While Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja in the Toyota Yaris only finished 13th in the first Rally Wales stage – actually conducted in England, at the Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire – they finished third in the first Friday special stage, the 11.65-kilometer Elsi 1, behind local hero Elfyn Evans (Ford) and Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate Kris Meeke, of Northern Ireland.

Tänak went on to win the 16.19-kilometer second stage at Penmachno in North Wales, with a time of 9.43.00, ahead of Meeke and title challenger, and current holder, Sébastien Ogier (Citroen).

Seven more stages remain Friday, with another seven on Saturday, and five on the Sunday, including an asphalt stage on Great Orme's Head near Llandudno.

Tänak, 31, from Saaremaa, leads the drivers' table with three races to go (including Wales) with 210 points to Ogiers 193. The latter leapfrogged third-placed man Thierry Neuville (Belgium, Hyundai) at the last rally in Turkey, where Tänak was beset with technical problems, picking up just five points.

ERR's sports portal is live-blogging the event (in Estonian) here, and will be broadcasting Sunday's final stages from 2 p.m.

With the nights drawing in, the final stage on Friday takes place after dark, and Saturday's stages have no midday maintenance break as would normally be the case.

The event is celebrating its 75th anniversary no less, with changeable autumnal Welsh weather conditions and plenty of mud providing a challenge for all taking part.

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