Tänak well prepared for unpredictable Croatia Rally

The Estonian completed his zero car duties at the recent Rallye Ardennes in pouring rain before running his official pre-Croatia event test in dry weather. Having a handle on the full set-up range is vital on a rally as meteorologically fickle as the Zagreb-based fourth round of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

Team principal Richard Millener said: “We’re really restricted with our test days this year, so we need to make the most of them – doing Ardennes meant we could do, effectively, a fast shakedown, and allow Ott and Martin [Järveoja, co-driver] time in the car to grow more accustomed to the Puma in asphalt specification.

Tänak finished a close second to Kalle Rovanperä in Croatia last year, with M-Sport Ford's second driver Pierre-Louis Loubet also giving Millener cause for optimism.

“Pierre-Louis has done Croatia before,” said Millener, “and he had good speed there last year.”