SS10: Stage win for Consani as Avci extends rally lead

Robert Consani has recorded his first ever stage win in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge after the Frenchman set the fastest time on SS10 of today’s Prime Yalta Rally.

The Renault Mégane RS driver set the pace by clocking a time of 16m50.7s through the 22.35-kilometre Sokolinoke 1 stage. Piloting a Subaru Impreza R4 STI, Romania’s Marco Tempestini set the second quickest time with Yuriy Vazheyevskyy third fastest in his Peugeot 207 S2000.

Last night’s rally leader Yukhym Protasov encountered further problems when the Ukrainian driver slid off the road, damaging the back-left rear of his M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC and also the car’s suspension. Yağiz Avci has now extended his lead in the overall classification and leads Yalta Rally in a M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 by over two minutes. Third on the overall IRC leaderboard is Vizin László in a ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.

Consani continues to lead both the IRC Production Cup and the IRC 2WD Cup.

Tempestini Jr. feeling unwell

Simone Tempestini did not start the final leg of today’s Prime Yalta Rally, round 10 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, because he was feeling unwell.

The Romanian driver was lying fifth in the IRC Production Cup at the end of yesterday’s six stages, but Tempestini Jr. failed to start today’s leg because he was not feeling up to full strength.

Tempestini Sr. is currently lying third in the IRC Production Cup at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza R4 STI, 54.5s adrift of Mykola Chmykh in another Impreza.