SS2: Wilks fastest, Mikkelsen takes lead

Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks has gone fastest on stage two of Barum Czech Rally Zlín as ŠKODA UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen snatched the lead of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by a slender margin of 0.1s.

Wilks, in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000, was 1.7s faster than Czech hero Jan Kopecký, in a factory ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia.

“We’re feeling good and went to get into our rhythm, everything is fine,” said Wilks.

“It was quite okay,” said Kopecký, who edged Freddy Loix, in a BFO-ŠKODA Rally Team Fabia, by 0.2s. “We can go quicker but we try to make it step by step. The car is perfect.”

Loix added: “I had a good feeling and for the moment everything is okay.”

Behind fourth-placed Mikkelsen, Bryan Bouffer was fifth quickest with Thierry Neuville sixth. “I was a bit surprised with some bumpy parts but the car feels good, all is fine,” said Bouffier.

Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg’s Thierry Neuville was sixth fastest. He said: “It’s difficult, we have to make some changes to the set-up.”

Overnight leader Juho Hänninen hit trouble when he suffered front-left tyre deflation on the gravel section of the stage. “We had a big vibration so we have to check now,” said the ŠKODA Motorsport ace, who was 9.6s off the leading pace and has slipped to sixth in the overall standings.

The stage, which took crews from Ludovice to Biskupice, measured 8.89 kilometres in length.