Tanak cruises to second success

RALLYING OttT an ak clinched his second World R ally Championship win of the season with a comfortable triumph in the inaugural event in Chile.

Estonian Tanak, along with co-driver Martin Jarveoja, finished 23.1 seconds clear of Sebastien Ogier, who was on the podium for the sixth successive event, allowing the Frenchman to take over as championship leader.

With previous incumbent Thierry Neuville retiring on the eighth of the 16 stages, Ogier’s second place in his Citroen C3 means he is ten points clear of Tanak, with Neuville a further two points adrift.

Tanak, in a Toyota Yaris, produced a commanding performance as he led for all but one of the stages.

Ogi er held offal ate charge by nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb, who finished 7.1 seconds behind his fellow Frenchman for his first podium this season in his Hyundai i20.

Elfyn Evans was over a minute adrift of Lo eb in four th in his Ford Fiesta and is fifth in the standings, four points behind fourth-placed Kris Meeke who could manage only eighth in his Yaris, seven and a half minutes down on Tanak.