“Many issues” compromised WRC Rally Croatia cost

The 2019 world rally champion produced a powerful push firstly of the afternoon loop, ensuing within the 2023 Rally Sweden winner reducing Evans’ rally lead from 19.1 seconds to 12.5s, earlier than drama struck on the day’s penultimate stage.

Tanak initially reported in stage 15 that he had suffered a problem together with his handbrake which left the Estonian annoyed because it allowed Evans to finally lengthen his result in 25.4s heading into Sunday,

Talking within the service park on the ned of the day, Tanak defined that he was battling a transmission and hydraulic downside, the latter he thought was related to the handbrake situation. M-Sport is attempting to determine the trigger.

“It looks like it’s truly fairly many alternative issues however what precisely, it’s troublesome to say,” mentioned Tanak.

“First we had a transmission [issue] and a hydraulic downside, most likely with the handbrake, nevertheless it was not likely hampering actually the final stage, and we had some chassis issues.

“We have now fairly a number of issues [going on] so it’s undoubtedly good to be right here [in service park].”

When requested if he thought it was potential to duplicate his sturdy tempo throughout Sunday’s 4 levels to catch Evans, he added: “It’s tough and it [the day] is brief and we all know the levels fairly nicely.

“For certain, we’ll preserve going however for him [Elfyn] it appears to be like fairly simple now.”

Nevertheless, rally chief Evans says that the win is way from secure and he should push to safe his first WRC victory since Rally Finland in October 2021.

“I wasn’t actually pleased with my afternoon to be trustworthy and doubtless the worst I’ve felt by way of the weekend up to now, particularly that first lengthy stage after service, I may get any confidence,” Evans instructed Autosport.

“It is just a spin or a puncture or no matter, it’s nothing, so we nonetheless must get on with the job and nonetheless drive on the identical tempo.”