TANAK PLEDGES IMMEDIATE FUTURE TO M-SPORT
Ott Tanak has scotched speculation he’s on the verge of signing for Toyota Gazoo Racing and insisted his strongest chance of fighting for the World Rally Championship remains with M-sport next season.
Both Tanak and his M-sport team-mate Sebastien Ogier have been at the centre of speculation regarding next season, but neither has struck a deal for 2018 according to MN’S sources.
Tanak says the title and the sport remain the priority for him over and above a potentially bigger financial deal from elsewhere in the service park.
Tanak told MN: “The priority is always the sport. You want to win and you want to be in the best possible place. I need to look into the future and decide where we have the best position. I know M-sport very well, I know the people and how it works and I developed this new car and it’s driving as I want. I have what I need, I think [at M-sport].”
Tanak heaped praise on M-sport’s Ford Fiesta WRC, which has won four of the 10 WRC rounds run so far this season, saying: “For the moment it looks like the car we have at the moment is very strong and, I think, one of the most neutral cars in that it’s competitive everywhere. We have seen some cars perform on certain rallies, but they have been so strong everywhere in the way our car is – this is good for the future. The plan is to fight for the championship. OK, we are quite close this year and we don’t know what will happen in the last three rallies, but we want to fight next year and in the coming years. There are still some open links [to other teams] and I would like to do it [the deal] as early as possible.”
Tanak added that he would relish the chance to keep M-sport’s team as it is right now, with Ogier and Elfyn Evans sharing the Cumbrian squad’s cars in 2018.
“We have a good relationship with Elfyn,” said the Estonian, “we have known each other a long time. But as well as that, let’s see as well with Seb – nothing is decided yet for him to leave. Sebastien is a very good team-mate. He’s a strong guy, especially in his head. I’ve learned from him and he’s a good guy as a team-mate.”
M-sport team principal Malcolm Wilson reiterated his desire to keep the team together – but not at any cost.
“I’ve told you the same story all the way down the line,” Wilson told MN. “I want them, of course I want them to stay, but I won’t jeopardise this team or M-sport to make that happen.”