Returning to Hyundai’s WRC team for this season, Tänak is considered one of the main contenders for this year’s championship. However, in the first two events of the season, the Estonian has not kept pace with his fiercest competitors, Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans.
Hyundai driver Neuville leads the championship by a three-point margin over Toyota’s Evans, with Tänak currently fifth, trailing his teammate Neuville by 27 points.
Check out the current WRC standings here!
In last weekend’s Rally Sweden, Tänak had to retire early after a detour into a snowbank. On the final day, Sunday, he could only add six points to his tally.
It was a modest haul for Tänak, who was aiming for victory in Umeå.
“I’m not too worried about Tänak,” Hyundai’s team principal Cyril Abiteboul emphasized in an interview with RTBF.
“He has set some very impressive times; he knows how to do remarkable things. He will need to stay calm and not try to make up his deficit in just one rally,” the French team boss added.
Abiteboul has strong confidence that Tänak can reach the very top level in upcoming events. So far, the star driver has managed to set only two fastest stage times in two rallies.
“He’ll have to approach it piece by piece, being careful not to fall further behind. He needs to stay in this fight: we need him for the manufacturers’ championship, and he needs himself for the drivers’ championship.”
