The eight-time world champion ended the quartet of asphalt afternoon stages with 4.8s advantage over Rovanpera, as the pair shared the stage win spoils with two apiece.
Ogier had briefly led the rally after Stage 3 on Friday morning, only to lose the lead to Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville on the next test, before reclaiming the advantage on Stage 5, which marked the fourth lead change of the rally.
Neuville headed back to the Salou service park 12.5s adrift, while teammate Tanak once again battled a lack of hybrid that saw him ship time in fourth, some 20.0s in arrears.
Home hero Dani Sordo was one of three drivers including Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta to suffer front left punctures. Sordo did however end the day in fifth, 50.9s behind, but ahead of Evans (1m01.2s), M-Sport’s Craig Breen (1m03.7s) and Katsuta (1m28.6s).
All 12 Rally1 entries completed the day’s eight stages, covering 118.92 kilometres.
The second pass of the morning stages began under cloudy skies but on a dry yet dirty road surface, negating any significant advantage that could be gleaned from road position.
Ogier claimed his second stage win of the event after the Frenchman pipped Tanak, who had to change an alternator belt prior to midday service.
Kalle Rovanpera, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
Sordo and Evans set identical times to sit third fastest on the stage ahead of Rovanpera.
“The feeling is very good in the car and it’s even more enjoyable now with higher grip, “said Ogier.
However, crucially for Ogier, the Frenchman was 3.7s faster than the morning’s rally leader Neuville, who admitted his pace notes were too cautious.
“I had much more dirt in my notes than there actually was,” said Neuville. “I couldn’t go faster if I was trusting the notes.”
M-Sport enjoyed a much stranger start to the afternoon as Breen was fifth quickest only 3.5s adrift, while 6.8s covered the top 11 Rally1 competitors.
“We’re heading in a better direction but I struggled a lot with the car through there,” said Breen. “There are some changes I’d like to do but we’re in the ballpark now anyway.”
Pierre-Louis Loubet recovered from an exhaust issue that forced him to stop on a road section after the morning’s final stage, to clock the eighth fastest time.
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
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