Two weeks after the last appointment in Portugal, the Wrc 2022 makes a stop in Sardinia for the fifth round of the season. Scheduled from 2 to 5 June, the Rally Italia Sardegna will be important for the drivers’ classification given that Rovampera has a good advantage over his pursuers.
Rally Italy Sardinia program
The event begins on Thursday with the 3.53km shakedown in the Olmedo area. The official start of the race is in the late afternoon, at 18:05 from the Lungomare di Olbia. Immediately the test show Olbia-Cabu Abbas of 3.23 km and then everyone at the closed park at night. Friday is the longest day, with 133.56 km which includes the repetition of the tests Terranova (14.19 km) and Monti di Ala ‘e Budduso (24.70 km) four times with two Services: one 40 minutes among the first two and the last two loops and the other of 45 minutes at the end of the day. Saturday another challenging day with 131.82 timed km on the program. It is the turn of the tests of Tempio Pausania (23.03 km), Erula-Tula (15.27 km), Coiluna-Loelle (21.60 km) and Monte Lerno di Pattada (17.01 km) to be repeated twice. While on Sunday, the crews are called to a more “light” stage with 39.30 km of special stages: Cala Flumini (12.55 km) and Sassari-Argentiera (7.10 km) to be repeated twice, and it will be last lap on Sassari Argentiera the power stage that will give extra points for the drivers’ classification.
And the protagonists of P1
Starting with number one is Kalle Rovamperä, current leader of the drivers’ classification, aboard his Toyota Gr Yaris Rally1. To follow, a Hyundai i20 N Rally1, that of Neuville and the Ford Puma Rally1 of Breen. The Toyota Gazoo Racing team ranks, in addition to Rovamperä, Katsuta, Evans and Lappi. While for Hyundai, in addition to Neuville, Tänak and Sordo take off, the latter author of a good race on Portuguese dirt roads making his debut on the new Rally1. For the M-Sport Ford theme, Breen, Greensmith, Loubet and Fourmaux take off. Ogier, last year’s winner aboard the Toyota Yaris Wrc Plus, will not start this year.
Drivers classification before the Rally Italia Sardegna
Leading the drivers’ classification is Rovamperä at 106 points, followed by Neuville at 60, Katsura at 38, Tanak at 37, Evans at 36, Breen at 34, Loeb at 27, Greensmith at 20 and Sordo tied with Ogier at 19.The constructors’ classification, on the other hand, sees Toyota in the lead with 175 points, followed by Hyundai at 116 and M-sport Ford at 94.