The race track and the other drivers are almost the least of the team’s worries as they head to the hot and humid temperatures at the base of the Alghero are expected to be even more irritable than they were in the last WRC race in Portugal.
The WRC Rally Italia Sardegna is another gravel road course with tight turns meaning position is one of the most important factors in determining the winner of this race – especially in humid conditions. Driver’s must be mentally fit enough to withstand the intense driving conditions while physically apt enough to make it through the 21 stages in this grueling atmosphere.
Make no mistake, these teams live for this and it’s going to be a good one.
Rally Italia Sardegna Betting Picks
Kalle Rovanperä
Sebastien Ogier was in action last time out at the Rally de Portugal to renew his rivalry with Sebastien Loeb, but he’ll slip back into semi-retirement for the time being. That’s great news for one of the top favorites at Italia Sardegna Kalle Rovanperä, because Ogier has won this event fur times in his career, including last year.
Ogier won his 8th Driver’s Championship last season and Loeb has won Italia Sardegna four times so it will be nice to give some new blood an opportunity to make a name for themselves in the World Rally Championship. Leading that way is Rovanperä, who Toyota hopes is the heir apparent to Ogier.
Rovanperä is just 21-years-old but already has a 46 point lead over Thierry Neuville for top position in the WRC standings. Rovanpera is on a nearly unprecedented run that has seen him win the last three races in a row, scoring a perfect 30 in the last two.
The reason this is Rovanperä’s race to lose is because he dominated the last event in Portugal, which features a very similar track to WRC Rally Italia Sardegna. Rovanperä started first on the road in the gravel rally – normally a death sentence as you’re setting the track – but still won four of five stages and had the fastest time on the Fafe powerstage which gave him 30 points and a second straight perfect score.
Dani Sordo
While Rovanpera is on a roll right now, there are some who would consider Dani Sordo the favorite in the Rally Italia Sardegna. He scored a 3rd place finish in Portugal two weeks ago, something impressive considering he is still learning how to adjust to switching to a hybrid this season.
If Sordo can adjust to the hybrid kick that left him to spin outs in Portugal, he may be able to put it all together in Italy especially in a second straight race on gravel. Sordo has won here in 2019 and 2020 – and starts off in a moderate 6th position.
Elfyn Evans
Toyota has a great chance of coming out on top this weekend, with Rovanpera and Elfyn Evans coming in 1-2 at the very similar Rally de Portugal. Evans has finished 2nd to Ogier for the World Rally Championship the last two years, and this is supposed to be Evans’ time to step up with Ogier taking a reduced schedule.
Evans had a rough couple starts to the year, but is building momentum climbing up to 5th in the standings. He had the lead in Portugal on Friday despite competing against a star studded field and did hold on for 2nd. The likes of Loeb and Ogier not in Sardinia this weekend makes Evans’ path to success much clearer.
Rally Italia Sardegna Betting Trends
- Hyundai has won this race in three of the last four years
- Sordo has won this race the last two times based in Alghero (was in Olbia last year)
- Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo are both two-time winners in this field
- Neuville trails 1st place by 46 points
- 4 points separates 3rd and 6th place in WRC Standings
Rally Italia Sardegna Betting Predictions
It’s hard to believe that Rovanpera could win a fourth straight race, but that’s also what we’ve thought of his last three victories – all on different surfaces. Rovanpera will no longer fly under the radar as a phenom..
The bet here has to go with Sordo, who has won two of the last three WRC Rally Italia Sardegna events including the last two when based in Alghero.
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