Ott Tanak, Jari-Matti Latvala set for final day duel in Sardinia

ITTIRI, Italy: Estonia’s Ott Tanak and Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala are poised for a final day battle in the Rally of Italy in Sardinia after leading Saturday’s stages.

The 29-year- old Tanak, driving for M- Sport, opened up a 24.3sec lead on Toyota’s Latvala, 32, with a further four stages to come on Sunday.

New Zealander Hayden Paddon blew a comfortable lead when he crashed his Hyundai into a bank at high speed, finishing Saturday’s 13th special with a wheel hanging off and his undercarriage in flames.

He thereby lost 1min 20sec to lose his overnight lead, but worse news was to come when Hyundai made a snap announcement saying: “Damage on the car not possible to repair. Team on the way to recover the car.”

No stranger to costly accidents, Paddon was furious with himself, shouting “amateur mistake” as he stepped from the vehicle.

“An absolutely stupid mistake. I turned in too early and clipped a bank. It’s broken a drive shaft I think. I’ve let everybody down. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

Tanak surged ahead with the fastest times in SS12, SS13 and SS14 as he chases a maiden WRC win.

“Tomorrow I don’t see why Latvala will be faster,” warned the Estonian.

Latvala – runner-up to Belgian Thierry Neuville in Italy last year – struggled late in the day on the rugged and sun- baked gravel tracks in the Monte Acuto region.

“We’re in a good position but the tyres are worn and my brakes are still too hot, so it was difficult at the end here,” said the Hyundai driver.

In the battle for the world title Neuville, second overall behind France’s Sebastien Ogier, is now third in Sardinia over a minute behind Tanak.

“The tyres are completely damaged. Very slippery. I had an enormous surprise on the first bend,” said Neuville after the final special.

“We’ll try to take points in tomorrow’s power stage. Without our brake problems we should have been leading the rally.”

Neuville looked ready to put a disappointing day behind him and focus on the points.

“We are still in with a shout of the podium so we can’t be too disheartened. We will do all we can on the final day to consolidate this third place, and who knows what other twists this rally has to come,” he said.

Ogier conceded he’d had a “difficult weekend” on the Mediterranean island as he sits three minutes adrift.

The four-time world champion won SS11 but lost over two minutes on his rivals because of a punctured tyre before SS12. — AFP