Rally Portugal's Grueling Itinerary Sparks Safety Concerns Among WRC Drivers

Ott Tänak has extended his lead in Rally Portugal to seven seconds after a challenging Friday, standing strong against Toyota's challenge following his Hyundai teammate Adrien Fourmaux's early retirement. However, the day's highlight was the exhausting itinerary, with drivers spending up to 14 hours in the car, raising safety concerns.

Safety Concerns Over Rally's Length

Kalle Rovanperä voiced his concerns about the rally's grueling schedule, stating, "A crazy long day. I think it’s a bit too long. We are 14 hours in the car and tomorrow we are waking up at 5am again." He emphasized that while drivers can handle it, fatigue could become a safety issue.

Tänak's Dominance and Milestone

Tänak, the 2019 world champion, has maintained a slim lead since the rally's second stage. His lead grew after Fourmaux's suspension failure and was further extended by stage wins on Mortágua and Sever-Albergaria, marking his 400th scratch time in the World Rally Championship.

"Nice number," said Tänak. "If there would be as many championship titles as well it would be better."

Toyota's Internal Battle

Takamoto Katsuta briefly overtook Sébastien Ogier for second place but struggled in the final loop, losing over 20s to the eight-time world champion. Rovanperä is now just 1.2s behind Katsuta, poised to take third place.

Neuville's Comeback and Evans' Struggle

Thierry Neuville recovered from a morning spin, closing the gap to Toyota's peloton to 4.4s. Meanwhile, Elfyn Evans, the championship leader, struggled as the roadsweeper, falling to eighth place and admitting, "We ought to be a bit better than this."

M-Sport's Challenges

Grégoire Munster leads M-Sport's internal battle, 4.1s ahead of Josh McErlean. Mārtinš Sesks faced a tough day, losing time due to a puncture and a penalty, and narrowly avoiding serious damage after a collision.

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