Ott Tänak has successfully defended his lead in Rally Portugal against a fierce challenge from Sébastien Ogier, securing a crucial stage win on Amarante. This victory came after Tänak overcame a rear-left puncture on the previous stage, showcasing his resilience and skill.
The Battle for the Lead
Ogier initially gained ground, winning the Vieira do Minho and Cabeceiras de Basto stages. However, Tänak's puncture on the latter stage only temporarily slowed his momentum. On Amarante, Tänak was back in form, outpacing the entire field by 4.6 seconds and finishing 9.8 seconds ahead of Ogier.
An impact to Tänak's left rear tire threatened to derail his lead – but he was back on song for Amarante
Toyota's Intra-Team Duel
The battle for third place saw Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta swapping positions, with Katsuta suffering a front-left puncture on Amarante, allowing Rovanperä to claim third by a mere 0.4 seconds.
Neuville's Struggles
Thierry Neuville faced multiple challenges, including road sweeping and tire overheating, which kept him out of the podium battle. Despite his efforts, Neuville lost additional time on Amarante, falling further behind.
With so little mileage on the current-spec Hankook gravel tires, Neuville elected to simply push on into the unknown rather than pre-empt any tire management
Other Notable Performances
- Elfyn Evans continued to struggle, losing ground to Sami Pajari in the battle for sixth.
- Josh McErlean reclaimed the lead in the M-Sport intra-team battle, benefiting from a poor setup choice by Grégoire Munster.
- Mārtinš Sesks faced a challenging rally, turning it into a test session after a nightmare Friday.
- Adrien Fourmaux restarted after retiring from the lead battle on Friday, focusing on gaining experience for future events.
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