Will Tanak’s WRC happy hunting ground deliver once again?

Ott Tanak is hopeful the World Rally Championship’s visit to Chile will better suit his Hyundai package as he aims to claw back valuable points in the title race.

Tanak lost ground in his quest for a second world title in Paraguay last month leaving the Estonian fourth in the championship, 18 points adrift of championship leader Toyota’s Elfyn Evans, with four rounds remaining.

Tanak struggled to find the optimum balance and speed from his i20 N last time out in Paraguay. Set up woes were compounded by a pair of punctures that ultimately left Tanak in fifth position on the road. This was however upgraded to fourth, following Hyundai’s decision to retire team-mate Adrien Fourmaux from fourth for tactical reasons with this weekend’s visit to Chile in mind.

Chile’s gravel stages have proved to be happy hunting ground for the Hyundai driver, who is the most successful driver at the event since it made its debut on the calendar in 2019. Tanak won the inaugural event driving for Toyota, before adding a second win while piloting an M-Sport-Ford in 2023. Last year he finished third with Hyundai.

Hyundai Motorsport

“Chile is all about rallying. The roads are exceptionally cool there – they’re flowing and smooth at the same time,” said 2019 WRC champion Tanak.

“You have to be as efficient as possible, and that’s something that comes through your driving style and car setup. Your car balance needs to be adaptable but easy to manage, and your tyre choice is massively dependent on the weather, road conditions and road position.

“There’s a lot to learn on each loop, and the weather can be a lottery for each car. Our performance was compromised by punctures and some small issues in Paraguay, but we will make sure that’s back on form in Chile.”

After a difficult outing for Tanak in Paraguay, Hyundai is determined to deliver stronger results in Chile - a rally it is yet to conquer.

“After a turbulent weekend in Paraguay, we head to Rally Chile with more confidence, looking to capitalise on the positives we have seen at other gravel events this year,” said Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

“This is a rally where have more experience, we got some podiums in the past and with the steps forward we’ve taken so far this season with the Hyundai i20 N Rally1, we want to leave with nothing less than a top-three finish.

“A solid points haul is crucial to us at this moment in the season, and that will be our main aim in Chile.”

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