The breach occurred on stage 2 when the Toyota pairing had been forced to change a wheel after hitting a compression whereas main the rally.
Ogier and Landais had been capable of change the wheel in a bit over a minute and solely misplaced 1m32s on the stage following the stoppage.
Nonetheless, it has been deemed that Ogier and co-driver Landais didn’t have their security harnesses accurately mounted whereas the automotive was in movement following the wheel change. Landais’ HANS gadget was additionally in an incorrect place.
As outcome, a one minute penalty has been issued, demoting the eight-time world champion from fifth to seventh general heading into Saturday.
The stewards’ report learn: “The motive force of automotive No. 17 Mr. Sebastien Ogier defined that after altering a flat tyre on SS2, he had buckled his security belts and had began to drive initially slowly till the protection belts had been correctly mounted.
“He had then requested affirmation from the co-driver Mr. Vincent Landais if he was prepared and if they may begin driving. The co-driver had confirmed this. He additionally defined that after they’d began to drive quicker the protection belts had been mounted, however he admitted that he was attempting to place the FHR gadget till the top of the stage.
“Mr. Sebastien Ogier said that he was unaware that the co-driver had not positioned the FHR gadget nor that he had incorrectly mounted the protection belts, because the co-driver had confirmed earlier that he was prepared to begin. The co-driver apologised for this lapse.”
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Picture by: Toyota Racing
It added: “The Sporting Director, Mr Kaj Lindström, added that Artwork. 53.1 of 2023 FIA Sporting Laws states that the protection belts should be mounted whereas the automotive is in movement and confirmed that the drivers had the protection belts mounted however not accurately tightened. Mr. Kaj Lindström submitted to the Stewards the info from automotive No. 17, exhibiting that in the course of the first 13.5 seconds the automotive was transferring slowly.
“The video proof from automotive No. 17 reveals that after the tyre change on SS2, while the motive force had mounted the protection belts quickly after he had began to drive, the co- driver didn’t have the protection belts correctly mounted.
“At the start the automotive was transferring slowly for roughly 13 seconds and the co-driver managed to buckle the protection belts however afterwards, whereas the motive force had began to drive quicker, the co-driver was nonetheless tightening the protection belts for a sure time and was attempting to place the FHR gadget accurately beneath the protection belts.
“The co-driver managed to lock the protection belts accurately roughly 34 seconds after the automotive was in movement from the tyre change location and till the top of the stage. Moreover, the co-driver had tried to place the FHR gadget accurately beneath the FHR belts.”
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville ended Friday leading the rally by 5.7s from Toyota’s Elfyn Evans.