Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Rallying WRC

Evans snatches Rally Portugal lead after Tänak heartbreak

by Ryan Wood
4 years ago
A A
Evans snatches Rally Portugal lead after Tänak heartbreak
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Elfyn Evans led Vodafone Rally de Portugal on Saturday night after day-long pacesetter Ott Tänak retired in the penultimate speed test.

Just one stage after recording his 250th fastest time in the FIA World Rally Championship, Tänak’s delight turned to disappointment as he parked his crippled Hyundai i20 roadside with smashed rear suspension.

Tänak took the lead on Friday evening despite admitting he was ‘fighting’ his car. He was more at ease on Saturday and dominated the second leg of this fourth round. A clean sweep of wins across this morning’s three special stages carried him clear of Evans and team-mate Dani Sordo.

Another quickest time stretched Tänak’s lead over Evans to 22.4s going into the second pass of the rugged Amarante test, the longest of the rally at almost 38km.

RelatedPosts

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay

7 days ago
Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay

Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay

1 week ago

He was fastest at the interim split points, but his car’s rear right wheel began to buckle. He tried to limp to the finish, but was forced to quit with less than 4km remaining.

Evans had earlier interrupted Tänak’s run of stage wins and added a second in that dramatic penultimate test, but Sordo kept the pressure on.

Despite a starter motor problem which left him fearful of stalling his i20, Sordo clawed back almost six seconds in the final Porto street stage to leave the gap at 10.7s.

“I was shocked that Dani was so strong in that last stage,” admitted Evans. “It was disappointing, I tried to save the tyres for tomorrow. Today went pretty well and we should be in a good position tomorrow, but we have to remain fully focused.”

Championship leader Sébastien Ogier was third, more than a minute back, after a duel with Yaris team-mate Takamoto Katsuta. Ogier demoted the Japanese driver this morning, but a half spin dropped him behind again.

He regained the initiative but, with an eye on tomorrow’s final leg, Ogier’s choice of hard compound Pirelli tyres meant he struggled to fend off Katsuta. He eventually ended 1.5sec clear despite a stall in the final stage.

A throttle problem hampered Gus Greensmith for most of the day. The Ford Fiesta driver climbed to fifth after Kalle Rovanperä retired his Yaris before the start of the troublesome Amarante test with a technical issue, but he could not hold off team-mate Adrien Fourmaux.

Fourmaux, who had a similar throttle issue this morning, eased ahead in the closing test to hold fifth by 6.4s from the Briton.

Sunday’s finale is focused around the iconic Fafe stage and its huge jump before the finish. The test is driven twice, the second time as the rally-closing Wolf Power Stage and offering all-important bonus points. There are five stages in all, covering 49.47km before the afternoon finish in Matosinhos.

Leading positions after Saturday
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota Yaris 3hr 07min 09.1s
2. D Sordo / B Rozada ESP Hyundai i20 +10.7s
3. S Ogier / J Ingrassia FRA Toyota Yaris +1min 04.2s
4. T Katsuta / D Barritt GBR Toyota Yaris +1min 05.7s
5. A Fourmaux / R Jamoul FRA Ford Fiesta +4min 21.8s
6. G Greensmith / C Patterson GBR Ford Fiesta +4min 28.2s

Tags: RallyPortugalWRC
Share200Tweet125Share

Related Posts

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay
Rallying

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay

7 days ago
Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay
Rallying

Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay

1 week ago
Rovanperä leads, Fourmaux stars in Paraguay
Rallying

Rovanperä leads, Fourmaux stars in Paraguay

1 week ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay
Rallying

Sebastian Ogier and Vincent Landais win inaugural Rally del Paraguay

August 31, 2025
Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay
Rallying

Ogier leads as Rovanperä falls back in Paraguay

August 30, 2025

Drivers’ Standings

#DriverPoints
1Ott Tanak162
2Elfyn Evans161
3Sebastien Ogier141
4Kalle Rovanpera138
5Thierry Neuville114
6Adrien Fourmaux71
7Takamoto Katsuta63
8Oliver Solberg52
9Sami Pajari38
10Gregoire Munster19

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd