Home win for Maurin in WRC 2

Julien Maurin claimed his maiden WRC 2 win with victory at the Tour de Corse - Rallye de France on Sunday.

The Frenchman, driving a Ford Fiesta RRC, took the lead on Saturday morning and ended the penultimate leg with a 19.0sec advantage over Esapekka Lappi. Maurin more than doubled his lead in Sunday’s opening stage, and was able to throttle back to win by 20.9sec.

Lappi admitted he could not match the pace of Maurin, the reigning French asphalt champion. But second in his Skoda Fabia R5 means the Finn climbed to second in the championship, nine points behind Nasser Al-Attiyah with the duo set for a title showdown in Spain later this month.

Armin Kremer crashed his Fabia R5 out of third in Sunday’s opening test, allowing Eric Camilli onto the podium in his Fiesta R5. Camilli ended 3min 22.0sec behind Lappi.

Craig Breen, who led initially before a puncture relegated him down the order, recovered to overhaul Teemu Suninen for fourth in a Peugeot 208 T16, the Irishman just 6.8sec behind Camilli.

Jonathan Hirschi completed the top six in another 208 T16.

Joan Carchat overturned a 14.6sec deficit in the Production Cup with two stages remaining to beat Max Rendina by 11.1sec, both drivers in Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X cars.