Ott Tanak-Martin Jarveoja extend lead; set-up Toyota for Rally Argentina honours: WRC
Villa Carlos Paz, 29 April 2018: Ott Tänak will take a 46.5 second advantage into the closing stages of Rally Argentina having once again dominated proceedings on Saturday. The Estonian won five of the day’s seven stages and only missed out on a clean sweep of victories in the mountains with a couple of technical problems in the final stage of the day. Thierry Neuville remains second overnight but when Kris Meeke was forced to stop and change a puncture, Dani Sordo climbed into the final podium position.
On 27th April, Tanak won his 100th Stage in WRC at Rally Argentina and tweeted: It’s my 100th @OfficialWRC stage win in World Rally Car! 
What a journey it has been so far! #RallyArgentina #WRC #GoOtt
This afternoon saw the crews head back out into the Punilla Valley for three stages, two of which were shrouded in fog this morning. Clear conditions were a welcome sight and Tänak was again immediately setting the pace, instantly claiming another two stage wins. However, in the final stage of the day, he briefly lost the power steering and then the oil from one of the dampers and could only manage fourth fastest. Even so, the Estonian’s 46.5 second advantage leaves him well-placed to take his first victory with Toyota tomorrow afternoon.
Tyre preservation was the name of the game for Neuville this afternoon and he now heads team-mate Sordo by 21.7 seconds. The Spaniard has been flying again and set the fastest time in the final 40 Kms stage.
Sébastien Ogier has had a trouble-free run and is now up to fourth with Andreas Mikkelsen nearly 15 seconds adrift, the Norwegian with a better feeling having made changes to the i20 Coupe WRC before the final stage.
Esapekka Lappi passed Elfyn Evans for sixth and the rivals will head into the final day split by 6.2 seconds. Kris Meeke’s puncture dropped him to eighth, yet more disappointment for Citroën after Craig Breen retired during the mid-leg service with roll cage damage.
Teemu Suninen is ninth, comfortably ahead of FIA WRC 2 Championship category leader Kalle Rovanperä. The 17-year-old Finn won six of the day’s stages and has 23.6 seconds in hand to Škoda team-mate and reigning FIA WRC 2 Champion Pontus Tidemand.
The final day of Rally Argentina takes in three stages in the rock-strewn Traslasierra Mountains: El Condor and Mina Clavero, the second run through El Condor counting as the Power Stage.
Rally Argentina – Unofficial results after Section 8
| 1 | Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja | Toyota Yaris WRC | 2hr 58min 33.9sec |
| 2 | Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul | Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 2hr 59min 20.4sec |
| 3 | Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio | Hyundai i20 Couple WRC | 2hr 59min 42.1sec |
| 4 | Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia | Ford Fiesta WRC | 3hr 00min 32.9sec |
| 5 | Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger | Hyundai i20 WRC | 3hr 00min 47.7sec |
| 6 | Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm | Toyota Yaris WRC | 3hr 01min 16.8sec |
| 7 | Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt | Ford Fiesta WRC | 3hr 01min 23.0sec |
| 8 | Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle | Citroen C3 WRC | 3hr 01min 54.3sec |
| 9 | Teemu Suninen / Mikko Markkula | Ford Fiesta WRC | 3hr 02min 51.5sec |
| 10 | Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen | Škoda Fabia R5 | 3hr 09min 24.1sec |
