Elfyn Evans (Toyota Yaris WRC) closes the second race day of the Rally of Portugal as leader. Evans took the lead after the fourteenth special stage when leader Ott Tänak (Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC) damaged his suspension and had to give up.
Earlier in the day, Hyundai Motorsport had already taken Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC) off course to prepare his car for the final day and the power stage. The only Hyundai still in course is that of the Spaniard Dani Sordo (Hyundai i20 Coupé). Sordo is second at 10.7 seconds from Evans. After a bad day on Friday, world champion Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris WRC) has moved up to third place at 1: 04.2.
Hyundai seemed on its way to a full podium for a while on Friday, until Neuville made a mistake and had to give up. A bit for the team of team manager Andrea Adamo, but with Tänak and Sordo, the South Korean team still had two cars on track. Tänak continued to expand his lead on Saturday morning with three fastest times in as many stages. The Est also pushed the accelerator deep this afternoon with a first and a second time. Because apparently the Est did not want to know about checking. He was also on his way to the fastest time in the nearly 38 km ride from Amarante, until he went too wide and damaged his right rear suspension, after which the wheel broke and Tänak had to give up. After the Monte Carlo, it is already the second withdrawal for Tänak in four games. Thierry Neuville, who had started again this morning, had been taken off course by his team earlier in the day. It is not known whether there was a real technical problem or a tactical maneuver. Due to the early retirement, his team had three hours to prepare the car for the final day and the power stage where points can be earned for the individual and make championships.
Points that Hyundai will be able to use because with Evans in the lead and Ogier in three, they are doing an excellent job. Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Yaris WRC) had to retire for the second rally in a row. After his slipper in Croatia, he was now betrayed by a technical problem.
Adrien Fourmaux and his Belgian co-driver Renaud Jamoul (Ford Fiesta WRC) have moved up to fifth place due to the problems of other drivers. On Sunday there will be five more classification rides including a double passage on Fafe, the stage which ends with a phenomenal jump and which is also organized as a power stage.