SS2: Mikkelsen takes Targa Florio top spot

Andreas Mikkelsen has moved into the lead of Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia by winning Friday’s first test, the 13.60 Targa stage, which uses sections of the legendary road racing course.

Driving a ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion from Norway beat Italian hero Giandomenico Basso by 1.0s.

“The feeling [with the car] was okay, we tried to find a good rhythm and we were happy with the run but there is still room for improvement,” said Mikkelsen. “But the grip was really bad and maybe we should be on the softer compound.”

Giandomenico Basso, running first on the road in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC, was second fastest. He said: “Everything was okay but it was a little slippery, we will see in the next special stage.”

Overnight leader Jan Kopecký, said he did not push flat out on the first of what will be three runs through the Targa stage. The ŠKODA Motorsport driver drops to second overall, 0.6s behind Mikkelsen, after going third quickest: “It was very fast and bumpy in two places so we took it easy and will try to improve in the second pass.”

Six-time Targa Florio winner Paolo Andreucci was fourth fastest in his Peugeot Italia 207. He said: “It was a very slippery stage and really fast in the first part.”

Umberto Scandola was fifth quickest with Matteo Gamba sixth fastest. ŠKODA Auto Deutschland’s Sepp Wiegand set the eighth best time behind Alessandro Perico, while Simone Campedelli headed the IRC 2WD Cup runners in 10th, one place adrift of Ireland’s Craig Breen, who slips from fourth to ninth in the overall classification.