History UsefulNotes / OttTanak

After a two-year stint with Hyundai, Tänak made a homecoming to Ford M-Sport in 2023, his first drive for Malcolm Wilson's team since 2017. Around that time it was revealed that his wife Janika was diagnosed with breast cancer (hence accounting for Tänak's absence from Rally Monza in 2021, citing "family issues"); Tänak considered taking a sabbatical from rallying to tend to Janika's needs but his wife urged him to continue, leading to his [[IronWoobie victory]] in the 2023 Rally Sweden. Tänak's homecoming proved to be short-lived, however; by the end of the year he announced that he will return to Hyundai for the 2024 season. Tänak and Neuville along with their fellow colleagues at the Hyundai World Rally Team appeared in the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUDzfwXtcRo Grand Test Auto XXIV]]" parody trailer which riffed off ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoVI'' but with Tänak and Neuville filling in for Lucia and Jason.

After a two-year stint with Hyundai, Tänak made a homecoming to Ford M-Sport in 2023, his first drive for Malcolm Wilson's team since 2017. Around that time it was revealed that his wife Janika was diagnosed with breast cancer (hence accounting for Tänak's absence from Rally Monza in 2021, citing "family issues"); Tänak considered taking a sabbatical from rallying to tend to Janika's needs but his wife urged him to continue, leading to his [[IronWoobie victory]] in the 2023 Rally Sweden.

* NotSoStoic: As mentioned above, he did express frustration and despair at some points during his career, and has been seen showing his funny side off-track, particularly when he and his new co-workers at Hyundai did a parodic promo video for their team.

Days after his championship win, Tänak [[https://twitter.com/OttTanak/status/1189950186002497536 announced]] that he will no longer be involved with Toyota and will switch sides with rival manufacturer Hyundai, thereby making him teammates with Neuville, Dani Sordo and veteran driver Sebastien Loeb. Not everyone is pleased with the move, but given the rumoured issues Tänak had with Toyota's management and the Yaris' lingering reliability problems, it isn't surprising for those in the rallying scene to know about the move. Ironically enough, Ogier went on to sign up for a one-time contract with Toyota in Tänak's place, sharing the roster of former Ford stablemate Elfyn Evans and WRC newcomer Kalle Rovanpera[[note]]Rovanpera had been in the WRC2 circuit for quite some time, but he made his World Rally Car debut in 2020.[[/note]].

* EverybodyHatesMathematics: In the documentary, a teacher at the school where Tänak attended recalled how the future rally driver dreaded the subject. The teacher later mentioned how she stressed the importance of mathematics in the career Tänak is taking.

A feature-length documentary chronicling his life and career entitled ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UPhX57OgR4 Ott Tänak: The Movie]]'' was announced in December 2018, and was released in Estonia in April 11, 2019, with an international release on October 1, 2019.

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ott_tanak_hyundai.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Ott Tänak during his stint at Hyundai.]]

After a two-year stint with Hyundai, Tänak made a homecoming to Ford M-Sport, his first drive since 2017.

'''Ott Tänak'''[[note]]pronounced as ''Oit'' (as in "Oyl" in [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Olive Oyl]] with T replacing the L) Tanak[[/note]] (born 15 October 1987) is an [[UsefulNotes/{{Estonia}} Estonian]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Rallying}} rally driver]], currently teamed with Martin Järveoja and competing for Hyundai Motorsport in the UsefulNotes/WorldRallyChampionship.

* EverybodyHatesMathematics: In the documentary, a teacher at the school where Tänak attended recalled how the future rally driver dreaded the subject. The teacher later mentioned how she convinced Tänak the importance of mathematics in the career he is taking.

* FriendlyRivalry: Especially with UsefulNotes/SebastienOgier of whom he's good friends with despite their fierce rivalry in the WRC. This is proven when Ogier [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjo-c8fwLZw cheered up]] a livid and despondent Tänak after the latter lost to Andreas Mikkelsen in the 2016 Rally Poland, and when Tänak pulled over for a bit to check on Ogier who had to change a damaged wheel in his Fiesta.

Days after his championship win, Tänak [[https://twitter.com/OttTanak/status/1189950186002497536 announced]] that he will no longer be involved with Toyota and will switch sides with rival manufacturer Hyundai, thereby making him teammates with Neuville, Dani Sordo and veteran driver Sebastien Loeb. Not everyone is pleased with the move, but given the rumoured issues Tänak had with Toyota's management and the Yaris' lingering reliability problems, it isn't surprising for those in the rallying scene to know about the move. Ironically enough, Ogier went on to sign up for a one-time contract with Toyota in Tänak's place, sharing the roster of former Ford stablemate Elfyn Evans and WRC newcomer UsefulNotes/KalleRovanpera[[note]]Rovanpera had been in the WRC2 circuit for quite some time, but he made his World Rally Car debut in 2020.[[/note]].

