Ott Tänak says it’s “actually tough to know the way to act” in interviews following the FIA’s sanctions for feedback made by World Rally Championship rival Sebastian Ogier and Formulation 1’s Max Verstappen.
The Hyundai driver has raised considerations after the FIA handed Ogier a €30,000 suspended wonderful for feedback the Toyota driver directed at officers relating to hanging mud on the finish of the opening stage of Acropolis Rally Greece, earlier this month.
Ogier’s incident preceded a transfer by the FIA to clamp down on F1 drivers swearing in official press conferences, leading to three-time world champion Verstappen being issued with a public service order for swearing ultimately weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen then later staged a protest by providing brief solutions within the post-qualifying press convention.
Talking in a stage-end interview after Thursday’s Rally Chile shakedown, Tanak was requested what he was enthusiastic about waiting for the occasion, which was met with a cryptic “let’s see how the rally shall be. It’s fairly attention-grabbing instances for the time being, undecided how a lot I can say however I’m residing the dream and having fun with the automobiles.”
When requested to later clarify his feedback, he added: “I meant it’s unusual instances in motorsport typically the place you have to be very cautious what you say and the way you categorical your feelings they don’t seem to be actually allowed for the second.
Pressed on if he’s involved by the course that’s being taken by the FIA with driver interviews, he mentioned: “Yeah, in rallying with Seb and in Formulation 1 as properly and with all these items coming collectively it appears we’re actually on the radar for the time being, so let’s see the place it goes from right here.
“It’s tough to say for the time being what’s the goal, most likely the promoter ought to take us to 1 facet and actually clarify to us what they anticipating, however for the second to present stage finish interviews with none emotion, it’s actually tough to know the way to act. It’s an attention-grabbing time.”
Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Crew Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photograph by: McKlein / Motorsport Pictures
Looking forward to the rally, Tanak is among the many favourites for achievement on Chile’s gravel roads having gained the earlier two editions.
The Estonian was victorious in 2019 driving for Toyota earlier than profitable final yr’s battle on the abrasive gravel roads for M-Sport-Ford.
Tanak stays firmly within the title struggle albeit 34 factors adrift of team-mate Thierry Neuville whereas his Hyundai workforce is main the constructors’ championship by 35 factors from Toyota.
“We have to struggle for the factors and within the producers’ championship it is usually tight and clearly Toyota is pushing very arduous so it’s not actually attainable to present many factors away,” he added.
“We nonetheless have to not less than attempt to match them and attempt to outscore them. It’s nonetheless an extended method to go and plenty of factors on the desk.
“It’s a rally I like loads it has a really good profile and it’s a pure efficiency occasion. Will probably be about how we get ourselves working as we’ve been struggling on these sorts of floor with the automobile, so hopefully we discover a bit higher stability for this one.”
