Tanak claimed two of the three morning stages but it was decision to run hard tyres for the final stage that helped the Estonian to open up a commanding 47.5s lead over Hyundai driver Suninen. Tanak had started the day with only a 4.2s overnight margin.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans briefly jumped to second, but a call to run soft tyres resulted in the Welshman dropping to fourth overall (+1m16.8s). Suninen's team-mate Thierry Neuville climbed to third 13.8s ahead of Evans, with championship leader Kalle Rovanpera fifth (+1m44.7s).
Saturday’s stages were equally as demanding as Fridays, but the roads were much more abrasive and technical, leading drivers to describe the conditions as like tackling a different rally.
The day kicked off with a 27.19km pass through the Chivilingo forest. The low sun, coupled with hanging dust, made visibility incredibly challenging for crews.
However it didn’t halt Rovanpera, now fed up with road cleaning duties. The Finn, opting for a soft tyre approach, delivered a blistering effort to claim his first stage win of the rally.
However Rovanpera wasn’t happy with his effort, which took 15.7s out of Neuville to leap ahead of the Belgian into fourth overall. A puncture did contribute to Neuville’s time loss.
“I'm still struggling with the car a bit on the twisty sections, I don't really like how it feels at the moment,” said the Toyota driver. “It was a tricky stage - low sun and lots of dust.”
Rovanpera’s title rival Evans, also on soft rubber, climbed up the leaderboard to second overall after overhauling Suninen, running a mix of hard and soft Pirellis.
Source: Autosport