Rally Chile leader Oliver Solberg has stressed the need to drive “clever” as World Rally Championship crews expect tyre-punishing stages on Saturday.
The Toyota driver enjoyed an issue free day on Friday to move into a 10.1s lead over team-mate Elfyn Evans, after handling the tricky muddy conditions caused by overnight rain.
However, Saturday is set to serve up a completely different challenge with crews poised to tackle 139.2km of stages that are expected to run in much warmer and dry temperatures that will put the tyres under stress. To avoid a repeat of the punctures and delaminations suffered last time out in Paraguay, Rally1 crews have an increased allocation of Hankook tyres for the weekend.
“Tomorrow is a completely different type of rally and it is important to be clever. I tried to learn a little bit about that today with the car. Today was important to learn for tomorrow. It will be the most important day,” said Solberg.
“For tomorrow the gap is not a lot, and it is good to have the gap and when it is going to be hard for the tyres, we don’t have to take the final risk. But anything can happen to anyone, especially if it is going to be hot and dry, and with the tyres we have, you never know.”
Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: Hyundai
Friday’s stages ran without any tyre issues, with Takamoto Katsuta’s retirement on the opening stage the only major incident among the Rally1 crews.
However, nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier expects “many things” to happen on Saturday and is hoping that he can avoid drama. Last year’s Chile winner will begin Saturday 19.7s from the lead, sitting in fourth, 1.7s behind Hyundai’s third-placed Adrien Fourmaux.
“There is a long way to go and we expect many things to happen tomorrow [Saturday] and the tyres are going to be suffering much more tomorrow. We might see more issues on that topic and let’s hope we can stay out of trouble,” said Ogier.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Fourmaux shared Ogier’s view adding: “Nothing really happened today but tomorrow I think more things will happen.”
M-Sport-Ford’s Josh McErlean believes the chances of a clean day for the WRC field on Saturday will be low.
“It is a completely different character of roads. The stages are very long and demanding and tyre wear will be crucial. If everyone gets through tomorrow cleanly I will be surprised,” said McErlean.
Lappi feels his rally is over already
Esapekka Lappi, Enni Malkonen, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: Hyundai
Saturday’s stages are expected to rub salt into the wounds for Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi, who feels his rally is already over after struggling for confidence and speed in Friday’s wet and dry stages.
Recalled to the third Hyundai seat for the first time since Rally Finland last month, Lappi cut a frustrated figure after being unable to push behind the wheel of his i20 N Rally1. The Finn ended the day in ninth and will now face the effects of cleaning starting second on the road on Saturday.
“We tried to change something [on the set up] for the afternoon but we went in the wrong direction. The starting position for Saturday is really bad so the weekend is basically over. But that is life,” said Lappi.
“The road position is so bad. There is so much cleaning tomorrow there is no chance to do anything special. I think the mind is fine it is just in some corners you try to go a bit faster and then there is a reminder you shouldn’t as you go wide with the rear. I’m trying.
“I know how to drive and in the morning in my Rally2 car I would have been faster because that car does what I want, but this car doesn’t do what I want.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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