Tanak stars on asphalt World Rally Car debut

Ott Tanak has staked another claim to a long-term future in the World Rally Championship following an impressive showing on Rallye de Var last weekend.

The French championship round marked the Estonian’s second appearance in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC and his first outing in the car on asphalt. It came two weeks after he finished sixth overall on Wales Rally GB, his first competitive outing in a new-generation World Rally Car.

Tanak claimed third overall on the Fench event but could have challenged for the runner-up spot behind team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala had he not suffered a puncture and a damaged front-right wheel on day two of the rally.

To reclaim the third place he held at the end of Friday’s opening stages, Tanak had to go on full attack on Sunday’s final day to reverse a 35-second deficit to land the final podium place. In the process he set a succession of top three stage times and won the 32.11-kilometre 11th stage, described as treacherous, by almost seven seconds.

“The main goal was to gain experience,” said the 24-year-old Super 2000 World Rally Championship runner-up. “Being my first time here, it was a difficult rally, one of the toughest I’ve driven. There were many different types of road, from smooth to rough, and slow to fast. We made a few mistakes on Friday and Saturday and weren’t very lucky, but on the last day we perfected the car set-up and I had a good feeling. I really enjoyed the final stages.”

Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team chief Malcolm Wilson was impressed, adding: “In his first event in the Fiesta RS WRC on asphalt, Ott drove brilliantly, and his final day performance was fantastic.”