![]() The next round, Rally Argentina started well for Tänak, but continued badly: he collected punctures, and slid back to 37th, but fought his way back to 10th. But in Portugal, he slid off the road, forcing him to return under Rally2 (formerly SupeRally) rules. After retiring in Sweden with engine failure, he finished fifth in Mexico. He later had a season with ups and downs. At the Rally Sweden Tänak took his first stage win on SS14. In 2012, Tänak was the number one driver for M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, and with a Ford Fiesta RS WRC he drove the full 2012 season. He made his debut in a WRC-spec Ford Fiesta prepared by M-Sport Stobart at the 2011 Wales Rally GB, testing tyre supplier DMACK's tyre compounds in preparation for their entry into the championship in 2012. He finished the event sixth in SWRC, and runner-up to Hänninen in the championship standings. However, he hit a rock on the first stage, breaking his Fiesta S2000's front crossmember, and had to restart under SupeRally rules, meaning that he basically lost all of his chances of becoming the champion. But with victories in Germany and France, he put himself back into title contention, arriving in Spain only 3 points behind leader Juho Hänninen. In Finland he finished 3rd, and looked like he has only mathematical chances of winning the title. ![]() He continued to impress in Greece, as he was leading after the first day, but rolled his car on the first stage of the second day, and had to retire. In Italy he collected his first class win with an outstanding performance. Tänak scored his first WRC points in the 2011 Rally Mexico, and finished 3rd in SWRC. In 2011, Tänak drove 7 rallies with a Ford Fiesta S2000, prepared by MM-Motosport team under Markko Märtin's instructions. He won the WRC category on the 2010 Rally Finland and 2010 Rally GB. This gave him the opportunity to compete six rounds of the 2010 World Rally Championship season in PWRC support category programme. In September 2009 Tänak won the European Pirelli Star Driver shootout held in Austria. Tänak made his World Rally Championship debut on the 2009 Rally de Portugal, finishing 20th overall. Tänak won the Estonian Rally Championship in 20, driving for the team run by former world rally winner Markko Märtin. Tänak achieved his maiden drivers' world title in the 2019 World Rally Championship, making him the first Estonian to win the drivers' championship, the first non-Frenchman to win the title since Petter Solberg in 2003 and the first for Toyota since Didier Auriol in 1994. He is currently teamed with Martin Järveoja and is competing for Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT. Ott Tänak ( Estonian pronunciation: born 15 October 1987) is an Estonian rally driver and the 2019 World Rally Champion.
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