SS8: Ogier seized hold of the championship, Adrien Fourmaux leads the rally

Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier and M-Sport Ford’s Latvian surprise package Martins Sesks set the fastest pace on the car park stage, beating Hyundai’s Ott Tänak by half a second. The rally leader is Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who heads Toyota driver Sami Pajari by six seconds.

Sesks holds third place, only 6.9 seconds off the lead. A strong time on the spectator stage brought the Latvian to within just 0.9 seconds of Pajari.

“In a rally like this the gap is not big. Anything can happen. We’re well in the fight and we have to push. You never know what’s going to happen,” Pajari said.

“It has been a great day for us. It was nice to finish with this stage, probably the easiest in this rally. The time wasn’t good, though, but that’s how it is,” Fourmaux commented.

Tänak is running fourth in the rally. His team-mate Thierry Neuville is lurking behind, only 1.2 seconds back. The Hyundai duo are less than 15 seconds from the podium places. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, in sixth, trails the rally leader by 22.9 seconds.

In the title fight, Ogier has taken a firm grip on what would be the ninth world championship crown of his career. Ogier lies seventh in the rally, ahead of Kalle Rovanperä and championship leader Elfyn Evans. Ogier has moved into the virtual championship lead, although points are still up for grabs on the rally’s final day with Super Sunday and the Power Stage.

“This would look nicer if we were on an F1 circuit. I don’t know why we have to drive here. Still, it’s the easiest stage of the weekend,” Ogier said.

“A short night awaits, as I have to prepare for tomorrow,” Evans added.

Six special stages will be driven on Friday in the Saudi Arabian Rally. The event ends on Saturday.

Standings in the Saudi Arabian Rally after SS8/17: