Latest news with #RallySweden
The Star
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Rallying-Tanak takes season's first win for Hyundai in Greece
FILE PHOTO: FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 3 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 14, 2020 Ott Tanak of Estonia looks on. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson via REUTERS/File Photo (Reuters) -Estonian Ott Tanak took Hyundai's first win of the season in Greece's Acropolis Rally on Sunday despite a gearbox scare in the final stage. The victory on the rough gravel roads and in sweltering heat also ended Toyota's unbeaten run with Sebastien Ogier, winner of the previous two rounds, finishing second and 32.8 seconds behind. Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium. Tanak closed the gap on Toyota's championship leader Elfyn Evans, who finished fourth, to 12 points. Ogier, who is running a part-time campaign, is nine points behind his teammate. "I was very worried, to be honest," Tanak said of the final gearbox drama. "In the last stage, third gear got very noisy and I understood that this one broke. "Soon, the whole gearbox got very noisy and we didn't have much confidence that we would finish the stage and get back here. It was definitely far too much stress to win a rally." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
Straits Times
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Rallying-Tanak takes season's first win for Hyundai in Greece
FILE PHOTO: FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 3 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 14, 2020 Ott Tanak of Estonia looks on. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson via REUTERS/File Photo Estonian Ott Tanak took Hyundai's first win of the season in Greece's Acropolis Rally on Sunday despite a gearbox scare in the final stage. The victory on the rough gravel roads and in sweltering heat also ended Toyota's unbeaten run with Sebastien Ogier, winner of the previous two rounds, finishing second and 32.8 seconds behind. Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium. Tanak closed the gap on Toyota's championship leader Elfyn Evans, who finished fourth, to 12 points. Ogier, who is running a part-time campaign, is nine points behind his teammate. "I was very worried, to be honest," Tanak said of the final gearbox drama. "In the last stage, third gear got very noisy and I understood that this one broke. "Soon, the whole gearbox got very noisy and we didn't have much confidence that we would finish the stage and get back here. It was definitely far too much stress to win a rally." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Rallying-Ogier edges Tanak to win in Sardinia, Evans stays top
FILE PHOTO: FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 7 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 15, 2020. Sebastien Ogier of France (Toyota Yaris WRC) speaks to the media. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson/via REUTERS/File Photo Sebastien Ogier clinched a record fifth Rally Italy victory on Sunday, fending off Hyundai's Ott Tanak by 7.9 seconds after a tense final stage in Sardinia, while Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans stayed top of the championship standings. Ogier, with co-driver Vincent Landais, completed the sixth round of the season in three hours 34 minutes and 24.5 seconds to secure the Frenchman's third win in four starts in a part-time campaign. The eight-times world champion was beaten by Tanak on the island last year by 0.2 seconds after a final-stage puncture but this time Ogier stayed composed and took the win despite a late wobble. Ogier had built a 17.1-second cushion heading into the Wolf Power Stage, but the 41-year-old overshot a tight, rutted corner in the final kilometres. This forced him to stop and reverse after his car refused to turn, cutting his advantage by more than half in a tense finale. "In the ruts, I just couldn't turn the car," Ogier explained. "There was no speed at all, so I didn't try to force it and hit it - I preferred to stop and reverse. But yeah, not ideal. Still, it was enough to win." The victory follows hot on the heels of his Rally Portugal triumph and sent Ogier second in the championship with 114 points to Evans' 133. Toyota, who have won every rally so far this year, also tightened their grip on the manufacturers' race with 312 points to Hyundai's 243. "There are many places I've won several times," said Ogier. "It's just a type of rally I like, where precise driving is needed, but also smoothness for tyre management. Thanks to the team, great turnaround after Portugal in terms of speed and set-up, so good job." Tanak pushed hard in the final stage but fell short, while Kalle Rovanpera, clawing his way up from fifth during Saturday's stages, completed a double podium for Toyota in third, 50.5 seconds behind Ogier. The Finn dropped to third overall, one point behind Ogier, with Tanak fourth on 108. Evans and Takamoto Katsuta rounded out a strong showing for Toyota, taking fourth and fifth respectively. Hyundai's reigning champion Thierry Neuville, fifth in the championship on 83 points, took four points from the Power Stage and one from the 'Super Sunday' format after returning following Friday's retirement. The next round is in Greece on June 26-29. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Rallying-Ogier edges Tanak to claim fifth Sardinia crown as Toyota charge into title fight
