Tanak unharmed after high-speed crash at Rally Estonia

World Rally Championship title contender Ott Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja have escaped unharmed from a high-speed crash at Rally Estonia.

The pair were driving a WRC-specification Hyundai i20 Rally1 car in the national class of the event, which this weekend is hosting the fourth round of the European Rally Championship. The rally offered a chance for Tanak and Jarveoja to log some extra mileage ahead of WRC rounds on fast gravel in Latvia and Finland.

A video on social media has captured Tanak losing control of his i20 N at high speed during the Raanitsa stage, which pitched the car into a roll before it appeared to come to rest in a ditch.

Images of the car have confirmed the i20 N suffered heavy damage and will be unable to be repaired to continue competing in Estonia.

Tanak and Jarveoja were taken to hospital in the rally’s host city, Tartu, for medical checks. The 2019 world champion declared on social media that he and Martin were ok.

“While participating here at Rally Estonia we had an accident on today’s first stage SS2 Raanitsa,” read a post on Tanak’s social media.

“Due to the nature of the crash, we’ve been taken for medical checks at the hospital in Tartu. Both myself and Martin are feeling well and we’re ok.

“Unfortunately, it will not be possible to participate further on Rally Estonia due to the amount of work needed to repair the car.” 

The accident continued a run of misfortune for Tanak after crashing out of stage two at last weekend’s Rally Poland when he was unable to avoid a collision with a deer that had jumped out into the road.

Hyundai is set to compete in another national rally next week with Esapekka Lappi and Thierry Neuville entering the Lietuva Rally in Lithuania to prepare for Latvia later this month. Hyundai has subsequently withdrawn Neuville's entry.