Days after his championship win, Tänak [[https://twitter.com/OttTanak/status/1189950186002497536 announced]] that he will no longer be involved with Toyota and will switch sides with rival manufacturer Hyundai, thereby making him teammates with Neuville, Dani Sordo and veteran driver Sebastien Loeb. Not everyone is pleased with the move, but given the rumoured issues Tänak had with Toyota's management and the Yaris' lingering reliability problems, it isn't surprising for those in the rallying scene to know about the move. Ironically enough, Ogier went on to sign up for a one-time contract with Toyota in Tänak's place, sharing the roster of former Ford stablemate Elfyn Evans and WRC newcomer Kalle Rovanpera[[note]]Rovanpera had been in the WRC2 circuit for quite some time, but is making his World Rally Car debut in 2020.[[/note]].

Hailing from Kärla Parish, Saaremaa, Tänak picked up his affinity for motor racing from his father Ivar who was a firefighter and took up rallying during the 80s and 90s as a hobby, starting with go-karts during his childhood and eventually transitioning to rallying. After a series of rallies and rallysprint races in the early 2000s, Tänak, racing under Markko Märtin's tutelage, made his WRC debut in 2009 on the 2009 Rally de Portugal, finishing 20th overall, and later won the European Pirelli Star Driver shootout held in Austria. He eventually signed a five-year contract with Ford, scoring his first points in the 2011 Rally Mexico. Tanak's career under Ford was a mixed bag, leaving Ford in 2012 (and effectively retiring from the WRC circuit for a period) and managing his own local team. He did however return to WRC in 2014 under the WRC-2 support category, and reunited with M-Sport in 2015 where he gained notoriety for the "Titanak" incident in which his Ford Fiesta went off-course and into a reservoir. Incredibly, the car was [[https://www.crash.net/wrc/feature/215368/1/the-making-of-titanak brought back to life]] and Tänak's escape [[http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/march/tanak-in-number/page/2285--12-12-.html went viral]], being picked up by mainstream news organisations.

'''Ott Tänak'''[[note]]pronounced as ''Oit'' (as in "Oyl" in [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Olive Oyl]] with T replacing the L) Tanak[[/note]] (born 15 October 1987) is an [[UsefulNotes/{{Estonia}} Estonian]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Rallying}} rally driver]], currently teamed with Martin Järveoja and competing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the UsefulNotes/WorldRallyChampionship.

He didn't disappoint his fans in 2019, however, when he claimed a third-place podium in Monte Carlo, and for the first time in his career, led the driver's championship standings through his victory in Sweden; while this lead was short-lived as he suffered setbacks in Corsica and Argentina, his victory in the inaugural Rally Chile more than made up for it, also snatching all five Power Stage points in the process, demoting rival Thierry Neuville to third (following a devastating accident on part of Neuville) and putting Tänak once again in striking distance to Ogier. Despite Tänak having failed to win Italy and Turkey, he scored four more wins in Portugal, Finland, Germany and Wales, which gave him a significant points lead over Ogier and Neuville--Ogier's misfortune by way of a [[TheAllegedCar power steering issue]] with his Citröen eased the pressure on the Estonian, who secured his maiden championship crown after a second-place finish (plus a [[BonusStage Power Stage]] win with five bonus points) in Rally Catalunya, making him the first Estonian to win a WRC driver's title[[note]]And consequently the first co-driver's title for compatriot Martin Järveoja[[/note]] and the first non-French driver's champion since Petter Solberg in 2003. Tänak and his (now-former) Toyota teammates were to defend their manufacturer's championship title in Australia, but this has sadly been shelved when [[TearJerker a series of bushfires]] which have claimed a dozen lives and razed millions worth of property took place around the rally venue. Hyundai thus won the manufacturer's crown by default, their first since joining the championship, though given the circumstances, whatever celebration they would've had will be muted.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wrc_rally_poland_2017_ott_tanak_m_sport_ford_fiesta_wrc.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Ott Tänak.]]

Days after his championship win, Tänak [[https://twitter.com/OttTanak/status/1189950186002497536 announced]] that he will no longer be involved with Toyota and will switch sides with rival manufacturer Hyundai, thereby making him teammates with Neuville, Dani Sordo and veteran driver Sebastien Loeb. Not everyone is pleased with the move, but given the rumoured issues Tänak had with Toyota's management and the Yaris' lingering reliability problems, it isn't surprising for those in the rallying scene to know about the move. Ironically enough, Ogier went on to sign up for a one-time contract with Toyota in Tänak's place, sharing the roster of former Ford stablemate Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera.

