Ott Tanak’s hopes of success at the Rally of Finland were dashed on Friday when a mechanical failure forced him to retire his M-Sport Ford.
The former world champion had led the ninth leg of the rally world championship after an impressive performance in Thursday’s super stage.
Unfortunately, his rally took a turn for the worse during the third stage, where impact damage rendered his car inoperable. With no other choice, his team confirmed that he had to withdraw from the event he had won three times before.
This setback came on the heels of a five-minute penalty Tanak received for an engine change before his home rally in Estonia in the previous outing.
Expressing his disappointment, Tanak stated, “Of course we are disappointed; after Estonia, this isn’t how we wanted this week to go. It’s a shame we can’t continue, but the car is too damaged for us to carry on. Now it’s time to have a break after a busy few months, then we will focus fully on Greece in September.”
With Tanak’s withdrawal, reigning world champion and home favourite, Kalle Rovanpera took the lead. The Toyota driver showcased his skills, securing five stage wins in a row, and commanding a nearly six-second advantage over his teammate Elfyn Evans with three of Friday’s stages still to come.
