Tänak was forced to retire from WRC Poland early on Friday morning after hitting into a deer during the second stage of the race. The Estonian then returned to action on Saturday, competing for just half the day. On Sunday however, Tänak was quickest overall, picking up four extra points in the points race as per the new scoring system.

"We tried to be efficient and quick from that position. I don't know if the risk makes a difference, in the end speed is what matters," said Tänak after Sunday's performance.

The decision to pull out of Saturday's racing led to plenty of criticism for the Estonian and his team, including some disapproval from Tänak's teammate Thierry Neuville. "The intention was not to [rest] at all," Tänak said. "Because there was no sporting reason to drive and just put kilometers on the car parts – there's still a long way to go in the season and the car parts are limited by the rules. There was no reason to just drive these kilometers for fun."

Finland's Kalle Rovenperä (Toyota) claimed victory in Rally Poland and picked up an additional 9 bonus points, making his total for the race 27. Rovenperä's Hyundai teammate Elfyn Evans finished second, with France's Adrien Fourmaux (Ford Puma) in third.

Ott Tänak now has 115 points in the drivers' championship after seven rounds of this year's WRC, which puts him third in the overall standings. Welshman Elfyn Evans (Toyota) is in second with 121 points, while Neuville continues to lead the way on 136 points.

"There is nothing to celebrate. If the gap gets bigger, things are moving in the wrong direction," Tänak said. "We'll see what the future brings, these stories have happened before and this is unlikely to be the last. Things happen, it's a long season and we have to do our best and hope that the others do too."

In the constructors' championship, Hyundai have 311 points, ten points ahead of Toyota. "On the basis of today, we are definitely competitive," Tänak said.

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