Gravel rally leader Ogier beat Tänak by 6.4 seconds on the Coiluna-Loelle stage. As a result, the Frenchman’s lead stretched to just under ten seconds.
Tänak had mentioned after the previous stage that Hyundai’s team principal had asked him to drive more cautiously. Ogier didn’t immediately believe Tänak’s statement.
“I’m not if (Ott) is backing off but I have better tyres than him, so it’s working. I don’t have to believe anything. Even if he was told that, I don’t understand why he would respect it. I cannot judge – it’s his situation, not mine,” Ogier said.
Tänak, however, did not mention the team’s request again at the end of the Coiluna-Loelle stage.
“We are taking it a bit easier, I don’t have a feeling in the car, I can’t be on the limit,” Tänak stated.
Hyundai’s Dani Sordo remains in third place, but he is already two minutes behind the leader. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans is in fourth place.
Sami Pajari, leading the WRC2 class, is impressively in fifth place overall. The Finn has a relatively safe lead in his class over Spain’s Jan Solans.
“I’m not very happy with this stage, but we’ll try to stay in the rhythm,” Pajari said.
There are still two more special stages to be run on Saturday in Rally Sardinia. The event concludes on Sunday.
Rally Sardinia standings after SS10/16:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | 2.15.37,6 |
| 2. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +9,7 |
| 3. | Dani Sordo | Hyundai | +2.03,5 |
| 4. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +2.29,1 |
| 5. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +4.35,2 |
| 6. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +4.46,6 |
| 7. | Jan Solans | Toyota | +5.33,1 |
| 8. | Yohan Rossel | Citroen | +5.42,9 |
| 9. | Kajetan Kajetanowicz | Skoda | +7.04,1 |
| 10. | Martin Prokop | Skoda | +7.05,4 |
Itinerary for Rally Sardinia (CET):
Friday 31.5. 08.01 Shakedown: Ittiri (2,08 km) 14.33 SS1: Osilo - Tergu 1 (25,65 km) 15.33 SS2: Sedini - Castelsardo 1 (13,26 km) 17.33 SS3: Osilo - Tergu 2 (25,65 km) 18.35 SS4: Sedini - Castelsardo 2 (13,26 km) Saturday 1.6. 07.41 SS5: Tempio Pausania 1 (12,03 km) 08.49 SS6: Tula 1 (22,61 km) 10.41 SS7: Tempio Pausania 2 (12,03 km) 11.49 SS8: Tula 2 (22,61 km) 14.05 SS9: Monte Lerno - Monti di Ala 1 (25,33 km) 15.05 SS10: Coiluna - Loelle 1 (14,53 km) 17.05 SS11: Monte Lerno - Monti di Ala 2 (25,33 km) 18.05 SS12: Coiluna - Loelle 2 (14,53 km) Sunday 2.6. 08.00 SS13: Cala Flumini 1 (12,55 km) 09.05 SS14: Sassari - Argentiera 1 (7,10 km) 11.00 SS15: Cala Flumini 2 (12,55 km) 12.15 SS16: Sassari - Argentiera 2 (7,10 km) *Power Stage
