Kopecký: team orders unlikely in Canarias

Jan Kopecký is convinced that team orders won’t be applied with one-tenth of a second separating him from fellow Škoda Motorsport driver Juho Hänninen with two stages of Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés remaining.

Kopecký had led from Friday’s second stage but fell behind Thierry Neuville on Saturday’s opening test, only for Hänninen to leapfrog both drivers into first position.

“I don’t think [team orders] will be an option because Thierry is very close and the battle is not over,” said Kopecký, who reported losing a few vital seconds on stage nine due to his pacenotes not being precise enough.

Hänninen added: “It’s going to be a good fight and the [next] long stage will be crucial. It is getting hotter now and the tyre wear will be more. We just have to try and keep the same speed.”