Rally champs may hit a turning point in Turkey
This weekend we move to Round 5 of the abbreviated World Rally Championship, the Rally Turkey.
It is the slowest gravel round on the calendar and one of the toughest, with rough, rocky mountain roads and high air temperatures, testing both cars and crews.
With lower speeds comes reduced airflow, adversely effecting engine, transmission and brake temperatures.
Based in the hills at Asparan, the event commences on Friday with a shakedown stage before the official start and two special stages in the evening.
The 26 competitors face 12 special stages, covering 223km of the 707km total rally distance.
Following the 1-2 finish for Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT in Estonia, the fight for both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships is set to be titanic.
Hyundai will field reigning champion and Estonia winner Ott Tanak (66 points), Thierry Neuville (42 points) and Sebastien Loeb (eight points in only his second event of 2020).
M-Sport Ford WRT have Teemu Suninen (34 points), Esapekka Lappi (30) and Gus Greensmith (six).
Toyota Gazoo enter current drivers’ title leader Sebastien Ogier (79 points), with Elfyn Evans (70 points) and the hard-charging Kalle Rovanpera (55 points).
Only five points stand between the top of the manufacturers’ table with Toyota Gazoo on 137 points, chased by Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT on 130 points and M-Sport Ford WRT on 83 points.
With the championship this close and the rally the hardest of the year, Turkey could be the turning point of the 2020 season.