SS2-3-4-5: Crews complete morning loop with Iliev out front

SS5: Crews complete morning loop with Iliev out front

Dimitar Iliev has completed the opening loop of stages leading the Mabanol Sliven Rally by 19.4s after storming to his third fastest stage time in succession.

The Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 was 8.2s quicker than Peugeot 207 S2000 driver Petar Gyoshev by 8.2s to grow his overall advantage on round 11 of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Crews are now heading back to service in Sliven for a 30-minute halt. Stage six, the repeat of the Mollova Gora test, gets underway at 14:20hrs local time.

IRC 2WD Cup ace Hunt in trouble in Sliven

Harry Hunt has hit trouble on the Mabanol Sliven Rally in his efforts to defend his lead at the top of the IRC 2WD Cup standings.

The former champion was in a strong second place in the category behind local hero Todor Slavov starting the 19.95-kilometre fourth stage, Stara Reka.

However, his car became beached with the two front wheels in the air after he suffered a half spin. Although his Citroën DS3 R3T is undamaged, he and co-driver Robbie Durant have so far been unable to get back onto the road. With no assistance available, the fear is they will be forced to retire from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event.

Hunt started the asphalt rally leading Robert Consani by a solitary point. Consani, in third place in the category, is currently on course for 15 points.

SS4: Iliev continues Sliven IRC victory push

Bulgarian hero Dimitar Iliev has maintained his bid to win the Mabanol Sliven Rally for a sixth time by going fastest of all on the famous Stara Reka stage.

Back on the event itinerary for the first time in 20 years, the stage includes a demanding downhill section. Iliev, in a Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000, was 5.3s faster than closest rival Petar Gyoshev. It means his overall lead ahead of the Peugeot 207 S2000 driver stands at 11.2s with one stage remaining before the midday service halt in Sliven.

Krum Donchev was third quickest, 8.1s behind Iliev. Meanwhile, Yağiz Avci, the winner of the previous Intercontinental Rally Challenge round in Ukraine, has dropped back in his bid to make it two victories in a row. The M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 driver was 44.3s off the pace and is now 1m17.3s adrift of first place in the overall classification.

SS3: Iliev makes it three different stage winners out of three in Bulgaria

Dimitar Iliev has underlined the close and exciting nature of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by making it three different stage winners out of three following his pacesetting performance on the 11.92-kilometre Kotel test.

Driving a Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000, Iliev was 2.0s faster than the Peugeot 207 S2000 of Petar Gyoshev. It means the five-time Sliven winner grows his overall advantage to 5.9s heading to the famous Stara Reka stage at 12:12hrs local time.

Krum Donchev, in another Peugeot, was third fastest with IRC 2WD Cup pacesetter Todor Slavov once again impressing in his Renault Clio R3 by going fourth fastest.

Turkish rally champion Yağiz Avci, the winner of the previous round in Yalta, was fifth quickest in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 with Hungarian Menya Krózser setting the sixth fastest time in his Clio.

Marco Tempestini once again set the pace in the IRC Production Cup in his Subaru Impreza R4 STI. His margin over category rival Robert Consani, in a Renault Mégane RS, increases to 9.1s.

Turkish driver Murat Bostanci was eighth quickest and takes 10th place from Honda pilot Martin Kangur as a result.

Hot weather continues to form the backdrop to the asphalt event, the IRC’s first visit to Bulgaria.

Kangur: Sliven stages difficult to predict

Martin Kangur, currently fifth in the battle for IRC 2WD Cup honours on the Mabanol Sliven Rally, says he is finding it hard to predict what’s in store on each stage of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.

The Estonian is competing on the Bulgarian rally for the first time and said: “It’s a very fast rally. Every stage is different and full of surprises, like the uneven ground in the forests or the gravel on the longest stage. One moment you feel like you’re in the Targa Florio and the next you think you’re driving in Yalta.”

Kangur, who is being co-driven by countryman Ken Järveoja, started the event in joint third place in the IRC 2WD Cup standings.

