How extreme conditions once again triggered Hyundai’s Safari hoodoo

Ott Tanak is hopeful of regaining the Safari Rally lead if his automobile can “keep collectively” as excessive circumstances as soon as once more proved to be Hyundai’s downfall in Africa.

The 2019 world champion gained 4 of Friday’s opening six levels to construct up a 46.1s lead over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans, however will head into Saturday 55.4s in arrears.

Tanak’s i20 N suffered a front-right driveshaft failure after profitable stage seven, a feat achieved whereas carrying a puncture.

The mechanical difficulty joins a listing of reliability issues Hyundai has endured for the reason that Safari Rally rejoined the World Rally Championship calendar in 2021. The Korean marque has scored just one podium end within the final 4 editions, whereas Toyota has dominated the African occasion.

Tanak was pressured to nurse his automobile via stage 9 earlier than having the ability to take away the defective driveshaft forward of the day’s last stage, which he accomplished with energy to solely three wheels. The difficulty in the end handed the rally result in Evans.

“We realised it was a driveshaft nevertheless it was caught there and we actually struggled to take away it. We have been working out of time so we needed to go for it. As it’s behind the engine it might very simply destroy the engine and by chance earlier than the ultimate stage we might take away it and drive it,” stated Tanak, who dropped to 3rd behind Evans and Kalle Rovanpera.

When requested if it was potential to get well over the remaining 11 levels, Tanak added: “We will attempt nevertheless it additionally means the automobile wants to remain collectively. Let’s see, it’s tough and demanding, and it’s arduous for the automobile.”

So as to add to Hyundai’s woes Thierry Neuville would have ended the day main the rally had he prevented a large number of time penalties. The defending world champion accrued two minutes’ price of penalties, starting with a one-minute penalty for being six minutes late from service. Hyundai opted to vary the driveshaft and transmission as a precaution following a difficulty on Thursday evening.

Neuville then picked up a 10-second soar begin penalty, which he felt was down to a timing glitch. A puncture adopted on the following take a look at earlier than a cooling difficulty incurred a 50-second penalty for being late to stage seven.

“I don’t know what to say. It has been actually difficult. It was excessive circumstances on this first stage, however principally we’re joyful to be right here,” stated Neuville, who ended the day fourth, 1m31.4s from the lead.

“In case you take away the penalties, plus the 20 seconds we misplaced yesterday, and the puncture from as we speak we might be within the lead by almost one minute. It’s what it’s.”

Toyota benefited from Hyundai’s issues as Evans headed team-mate Rovanpera by 7.7s to place the Japanese marque within the prime place for an additional Safari victory.

“It has been an honest day on the market with no hassle for us. It has been a really robust day and we have now erred on the facet of warning,” stated Evans.

Situations for this yr’s occasion have been considered the hardest for the reason that occasion’s return, highlighted by the brand new 31-kilometre Camp Moran stage, that options sections of robust bedrock, adopted by a sector of fesh-fesh sand.

Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Picture by: Toyota Racing

“The lengthy stage, Thierry and Ott have been actually quick there, however I’m probably not stunned that one thing occurs [to them] as a result of it’s tremendous tough, because it feels just like the automobile is exploding any second within the stage,” stated Rovanpera.

“Yearly right here, that [driving with a margin] is the recipe of do it. Yearly there are some guys which might be tremendous quick, however usually they won’t be the quickest on the finish.”

Safari Rally takes its toll on the sector

The Camp Moran stage inflicted hassle on a number of of the frontrunners together with Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, because the Frenchman opted to push on however hit a rock inflicting terminal harm to his front-right suspension, leading to a second retirement from the rally following {an electrical} fault after Friday’s stage two.

Oliver Solberg’s rally additionally unravelled within the stage because the Swede surrendered sixth outright and the WRC2 lead. Poland’s Kajetan Kajetanowicz inherited the WRC2 lead sitting eighth general heading into Saturday.

“We have been the primary R5 automobile and sadly we received beached [in the fesh-fesh sand]. It is extremely gutting after we had such a management of the race,” stated Solberg, whose Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 was ultimately retrieved from the sand by a tractor.

M-Sport’s Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster have been each within the wars on the stage. The spare wheel in McErlean’s automobile shook itself free making a gap within the rear of the automobile, damaging the exhaust within the course of. The Irishman was pressured to cease twice as a precaution in case of a potential fireplace, earlier than reaching the end having misplaced three minutes. McErlean was in a position to end the day in seventh, with Munster eleventh following a lack of energy from his Puma throughout the afternoon.