WRC title battle intensifies in New Zealand
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- Опубликовано: 11 окт 2024
- Ott Tänak reclaimed the top spot at Repco Rally New Zealand as Sébastien Ogier struggled through Friday’s final test with a damaged rear spoiler.
Just 7.2sec blanketed the leading four drivers after 158.56km of frantic action on the longest leg of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship so far.
Tänak was initially dominant in his Hyundai i20 N and opened up a slender advantage as heavy downpours plagued the morning’s stages on gravel roads in the Waikato Region.
When the rain clouds briefly parted ahead of the second pass of Whaanga Coast, however, the Estonian driver was hampered by an early road position and struggled for traction as the surface dried and became loose.
He was passed by Toyota Gazoo Racing star Elfyn Evans as well as the Welshman’s part-time colleague Ogier who, aided by a lower starting position, climbed from fifth to first overall after outpacing the entire field by 8.2sec while managing his soft compound Pirelli rubber to perfection.
Wet weather returned for the closing two speed tests and Ogier soon came unstuck - brushing a tree branch with the rear end of his Yaris which ripped the upper half of the spoiler from the car.
That enabled Tänak to crank up the pressure and he stormed back in front with a stage win on the final test as Ogier struggled with reduced rear aero, ending 6.7sec adrift of the lead. Evans’ consistency was rewarded and he swooped into the runner-up spot - trailing the leader by just two-tenths of a second.
Road-opening duties actually played to Kalle Rovanperä’s advantage as the Toyota hotshot avoided the worst of a heavy shower on SS6. The Finn finished the day just 0.5sec behind Ogier in fourth overall but, unless he can overhaul Tänak within the next two days, will not be able to seal the drivers’ title this week.
M-Sport Ford’s pair of Pumas were initially dominant as Craig Breen and Gus Greensmith locked out the top-two after the opener. Things quickly turned sour, however, when Breen retired after sliding down a banking on the same corner which caught out Colin McRae in 2002.
Greensmith was left flying the flag for the British squad and he coped admirably to end the day 36.6sec back from Rovanperä in fifth.
Thierry Neuville’s morning was plagued by two costly spins but his luck improved as the day wore on. A softer suspension set-up heralded more confidence in his i20 and by close of play the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece winner had moved to within 1.8sec of Greensmith.
Competitors journey north of rally base Auckland on Saturday for double runs through Kaipara Hills (15.83km), Puhoi (22.50km) and Komokoriki (5.81km). A return to Auckland for service separates the loops, which add up to 88.28km.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 1hr 36min 48.6sec
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +0.2sec
3. S Ogier / B Veillas FRA Toyota GR Yaris +6.7sec
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +7.2sec
5. G Greensmith / J Andersson GBR Ford Puma +43.8sec
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +45.6sec
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Love it, NZ has always been great for Rally and with that WRC as well! Stunning!
0:23 some classic stages remain, but Motu (52km), Taumata Road (95km) and many others were removed decades ago. Good to have the Rally back again and at least we still have Whaanga Coast and some other other great stages.
Can't wait to see how Tanak and Rovanpera challenge each other on the penultimate day of Rally NZ.
Awesome coverage thank you redbull and the camera guys involved 🙏
Crazy action always watching from Georgetown Guyana south America 🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾
Ott is real on fire. Wishing him take the win
Finally got that shitbox moving
Thank you for the video, you and Dirtfish render the official WRC channel completely useless 😁😜
i agree
Great Highlights. Keep up the good work.
Fabulous coverage and footage. Really appreciate your recaps
The commentator always poetic..peter Drury of WRC
Indeed this guy kills so cute
Tanak pushhhh plz
Mwana nange ndiwa Ott TÄNAK. I wish he gets it .
It looks like the driver's championship gonna be like last year . Last rounds on the calendar are the decisive.
Go Ott go. Pliz just win these last 3 rounds on the calendar and u keep quiet. You will thank me later .
lol can someone from PR do some coaching with these drivers on how do give an interview? When you’re talking, talk to the bloody mic, don’t open or close your doors, don’t remove gloves, don’t move your face away. 😂 don’t give an interview at all if you’re annoyed by it or don’t want to lol
......and Sebastian Ogier's Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 without the rear spoiler looks a 1000 per cent better!!!!!
It's clear that M Sport need to poach Tanak for next season. Breen is not up to being team leader to spearhead a title challenge.
Really feel for Craig and Paul so much bad luck
Bad luck was the first two rallies. But 4? That's bad skill m8
let's be honest, no title battle will happen. It will only be possible 10% if Kalle just falls to the ground and dies suddenly.
Pity they don't fix the roads after these cars hammer them. Or consult the people who live on these roads.
🤣🤣 there's always one!!
Good lord if my front driveway was used for WRC I'd be delighted.
@@sammacculloch446 no, if you asked anyone on the gravel roads if they wanted the rally, the answer would be no.
@@sammacculloch446 or more
@@michaeloflavouredjelly7702 my dad is a farmer, so he had to deal with road problem like that, had a fight with other over the road maintenance, so i understand your point
had no idea about that, well WRC should do better than that
Just glad it's called world rally champion New Zealand and not that other stupid name !
Well, the official name is Repco Rally New Zealand, it has the main sponsor's brand in the name just like every other WRC rally in the calendar.
@@module79l28 Think he meant that other woke name for NZ.
@@paulg3336 shh, you'll hurt their intentional ignorance if you say something like that! Maybe they'll go do a google search and find out that countries like Germany isn't actually called Germany in German!
@@dsn1460 its been called Aotearoa for far longer than its been called New Zealand though!
Really exciting rally so far! Rooting for Hyundai and Tanak!