading for Hyundai's first win of 2025 in Greece
Rallying-Tanak heading for Hyundai's first win of 2025 in Greece
Ott Tanak was heading for Hyundai's first win of the season after ending the penultimate day of the Acropolis Rally with a healthy 43.6-second lead over Toyota's Sebastien Ogier on Saturday.
With temperatures soaring in central Greece, the Estonian and co-driver Martin Jarveoja took five stage wins out of six on the rough gravel roads after starting the day only three seconds clear of team mate Adrien Fourmaux.
"Generally it was smoother and more consistent, a bit better than expected," said Tanak. "We had a good rhythm, and we maintained (it) all day."
Toyota have won all six rounds so far this season and eight-times world champion Ogier the last two.
Fourmaux's challenge faded when he hit a rock on the 10th stage and damaged his car's rear suspension, losing more than a minute, before a tyre later came off its rim.
The Frenchman dropped to third, two minutes and eight seconds behind Tanak, with Toyota's championship leader Elfyn Evans in fourth but nearly a minute further back.
Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera and Takamoto Katsuta both retired for the day after going off while Hyundai's reigning champion Thierry Neuville had a third puncture of the event and was in fifth place.
Sunday features four more stages, with bonus points to be won in the final one. REUTERS
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