Ott Tänak opened a slender lead at Vodafone Rally de Portugal on a furious Friday morning which served up drama for some of the FIA World Rally Championship’s leading crews. Tänak’s masterful drive through Góis, the second stage of the day, elevated the 35-year-old Estonian from third to first overall. He completed the opening loop just ahead of defending WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä to lead the FIA World Rally Championship’s fifth round by three seconds. “It was, overall, better than I expected,” Tänak said. He made set-up tweaks before the Arganil stage and climbed from fourth to second overall by posting the fastest time. He trailed Tänak by 18.0sec at the mid-leg tyre fitting zone, eight-tenths clear Loubet.

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