2019 world champion Tänak moved into first place in Sweden in the penultimate stage on Saturday and won by 18.7 seconds after the remaining three tests today. “It means a lot to me. I drove in a new car and managed to win for these guys,” said Tänak, referring to his old M-Sport Ford team. He drove for him from 2011-2017 and then spent five seasons at Toyota and Hyundai.
“It's a great achievement against the big factory teams,” said Tänak, who secured Ford's first win since the Frenchman's triumph last year Sébastien Loeb at Rallye Monte Carlo.
The Irishman Craig Breen finished second, despite the fact that he had a ten-second penalty given to him in the last stint as part of the team direction. The Huyndai team wanted Belgian Thierry Neuville to take second place, who, unlike Breen, has ambitions in the overall standings of the World Championship. However, Neuville lost valuable time by hitting a snow barrier and eventually missed out on second place by 1.3 seconds.
Last year's Rally Sweden and overall championship winner Kalle Rovanperä of Finland finished fourth. The winner of the inaugural Monte Carlo Rally, the Frenchman Sébastien Ogier did not start in Sweden, he will participate in the championship again in March in Mexico.
Swedish Rally, an event of the world championship in automobile competitions:
1. Tänak, Jarveoja (Est./Ford Puma) 2:25:54.5, 2. Breen, Fulton (Ir./Hyundai) -18.7, 3. Neuville, Wydaeghe (Belg./Hyundai i20) -20.0 , 4. Rovanperä, Halttunen (Fin./Toyota Yaris) -25.1, 5. Evans, Martin (Brit./Toyota Yaris) -1:24.1, 6. Loubet, Gilsoul (Fr./Ford Puma) – 5:59.0, …44. Kohn, Střeska (CZ/Ford Fiesta) -1:22:47.5.
World Championship ranking (after 2 out of 13 competitions): 1. Tänak 41 b., 2. Rovanperä 38, 3. Neuville 32, 4. Evans 29, 5. Ogier (Fr./Toyota Yaris) 26, 6. Breen 19.
Team ranking:
strong> 1. Toyota 80, 2. Hyundai 66, 3. M-Sport/Ford 51.
