The World Rally Championship is more even than ever. Any small mishap or lack of set-up is vital in every rally. 2019 World Champion Ott Tänak has admitted that he isn`t happy with the way he drives on tarmac in the Hyundai i20 WRC.
Despite good preparation in Sanremo, the Estonian didn`t have a good race in Croatia, given the pace of the leading drivers. Of course, he added vital points for his locker. Tänak and Järveoja finished fourth, one minute and twenty seconds behind Sébastien Ogier. The Estonians scored a scratch out of twenty possible.
In addition, the different with Thierry Neuville were bulky throughout the test, which makes it clear that on asphalt things do not work perfectly for Tänak. “I don’t even know if it’s the driving style or if I’m not used to driving a car like this”, tells the Estonian to DirtFish.
It is true that Neuville is completely adapted to a car and brand he has been working with since 2014. Despite this, Tänak is insatiable and wants to improve: “I am struggling. We are going to try to solve it and try to find a solution. This kind of Events, with constant dirt and asphalt, are the most demanding for the drivers”.
The asphalt will be the protagonist in three rallies in the remainder of the season. Specifically, in Ypres, Spain and Japan. Three out of nine rallies to celebrate, which can be vital in the fight for the world title. “We have many ideas, at the moment they don`t work, but we must continue testing.”
Now, for the moment, the protagonists of the WRC will visit four consecutive rallies on gravel. The next will be Portugal, a rally that Tänak won with Toyota in 2019. Italy, Kenya and Estonia, the home for the Hyundai driver, will be the rallies after the Portuguese.
The Estonians are fourth in the standings with forty points in their locker. Ogier and Ingrassia are leaders with 61. Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe are second, with 53. Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin close the provisional podium to two of the Belgians.
