Estonia`s Tanak out of Rally Finland after less than 3 stages

Ott Tanak and Martin Jarveoja at the Finland rally test. Photo: M-Sport

Estonian WRC pilot Ott Tanak has had to withdraw from the ninth round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season in Jyvaskyla, Finland, during the third stage.

The M-Sport Ford driver started Rally Finland well, winning the city-based stage held on Thursday. Tanak beat Hyundai`s Thierry Neuville by 0.6 seconds in the city stage. The season`s overall leader, Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota), came in third, just 0.1 seconds behind Neuville.

The top three were followed by Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai; 2:40.8), Elfyn Evans (Toyota; 2:40.9), Pierre-Louis Loubet (M-Sport; 2:41.2), Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota; 2:42.1), Teemu Suninen (Hyundai; 2:43.6), and Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala (2:47.1).

During the second stage on Friday morning, Tanak could not maintain the same pace, falling to seventh place, 2.4 seconds behind the first-placed Takamoto Katsuta.

However, on the third stage, Tanak`s Ford Puma suffered what appeared to be an engine-related issue, forcing Estonia`s best rally driver to withdraw.