SS2: Basso fastest, Wiegand holds lead

Giandomenico Basso has gone fastest on stage two of Rally San Marino, despite reporting making a few mistakes in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC.

Basso, a four-time winner in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, completed the 24.15-kilometre Mercatello stage 3.0s faster than defending IRC champion Andreas Mikkelsen to maintain fourth place in the overall standings. “It was a very difficult road but I two made mistakes,” said Basso. “I’m afraid to push.”

Mikkelsen, in a ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, said: “It was very slippery, I can’t find any confidence with the tyres at all. I’m just sliding everywhere and there’s not much we can do.”

Sepp Wiegand was third fastest after he reported nudging a small tree during one of three moments. However, he continues to hold a 3.3s lead over Umberto Scandola in a similar Fabia Super 2000 heading to service in San Marino.

“The stage was okay but we had two or three big moments when I was too late on the brakes,” said the ŠKODA Auto Deutschland driver. “One time I touched a little tree on the right side. It was really difficult and really slippery.”

Scandola is continuing to be hampered by the power issue he experienced on the opening stage. He said: “We had the same problem with the petrol and we have no power.”

Juha Salo said he experienced a handling issue in the closing five kilometres of the stage in his Fiesta. He was fifth quickest, one place ahead of leading IRC Production Cup runner Jarkko Nikara in a Subaru Impreza R4 STI.

Germain Bonnefis was seventh quickest in his Peugeot Sport 207 S2000. “It was a good stage for us but we don’t have a handbrake and there is a lot of slow bends,” said the young French driver.

Stage three, Sestino 2, is scheduled to get underway at 15:54hrs local time.