Surprisingly, Tänak has missed out on podium finishes in the first four rallies of the season. However, strong performances on the final days of the rallies and the points from “Super Sundays” have kept him somewhat in the championship fight.
However, with a 33-point gap to teammate Thierry Neuville, it’s crucial that Tänak starts his offensive at this week’s rally in Portugal. The new points system makes it hard to close gaps, so it’s becoming increasingly important for Tänak to start delivering maximum results.
“After Croatia, it’s great to go back to a rougher surface. Portugal is really enjoyable – it’s an event I am looking forward to. It’s a fast rally with high speeds and usually smooth on the first run and very rough on the second,” says Tänak.
“During this part of the season it starts to get warmer, and Portugal is one of the first rallies where it can get quite challenging for the car and the tyres.”
The Estonian star won in Portugal once in 2019 driving for Toyota. Although the time to start his attack in the championship is now, Tänak remains skeptical.
“The contrast from the first to the second loop is noticeable because of how the soft roads can become so rutted. We have already done the pre-event test and there is definitely still work to do, but I am really looking forward to pushing hard,” Tänak concludes.
The Rally de Portugal starts with a shakedown on Thursday morning. The rally itself kicks off on the same evening with a spectator stage.
In total, the rally will feature 22 special stages, covering about 337 kilometers.
