Despite a challenging road position and changeable weather conditions, the 2019 world champion won two of the day’s six stages on New Zealand’s famous fast and flowing gravel roads.
Tanak started the day in the lead after winning Thursday’s night’s super special stage, but lost the advantage to M-Sport’s Craig Breen briefly on Friday morning, before storming back to the front on the morning’s final stage, benefitting from the wet conditions.
Tanak then relinquished the lead to a charging Toyota of Sebastien Ogier during the afternoon loop, but reclaimed the rally lead by winning the day’s final test. His charge back to the top of the leaderboard was helped by Ogier losing the rear wing on his GR Yaris, which cost the eight-time world champion valuable time.
Evans produced a solid performance throughout to end the day second, with Ogier 6.7s back in third.
Championship leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of the wet gravel that reduced the effects of road cleaning, to end the day in fourth. Only 7.2 separated the top four after 160km of action.
M-Sport’s Breen had been locked in the victory battle but retired on a road section following an off in Stage 5. This left Gus Greensmith to head M-Sport’s charge in fifth ahead of Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who lost time to two spins on Friday morning
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
The second pass of the Whaanga Coast stage that kicked off the afternoon’s action resulted in big shake up of the leaderboard.
Ogier made the most of his road position to set a blistering time, on the now dry gravel, compared to the morning pass. The Frenchman leapt into the rally lead from fifth overall after laying down time, 17.2 faster than leader Tanak.
Evans emerged as Ogier’s nearest challenger some 8.4s back which highlighted the latter’s improved pace having struggled for grip in the morning.
Breen looked set to challenge Ogier before the Irishman misjudged a right hander that caught out Colin McRae in 2002. The M-Sport Ford Puma slid down a steep grass bank and came to a halt. Spectators were able to retrieve the car but 18 minutes were lost, before Breen retired on following road section.
“I know I shouldn’t be doing all these mistakes, but it’s f****** tough,” said Breen.
The rain arrived for Stage 6, a second run through the rally’s longest test, although Rovanpera escaped the worst…
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