SS3: Mikkelsen closes on Wilks

Andreas Mikkelsen has completed Saturday’s opening test, the challenging 16.54-kilometre Craigvinean run, 3.3s faster than RACMSA Rally of Scotland leader Guy Wilks.

Mikkelsen, who is vying for his maiden victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in his ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, is now 3.5s behind Peugeot UK’s Wilks in the overall classification.

However, there was a scare for the Norwegian when he reported striking a rock with the front-right wheel of his Fabia and feared he picked up a puncture in the process.

Defending champion and last year’s Rally of Scotland winner Juho Hänninen said he was too cautious in his factory ŠKODA on the rain-hit test north of the event base in Perth. As a result he was 20.4s slower than Mikkelsen and drops from second to fifth in the overall standings.

Thierry Neuville was third fastest in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 and climbs ahead of PROTON Motorsports’ PG Andersson into third position as a result. Andersson was fourth quickest in his Satria Neo S2000.

Bryan Bouffier set the fifth fastest time for Peugeot France with Alastair Fisher a strong sixth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

Karl Kruuda completed the test with a front-left puncture. The Estonian also dropped time spinning near the start and finish of the stage.