SS10: Kopecký extends lead with stage victory

Jan Kopecký has extended his lead of the International Jännerrallye by winning Friday’s rain-hit closing test.

It was the Czech champion’s third stage win of the FIA European Rally Championship season-opener and hands him an advantage of 20.2s over Bryan Bouffier at the completion of leg one.

As a result, ŠKODA driver Kopecký scores seven bonus points as the leg winner. Bonus points are also awarded to the other six drivers filling the top seven places.

Bouffier, who was 6.9s slower than Kopecký through the 22.93-kilometre Schönau-St Leonhard test, said: “It was very tricky and Jan was quicker on this stage but it has been good to finish the first leg without any mistake when it has been quite easy to crash.”

Stage nine winner Václav Pech dropped almost 1m20s when he went straight on and damaged the front of his MINI. “It was my mistake,” said Pech, who was trying to carry out repairs at the completion of the stage to possible damaged suspension.

François Delecour reported his choice of snow tyres affected his pace, while Raimund Baumschlager admitted to being slightly cautious in the heavy rain in order to preserve his comfortable lead in the Austrian championship classification.

The 45-minute service halt in Freistadt begains at 20:40hrs local time. Saturday’s action begins with the 8.27-kilometre Gutau stage at 07:38hrs. There are eight stages on Saturday over a competitive distance of 109.18 kilometres.