FILE PHOTO: FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 7 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 15, 2020. Sebastien Ogier of France (Toyota Yaris WRC) speaks to the media. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson/via REUTERS/File Photo Sebastien Ogier clinched a record fifth Rally Italy victory on Sunday, fending off Hyundai's Ott Tanak by just 7.9 seconds after a tense final stage in Sardinia. The French Toyota driver, alongside co-driver Vincent Landais, completed the 16-stage event in 3 hours, 34 minutes and 24.5 seconds to secure the team's third win of the 2025 season. Toyota's eight-times world champion Ogier was beaten by Tanak last year, who seized victory by just 0.2 seconds after a final-stage puncture cost Ogier dearly, but this time he stayed composed and saw it through despite a late wobble. Ogier had built a 17.1-second cushion heading into the Wolf Power Stage, but the 41-year-old overshot a tight, rutted corner in the final kilometres. This forced him to stop and reverse after his car refused to turn, cutting his advantage by more than half in a tense finale. "In the ruts, I just couldn't turn the car," Ogier explained. "There was no speed at all, so I didn't try to force it and hit it - I preferred to stop and reverse. But yeah, not ideal. Still, it was enough to win." The win, his third of the season from four starts, follows hot on the heels of Rally Portugal and thrusts him into the title mix. Toyota also tightened their grip on the manufacturers' race with their third win of the season. "There are many places I've won several times," he added. "It's just a type of rally I like, where precise driving is needed, but also smoothness for tyre management. Thanks to the team, great turnaround after Portugal in terms of speed and set-up, so good job." Hyundai's Tanak pushed hard in the final Wolf Power Stage but fell short, while Kalle Rovanpera, clawing his way up from fifth during Saturday's stages, completed a double podium for Toyota in third, 50.5 seconds behind Ogier. Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta rounded out a strong showing for Toyota, taking fourth and fifth respectively. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sebastien Ogier throws support behind possible Carlos Sainz Sr FIA presidency bid
Sebastien Ogier has voiced support for Carlos Sainz Sr should the World Rally Championship legend decide to run for FIA president. As revealed by last week, two-time WRC champion Sainz Sr is seriously considering whether to formally stand for election against Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the race to become FIA president. Sainz Sr is gauging his level of support from the FIA's member automotive clubs before making a final decision. Advertisement The news of Sainz Sr's potential presidency bid follows another high-profile WRC figure in M-Sport-Ford founder Malcolm Wilson being nominated by Ben Sulayem to take over the governing body's deputy president for sport role, recently vacated by 2001 WRC co-driver champion Robert Reid. Interestingly, Sainz Sr drove for M-Sport in WRC (1996-1997 and 2000-2002) before returning to the operation that runs the factory Ford Rally-Raid programme last year. When asked about the possibility of Sainz Sr considering running from FIA president, Ogier was among a group of WRC drivers that indicated their support for Sainz. 'The only thing I can say is I have always had massive respect for Carlos and I like him a lot as a person as well,' Ogier told at Rally Portugal. 'If I'm honest I will be happy and will support him running for that if I can. I don't know what kind of power I have, but probably very little. I was happy to read this news, so let's see what happens.' Sébastien Ogier, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Sébastien Ogier, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota Racing Toyota Racing Advertisement Hyundai boss Cyril Abiteboul stopped short of offering his support to a potential Sainz run for FIA presidency, but admitted he would welcome an FIA presidency election that has several candidates. 'I think having multiple candidates is a good thing. In any election voters should be given options and given a choice, so I think it is good,' Abiteboul told 'Like our current president, Carlos is coming with a huge rally background and for our sport it is equally as good news as Mohammed Ben Sulayem running for presidency a few years back.' WRC drivers support FIA tweak to swearing penalties The WRC service park in Portugal has also reacted positively to confirmation that the FIA has revised the penalties in Appendix B of its International Sporting Code, reducing the potential fines for drivers caught swearing. Advertisement The improvements come after WRC drivers, through the new World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA), urged the FIA for changes to be implemented after Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux was fined for swearing during a televised stage-end interview at Rally Sweden. 'I haven't read exactly what changed there but it looks like there is some move that is positive and for once all the effort we have done has probably paid off as well,' Ogier said. 'I'm not sure if it is only thanks to WoRDA, but I'm sure WoRDA contributed to that. That's positive.' Read Also: Four big questions as WRC begins its gravel season in Portugal To read more articles visit our website.
