If you seek a laid-back Mediterranean escape, Sardinia offers quite the opposite this week. The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) resumes at Rally Italia Sardegna. It brings the full heat of the island with it. Based around the coastal city of Olbia, the sixth round of the 2025 season presents a true mid-year stress test. This event is known for its punishing conditions. The Rally Italia Sardegna WRC challenge tests every team and driver.
The Sardinian Challenge Defined
Sardinia’s narrow gravel tracks twist through demanding hills. They also hug the rugged coastline. These tracks are littered with rocks and ruts. They punish even the smallest mistake from drivers. Tyre wear reaches incredibly high levels here. Temperatures soar under the Mediterranean sun. Mechanical reliability pushes to its absolute limit. Nothing comes easy in this rally. Plans rarely go exactly as intended. The Puma Rally1 cars, for example, must withstand immense strain. This environment truly defines endurance rallying.
Tänak Targets Redemption
One man hoping to rewrite the script is Ott Tänak. The Hyundai Motorsport driver arrives on Italian soil. He aims to recapture the magic of his 2024 victory. Furthermore, he seeks to climb onto the top step for the first time this season. He came agonizingly close at the previous round in Portugal. However, a late power steering issue thwarted his efforts. This handed Toyota GAZOO Racing star Sébastien Ogier the win. Tänak and Ogier have unfinished business in Sardinia. Last year’s showdown went down to the wire. Tänak snatched victory by two-tenths of a second. This occurred in a thrilling Wolf Power Stage finish. It was the joint-closest in WRC history.
“Sardinia is another super punishing event,” Tänak said. “At first, it can look smooth and sandy. However, the roads normally develop quickly. We can suddenly find solid rocks sticking out from the ground. This will make life hard for both the car and tires. Hopefully, we have done our homework. We are going to be on the pace from the start!” This highlights the unpredictable nature.
Championship Battles Heat Up
Tänak sits fourth in the drivers’ standings. This is his position heading into the rally. Hyundai team-mates Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux hold fifth and seventh. All three benefit from strong road positions on Friday. This offers a crucial edge. Sardinia’s dust-coated surface can be very challenging. Championship leader Elfyn Evans isn’t so lucky. The Welshman paid the price for his early-season consistency. In Portugal, sweeping the loose surface cost him valuable time. The same fate awaits him this week. Evans is likely targeting damage limitation. He defends a 30-point cushion. His team-mate, two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä, trails closely.
Ogier, fresh off his Portugal win, trails Rovanperä by just two points. He will be another serious threat for victory. Takamoto Katsuta and young talent Sami Pajari also join the Toyota GAZOO Racing line-up. They participate in non-scoring roles. These roles are for the manufacturers’ championship. This intense competition elevates the Rally Italia Sardegna WRC challenge. Each stage becomes a strategic battle for points.
Team Prospects and Rally Stages
M-Sport Ford, meanwhile, brings strength in numbers to Sardinia. Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster are on the team. They are joined by Mārtiņš Sesks and Jourdan Serderidis. This makes for a four-strong Puma Rally1 assault. The team is still chasing its first podium of 2025. Nevertheless, Sardinia has a habit of rewarding perseverance. Playing the long game often yields results here. Rally Italia Sardegna begins with shakedown on Thursday afternoon (June 5). It features 16 competitive stages. These stages cover more than 320 kilometers. The thrilling event concludes with Sunday’s finish. Every competitor understands the Rally Italia Sardegna WRC challenge.
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Source: WRC
AI Assistance: Gemini
