Rally Italia Sardegna 2021 has been confirmed as intense, selective, difficult and certainly fascinating, and has consolidated its reputation as one of the most popular competitions in the world scene, event this organized by Automobile Club d’ Italia with the support of the Sardinian Region.
After three days and 20 demanding special stages, Sebastien Ogier and Julienne Ingrassia take the win with Toyota Yaris WRC. The 7-time World Champion takes his fourth victory in Sardinia, the first on the Yaris WRC, to the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, with 5 scratch stages. The crew, that is now leading, got the top position on the second day, on PS 12, when Ott Tanak in his Hyundai i20 WRC was forced to retire after hitting a stone that damaged the suspension, after winning 6 stages. Another Toyota Yaris WRC is in second place: Elfyn Evans with Scott Martin, also won 5 special stages and definitively extended his hands on the second place on day two, getting important points for the world championship where he is 2 °. Podium completed by Thierry Neuville and Matijn Wydaeghe who, in the i20 Coupé WRC, took important points to Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT and he is now in 3rd position in the championship setting also the best time on PS 18 and in the Power Stage that gives extra fondamental points, that was live on TV. Neuville felt the full responsibility of defending the Korean team after the forced stop of his teammates Ott Tanak, and after Dani Sordo that rolled, after setting two scratches. Takamoto Katsuta with Daniel Barrit in the Toyota Yaris WRC also reached the goal of finishing the demanding Italian rally and did so with a brilliant 4th place.
“Incredible weekend I was first to start and we were ready for the worst – declared Ogier at the finish line – Friday was an incredible day and a great comeback yesterday. We are really happy. Important points for the team and the championship. I slowed down a bit after the water splash which was really difficult for many drivers. Thanks to the team. “.
“Water got into the engine on the jump, we lost a lot while I was trying to restart, it wasn’t a good feeling for sure – was Evans’ comment – the mistake in having taken the pace late on Friday affected all the weekend , Ogier then made an incredible performance. Thanks to the team for this incredible weekend ”-.
“It is as if in the end something did not match, but thanks to the team because after Portugal they worked so hard to give me almost a new car – explained Neuville – thanks to the guys, I’m sorry not to have delivered the weekend, at least we have some constructors points “-
The battle in WRC2 is anything but taken for granted. Until the last Power Stage there was no shortage of twists that shuffled cards in each stage. Mads Ostberg, almost always the fastest on Citroen C3 Rally2 with Torstein Eriksen, however, had to deal with bad luck – between brake problems and punctures. On the contrary Jari Huttunen, behind the wheel of Hyundai i20 Rally2 with Mikko Lukka, was always ready to catch the opportunity, until the end. Just 2.7 ” the gap, in advantage for the Finn. Then the puncture on the first pass on “Aglientu-Santa Teresa”, left a furious Ostberg losing 27 ”. The Norwegian driver had a great comeback and reacted close to 2″ on the defending WRC3 champion before the final and decisive Power Stage. At the end, Ostberg had still brake issues while Huttunen got maximum results, with a 5th place overall , a win in qualifying and a win in l WRC2 with a 7.5 ” advantage. An important point for the young flying finn, among the positive moments that Hyundai and Andrea Adamo get from Sardinia. Second place, with the 6th overall position, left a disappointed Ostberg who saw the lead slipping away given that Mikkelsen had already retired on the first day of the rally. Third Marco Bulacia, with Marcelo Der Ohannesian on Skoda Fabia, protagonists of a roll with two stages before the end but got his podium in WRC2. Behind him Martin Prokop, and Zdenek Jurka on Ford Fiesta, ahead of Enrico Brazzoli, the Italian driver in the category together with Danilo Fappani, fifth on their Fabia.
Success in WRC3 is for Yohan Rossel, with Alexandre Coria in a Citroen C3, he took the lead after Kajetanowicz stopped on Friday’s last special stage. Second and third place for Lopez-Vallejo (Skoda) and Solans-Sanjuan (Citroen).
The first Italian crew is the one of ACI Team Italia formed by Alessio Profeta and Sergio Raccuia who took the 18th place overall on their Skoda Fabia Evo, a difficult race for them but where they got important experience.