Days after his championship win, Tänak [[https://twitter.com/OttTanak/status/1189950186002497536 announced]] that he will no longer be involved with Toyota and will switch sides with rival manufacturer Hyundai, thereby making him teammates with Neuville, Dani Sordo and veteran driver Sebastien Loeb. Not everyone is pleased with the move, but given the rumoured issues Tänak had with Toyota's management and the Yaris' lingering reliability problems, it isn't surprising for those in the rallying scene to know about the move.

He didn't disappoint his fans in 2019, however, when he claimed a third-place podium in Monte Carlo, and for the first time in his career, led the driver's championship standings through his victory in Sweden; while this lead was short-lived as he suffered setbacks in Corsica and Argentina, his victory in the inaugural Rally Chile more than made up for it, also snatching all five Power Stage points in the process, demoting rival Thierry Neuville to third (following a devastating accident on part of Neuville) and putting Tänak once again in striking distance to Ogier. Despite Tänak having failed to win Italy and Turkey, he scored four more wins in Portugal, Finland, Germany and Wales, which gave him a significant points lead over Ogier and Neuville--Ogier's misfortune by way of a [[TheAllegedCar power steering issue]] with his Citröen eased the pressure on the Estonian, who secured his maiden championship crown after a second-place finish (plus a [[BonusStage Power Stage]] win with five bonus points) in Rally Catalunya, making him the first Estonian to win a WRC driver's title[[note]]And consequently the first co-driver's title for compatriot Martin Järveoja[[/note]] and the first non-French driver's champion since Petter Solberg in 2003.

Hailing from Kärla Parish, Saaremaa, Tänak picked up his affinity for motor racing from his father Ivar (who also took up rallying during the 80s and 90s as a hobby), starting with go-karts during his childhood and eventually transitioning to rallying. After a series of rallies and rallysprint races in the early 2000s, Tänak, racing under Markko Märtin's tutelage, made his WRC debut in 2009 on the 2009 Rally de Portugal, finishing 20th overall, and later won the European Pirelli Star Driver shootout held in Austria. He eventually signed a five-year contract with Ford, scoring his first points in the 2011 Rally Mexico. Tanak's career under Ford was a mixed bag, leaving Ford in 2012 (and effectively retiring from the WRC circuit for a period) and managing his own local team. He did however return to WRC in 2014 under the WRC-2 support category, and reunited with M-Sport in 2015 where he gained notoriety for the "Titanak" incident in which his Ford Fiesta went off-course and into a reservoir. Incredibly, the car was [[https://www.crash.net/wrc/feature/215368/1/the-making-of-titanak brought back to life]] and Tänak's escape [[http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/march/tanak-in-number/page/2285--12-12-.html went viral]], being picked up by mainstream news organisations.

* BadassDriver: He's said to have rarely, if ever, lifted his foot off the accelerator, which accounts for why he once set a speed record in Sweden.

* TheStoic: Being Estonian, he is more or less prone to this. He did have his moments of frustration and despair at times, but his cool and collected demeanour allowed him to finish first in Turkey despite not having the speed he wanted, all while his rivals fall by the wayside left and right.

'''Ott Tänak'''[[note]]pronounced as ''Oyt'' (as in "Oyl" in Olive Oyl with T replacing the L) Tanak[[/note]] (born 15 October 1987) is an [[UsefulNotes/{{Estonia}} Estonian]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Rallying}} rally driver]], currently teamed with Martin Järveoja and competing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the UsefulNotes/WorldRallyChampionship.

* TokenMinority: He is currently the only Estonian actively competing at the top level World Rally Championship.

He didn't disappoint his fans in 2019, however, when he claimed a third-place podium in Monte Carlo, and for the first time in his career, led the driver's championship standings through his victory in Sweden; while this lead was short-lived as he suffered setbacks in Corsica and Argentina, his victory in the inaugural Rally Chile more than made up for it, also snatching all five Power Stage points in the process, demoting rival Thierry Neuville to third (following a devastating accident on part of Neuville) and putting Tänak once again in striking distance to Ogier. Despite Tänak having failed to win Italy and Turkey, he scored four more wins in Portugal, Finland, Germany and Wales, which gave him a significant points lead over Ogier and Neuville--Ogier's misfortune by way of a [[TheAllegedCar power steering issue]] with his Citröen eased the pressure on the Estonian, who secured his maiden championship crown after a second-place finish (plus a [[BonusStage Power Stage]] win with five bonus points) in Rally Catalunya, making him the first Estonian to win a WRC driver's title[[note]]And consequently the first co-driver's title for compatriot Martin Jarveojä[[/note]] and the first non-French driver's champion since Petter Solberg in 2003.