The Honda Civic Type R challenge in Bulgaria is boosted by the addition of Vasilis Karavasilis, who makes the trip from Greece along with co-driver Giannis Saritsoglou.

After two stages, Todor Slavov, in a Renault Clio R3, tops the IRC 2WD Cup classification. Harry Hunt is second, 3.3s behind Slavov.

SS2: Donchev fastest, Iliev takes Sliven lead

Krum Donchev has gone fastest on Saturday’s opening 18.08-kilometre Mollova Gora stage but it’s Dimitar Iliev who now leads the Mabanol Sliven Rally, round 11 of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Yağiz Avci, the winner of the previous round in Yalta, held top spot overnight in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000. But after trailing Donchev by 19.3s through the stage, the reigning Turkish champion is now 12.6s off the lead heading to stage three, Kotel.

Donchev, in a Globul Rally Team Peugeot 207 Super 2000, was 2.7s faster through the stage than Iliev, the five-time winner in Sliven and a favourite for victory in his Vivacom Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000. He is now in third place overall, 9.4s down on Iliev.

Petar Gyoshev, whose ASC Prestige team rushed to carry out substantial repairs to his 207 S2000 during first service in Sliven this morning following his off on SSS Sliven on Friday night, was third fastest, 4.7s down on Donchev. He is second overall, 3.9s behind Iliev.

Subaru Impreza R4 STI driver Marco Tempestini holds a 6.2s advantage over Renault Mégane RS driver Robert Consani in the IRC Production Cup classification following his second successive stage win in the category.

Todor Slavov was the fastest of the IRC 2WD Cup runners in a stunning fourth overall and now moves into the class lead with former champion Harry Hunt second. The Bulgarian’s impressive pace means he climbs to fifth in the overall results in his Renault Clio R3.

Kotel 1, measuring 11.92 kilometres, goes live at 11:38hrs local time. Hot weather continues to form the backdrop to the asphalt event, the IRC’s first visit to Bulgaria.

Gyoshev in rush to repair damaged car in Sliven

Petar Gyoshev’s ASC Prestige team is currently rushing to carry out repairs on his damaged Peugeot 207 Super 2000 during the first 15-minute service halt in Sliven this morning.

Gyoshev inflicted substantial cosmetic damage to the front-right corner of his 207 on Friday night’s SSS Sliven test after making contact with a small tree.

The incident means Gyoshev, from Bulgaria, starts Saturday’s opening test – the 18.08-kilometre Mollova Gora run – in sixth overall having dropped 5.9s to stage winner Yağiz Avci from Turkey.

However, with the crews running in seeded order throughout Saturday’s stages, five-time Sliven winner Dimitar Iliev will start first on the road in his ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 followed in gaps of two minutes by Avci and Gyoshev.

The remaining drivers will run in one-minute intervals with Krum Donchev next to go followed by IRC Production Cup chasers Marco Tempestini and Robert Consani, who drive a Subaru Impreza R4 STI and Renault Mégane RS respectively.

Early drama in Sliven for multiple winner Donchev

There was early drama on the Mabanol Sliven Rally, round 11 of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge, when four-time winner Krum Donchev was delayed on SSS Sliven in his Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Donchev, one of Bulgaria’s leading drivers, lost time as he battled to select reverse gear after missing a corner on the 1.91-kilometre test around Sliven’s Hadji Dimitar Stadium tonight. As a result he was 16.1s slower than stage winner Yağiz Avci to hold 16th overall starting Saturday’s opening stage.

Petar Gyoshev, also in a Peugeot, lost vital seconds nudging a tree. Robert Consani, a contender for IRC Production Cup and IRC 2WD Cup honours in his Renault Mégane RS, completed the run with a wheel slightly askew. However, the Frenchman suffered little delay by going third fastest overall.

Turkish driver Eytan Halfon was also delayed when he picked up a puncture on his M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2. He was almost one minute off the pace. Saturday’s itinerary begins with the Mollova Gora stage at 10:30hrs local time following a 15-minute service in Sliven.