Ott Tänak has set himself up for a potential third consecutive victory at Rally Chile Bio Bío, taking the lead by a razor-thin margin of just 0.4 seconds over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans at the end of Friday’s intense opening leg. The Estonian driver, who has won both previous WRC rounds held in Chile, overcame a challenging start to the day, struggling with a lack of confidence and balance in his Hyundai i20 Rally1 HYBRID.
Tänak sat in fifth place by lunchtime, battling the tricky gravel stages south of Concepción. However, his fortunes shifted dramatically in the afternoon after key setup adjustments at the service break. These tweaks rejuvenated his performance, allowing him to claw his way up the leaderboard. He overtook Evans on the penultimate Rere stage and claimed the overnight lead, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling battle over the weekend.
“It was a tough morning, but the changes we made really turned things around,” said Tänak. “We found more confidence in the car, and that’s what made the difference.”
While Tänak ended the day in the lead, Sébastien Ogier seemed the strongest contender through the early stages. The Frenchman won three stages and would have held a 30-second advantage if not for a costly mistake on SS3, where he ran wide, hit a bank, and was forced to stop to change a wheel. Despite the setback, Ogier’s pace remained formidable, but he finished the day back in ninth place.
Elfyn Evans, who has struggled with slow starts in recent rallies, delivered a much more aggressive performance in Chile. He led for much of the day, but like Tänak, he struggled to find consistency in the afternoon. “I’m a bit lost with the feeling, in all honesty. It’s not feeling natural at the moment,” Evans admitted after slipping to second place in the afternoon loop.
Kalle Rovanperä, sitting third overall and 6.7 seconds behind Evans, also faced challenges on the demanding Chilean gravel. The two-time world champion overshot a corner and hit a gate on SS4, denting his momentum. “I don’t feel comfortable on these roads,” Rovanperä explained. “When it’s dry like this, it doesn’t suit my usual driving style. I’m fighting the car and my driving a lot.”
Further down the field, Toyota rookie Sami Pajari finished the day in fourth, just 9.3 seconds adrift of the leaders, while M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster delivered one of his best performances of the season, ending the day in fifth, trailing Pajari by only 1.4 seconds. However, Munster lost time after damaging a tyre on the final stage.
For championship leader Thierry Neuville, Friday was a tough day. Opening the road as the points leader, Neuville struggled with loose conditions and ended the day in sixth place, more than 30 seconds behind Tänak. “There wasn’t much more I could do,” Neuville admitted, acknowledging the challenging road-sweeping duties he faced throughout the day.
Saturday promises a grueling test of endurance, with drivers tackling six stages and covering nearly 140 kilometers of competitive distance. With Tänak and Evans locked in a tight battle, and Ogier and Rovanperä looking to claw back time, the action in Chile is far from over.
Friday Classification:
- O. Tänak / M. Järveoja (EST) Hyundai i20 N – 58m 6.9s
- E. Evans / S. Martin (GBR) Toyota GR Yaris – +0.4s
- K. Rovanperä / J. Halttunen (FIN) Toyota GR Yaris – +7.1s
- S. Pajari / E. Mälkönen (FIN) Toyota GR Yaris – +9.3s
- G. Munster / L. Louka (LUX) Ford Puma – +10.7s
- T. Neuville / M. Wydaeghe (BEL) Hyundai i20 N – +30.3s
As the rally heads into Saturday, all eyes will be on Tänak as he seeks to maintain his narrow advantage and extend his perfect record in Chile.
Source: WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Chatgpt
