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Expert Opinion: Tanak in the best position to boost title bid in Chile
The destination of the 2025 World Rally Championship continues to hang in the balance with four drivers separated by 18 points heading into this weekend’s round in Chile.
The momentum seems to be swinging in the favour of Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier, who scored a sensational fourth win of the season in Paraguay two weeks ago. The eight-time world champion sits nine points behind team-mate and championship leader Elfyn Evans, while two-time world champion Kalle Rovnapera is only seven points behind Evans.
Hyundai’s best chance of silverware appears to be in the hands of Ott Tanak. The Estonian is the most successful driver in Chile having taken wins in 2019 and 2023. The 2019 world champion will need to repeat some of this form over this week’s 16 stages to close the 18-point deficit.
To get a read of the form book, DAZN News spoke to legendary WRC television commentator Becs Williams for an expert opinion.
Tanak is in the best position and Hyundai should throw its weight behind him
Hyundai
“There are lots of interesting factors to consider here but in terms of who could be on the top step, it very difficult to look beyond Ott Tanak as he is in the best position.
“For Tanak, he is in the strongest position he has ever been in at Hyundai, they should be throwing the entire weight of the team behind him. Team-mate and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville knows he has got an extreme outside chance of the title, but he will still be the lead driver and the reigning world champion, but they would move him to get Tanak extra points.
“As soon as Cyril Abiteboul came into Hyundai as boss they pulled tactics as early as Rally Sweden. People are extremely naive if they think they won’t continue in that vain. Unless its third driver Adrien Fourmaux can be leading a rally with three or one Toyota behind him [then he will fine.]. But if he is just ahead of his team-mates then he will have to sacrifice position to get them extra points.
“From Toyota’s perspective it is going to be a difficult start fro them on Friday as there is a lot of loose and even though it has rained there is still a lot to cut through.
“At M-Sport Josh McErlean is the only driver who has absolutely no experience of this event. His rivals will have all of the knowledge and he will be struggling, but for me Josh has been the strongest M-Sport driver we have seen all year and the day he has developed over the the last nine months has been meteoric. We have said this before but we need to see more from his team-mate Gregoire Munster if he wants to secure a ride next year.”
Ogier really wants this title but expect a psychological battle
Toyota
“I think the entire Rally Paraguay for Sebastien Ogier was a demonstration of how much he wants this title. To work his way back from a puncture to win the rally was quite sensational. I think we got a massive glimpse into his psyche and it felt like we had gone back a decade. It was a reminder of how Seb used to be when he had the bit between his teeth and fighting against his nemesis at the time which was Sebastien Loeb. The fact that he said 'I will win this championship' or words to that effect, shows he really does want it.
“I think the other drivers are well aware of it it will never be a surprise to them. Especially within the Toyota team they [Elfyn Evans] and [Kalle Rovanpera] have not got to let that get to them. I think psychological warfare is going to play a big part over the next few rounds. Seb talked about being able to win from second on the road on the Paraguay podium and it was like a shot across the bows for Elfyn, who stood next to him, and Neuville who still has mathematical chance of the title. It was a shot to say that I’m going to win this from whatever position on the road. I think to will be a mixture of there flat out competition from him but expect the psychological warfare to ramp up.
“I didn’t think the retirement in Chile last year will be in Seb’s mind as he has never been that style of driver. He will definitely want to right the wrong of last year. It is not going to get him.”
Evans has spring his step and excels in Chile’s tricky changeable conditions
Toyota
“Elfyn Evans walked away from Paraguay in second which was a far better result than he expected. I think Elfyn has more of a spring in his step because he knows, okay starting first on the road here is going to be hard and nobody has won it from first on the road. However I can’t remember having such intense rain here as we have had in the past few days. It is very wet out on the stages and that might help him a little. It is not going to make the job easier to the point that he could win from first on the road, but the weather may play a big part. In difficult conditions weather-wise, he excels. We will see low cloud, fog and rain on Saturday for sure and when the conditions get messy Elfyn seems to excel.
“Meanwhile, team-mate Kalle Rovanpera would have been leading the championship here in Chile had the puncture in Paraguay not happened. In Paraguay he was far more relaxed and far more excited about the fact it was going to be a level playing field.
"We saw pace from him but what we didn’t see was at any point him say that he was comfortable with the car. I don’t think we will see that through the whole season. It will be really difficult for him to try and win here from second on the road. The motivation for me is back but I think there is that doubt in his mind which is not letting him go really flat out and go for it.
“In Finland he said it was the most uncomfortable win he has ever had in the sense that he wasn’t happy with the way he felt but he pushed, pushed, pushed anyway. This could be the tell here in Chile. If he can go for it and get a good result then we will see the same for the end of the season.”
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