Sebastien Ogier leads Rally Sardinia as Adrien Fourmaux’s victory bid fails

Sebastien Ogier continues to steer Rally Italy Sardinia after briefly shedding the benefit within the mud of Adrien Fourmaux, whose World Rally Championship victory bid has failed. 

Ogier had prolonged his in a single day 2.1s margin over Fourmaux to 7.4s after successful Saturday morning’s first take a look at earlier than drama struck on stage 8 – Lerno – Su Filigosu 1 – 24.34 km.

Fourmaux hit a rock that wasn’t in his tempo notes and picked up a front-right puncture 5 kilometres into the tough gravel take a look at. The Hyundai driver opted to push on earlier than deciding to cease and alter the wheel on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 on the 16-kilometre mark.

Fourmaux pressed on after a two-minute wheel change however was solely a kilometre forward of Ogier within the stage, which meant the latter was unable to push together with his visibility severely hampered by the hanging mud. 

Consequently, Ogier misplaced 29.7s to stage winner Hyundai’s Ott Tanak, who vaulted from third to the rally lead.

Following an enchantment, rally organisers rapidly calculated a nominal time for Ogier to account for the delays within the mud of Fourmaux, which moved the eight-time world champion again into the lead. Ogier went on to win stage 9, the final of the loop, to open up a 15.0s lead over Tanak.

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Picture by: Toyota Racing

Tanak was 10.5s slower than Ogier within the morning’s tough last take a look at after struggling a tear in his proper rear tyre. He was lucky to have the ability to attain the stage with out present process a wheel change.

Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera moved into the rostrum locations in third [+37.5s] after Fourmaux’s puncture. The 2-time world champion appeared way more snug behind the wheel after a raft of in a single day set-up adjustments. 

Rovanpera began the day in fifth however managed to grab fourth from team-mate Sami Pajari after stage seven.

Pajari’s sturdy Sardinia exhibiting continued as he held fourth regardless of nudging timber in stage 9. The Finn held a 1m05.3s margin over championship chief Elfyn Evans, who moved to fifth after shedding 1m09.8s opening the highway on Friday.

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta was seventh after shedding time to a slow-speed roll on Friday.

Fourmaux’s day went from dangerous to worse because the Frenchman was distracted by mud coming within the automotive and ran off the highway and into the timber in stage 9. Fourmaux managed to maintain going, and after enduring one other off-road second he ended the stage shedding 55.1s. He dropped to ninth total, 4m36.6s adrift of Ogier.   

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and the M-Sport duo of Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster rejoined the rally following their Friday retirements. Munster did nevertheless need to battle a brake difficulty on his Puma throughout Saturday’s trio of morning phases.

The crews will repeat the trio of phases this afternoon to finish Saturday’s motion.