Marmaris (Turkey) (AFP)
The Rally of Turkey, the 11th inning of the 14th WRC World Championship, has lived up to its reputation as a trick race: the leader of the World Championship Ott Tänak was forced to retire on Saturday, which benefits especially the French Sebastien Ogier.
"I started putting on my helmet to get into the car, and it was impossible to start it, five kilometers before, we stopped to refuel, we left and all was well", struggling to understand the Estonian Toyota , which leans for an "electrical" problem.
The leader of the World Championship drivers has thrown in the towel for the day during the link between the specials N.8 and N.9, but still hopes to line up Sunday to collect points during the Power Stage.
He will keep whatever his rank of leader in the general classification of the championship at the end of the weekend, since he had before the race 33 points ahead of the Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and 40 on the French of Citroen Sebastien Ogier, his main pursuers.
"It makes everything easier, no more need to control, just get back in the fight" Ott Tänak tries to positively.
At midday of the second day of the race, it is the six-times world champion title Ogier who benefits. He is second, 10 seconds behind his teammate Esapekka Lappi.
Thierry Neuville, third at the start of the day on Saturday, was off the road during the first stage of the day after hitting a stone, and lost more than 4 minutes in the accident: he downgraded to 8th place at the from the loop of three morning specials, which the drivers remake Saturday afternoon.
"I am very disappointed, we put so much effort in this fight," responded the Belgian. "We must remain optimistic because there have been so many reversals in the fight between us three," for the title.
The two Citroën riders took a bit of a margin, as the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai), third in the standings, is almost one minute behind Ogier. But the Turkish roads can still book many surprises.
© 2019 AFP