Ott Tanak Breaks Toyota's Winning Streak in Thrilling Acropolis Rally

Estonian driver Ott Tanak seized Hyundai's inaugural victory of the season at Greece's Acropolis Rally on Sunday, defying a formidable gearbox challenge in the final stage. This triumph on the unyielding gravel roads and under the scorching heat brought Toyota's winning streak to a halt, with Sebastien Ogier, the victor of the prior two rounds, trailing in second place, lagging by 32.8 seconds.

The podium was completed by Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux, while Tanak's performance brought him within 12 points of Toyota's championship leader, Elfyn Evans, who secured fourth position. Ogier, participating part-time, stands nine points behind teammate Evans.

"I was very worried, to be honest," Tanak remarked regarding the final gearbox episode. "During the last stage, third gear emitted disturbing noises, suggesting a breakage. Soon, the entire gearbox became concerningly loud, leaving us with little confidence in concluding the stage and returning here. It was undeniably an excessive amount of stress to clinch a rally victory."

(With inputs from agencies.)