Tänak returns to win WRC Portugal rally speed test, Evans overall victor
Ott Tänak won the final points test of the Wordl Rally Championship Rally de Portugal on Sunday, after having to withdraw from the main event due to suspension issues on the Saturday. Elfyn Evans (Wales, Toyota) won the event.
Tänak was leading the rally, held on a 377-km sandy, gravelly and sometimes rocky set of stages near the northern city of Porto, coming into Saturday but on the penultimate sage had to pull out with suspension issues, promoting Evans to first place.
Evans went on to win overall, with Tänak teammate Dani Sordo (Spain) in second and reigning WRC champion Sebastien Ogier (France, Toyota) denied a sixth Portugal win and coming third.
On the speed test, Tänak, 33, from Saaremaa, was quickest in the Hyundai i20 ahead of Neuville, Ogier, Finn Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans.
The full set of stage winners is below.
Thursday, May 20:
Test Paredes 4,60 km 11.01 EVANS
Friday, May 21:
SS1 Lousa 1 12,35 km 10.08 TÄNAK
SS2 Gois 1 19,51 km 11.08 SORDO
SS3 Arganil 1 18,82 km 12.08 SORDO
SS4 Lousa 2 12,35 km 14.31 ROVANPERÄ
SS5 Gois 2 19,51 km 15.31 SORDO
SS6 Arganil 2 18,82 km 16.38 TÄNAK
SS7 Mortagua 18,16 km 18.05 OGIER/EVANS
SS8 SSS Lousada 3,36 km 21.03 TÄNAK
Saturday, May 22:
SS9 Vieira do Minho 1 20,64 km 10.08 TÄNAK
SS10 Cabeceiras de Basto 1 22,37 km 11.08 TÄNAK
SS11 Amarante 1 37,92 km 12.24 TÄNAK
SS12 Vieira do Minho 2 20,64 km 16.38 EVANS
SS13 Cabeceiras de Basto 2 22,37 km 17.38 TÄNAK
SS14 Amarante 2 37,92 km 18.54 EVANS
SS15 SSS Porto - Foz 3,30 km 21.03 SORDO
Sunday, May 23:
SS16 Felgueiras 1 9,18 km 9.08 EVANS
SS17 Montim 8,75 km 9.53 EVANS
SS18 Fafe 1 11,18 km 10.38 NEUVILLE
SS19 Felgueiras 2
Tänak took away five points from the race and now remains in fourth place in the table after four races, behind Evans, Ogier and Neuville.
The next WRC rally is in Sardinia in two weeks' time.
The WRC calendar for the 2021 season is as follows:
January 21-24: Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo. Winner: Sebastien Ogier (Toyota).
February 26-28: Arctic Rally Finland. Winner: Ott Tänak (Hyundai).
April 22-25: Croatia Rally. Winner: Sebastien Ogier.
May 20-23: Rally de Portugal Winner: Elfyn Evans.
June 3-6: Rally Italia Sardegna
July 24-27: Safari Rally Kenya
July 15-18: Rally Estonia
August 13-15: Ypres Rally Belgium
September 9-12: Acropolis Rally Greece
September 29-October 3: Rally Finland
October 14-17: RACC Rally Catalunya de España
November 11-14: Rally Japan
Editor: Andrew Whyte
