SS1: Wilks sets early pace in Scotland

Guy Wilks has set the pace on the opening stage of RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the penultimate round of the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Driving a Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000, Wilks completed the 8.36-kilometre Carron Valley night stage in a time of 5m24.8s, 0.8s faster than last year’s winner Juho Hänninen managed in a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia S2000.

Heavy rain in the build-up to the event left the stage surface slippery with several crews reporting difficult driving conditions.

“It was exactly as we expected,” said Wilks. “It was slippery, but I don’t think after the first few cars that it makes much difference. I think we did a reasonable time, we’ve changed a couple of pacenotes, and hopefully we’ll get quicker.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, in a ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia, was third quickest. He said: “That’s some first stage! It was so dark, and it was fast, but so slippery... Suddenly, you just lose all the grip! But it’s okay.”

Scottish champion David Bogie, one of the favourites for IRC Production Cup honours, lost time when the intercom in his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer failed.

Overall positions after SS1