Ott Tänak
Rallye Monte Carlo. | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | Estonian |
Born | Kärla, Estonia | 15 October 1987
World Rally Championship record | |
Active years | 2009–2012, 2014–present |
Co-driver | Martin Järveoja (2017–) Raigo Mõlder (2014–2016) Kuldar Sikk (2010–2012) Kristo Kraag (2009) |
Teams | Hyundai (2020–2022, 2024) M-Sport (2011–2012, 2014–2015, 2017, 2023) Toyota (2018–2019) DMACK (2014, 2016) Pirelli Star Driver (2010) |
Rallies | 153 |
Championships | 1 (2019) |
Rally wins | 19 |
Podiums | 46 |
Stage wins | 360 |
Total points | 1535 |
First rally | 2009 Rally de Portugal |
First win | 2017 Rally Italia Sardegna |
Last win | 2023 Rally Chile |
Last rally | 2024 Croatia Rally |
Last updated on: 21 April 2024. |
Ott Tänak (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈotʲˑ ˈtæ.nɑk]; born 15 October 1987) is an Estonian rally driver and the 2019 World Rally Champion. He is currently teamed with Martin Järveoja and is competing for Hyundai Motorsport in the World Rally Championship.
Tänak achieved his maiden
Career
Early career
Tänak won the
2011
In 2011, Tänak drove 7 rallies with a Ford Fiesta S2000, prepared by
Tänak scored his first WRC points in the
He made his debut in a WRC-spec
2012
In 2012, Tänak was the number one driver for
2013
In the year 2013, Tänak was no longer a part of M-Sport World Rally Team and was forced to leave the WRC stage. He started competing in and leading a team at Estonian national rallies, OT Racing, and the first rally under his direction was Võru Talveralli 2013.[11] Tänak's first competitive rally in 2013 was Rally Tallinn, driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STi N12, in which he finished 2nd, just after Georg Gross, who was driving a 2008 Ford Focus WRC, and just 0.4 seconds ahead of Alexey Lukyanuk, who was driving in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10. In season total, he finished 6 rally events, of which one he won and came 2nd in the rest, all behind Georg Gross. At the season finale, Saaremaa Rally, Tänak led the event at the penultimate stage by just 4.4 seconds ahead of Georg Gross. Five stages before the penultimate stage, Tänak, with his WRC experience, knew that he would have to really push in the early morning when others are still waking up. He succeeded and built a lead of 15.9 seconds ahead of Egon Kaur and 20 seconds ahead of Georg Gross. But it wasn't enough, he was driving on the limits of his Subaru Impreza and couldn't go any faster. Georg Gross caught him on the final stage and won by 2.4 seconds. He finished the season by winning the N4 class with 3 points ahead of Timmu Kõrge.
2014
Tänak joined the
2015
In 2015, Tänak returned to
2016
Ott Tänak left the M-Sport World Rally Team and returned to the DMACK World Rally Team,[15] the team he drove for at selected events in 2014. Tänak achieved two podium finishes during 2016 season. Having dominated most of the Rally Poland, Tänak suffered puncture in the penultimate stage and lost out to eventual winner Andreas Mikkelsen.[16] He picked up another podium in Wales Rally where he also finished second. Tänak finished the season 8th.
2017
After a year in DMACK World Rally Team, Tänak returned to
2018
Before the
2019
Continuing the overall trend from the previous two seasons, Ott Tänak finished third in
2020
In October 2019 Tänak signed a two-year deal with Hyundai.[30] He could have been selected number 1, which is reserved for the champion for the previous season but he decided to keep the number 8 during the season.[31] Tänak's title defence began with a major shunt at the Monte Carlo Rally, with his Hyundai i20 bottoming out on a bump in Stage 4 and flying off a 40 metre high cliff at 180 km/h, rolling end-over-end through a series of trees before landing on the road below – with both him and Järveoja remarkably walking away uninjured.[32] Tänak made up for this with a second-place finish in Sweden, just below Elfyn Evans who won the event.
