Hyundai’s Dani Sordo moved into the lead of the Acropolis Rally after World Rally Championship title contender Ott Tanak suffered a double puncture in stage seven.
Tanak began Saturday with a 21.8s margin over Sordo earlier than drama struck twice within the day’s opening stage, Rengini, 28.67km.
The 2019 world champion suffered a proper rear puncture 5 kilometres into the stage which resulted within the Estonia pulling to the facet of the highway to alter the wheel. Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja solely misplaced 1m21.6s, however the rally lead had evaporated.
To make issues worse, a second puncture arrived 10 kilometres later, this time, the entrance proper. Tanak ultimately reached the stage finish shedding 4m06.4s dropping him from the result in fourth general.
“The primary one was off the rim and the second was a bent rim,” mentioned Tanak, who was the one deriver from the 5 title contenders to keep away from bother on Friday.
Tanak will now need to nurse his tyres by means of two extra levels to achieve a noon tyre becoming zone as Saturday’s schedule doesn’t embrace a service.
Tanak’s double puncture handed Sordo the rally lead by 7.2s from team-mate and championship chief Thierry Neuville.
“It’s good to be rally chief, however I don’t like this type of factor,” mentioned Sordo.
“We have to win the levels not as a result of the others have issues. I didn’t take any dangers, I’ll proceed with my goal. [Neuville] and the others can push, I’ve one mission. In fact it might be good to win.”
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Crew Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Picture by: Romain Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
Neuville gained the stage by 0.2s from Ogier, who moved to 3rd following Tanak’s issues.
“We had a clear run by means of, was fairly tough within the center part so I took it a bit cautious. Fully totally different circumstances to yesterday, we additionally modified the automotive arrange so I really feel higher with the automotive.
When requested if he had a response to Ogier’s feedback on Friday about his driving means when opening the highway, he mentioned “No remark”.
In WRC2, Sami Pajari took the category lead from Robert Virves, who confronted the drawback of being caught up within the hanging mud created by the delayed Tanak.
