WRC 2 IN GERMANY: KOPECKY CLAIMS PRO WIN

 

JAN KOPECKY SCORED HIS FIRST WRC 2 PRO VICTORY OF THE SEASON WITH A SECOND SUCCESSIVE SUPPORT CATEGORY VICTORY AT ADAC RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

                                                                      The Czech driver had more than half a minute in hand going into the final day’s four speed tests in the bumpy Mosel vineyards. He increased his margin to cross the podium at Bostalsee with a 1min 06.9sec advantage in his Skoda Fabia.

Kopecký took the lead on Saturday morning when team-mate Kalle Rovanperä twice went off the road and his only problem was a puncture late last night which halved his lead.

Eric Camilli finished second in a Ford Fiesta, despite incurring a 30-sec penalty today. Rovanperä completed the podium, to increase his championship lead, with Mads Østberg taking fourth.

Fabian Kreim scored his first WRC 2 victory when he headed a home 1-2. The German national champion in 2016 and 2017 finished 18.5sec clear of 2018 title winner Marijan Griebel. Both were at the wheel of Fabias.

German driver Fabian Kreim claimed the WRC 2 victory on the picturesque vineyard roads.

Kreim had the luxury of easing through the final leg, while keeping a watch on a terrific battle behind between Griebel and Poland’s Kajetan Kajetanowicz, driving a Volkswagen Polo.

Fastest time in the penultimate test promoted Kajetanowicz into second with a slender 2.0sec advantage, only for Griebl to respond in the closing test with a quickest time of his own to regain the runner-up spot by 3.0sec.

Fabio Andolfi crashed out of fourth in the penultimate test, allowing Simone Tempestini to come home 7.5sec ahead of Russia’s Nikolay Gryazin. Fifth was sufficient for Gryazin to take the championship lead of the absent Benito Guerra.

Germany’s Dominik Dinkel completed the top six in a Hyundai i20.

via https://www.wrc.com

ERC ; BREEN REMPORTE UNE EXCITANTE BATAILLE AUX AÇORES / BREEN WINS EXCITING ERC BATTLE IN AZORES

Craig Breen (Peugeot Rally Academy 208 T16) a remporté le SATA Rallye des Açores, empochant ainsi son 3e succès consécutif en Championnat d’Europe FIA des Rallyes.

Craig Breen (Peugeot Rally Academy 208 T16) a remporté le SATA Rallye des Açores, empochant ainsi son 3^e succès consécutif en Championnat d’Europe FIA des Rallyes.

Copiloté par Scott Martin, l’Irlandais a livré une très belle bataille avec Kajetan Kajetanowicz pour la victoire. Kajto, qui accusait 11,9 secondes de retard sur Breen avant la dernière boucle, devait opter pour un choix de pneus différent s’il voulait avoir une chance de l’emporter. Le pilote de la LOTOS Rally Team Fiesta R5 a donc chaussé des pneus tendres tandis que son adversaire Breen a décidé de conserver ses gommes dures. Mais le pari n’a pas été payant pour le Polonais puisque Breen a pu accroître son avance.

« Je suis venu aux Açores avec un objectif et j’ai gagné ce rallye, a déclaré Breen. Je suis au sommet de ma forme en ce moment . Le week-end s’est bien déroulé. Nous avons été rapides et propres quand c’était nécessaire. »

Ricardo Moura a été victime de problème de frein tout particulièrement sur les longues spéciales. Le Portugais devait appuyer sur la pédale de frein à plusieurs reprises pour ralentir sa voiture à l’approche des virages. Cette mésaventure lui coûte de précieuses secondes… encore une fois le septuple Champion des Açores laisse échapper la victoire. Mais il termine tout de même 3^e, inscrivant ainsi de gros points au championnat Portugais.

Craig Breen has won the SATA Rallye Açores, making it three FIA European Rally Championship victories in a row for the Peugeot Rally Academy 208 T16 driver.

 

Co-driven by Scott Martin, the Irishman had been in a close battle for the win with Kajetan Kajetanowicz, with both drivers leading three times. Kajto was 11.9s behind Breen with the final loop of three stages remaining, and felt he had to take a different tyre compound to Breen, regardless of his rival’s choice, if he was going to have a chance of victory. While Breen kept his hard Michelins on, the LOTOS Rally Team Fiesta R5 driver took soft Pirellis. The gamble didn’t pay off, and Breen was able to extend his lead to a healthy winning margin.

“I came to the Azores with one objective, and that was to win the rally,” said Breen. “I’ve got one extra year to prove I deserve to move forward in this sport, and I’m on top of the world at the moment. This weekend has been good for us. We have been fast when we needed to be fast and clever when we needed to be clever, so I’m chuffed to bits.”

Ricardo Moura suffered from brake pressure problems on the longer stages in his Ford Fiesta R5 and had to pump the brake pedal two or three times at each corner to slow down. It cost the seven-time Azorean rally champion a lot of time, and his first Rallye Açores victory still eludes him, as he finished third – but scores maximum points in the Portuguese championship.