Ott Tänak: Hectic WRC schedule left you with no time to rest
Top Estonian rally driver Ott Tänak has shed more light on his decision to step away from the WRC series from next season.
The 2019 champion put that decision, announced just after the Japanese rally in November, down to the sheer relentless grind of the WRC calendar.
The 2025 season ended in late November in Saudi Arabia, but next season starts in January in Monte Carlo, as per tradition. While Saudi Arabia was making its first appearance on the WRC circuit this year, whichever race rounds off the year is usually in November anyway, leaving drivers little turnaround time ahead of the upcoming season.
"Seasons like this are problematic. Rally has to be the worst sport — you have to be at work all the time. There is no break whatsoever," Tänak told Finnish rally portal Rallit.fi. "The WRC competition calendar is unbelievably absurd. There is no letup throughout the entire year. If it goes on like this, then it will end up exactly the way it has."
He reiterated that he has no plans to compete in the WRC next season, following his announcement after the Japanese rally.
"My career has been very interesting, and I am grateful for those experiences. I have been in several teams and met different people. I regret nothing; I am simply thankful. I have won for multiple teams — every team has its own strengths and weaknesses," Tänak said.
Before Rally Japan, the Estonian had been in with a mathematical, if slim, chance of a second world title, and a first with Hyundai, but a fourth-place finish put paid to that. While the drivers' title was consequently destined for Toyota, the race between Sebastien Ogier (France) and Elfyn Evans (Wales) went all the way down to the wire, with the Frenchman bagging his ninth title in Saudi Arabia.
Tänak's Hyundai seat is set to be shared between three drivers next year, namely Spanish driver Dani Sordo, who has won races for the team in the past, Finn Esapekka Lappi, and Kiwi driver Hayden Paddon making a return to the series after several years away.
A retrospective of Tänak's career, including his 2019 world title win with Toyota, is here.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Kristjan Kallaste