2021
Hyundai's Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Car was very fast but reliability issues, mechanical issues and damage cost them points.[33]
Tänak and Järveoja retired from leading the 2021 Monte Carlo Rally[34] and retired from the 2021 Rally Catalunya. He retired from the lead at the 2021 Rally de Portugal because of damage to the rear right suspension.[35] He clipped a rock and crashed out of the lead at the 2021 Rally Italia Sardegna[36] and retired from Day 1 at his Home Rally, the 2021 Rally Estonia due to a puncture.[37]
Tänak also couldn't participate in the Final event of the year, the 2021 Rally Monza, due to "personal family matters".[38] Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula replaced them for that event.
Tänak and Järveoja Won the 2021 Arctic Rally Finland,[39] and scored 3 more podiums at the 2021 Safari Rally, the 2021 Acropolis Rally, and the 2021 Rally Finland.
He also finished 4th at the 2021 Croatia Rally and 6th at the 2021 Ypres Rally Belgium. Tänak and Järveoja finished the season in 5th place on 128 points.
2022
With new regulations mandating the use of a hybrid system in place for 2022 and onwards, Hyundai World Rally Team faced a new challenge. Team Principal Andrea Adamo left the team due to personal reasons.[40] Hyundai's new Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Car was neither competitive nor reliable at the first round in Monte Carlo and Tänak and Järveoja retired from the rally.[41]
Tänak and Järveoja scored their first podium of the season at the Croatia Rally. Leader Kalle Rovanperä lost time to Tänak, who was in second place; due to a puncture. In the penultimate stage of the rally Tänak chose soft tyres over Rovanperä's hards, meaning he not only won the stage, but gained 29.8 seconds over Rovanperä and got the overall lead with 1.4 seconds. In the powerstage he could not match Rovanperä's time and lost the rally by 4.3 seconds.[42]
At the Rally Italia Sardegna, Tänak and Järveoja were fighting with Elfyn Evans and later with Esapekka Lappi for the rally lead on Friday after Evans' retirement. Tänak took the overall lead on SS4 and lost it on SS7 due to transmission issues and reportedly only having three wheel drive. SS8 and 9 were cancelled. In the opening stage of Saturday, Lappi crashed and Tänak now lead the rally. He held a comfortable lead over Craig Breen and won the rally with 9 stage wins.[43]
2023
For 2023 season Ott returned to his old team M-Sport and driving with Ford Puma Rally1 car. In his first rally of 2023 with Puma he achieved fifth place from Monte Carlo Rally. The second round, Rally Sweden, saw Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja take an early lead, before losing it to Craig Breen and James Fulton on Friday evening.[44] However, Tänak and Järveoja fought back on Saturday evening,[45] and won the event.[46] This was his first win with Ford Puma Rally1 car.
Personal life
Tänak was born in Kärla, Saare County.[47] He married Janika Tänak in 2016, with whom he has two children, a son named Ron and a daughter named Mia.[48][49][50] In 2017, Ott Tänak was chosen for the Estonian Athlete of the Year award, and in 2018, he and Martin Järveoja were chosen for the Estonian Sports Team of the Year award.
A documentary film about Tänak's life and rallying career titled Ott Tänak: The Movie was announced in December 2018. The film provides a rare look at the Estonian rally driver's early life on the island of Saaremaa and eventual rally career through interviews from his friends, relatives and colleagues in the sport, interspersed with archive and filmed footage of his past and current rallies. It was released theatrically in Estonia on 11 April 2019.[51]
He was also interviewed in the Estonian rally documentary film Legends of the Winding Road.[52]
Rally wins
WRC victories
Wins per rally
3 wins | 2 wins | 1 win |
---|---|---|
Rallye Deutschland | Rally d'Italia Sardegna
|
Rally Argentina |
Rally Finland | Rally Sweden | Rally Turkey
|
Rally Chile | ||
Rally Portugal
| ||
Wales Rally GB | ||
Rally Estonia | ||
Arctic Rally | ||
Ypres Rally |
WRC-2 victories
# | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 71st Rally Poland | 2014 | Raigo Mõlder | Ford Fiesta R5 |
S-WRC victories
# | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8th Rally Italia Sardegna | 2011 | Kuldar Sikk | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
2 | 29th Rallye Deutschland | 2011 | Kuldar Sikk | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
3 | 2nd Rallye de France Alsace | 2011 | Kuldar Sikk | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
P-WRC victories
# | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 60th Rally Finland | 2010 | Kuldar Sikk | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
|
2 | 66th Wales Rally GB | 2010 | Kuldar Sikk | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
|
ERC victories
# | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5th Rally Estonia | 2014 | Raigo Mõlder | Ford Fiesta R5 |
Other notable victories
# | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 41st Saaremaa Rally | 2008 | Raigo Mõlder | Subaru Impreza STi
|
2 | 13th Lõuna-Eesti Rally | 2009 | Raigo Mõlder | Subaru Impreza STi N14
|
3 | 44th Saaremaa Rally | 2011 | Kuldar Sikk | Ford Focus RS WRC 03
|
4 | 50th Saaremaa Rally | 2017 | Georg Gross | Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
5 | 8th Rally Estonia | 2018 | Martin Järveoja | Toyota Yaris WRC |
6 | 9th Rally Estonia | 2019 | Martin Järveoja | Toyota Yaris WRC |
7 | 19th RedGrey Lõuna-Eesti Rally | 2020 | Martin Järveoja | Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC |
8 | Otepää Winter Rally | 2021 | Martin Järveoja | Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC |
9 | Otepää Winter Rally | 2023 | Martin Järveoja | Ford Puma Rally1 |
10 | 22th Lõuna-Eesti Rally | 2023 | Martin Järveoja | Ford Puma Rally1 |
11 | 56th Saaremaa Rally | 2023 | Robert Virves | Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II
|
Racing record
WRC summary
Season | Team | Starts | Victories | Podiums | Stage wins | DNF | Points | Final result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Private/ MM Motorsport
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – |
2010 | Private/Pirelli Star Driver | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – |
2011 | Private/M-Sport | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15th |
2012 | M-Sport | 13 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 52 | 8th |
2014 | M-Sport/DMACK | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 15th |
2015 | M-Sport | 13 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 63 | 10th |
2016 | DMACK | 13 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 2 | 88 | 8th |
2017 | M-Sport | 13 | 2 | 7 | 30 | 1 | 191 | 3rd |
2018 | Toyota | 13 | 4 | 6 | 70 | 2 | 181 | 3rd |
2019 | Toyota | 13 | 6 | 9 | 73 | 0 | 263 | 1st |
2020 | Hyundai | 7 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 105 | 3rd |
2021 | Hyundai | 11 | 1 | 4 | 49 | 2 | 128 | 5th |
2022 | Hyundai | 13 | 3 | 8 | 41 | 2 | 205 | 2nd |
2023 | M-Sport | 13 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 1 | 174 | 4th |
2024 | Hyundai | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53* | 4th* |
Total | 153 | 19 | 46 | 360 | 24 | 1535 |
WRC results
* Season still in progress.
PWRC results
Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | PWRC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Pirelli Star Driver | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
|
SWE | MEX
|
JOR | NZL | FIN 1 |
GER 5 |
JPN | FRA 2 |
GBR 1 |
4th | 78 |
SWRC results
Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | SWRC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | MM Motorsport
|
Ford Fiesta S2000 | MEX 3 |
JOR | ITA 1 |
GRE Ret |
FIN 3 |
GER 1 |
FRA 1 |
ESP 6 |
2nd | 113 |
WRC-2 results
Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | WRC 2 | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Drive Dmack | Ford Fiesta R5 | MON | SWE | MEX 4 |
POR | ARG 8 |
ITA 8 |
POL 1 |
FIN 3 |
GER 2 |
AUS Ret |
FRA | ESP
|
GBR | 6th | 78 |
ERC results
Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | MM Motorsport
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | JÄN | LIE
|
GRE | IRE | AZO | YPR | EST 1 |
11th | 44 | ||||
Drive Dmack | CZE 7 |
CYP | VAL | COR |
References
- ^ "Sunday in Spain: Tänak takes WRC title". wrc.com. 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Ott Tänak from Markko Martin's team wins Estonian championship again | RallyBuzz". Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ^ "Ott Tänak - Kristo Kraag - Vodafone Rally de Portugal 2009". ewrc-results.com.
- ^ "Ott Tänak and Alex Raschi winners Pirelli Star Driver Shootout Europe | RallyBuzz". Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ^ "Ott Tänak - Rally Driver Overview & Profile". wrc.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ "Ott Tänak - PWRC statistics". ewrc-results.com.
- ^ "Ott Tänak sõlmis Fordiga viieaastase kontrahti". Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian). 22 January 2011.
- ^ "S-WRC". World Rally Championship. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ "Tanak takes first stage win". World Rally Championship. International Sportsworld Communicators. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ^ Blackstock, Elizabeth (29 October 2019). "Ott Tanak Got The WRC Championship He Deserved". Jalopnik. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- ^ "Ott Tanak back in WRC in 2014". Crash.Net. Crash.Net. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "A TEAM WITH POTENTIAL: M-SPORT CONFIRM EVANS AND TÄNAK". M-Sport. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018.
- ^ "TÄNAK TRIUMPHS WITH RALLY POLAND PODIUM". M-Sport. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018.
- ^ "Tänak uncertain of 2016 plans". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
- ^ "MIKKELSEN'S WIN, TÄNAK'S HEARTBREAK". 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Ogier and Tänak lead M-Sport in 2017". m-sport.co.uk. M-Sport World Rally Team. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- ^ "Tänak claims first win". wrc.com. WRC. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Second success for Tänak". wrc.com. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ Howard, Tom (19 November 2017). "Neuville wins, Latvala crash hands Paddon podium". Speedcafe. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ Evans, David (17 January 2018). "Ott Tanak felt stuck as Sebastien Ogier's number two at M-Sport". autosport.com. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Breaking News: Victory for Tänak". wrc.com. WRC. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ "Sunday in Turkey: Tänak's turkish delight". wrc.com. WRC. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Van Leeuwen, Andrew (18 November 2018). "Rally Australia: Latvala wins as Ogier, Toyota claim WRC titles". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Sunday in Sweden:Victory for ice-cool Tänak". wrc.com. WRC. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
- ^ "Sunday in Mexico: Ogier nets fifth win". wrc.com. WRC. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ "Estonian driver Ott Tänak wins World Rally Championship". San Francisco Chronicle. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ "Ott Tänak crowned WRC drivers' world champion". ERR.ee. 27 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ Price, Sian; Gray, Andy (19 January 2022). "World Rally Championship: Could there be a first British winner for more than 20 years?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ Craig, Jason (16 November 2021). "Reliability has cost Hyundai this season - Neuville". Crash. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ Barry, Luke (23 January 2021). "Tänak retires from Monte Carlo Rally". DirtFish. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "WATCH: Tänak forced out of Rally de Portugal". WRC - World Rally Championship. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "Leader Tänak retires, Ogier on top in Italy". WRC - World Rally Championship. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ Howard, Tom. "WRC Estonia: Rally favourite Tanak suffers shock early retirement". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "Tänak to miss Monza finale". WRC - World Rally Championship. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "WRC Arctic Rally: Tanak seals victory, Rovanpera takes championship lead". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ Howard, Tom (7 December 2021). "Hyundai confirms shock departure of team principal Andrea Adamo". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ Howard, Tom. "Tanak retires from Monte Carlo as Hyundai's "tough" WRC Rally1 debut worsens". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "Rovanperä grabs last-gasp Croatia victory". WRC - World Rally Championship. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Lindsay, Alastair (5 June 2022). "Tänak cruises to Rally Italy victory". DirtFish. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- WRC Promoter GmbH. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Ott Tänak". FIA World Rally Championship. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Ott Tänak – rallimees, kes armus oma naisesse sekundi murdosa jooksul - Eesti Päevaleht". LP. 30 November 2018.
- ^ "HÕISSA, PULMAD! Ott Tänak abiellus". Õhtuleht (in Estonian). Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- ^ "Palju õnne! Ralliäss Ott Tänak abiellus oma kauni kallimaga". Elu24. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- ^ "Video: Ott Tänakust on valmimas dokumentaalfilm". Postimees Sport (in Estonian). 20 December 2018.
- ^ "Filmis «Kurvilise tee legendid» teevad kaasa ka Märtin ja Tänak". 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Ott Tänak at IMDb
- Profile on WRC.com Archived 14 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- Profile on eWRC-results.com
- Profile on Motorsport.com