P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hyundai’s Ott Tanak passed Sebastien Ogier’s ailing Toyota to lead Acropolis Rally Greece at the end of Friday’s opening leg, capping an incident-filled day that could significantly impact this yea…
During Friday’s opening leg of the Acropolis Rally Greece, Hyundai’s Ott Tanak surpassed Sebastien Ogier’s struggling Toyota to take the lead, amidst a day filled with incidents that may significantly impact the FIA World Rally Championship title race. Greece’s challenging gravel roads posed difficulties for four of the top five championship drivers, causing them to lose substantial time. Tanak maneuvered his i20 N Rally1 successfully through the chaos, leading a Hyundai 1-2-3 overnight. Ogier, the eight-time WRC champion, encountered setbacks with a turbocharger issue on his GR Yaris Rally1, dropping to fourth place after starting with an 11.7s lead over Tanak. The Toyota Gazoo Racing team experienced a disastrous day, with teammate Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta facing technical issues and retiring from the competition. Amidst the challenges, Tanak remained optimistic, acknowledging the tough conditions and expressing gratitude for a trouble-free day as Hyundai looks to extend their advantage in the WRC manufacturers’ championship.
