Rain plays a role
The race with a speed stage of less than 3.4 kilometers (km) long started already on Thursday evening, right after the opening of the rally. In the short “dope” the fastest time was set by the host Ots Tanaks (“M-Spor Ford”). However, the Estonian still lost several minutes to the leaders in the overall standings, as the race started with a 5-minute penalty due to a last-minute car engine change.
Therefore, British Elfan Evans (“Toyota Gazoo Racing”) ended Thursday with a very small lead. True, after the first speed stage, four pilots ranked within one second.
The real battle started on Friday, or the longest day of the rally in terms of distance, when drivers competed in seven speed stages with a total length of 133.38 km.
Belgian driver Thierry Neville (Hyundai Shell Mobis) started Friday well, setting the second fastest time in the first three stages of the day, ahead of Rowanper in each. In the middle of the day, the Belgian rider had accumulated 6.8 and 13 seconds lead over “Toyota Gazoo Racing” pilots Rowanper and Evans, respectively.
The second part of the day was more successful for Rovanper. The Finn, going first on the track, avoided a brief rain that allowed him to be the fastest in the next two “dopes”. Before the final two tests of the day, Rovanpera had already taken the lead, but Neville had dropped to second position.
Rowanpera and Neville also finished in these positions after Friday’s last two stages. At the end of the day, Finland’s Esapeka Lapi (“Hyundai Shell Mobis”) took third place, whose car had problems with the hybrid engine during the day.
Estonian WRC stage standings after Friday’s stages
Photo: Screenshot from “ewrc.com”
The home team is driven forward by the support of the fans
Among the fans, the home team Tanaks got more attention than Friday’s leaders. He had to start this rally in a solid driving position, but that hasn’t stopped him from showing great driving.
The Estonian was the fastest in five of the day’s seven stages. Tanaka’s performance also encouraged supporters to escort the home team’s car to the side of the track with waving Estonian flags and loud cheers.
Ota Tanaka’s crew at the 2023 Estonian WRC.
Photo: Edgars Zicāns/LSM
In an interview with the WRC organizers after Friday’s final stage, Tanak stated that it is the huge support of the fans that is the reason to continue fighting for the best possible result in this stage of the WRC.
Currently, Tanaks ranks 11th in the rally standings, including drivers from other classes. After the finish, the first 10 crews earn points in the overall ranking of the championship, as well as the owners of the five fastest times in the last stage of the rally, or the so-called “Power stage”, receive additional points. Therefore, Tanak still has a lot of “dopes” ahead of him to guarantee that the home rally will not be held “empty”.
Athletes have two more days of competition ahead of them. On Saturday, nine “dopes” of a little more than 100 km in length are planned, but the rally will end on Sunday with the last four stages over a distance of 61 km.
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