Ott Tanak Claims WRC Greece Rally Victory Despite Final Stage Gearbox Drama

Ott Tanak secured victory at the Acropolis Rally Greece — despite facing tense moments when his gearbox developed issues in the final stage.

The Estonian driver dominated the race with nine stage wins and led by 48.8 seconds over Sebastien Ogier before entering the final stage. However, the situation turned dramatic when his Hyundai i20 N experienced transmission problems.

“I was very worried, it didn’t look so good. First I lost third gear and then I started to get some bad noises on the other gears,” Tanak told Motorsport.com.

The rally took place in extreme conditions — cockpit temperatures reached 70 degrees Celsius and rough stages increased risks of punctures and car damage. Nevertheless, the 2019 world champion maintained his advantage to claim his 22nd WRC career victory.

This win positively impacts the championship battle, with Tanak now just 12 points behind standings leader Elfyn Evans from Toyota team.