Two weeks before the resumption of the WRC championship, almost all of the drivers in the World Championship were able to make their mark in a test that served as a full-scale test. Organized over a reduced format of one day, the South Estonia Rally 2020 hosted several WRC competitors. The Toyota and Hyundai teams took this opportunity in particular to prepare their crews for the meeting in early September.
After the break forced by the health crisis on the evening of Rally Mexico and the upheaval of the calendar that followed, the 2020 campaign will resume its rights with a Rally Estonia integrated into the calendar and which will be contested from September 4 to 6. A test of the Estonian championship, the South Estonia Rally offered this Sunday a course of around 100 kilometers made up of eight specials. The day of Saturday had been deleted due to the context related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At home, it’s Ott Tänak who dominated the debates and won the rally, with seven of the day’s eight scratch times for the Hyundai driver. “We have been working on the car for a long time, now it is time for it and we are more efficient”, explained the reigning World Champion. “Thank you to the organizers for this great rally, the most competitive I have taken part in to date in Estonia.”
Kalle Rovanperä took second place 13.7 behind the winner, ahead of his Toyota teammate, Sébastien Ogier (+29″0). “It was a good day”, indicated the French, who will present himself as leader of the WRC championship for the resumption. “It’s important to be at your best in two weeks. The top 5 in the championship were here so it would have been a shame not to be there.”
For Thierry neuville, fourth at 43.88, this Sunday was more complicated, with in particular water pump problems on the Hyundai i20. “It was a difficult weekend for us, a lot of difficulties in the first loop”, commented the Belgian on arrival. “We struggled with the rhythm of the notes. We didn’t really take any risks because we were out of the fight. We tried different settings throughout the day and it was in full view of the round. WRC. “
Esapekka Lapland took fifth place behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta WRC, while Teemu Suninen was engaged with a Ford Fiesta R5.
Very big heat for Evans
The day was marked by the spectacular accident ofElfyn Evans. The Toyota rider got off the road at high speed as he occupied fourth place in the event. In a very quick turn of the special after the lunch break, the Briton put a wheel in the grass and was trapped by a tree stump. If the images attest to an impressive crash, Evans and his teammate Scott Martin luckily got out of their Yaris WRC, which was severely damaged.
“It was a big accident, which is naturally not ideal, but we are both fine”, Evans said before retaining the taxi previously performed. “It was great to come here, to have more experience with the car. I think we gathered a lot of information even though this rally was cut short.”
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