Ogier responds to Tanak challenge to lead into final day
The eight-time world champion claimed four of the day’s nine stages, including two of the afternoon tests, to fend off a charging Tanak. Ogier headed to service with a 11.9s lead over Tanak having started the day one second behind Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanpera, who rolled out of the lead on the morning’s stage 11. […]
Rovanpera explains WRC Portugal exit from the lead
The Toyota driver started the Saturday morning loop setting a blistering pace that resulted in a stage 10 win to open up a 6.7s lead over team-mate and fellow 2024 part-time driver Sebastien Ogier. However, Rovanpera’s rally quickly came undone on stage 11 [Montim, 8.69km] when the Finn lost the rear of his GR Yaris […]
Ogier back in front after Tanak suffers puncture
Toyota’s eight-time world champion Ogier inherited the lead after Rovanpera’s Stage 11 exit, only to lose the advantage to Tanak on the next test. However, a slow puncture for Tanak in stage 13 helped Ogier open up a 13.6s lead at the end of the loop. Rovanpera’s surprise exit, followed by a retirement for Toyota […]
WRC Promoter sets “clear roadmap” for 2026 USA event
The World Rally Championship promoter held a meeting with the key stakeholder group that included Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, Stellantis and Skoda alongside representatives from the FIA to deliver its vision for the future. The meeting largely centred on the championship’s promotional strategy which has attracted criticism from teams and drivers in recent months. The WRC […]
Rovanpera rolls handing Ogier the lead
Reigning world champion Rovanpera set a blistering pace in the morning’s opening test to extend his overnight lead from one second to 6.7s over Ogier, before drama struck on the following stage. Rovanpera lost the rear of his GR Yaris in fast right-hander and clouted a tree which pitched the car into a roll, before […]
Driving to smartphone WRC pacenotes “almost as good as normal”
Evans was forced to drive to pacenotes read from a smartphone by his co-driver Scott Martin for three stages after the latter left his pacenote book at time control at the end of stage six. The unusual incident was triggered by a bottleneck at the end of stage 6. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe […]
Rovanpera, Ogier split by a second, Evans suffers pacenote issue
Reigning world champion Rovanpera snatched the rally lead on stage six, but the margin never grew larger than a second as the part-time driver battled with a GR Yaris that wasn’t too his liking. The Finn, who ended Friday morning in third, held onto the lead despite a late attack from Ogier, who shot from […]
WRC Promoter to set out vision for the future
The meeting is expected to focus largely on conveying the promoter’s plans and initiatives regarding the promotion of the championship. It is understood the FIA will attend the discussion on Saturday morning alongside representatives from the WRC teams and members from the Ford Motor Company. The timing of the meeting arrives amid uncertainty regarding the […]
Katsuta leads as inspired Neuville impresses
Toyota driver Katsuta, starting sixth on the road, produced a strong and consistent pace across Friday morning’s four stages to take a 2.9s lead over Neuville at the midday tyre fitting zone. Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera managed to drive around an ill-handling Toyota to sit third, 3.3s adrift, ahead of Hyundai’s Ott Tanak [+4.1] […]