Autosport Podcast - WRC Rally Sardinia Review
The World Rally Championship’s visit to Sardinia could prove a crucial moment in the title race as Sebastien Ogier and Toyota made the most of Hyundai’s misfortune.
Seven-time champion Ogier was full prepared for damage limitation being first on the road but ended up victorious after dominant early leader Ott Tanak was forced out on Saturday after hitting a rock.
Hyundai’s victory hopes were then decimated once Dani Sordo crashed out of second on Saturday afternoon, effectively handing Toyota a one-two as Ogier comfortably beat Elfyn Evans to take an unlikely win and extend his championship lead.
Sardinia’s brutal gravel roads ensured only four top flight WRC crews completed the distance, with the sole remaining Hyundai of Thierry Neuville in third ahead of Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta.
In a Gravel Notes takeover, WRC correspondent Tom Howard and rally expert Nick Garton review a punishing Rally Sardinia.
They also look at Mads Ostberg’s penalty after his expletive-laden television outburst, the 2022 driver market and preview the championship’s return to the Safari Rally after a 19-year hiatus.
Ostberg issues apology for WRC Sardinia swearing tirade
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Ex-F1 racer Kovalainen plans Japan WRC entry, eyes European outings
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Hyundai cautiously optimistic after shock Finland WRC win
An unexpected victory in Finland has left Hyundai Motorsport cautiously optimistic it has turned a corner after a difficult start to the World Rally Championship's new hybrid era.
Rally legend Kankkunen to drive hydrogen-powered Toyota at WRC Ypres Rally
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How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause