Ott Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja have escaped unharmed from a huge crash during Friday’s second stage of the Rallye Monte Carlo.
The reigning World Rally champion ran out of road almost halfway through the 12.8-mile Saint-Clement-sur-Durance – Freissinieres SS4 test, rolling his Hyundai i20 Couple numerous times before coming to a rest on a road lower down the mountainside.
Both Tanak and Jarveoja were able to exit the car unaided and looked to be unharmed, but were later transferred to a local hospital for medical checks, as is standard procedure following a crash of this nature.
The Estonian, who switched from Toyota to Hyundai this season, was in fourth-place prior to the crash, 10.3 seconds adrift of event leader and Hyundai team-mate Thierry Neuville.
Following the conclusion of SS4, Neuville has dropped to second with Toyota’s Elfyn Evans taking over the top spot with a 3.4s advantage.
TÄNAK: 📺 Video clip of @OttTanak’s big off on SS4 of Rallye Monte-Carlo 2020. Crew are OK 🇲🇨 @OfficialWRC | @HMSGOfficial | @fia | #WRCLive | #WRCjp | #WRC | #RallyeMonteCarlo 📹 @T_Tuominenpic.twitter.com/LuJXhzkfpr
— Rallying UK 🌐 #WRC (@RallyingUK) January 24, 2020
🇲🇨 Rallye Monte-Carlo 2020
— Sébastien Loeb – Ma ligne de conduite (@SebLoebMLDC) January 24, 2020
✅ ES4 | St-Clément-sur-Durance – Freissinières 1 (20,68 km)
⚠️ ÉVÉNEMENT
🚩 Grosse sortie de route pour Ott Tänak. L'équipage est OK.#WRC #HMSGOfficial #RallyeMonteCarlo pic.twitter.com/kvWtBXMbuP