P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier delivered a near-perfect performance to lead Hyundai’s Ott Tanak after Friday’s super-rough, incident-filled opening leg of WRC Rally Italy Sardinia. Eight-time FIA World R…
Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier showed exceptional performance leading Hyundai’s Ott Tanak after Friday’s WRC Rally Italy Sardinia stage with a 4.5s advantage. Despite a cautious start, Ogier excelled with his GR Yaris Rally1’s traction and tire strategy. Hyundai’s Tanak had a strong start, holding second place overnight with teammate Dani Sordo in third. M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 driver Adrien Fourmaux faced tire issues and retired, allowing Takamoto Katsuta to secure fourth overall. Championship contenders Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans struggled in the sandy gravel, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Sami Pajari dominated WRC2, aiming for victory alongside co-driver Enni Mälkönen aboard a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, while Pierre Louis-Loubet posed a significant challenge.
