Notional time gives Ogier WRC Rally Italia Sardegna morning lead
7th June 2025Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier has received a notional time, after stage eight, and the eight-time world champion has been reinstated into the lead of the Rally Italia Sardegna.
Feature image credit: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
As the Rally Italia Sardegna moved into Saturday, Ogier had a 2.1-second advantage over the trailing Hyundai of Adrien Fourmaux, and 7.3 seconds faster than third-placed Hyundai, Ott Tanak.
However, on the first run through Lerno-Su Filigosu, Fourmaux suffered a front-left puncture and was forced to stop to replace this tyre. When the Frenchman returned to the course, he was just down the road from Ogier.
Ogier quickly encountered the dust kicked up by Fourmaux and was forced to reduce his speed to make it through the stage safely. Fourmaux later pulled off to the side to allow Ogier through, but both drivers ultimately bled time.
By the stage end, Ogier lost 29.7 seconds to Tanak, and subsequently the rally lead.
On the following stage, Tula – Erula, Tanak had his problem as he suffered a slow puncture and lost 10.5 seconds to the eight-time world champion. With confirmation of his notional time for the eighth stage, it now means Ogier will lead the Italian rally by 15 seconds over Tanak.
As the sport heads into midday service, Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera has now moved into third place ahead of teammates Sami Pajari, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Unfortunately for Fourmaux, his second-place start on Saturday has now diminished to ninth after the morning loop – the last Rally1 driver inside the top 10.
The M-Sport remaining drivers, Jourdan Serderidis, Gregoire Munster and Joshua McErlean currently occupy 21st, 23rd and 24th respectively. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville sits amongst the Ford crews down in 22nd.
The start of the second loop of Saturday’s three-stage circuit will get underway with the first car heading out at 3:05 pm, local time, on the second pass of Coiluna – Loelle.
Read more WRC here:
- Ogier survives brutal Friday to lead WRC Rally Italia Sardegna
- Tanak takes WRC Rally Portugal lead over Ogier
- Evans takes overnight WRC Rally Portugal lead
- Entry List revealed: 2025 WRC Rally Portugal
- EA reaches the ‘end of the road’ with WRC.
- Rovanpera wins WRC Rally Islas Canarias ahead of Ogier and Evans
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
