Published on February 12, 2023 at 1:57 p.m.
Ott Tänak picked up his first victory since his return to Ford, winning on the snow in Sweden ahead of the Hyundais of Craig Breen and Thierry Neuville.
Ott Tänak returns to victory in the colors of Ford! Six years after his success in Sardinia and Germany on behalf of the American brand, the Estonian driver won this Sunday in Sweden, he who returned to Ford in the off-season, after moving to Toyota and Hyundai in the meantime. Leader since the 14th special, the 2019 world champion has not trembled during the last four ES on the program, on the snowy and slippery roads around Umea. In the end, Tänak only won one of the 18 stages, but he was consistent enough to win. He finished almost 19 seconds ahead of Craig Breen and 20 over Thierry Neuville, the two Hyundai drivers, the team the Estonian left this winter.
Think nouveau leader du championship
During this day on Sunday, which Tänak approached with a little more than eight seconds ahead of Craig Breen, the Ford M-Sport driver did not really shake. He took an additional three-second lead over the Irishman during the first morning stage (won by world champion Kalle Rovanperä, who had new tyres), where he nevertheless experienced some brake problems. Breen took three seconds from him during the penultimate special (won by Thierry Neuville, who in turn had new tires and definitively ruled out Rovanperä from the race for the podium). The Power Stage, won by a discreet Esapekka Lappi until then, did not change anything, Tänak finishing two tenths ahead of Breen. The Estonian therefore won the fifteenth victory of his career, at 35! This allows him to take the lead in the championship, three points ahead of Rovanperä, who did not give everything in the Power Stage, so as not to be the leader and not have to open the road in Mexico in a month. First Frenchman, Pierre-Louis Loubet took sixth place.
RALLYE – WRC / SUEDE
Final classification (after 18 specials) – Sunday February 12, 2023
1- Ott Tänak – Martin Järveoja (EST-EST/Ford M-Sport) en 2h25’54″5
2- Craig Breen – James Fulton (IRL-IRL/Hyundai) à 18″7
3- Thierry Neuville – Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL-BEL/Hyundai) à 20″
4- Kalle Rovanperä – Janne Halttunen (FIN-FIN/Toyota) à 25″1
5- Elfyn Evans – Scott Martin (GBR-GBR/Toyota) à 1’24
6- Pierre Louis Loubet – Nicolas Gilsoul (FROM-BEL/Ford M-Sport) at 5’59
…
Stage winners
Rovanperä : 6 (ES1, ES3, ES8, ES11, ES12, ES16)
Breen : 4 (ES2, ES5, ES6, ES10)
Katsuta : 1 (ES4)
Thanks : 1 (ES7)
Neuville: 5 (SS9, SS13, SS14, SS15, SS17)
Lapland : 1 (ES18)