SS1-2-3: Mikkelsen leads in Australia

Andreas Mikkelsen won two of the opening three speed tests at Kennards Hire Rally Australia on Friday morning to set the pace in this final round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Norwegian was quickest in the opening Utungun test in his Volkswagen Polo R. Despite yielding his advantage to Hayden Paddon in the following Bakers Creek, Mikkelsen won Northbank to regain top spot by 1.1sec from the New Zealander.

The dry and dusty shire roads were covered in thick gravel which proved a huge hindrance to the early starters. Mikkelsen, third in the running order, admitted he did all he could to offset that disadvantage in his quest to secure the series runners-up spot.

“We’re trying to cut where we can but I just tried to follow the line,” he said at the Northbank finish. “There’s so much cleaning it’s amazing. It will be difficult to fight with the guys behind. I have no other choice than to try win. I have to give it everything.”

Paddon gambled on tyre choice. All the Michelin-shod frontrunners opted for soft rubber, but Paddon elected to start with hard compounds at the front of his Hyundai i20.

“When it’s tight and twisty we struggle more with hards on the front,” he admitted. “I don’t think there’s a right or wrong tyre. The softs are a bit soft and the hards are a bit hard so somewhere in between would be ideal. I wanted to try something different to everyone else.”

Ott Tänak was 4.4sec behind Paddon but unhappy with the balance of his Ford Fiesta RS. Dani Sordo was fourth in an i20, with M-Sport duo Mads Østberg and Eric Camilli completing the top half dozen.

First and second in the start order were Sébastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville and the conditions did them no favours. Neuville was seventh, one place ahead of the Frenchman. “I think I took every risk I could possibly take. I have nothing to lose,” said Ogier.

The morning’s big loser was Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn lost more than four minutes after a mistake towards the end of Utungun when he slid wide and clipped a bridge. The impact broke his Polo R’s rear left suspension and he limped through the next two tests.

“I managed some repairs but the faster I go the more I risk losing the whole wheel. I could go faster but I have to drive smoothly,” he said.