Ott Tanak
Ott Tanak

Ott Tanak wins World Rally Championship


Estonia's Ott Tanak won the World Rally Championship with a round to spare after finishing second overall at Rally de Espana.

The 32-year-old clinched Toyota's first drivers' title since 1994 and ended a 15-year spell dominated by French drivers Sebastien Loeb and six-times defending champion Sebastien Ogier.

Tanak - who became the first Estonian to be crowned champion - trailed overnight leader Thierry Neuville by 24.6 seconds ahead of Sunday's four stages and won the final asphalt speed test after starting in third place.

After sealing the title, Tanak told www.wrc.com: "It's difficult to say the pressure I felt this weekend, it was next level.

"To manage all this and get through it has been the target of my life. When you are on the verge of this you cannot imagine it.

"I never wanted to take risks but my mother said yesterday evening that if I want something, I can make it happen. I just had to make it happen."

Neuville finished the weekend fastest overall with his Hyundai team-mate Dani Sordo coming third.

The season concludes with Rally Australia next month.

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