Tänak wins last three stages of WRC Ypres Rally Belgium
The Belgian rally that was run as an official WRC stage for the first time was concluded on Sunday, with local hero Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) taking the win. Ott Tänak (Hyundai) won the last three special stages, including the power stage.
The first special stage of Sunday went to Finn Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota), while Estonian Ott Tänak dominated the rest of the day. Neuville only failed to make the top three in one of Sunday's four stages and celebrated by "doing donuts" in front of his home crowd at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack.
Hyundai took a double victory in Belgium after Craig Breen finished the rally in second place, 30.7 seconds behind Neuville. Kalle Rovanperä, who recently won his first WRC rally in Estonia, finished third (+43.1). Toyota pilot Elfyn Evans was fourth (+49.6), Sebastien Ogier fifth (+55.8) and Tänak sixth (+55.8). The Estonian took five points from the points stage.
V I C T O R Y
— Thierry Neuville (@thierryneuville) August 15, 2021
So happy to win at home and celebrate our first victory with @mwcodriver
We also collect 3 extra points in the Power Stage!
What a fantastic feeling!! #WRC #YpresRally #Uhoda #ZEISS #RedBullMotorsports #HyundaiBelgium #HeliAndCo #BaumaStone #JostGroup pic.twitter.com/DWun3d3ohL
WRC drivers' standings
1. Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) 162 points
2. Elfyn Evans (Toyota) 124
2. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) 124
4. Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) 99
5. Ott Tänak 87 (Hyundai)
6. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) 66
7. Craig Breen 66 (Hyundai)
8. Gus Greensmith 34 (M-Sport)
2021 Renties Ypres Rally Belgium full schedule of stages, with stage distance, start time, and stage winner in italics
Friday
Test stage Langemark (9.81 km) 9.01 T. Neuville (Hyundai)
SS1 Reninge Vleteren 1 (15.00 km) 14.36 O. Tänak (Hyundai)
SS2 Westouter - Boeschepe 1 (19.60 km) 15.25 C. Breen (Hyundai)
SS3 Kemmelberg 1 (23.62 km) 16.15 C. Breen (Hyundai)
SS4 Zonnebeke 1 (9.45 km) 17.09 T. Neuville (Hyundai)
Maintenance break
SS5 Reninge - Vleteren 2 (15.00km) 19.15 T. Neuville (Hyundai)
SS6 Westouter - Boeschepe 2 (19.60 km) 20.04 T. Neuville (Hyundai)
SS7 Kemmelberg 2 (23.62 km) 20.54 T. Neuville (Hyundai)
SS8 Zonnebeke 2 (9.45 km) 21.48 Stage canceled due to safety concerns
Saturday
SS9 Hollebeke 1 (23.53 km) 10.11 T. Neuville
SS10 Dikkebus 1 (12.49 km) 11.08 T. Neuville
SS11 Watou 1 (13.62 km) 12.01 C. Breen
SS12 Mesen - Middelhoek 1 (7.99 km) 12.51 T. Neuville
Maintenance break
SS13 Hollebeke 2 (25.86 km) 15.11 S. Ogier (Toyota)
SS14 Dikkebus 2 (12.49 km) 16.08 T. Neuville
SS15 Watou 2 (13.62 km) 17.01 S. Ogier
SS16 Mesen - Middelhoek 2 (7.99 km) 17.51 T. Neuville
Sunday
SS17 Stavelot 1 (9.05 km) 9.30 K. Rovanperä
SS18 Francorchamps 1 (11.21 km) 10.08 O. Tänak
SS19 Stavelot 2 (9.05 km) 11.40 O. Tänak
SS20 Francorchamps 2 (11.21 km) 13.18 O. Tänak
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
