Rovaniemi (Finland) (AFP)
Estonian Ott Tänak (Hyundai) was still leading the Arctic Rally in Finland, the second round of the WRC season, Saturday after the 8th special, during which the French Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) suffered a leaving the road at the very end of the race.
The reigning world champion, and leader of the championship after his victory in Monte-Carlo at the end of January, left the course 200 meters from the finish line, to finish his race in a pile of snow.
He was then 6th in the provisional general classification, more than a minute from the lead of the race, followed by the young Swedish Oliver Solberg (Hyundai 2C Competition), solid for his debut in the premier class.
Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, his co-driver, still managed to get the car out to finish the stage, but are now far behind the leader.
In front, Ott Tänak had at the finish of SS8 24 sec 1/10 ahead of Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) and 25 sec 9/10 over his teammate, the Belgian Thierry Neuville.
The other French competing in the premier class, Pierre-Louis Loubet (Hyundai 2C Competition) - already the victim of a puncture that caused him to lose several minutes the day before - had to retire for the rest of the day after a mechanical problem on ES6.
Earlier in the morning, Italian Lorenzo Bertelli (M-Sport Ford) and his co-driver Simone Scattolin also had to hang up for the day after crashing into a wall of snow on SS3, a minor accident.
Two specials - 44.94 kilometers in total - are on the program for Sunday, the last day of the Arctic Rally, which replaces the Sweden Rally, canceled due to a pandemic.
© 2021 AFP