Hänninen struggling for form in Scotland

Defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Juho Hänninen says a lack of “feeling and rhythm” has been holding him back on RACMSA Rally of Scotland.

The Finn, who won in Scotland last season, is fifth overall after five stages in his ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000 and more than 40 seconds adrift of leader Andreas Mikkelsen, who is at the wheel of a similar car.

“I didn’t find the rhythm all morning and I was fighting and fighting but having to drive corner by corner,” said Hänninen, who has won more IRC events than any other driver. “I am not enjoying and not getting a good feeling. I need to change something with the rear differential to get more traction in the mud. That is the problem.”

Hänninen’s team-mate Jan Kopecký is in eighth position, albeit 1m23.3s off top spot. He could become IRC champion this weekend but would need to secure the 37.5 points on offer for finishing first.

“It’s been quite difficult for us this morning because I don’t have the experience of this event and it’s been since 2007 that I drove in the mud like this,” said the Czech driver. “We also only did one day of testing before here but the car is okay I have to say.”