However, the host nation’s star driver was anything but satisfied. Tänak reported that he’s struggling to get in sync with his car on Estonia’s ultra-fast gravel roads. He edged Toyota’s Oliver Solberg for the stage win by just 0.2 seconds.
“I don’t know why, but I’m in massive trouble. I just couldn’t figure out the reason before the rally. I can’t drive this car the way I want to. I’m too old to learn new tricks,” Tänak lamented.
Solberg continues his sensational run at the top of the standings after three stages. He leads Tänak by 6.2 seconds.
“Everything in my life is perfect right now. I’m just trying to keep the car on the line. I was a bit scared in the forest and drove like my grandmother. But I always believed I could do this. We had good tests and through hard work, I got a great feeling with the car,” Solberg summarised.
Like Tänak, Toyota’s Finnish star Kalle Rovanperä is also struggling significantly with Hankook’s new tyres. He lost 2.9 seconds to Tänak on the stage and sits third overall, 7.2 seconds behind Solberg.
“This was a tough stage. On hard surfaces, I’m still completely lost. I don’t really know what to do to fix it. I just have to keep trying,” Rovanperä said.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville dropped to fourth place in the rally. He is just 0.2 seconds behind Rovanperä. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta is fifth ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans.
“Honestly, I’m having problems with grip variation. I have no confidence. In these conditions, these tyres feel really strange,” Neuville echoed the concerns voiced by Tänak and Rovanperä.
Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux is seventh, followed by Toyota’s Sami Pajari in eighth. Pajari reported issues with power delivery in his car.
A total of five more special stages are scheduled for Friday in Rally Estonia. The event concludes on Sunday.
Rally Estonia standings after SS3/20:
| POS | Driver | Car | Time |
| 1. | Oliver Solberg | Toyota | 20:48.0 |
| 2. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +6.2 |
| 3. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +7.2 |
| 4. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +7.4 |
| 5. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +11.9 |
| 6. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +13.2 |
| 7. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +21.7 |
| 8. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +27.8 |
| 9. | Josh McErlean | Ford | +32.7 |
| 10. | Martins Sesks | Ford | +36.7 |
| 11. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +50.8 |
Rally Estonia itinerary (CET):
Thursday, 17 July
08.01 Shakedown: Kastre (4.08 km)
19.05 SS1: Tartu vald 1 (1.76 km)
Friday, 18 July
08.16 SS2: Peipsiääre 1 (24.35 km)
09.09 SS3: Mustvee 1 (11.37 km)
10.53 SS4: Peipsiääre 2 (24.35 km)
11.46 SS5: Mustvee 2 (11.37 km)
13.01 Service (40 min)
14.44 SS6: Kambja 1 (23.74 km)
17.04 SS7: Kambja 2 (23.74 km)
18.15 SS8: Elva Linn (1.72 km)
Saturday, 19 July
07.23 SS9: Raanitsa 1 (21.45 km)
08.16 SS10: Kanepi 1 (17.43 km)
09.54 SS11: Raanitsa 2 (21.45 km)
10.47 SS12: Kanepi 2 (17.43 km)
12.22 Service (40 min)
14.05 SS13: Otepää 1 (11.15 km)
15.00 SS14: Karaski 1 (11.97 km)
16.35 SS15: Otepää 2 (11.15 km)
17.30 SS16: Karaski 2 (11.97 km)
18.51 SS17: Tartu vald 2 (1.76 km)
Sunday, 20 July
08.39 SS18: Hellenurme (11.79 km)
09.35 SS19: Kääriku 1 (24.20 km)
12.15 SS20: Kääriku 2 (24.20 km) *Power Stage
