Toyota 1-2-3 after Amarante stage; Evans leads
With Loeb and Ogier in trouble, road-sweeping duties fell to Tänak in Amarante, the longest stage of the rally at 37.24km. Fourmaux stopped to change a punctured rear tyre after 20.5km and his three-minute time loss meant that Breen was seriously affected in the hanging dust behind.
The choice of hard tyres cost several drivers valuable seconds and Rovanperä and Evans resumed their duel for the lead as Katsuta squeezed through to snatch third overall from Sordo by 3.5 seconds. Evans won the special and headed to service with a 18.4-second lead.
Car 69. ROVANPERÄ/HALTTUNEN
“It didn’t work out with the tyres so well. We had two used from yesterday and they were on the limit already.”
Car 11. NEUVILLE/WYDAEGHE
“We had a very good stage to be honest, We had crossed tyres and the car was working fine. It is getting more and more loose and sandy. I enjoyed the run and I think we did the maximum we could do.”
Car 42. BREEN/NAGLE
Lost some time in Fourmaux’s dust. “Really bad, I was having to slow down in so many places. A bit of a disaster to be honest.”
Car 8. TÄNAK/JÄRVEOJA
“The tyres were good. It was really loose and no line at all. Full dry and challenging.”
Car 18. KATSUTA/JOHNSTON
“Very hot. It’s not nice in the car, otherwise okay.”
Car 44. GREENSMITH/ANDERSSON
“I didn’t have much grip, that’s for sure. I don’t know what more I could have done. A bit of a disaster morning.”
Car 1. OGIER/VEILLAS
Started the stage and then stopped 10 metres into the special. He could not wait before the stage because he would have been OTL. Reports suggest there could have been a small fire on the rear-right of the car before the start – to be confirmed. He completed the stage with the loss of a further 15 minutes.
Car 33. EVANS/MARTIN
“It was not easy to be honest. The sand was really thick in places and difficult to get traction. It’s difficult to know if you were doing well or not.”
Car 16. FOURMAUX/CORIA
Stopped to change a rear-left puncture 20.5km into the stage and dropped over three minutes to Tänak. “I don’t know, it was a slow puncture. I don’t know which corner. I hope I will not do the same for the next loop. I also have another rear-right puncture.” Slipped behind Tänak in the standings.
Car 7. LOUBET/LANDAIS
“Wrong tyre choice on full hard. No traction and impossible to do anything. It is still long so a lot of things can happen.”
Car 6. SORDO/CARRERA
Loses third place to Katsuta. “Really hot and demanding. We did not have a lot of grip. Taka was driving very well. I am happy for him. He’s a nice guy, he deserves it.”
Car 21. SUNINEN/MARKKULA
Continued to lead WRC2 after the first loop.
Car 26. ROSSEL/SARREAUD
The Frenchman has pushed well this morning and trails Suninen by just 9.2 seconds.
Car 28. SOLANS/SANJUAN
Did not start SS11 after problems and time delays in SS10.
Car 72. KIMATHI/LOUDON
The Kenyan competing in the Junior category had been off on Friday and then stopped after ongoing troubles in SS10.