Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who was fighting for the rally win, suffered a front-left puncture on the Lerno – Su Filigosu special stage. Fourmaux eventually stopped to change the tyre at the 16-kilometre mark and was able to continue.
The Frenchman, however, lost a lot of time first nursing the car on the deflated tyre for a long distance and then stopping to change it.
Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier had to drive for a long time in Fourmaux’s dust. The Frenchman will, of course, receive a time compensation for having to drive in the dust. Eventually, Fourmaux pulled over to the side of the road to let Ogier pass.
Fourmaux’s misfortune directly benefited Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä and his Hyundai team-mate Ott Tänak. Rovanperä was once again driving at a reasonable pace and recorded the second-fastest time on this stage, right behind Tänak. The Finn lost 8.1 seconds to Tänak on this stage.
Ogier lost nearly half a minute to the leaders, but this will soon be corrected. Ogier will therefore retain the rally lead, even though he momentarily dropped out of the lead in the standings.
“I’m sure we will get the time back,” Ogier commented at the stage finish.
Fourmaux was unable to say exactly when his tyre deflated. Understandably, the Frenchman was not in a talkative mood at the stage finish.
“We just had a puncture. That’s it. I hit something on the inside. It was on the racing line and it wasn’t in my notes. Of course, this is very frustrating in any case,” Fourmaux said.
Ott Tänak has now temporarily moved into the rally lead, but Ogier is still due a corrected time for this stage. Kalle Rovanperä, meanwhile, has climbed to third. At this point, he is now 23 seconds behind the leader.
Fourmaux has now dropped significantly down the standings. He was second in the rally before this special stage, but has now fallen to seventh.
Sami Pajari has moved up to fourth, with Elfyn Evans now fifth in the rally. Takamoto Katsuta is in sixth place.
Four more special stages remain to be contested on Saturday at Rally Sardinia. The rally will conclude on Sunday.
Rally Sardinia standings after SS8/16:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | 1:39.47.0 |
| 2. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +18.7 |
| 3. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +23.0 |
| 4. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +36.8 |
| 5. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +1:34.6 |
| 6. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +3:08.9 |
| 7. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +3:47.0 |
| 8. | Nikolai Grjazin | Skoda | +3:50.8 |
| 9. | Emil Lindholm | Skoda | +3:55.9 |
| 10. | Oliver Solberg | Toyota | +4:27.4 |
Rally Sardinia itinerary (CET):
Thursday 5.6.
14.01 Shakedown: Olbia Cabu Abbas (2,19 km)
Friday 6.6.
10.01 SS1: Arzachena 1 (13,97 km)
11.16 SS2: Telti - Calangianus - Berchidda 1 (18,43 km)
12.31 SS3: Sa Conchedda 1 (27,95 km)
15.05 Service (40 min)
16.31 SS4: Arzachena 2 (13,97 km)
17.46 SS5: Telti - Calangianus - Berchidda 2 (18,43 km)
19.01 SS6: Sa Conchedda 2 (27,95 km)
Saturday 7.6.
10.05 SS7: Coiluna - Loelle 1 (21,18 km)
11.16 SS8: Lerno - Su Filigosu 1 (24,34 km)
12.31 SS9: Tula - Erula 1 (15,28 km)
14.20 Service (40 min)
16.05 SS10: Coiluna - Loelle 2 (21,18 km)
17.16 SS11: Lerno - Su Filigosu 2 (24,34 km)
18.31 SS12: Tula - Erula 2 (15,28 km)
Sunday 8.6.
08.25 SS13: San Giacomo - Plebi 1 (25,19 km)
09.35 SS14: Porto San Paolo 1 (13,70 km)
11.50 SS15: San Giacomo - Plebi 2 (25,19 km)
13.30 Service (15 min)
14.15 SS16: Porto San Paolo 2 (13,70 km) *Power Stage
