Sébastien Ogier expressed his surprise at leading Rally Italia Sardinia after a tumultuous Friday that tripped up many of his competitors in the World Rally Championship.
The eight-time champion started third due to road cleaning effects but managed to finish the day with a 2.1s advantage over Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux following six gravel stages.
Ogier seized the lead after the first stage but found himself in third place after Fourmaux and Thierry Neuville surged ahead during the midday service. The narrow and speedy Telti – Calangianus – Berchidda stage caused significant issues, affecting the performances of several competitors.
Neuville suffered a setback when he hit a rock, forcing him to retire while briefly holding the lead. Fourmaux, although regaining the lead, lost time due to an unsuccessful setup adjustment on his Hyundai i20 N. Ogier capitalized on this opportunity, winning the stage and closing the day with an unexpected lead, especially notable as his Toyota team chose not to test before the event.
“I’m very happy for sure. I would have definitely signed and not really bet on that especially considering the competition we are facing at the moment,” Ogier remarked. “I have to be satisfied with what we did today and to pick up the best starting position for the rest of the weekend is ideal, but the gaps are still super small. One part of the job is done but a big part of the job remains.”
Fourmaux remained optimistic despite his setup mistake, acknowledging he was pleased to be competing closely for what could be his first WRC win. “It is really close which is a positive point, and being two seconds behind Seb is good. But to be fair, it has been a great day,” he stated.
Hyundai’s Ott Tanak finished Friday in third, trailing by 7.3s after a broken front damper slowed him down. Meanwhile, Kalle Rovanperä, while still finding his pace, expressed contentment with his performance, finishing the day amidst a tough challenge. The rally continues on Saturday with six further stages scheduled, totaling 121 competitive kilometers.
