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Tanak wins Arctic Finland after leading all the way

motorsport28 February 2021 12:54| © Reuters
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Ott Tanak © Gallo Images

Estonian Ott Tanak won Arctic Rally Finland on Sunday after leading the event from start to finish in his Hyundai.

The 2019 world champion finished 17.5 seconds clear of Toyota's local driver Kalle Rovanpera, who took the championship lead from teammate Sebastien Ogier after the second round of the season.

Belgian Thierry Neuville was third for Hyundai.

Rovanpera won the day's closing Power Stage for five bonus points, with Ireland's Craig Breen taking four and Neuville an extra three.

Tanak was fourth for two bonus points and Ogier, who finished outside the top 10 after losing more than 20 minutes on Saturday when his car plunged into a snowbank, salvaged one point.

Rovanpera has 39 points, according to provisional standings, with Neuville on 35. Ogier and Welsh teammate Elfyn Evans are tied on 31 with Tanak fifth on 27 after drawing a blank in January's Monte Carlo opener.

ARCTIC RALLY FINAL STANDINGS

1. Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (EST-Hyundai) 2hr 3min 49.6sec
2. Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (FIN-Toyota) at 17.5 sec
3. Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL-Hyundai) 19.8
4. Craig Breen/Paul Nagle (IRL-Hyundai) 52.6
5. Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (GBR-Toyota) 1min 01.5sec
6. Takamoto Katsuta/Daniel Barritt (JPN/GBR-Toyota) 1:37.8
7. Oliver Solberg/Sebastian Marshall (SWE/GBR-Hyundai 2C Competition) 1:39.0
8. Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula (FIN-M-Sport Ford) 2:09.0
9. Gus Greensmith/Elliott Edmondson (GBR-M-Sport Ford) 3:39.4
10. Esapekka Lappi-Janne Ferm (FIN-Volkswagen WRC2) 6:07.0

SELECTED OTHERS

20. Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (FRA-Toyota) 11:06.2

STAGE WINNERS

Ott Tanak (SS1, SS2, SS3, SS5, SS6)
Elfyn Evans (SS4, SS9)
Kalle Rovanpera (SS7, SS10)
Thierry Neuville (SS8)

DRIVER STANDINGS (after two races):

1. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN-Toyota) 39 points
2. Thierry Neuville (BEL-Hyundai) 35
3. Sebastien Ogier (FRA-Toyota) 31
4. Elfyn Evans (GBR-Toyota) 31
5. Ott Tanak (EST-Hyundai) 27
6. Craig Breen (IRL-Hyundai) 16
7. Takamoto Katsuta (JPN-Toyota) 16
8. Dani Sordo (ESP-Hyundai) 11
9. Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR-Skoda WRC2) 6
10. Oliver Solberg (SWE-Hyundai) 6

CONSTRUCTORS

1. Toyota 88 points
2. Hyundai 77
3. M-Sport Ford 24
4. Hyundai 2C Competition 22

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