Domination isn’t a word frequently used for anybody in the World Rally Championship not named Sébastien.
Kalle Rovanperä might have a thing or two to say about that, of course, thanks to his title-winning exploits in recent years, but there was a year in the pre-Rovanperä era when French rule was broken.
Unlike Loeb, who won nine championships in succession, Ogier’s run of countless world titles was interrupted by an Estonian with a Toyota steering wheel between his fingertips. Ott Tänak.
The fact Tänak beat Ogier to the championship in 2019 was one thing, but it was the way he did it that impressed most. Tänak was, at times, invincible that year driving a Yaris WRC. He struck fear into opponents with how effortlessly fast he could be. A Tänak victory, or stage win, almost became inevitable.
Tänak's sensational form made him almost untouchable en route to 2019 title
While there have been undoubted flashes of brilliance in the years since, Tänak hasn’t quite found that same aura he carried when on his way to becoming the world number one. But there are suggestions within the service park, particularly at his own Hyundai team, that Tänak is now starting to get perilously close to that domineering level.
Team-mate Esapekka Lappi was first to drop the hint. Asked ahead of last week’s Rally Latvia if it was possible to repeat his Rally Sweden victory from earlier in the year, particularly considering his lower road position, Lappi almost immediately picked out Tänak as a threat.
“Well, I believe sort of yes,” Lappi told DirtFish, “but then on the other hand, I know that there is a couple of drivers with good road position as well.
“And Ott is really flying again,” he said. “He has found, let’s say, the confidence that he had many years ago. I think he is now very much on a similar speed like five years ago.
“So even with the road order he will be in the mix. So I hope we can be in the fight. I don’t know if we can fight for the win but for the podium I would like.”
Lappi has seen the signs before, both from within the same team and competing against Tänak as in 2019
One part of Lappi’s prediction came true – sadly for him, it wasn’t the part that involved great personal success. But either way, his comments about Tänak were fascinating. Let’s not forget that Lappi was Tänak’s team-mate at Toyota back in 2018, and competed against him the following year as well as working with him again now. So he’s well qualified to make such an assessment.
Cyril Abiteboul was working in Formula 1 when Tänak stormed to world championship glory, and has only worked with him for half a season so far as Hyundai team principal.
He therefore cannot – and didn’t seek to – judge how his level this year compares to 2019. But Abiteboul was receptive to the argument that Tänak is now getting back to his very best.
“Yeah, I would agree,” Abiteboul told DirtFish.
“I think without the issues of the start of the season, where it was a bit of a slow start with a few mistakes and then adverse circumstances of things not going his way, I think it’s quite remarkable and we can see that when he’s on it, you know.
Hyundai boss Abiteboul recognizes the level at which his driver is operating
“Let’s not forget also that two weeks ago he had this big crash [in Estonia] and we know that things are not absolutely perfect from his physical preparation in relation to that. And yet he wanted to be here and you can see from what he’s done why he wanted to be here.”
Tänak’s not the most effusive of drivers, so was never going to make big statements himself about his current performance level.
“To be honest, I felt a bit better after Poland,” he told DirtFish. “But then everything that happened in Estonia and in between, it was quite a setback. And we couldn’t find anymore a good car as well for the beginning of the rally and so on.”
When it was pointed out to him that he’s now the man with momentum in the title race, Tänak replied: “I don’t think really we have a great momentum because we always, you know, we are fighting with something and trying to fight back.
“But yeah, so far it’s been playing in our favor in some ways, that we’ve been always able to bring it back.”
Tänak astounded with Sunday pace when running first on the road in Poland
What do Neuville and Evans think?
Heading into next week’s Rally Finland, Tänak is now up to second in the championship and just eight points behind team-mate Thierry Neuville, with Elfyn Evans five points further behind.
Neuville isn’t focused on Tänak’s upward trajectory, and has instead vowed to fight for every single point he can after a difficult couple of events in Poland and Latvia.
“We’re going to be fighting; every point can count,” Neuville promised DirtFish.
“We never know what happens. I mean, still many, many rallies waiting for us, plenty of surprises. So every single point is going to be important in the fight for the championship.”
Evans could do with repeating his 2023 Rally Finland success
Arguably, Evans has the best chance of success in Finland as last year’s winner, who will start one place behind Tänak on the opening day’s running order and two spots behind Neuville (albeit on a gravel rally where road sweeping is typically less pronounced than in other places).
“I think we should end up in a pretty good place,” Evans told DirtFish. “So, yeah, let’s wait and see what the conditions are in Finland. But it’s anyway a highlight on the calendar, so it’ll be important to enjoy it.”
Asked if the steady erosion of Neuville’s championship lead is enough, Evans appeared more concerned by Tänak.
“Let’s wait and see,” he said. “Time will tell.
“Ott’s been very strong here this weekend [in Latvia]. We know he’s also very, very fast in Finland. Let’s wait and see.”
