Title Shootout Likely on Sunday in Sardinia: Ogier and Tänak Again Dominant
High-Octane Battle Heats Up in Sardinia
Twelve months ago, Sébastien Ogier stumbled upon a crushing defeat on this very stage, losing the win by a mere 0.2 seconds. This year, he's hoping to correct past mistakes, taking an 11.1-second lead over Ott Tänak into the final day of Rally Italia Sardegna.
It wasn't a smooth sail for Ogier from the get-go. What started as a 2.1-second advantage over Adrien Fourmaux escalated into a nail-biting competition, with Tänak clawing his way back on day one. However, by the day's end, Ogier reclaimed his lead after a punishing marathon of rocky roads on the island. Friday's second-placed man, Fourmaux, unfortunately rolled out in the penultimate stage.
Ogier's Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 proved to be a formidable force across Saturday's six stages, winning three and maintaining a relentless pace. Despite facing a moment of frustration on SS8, when dust from a recovering Fourmaux caused a setback, Ogier managed to persevere, ending the day content with his performance.
Meanwhile, Tänak mounted a fierce comeback of his own. Despite a slow puncture on SS9, he responded with back-to-back stage wins on Lerno-Su Filigosu in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1.
Behind the top two, Kalle Rovanperä quietly rose through the ranks. The two-time world champion started the day in fifth but climbed steadily as others faltered, seizing opportunities when Fourmaux and teammate Sami Pajari faced issues. Rovanperä trails Ogier by 55.5 seconds.
Pajari delivered another solid performance before spinning out on SS9 and colliding with a roadside obstacle. Despite cosmetic damage and a wheel change later in the day, Pajari ended up fifth, behind championship leader Elfyn Evans. Evans gathered momentum after a muted Friday but also lost time on SS11 due to a wheel change.
The attrition throughout the race allowed Nikolay Gryazin, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, to slot into sixth place ahead of Takamoto Katsuta, who finished the day after another wheel change.
Oliver Solberg held down eighth position, while Emil Lindholm was the highest-placed driver eligible to score WRC2 points in ninth. The Finn ended the day ahead of Lauri Joona, who rounded out the top 10.
Sunday's finale promises to be a thrilling spectacle with four stages, including a brand-new Wolf Power Stage along the Olbia coastline.
With the championship race heating up, it's anyone's game at this point. Stay tuned for updates as the action unfolds!
Enrichment Data:- Elfyn Evans (Toyota Gazoo Racing) maintains a strong lead in the 2025 WRC drivers' championship standings with 133 points, followed by Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Gazoo Racing) in second place with 114 points[2]. Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Gazoo Racing) is closely behind in third with 113 points, and Ott Tänak (Hyundai Motorsport) lags in fourth with 108 points[2][5].- Toyota Gazoo Racing remains in front of the manufacturers' standings with 312 points, far surpassing Hyundai Motorsport's 243 points[5].
Sports enthusiasts will be on the edge of their seats as Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tänak battle it out in the final day of Rally Italia Sardegna, with Ogier holding an 11.1-second lead over Tänak. The championship race in sports of rallying is heating up, with Elfyn Evans maintaining a strong lead in the drivers' championship standings, but Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä closing in. The finale promises a thrilling spectacle, so stay tuned for updates in the world of sports.
