The Hyundai Motorsport driver stopped the clocks in 3min 53.3sec on the two-at-a-time asphalt test next to the service park, beating Sébastien Ogier by 1.2sec while M-Sport Ford’s Martins Sesks delivered an eye-catching run to take third, 1.6sec off Tänak’s benchmark.
With no gravel in sight and no major moments across the field, the stage provided a straightforward start before the rally switches to its sandy, stone-strewn desert roads on Thursday.
Ogier’s effort placed him ahead of title rivals Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä, who finished fifth and sixth respectively. Evans, starting the event with a three-point advantage in the standings, matched Thierry Neuville on time at 2.1sec down, while Rovanperä ended 2.5sec off the pace.
Sami Pajari was seventh in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, followed by Adrien Fourmaux, Takamoto Katsuta and Grégoire Munster. Josh McErlean rounded out the top 11 runners, while team-mate Nasser Al-Attiyah incurred a 10-second penalty after jumping the start of his run.
The focus now shifts to the rally’s first full day. Thursday’s itinerary features seven stages and more than 105 competitive kilometres on desert roads north of Jeddah.
