SS11: Ypres despair for Tsjoen

There was drama for Pieter Tsjoen on the 11th stage of the GEKO Ypres Rally when he completed the 8.47-kilometre Lille-Eurometropole stage, which ran across the border into France, with fluid leaking from the front of his damaged Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Belgian champion Tsjoen, who had been in third overall, said the incident had occurred on the road section heading to the stage when he accidentally struck a small post. He spent a number of minutes at the end of the run frantically trying to make repairs to the leaking radiator.

Peugeot France driver Bryan Bouffier was quickest through the stage in his 207 S2000, 1.1s faster than the time managed by event leader Freddy Loix in his ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia.

“I’m feeling well,” said Loix. “Sure the second run through the stages will be hell now the historics also did these stages. The lead in front is not bad – maybe I can slowly control the rally now.”

With no spare tyres at his disposal following his double puncture on stage 10, Guy Wilks said he was not able to attack in his Peugeot UK 207. “We can’t do anything now. It’s very difficult, not just the gap but with no spare tyres I have to be careful.”

In the battle for fourth place Hans Weijs has moved back ahead of Bernd Casier albeit by one-tenth of a second.

Overall positions after SS11