Lack of experience holds Bouffier back

Bryan Bouffier has described the fog-hit Sete Cidades stage as the “most difficult” he has ever tackled during his career.

The Peugeot France star was one of several drivers to lose time in the treacherous conditions at the wheel of his 207 Super 2000.

“The stages are nice but very difficult, that last stage is the most difficult I have ever done because the fog was really bad and we couldn’t see anything,” said Bouffier, who won Rallye Monte-Carlo in January. “We don’t know the roads here so we are trying to learn but it’s not easy when the conditions are like this. The car is perfect and we are trying but it’s difficult.”

After six stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier Bouffier and co-driver Xavier Panseri are in seventh position, 1m30.5s behind leader Juho Hänninen.

“We had a lot of rain in the middle of the first stage this morning and being here for the first time means our pacenotes are not [as advanced] as some of the other drivers who were here before,” said Panseri.