SS4: Kopecky seizes podium place in Corsica

Jan Kopecký has moved into third overall on Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse with the second fastest time through the fast and bumpy 27.53-kilometre Le Fangu-ND de la Serra stage.

However, it was a frustrated Kopecký at the end of Friday’s first run after he reckoned the flying finish board had been moved back some 200 metres.

“I am very fed up because I was driving only with my eyes – I had no pacenotes for the last 200 metres because they put up the wrong sign in the recce,” said the ŠKODA Motorsport driver, who nevertheless climbs ahead of Mathieu Arzeno and Pierre Campana.

In the battle for victory, defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Andreas Mikkelsen has extended his lead over Dani Sordo to 7.2s by winning the stage in his ŠKODA UK Fabia Super 2000.

“It’s a good start for me but it was a new stage for Dani so I am sure he will be faster throughout the day,” said Mikkelsen.

Sordo, who was third fastest, said: “I lost a little bit of time near the end because I did not have so much confidence in some of the difficult corners. But I am really close to the others so I am happy.”

The Spanish MINI driver actually began Friday’s opener trailing Mikkelsen by 1.8s – not 2.8s as had been published previously – after the times for Thursday’s second stage were adjusted following a technical issue. It meant Sordo actually shared the fastest time with Mikkelsen through stage two.

Bryan Bouffier, in a Delta Rally Peugeot 207 S2000, was fourth quickest with the recovering Craig Breen fifth fastest in his Saintéloc Racing version. Bouffier said he was surprised that there were still some damp sections on the stage, while Breen reported the rear of his car was sliding too much following set-up changes.

Pierre Campana, who was third overnight, slips to fourth after a cautious run meant he was only sixth quickest in his Munaretto Peugeot. “It’s okay but I don’t take any risks, the feeling with the car is better,” said the Corsican driver.

There was frustration for M-Sport Ford Fiesta pilots Marty McCormack and Oleksandr Saliuk. McCormack punctured both right-side tyres of his PSEngineering example striking a rock on the exit of a bend, while contact left Saliuk’s Dream Team Ukraine machine with a damaged left-rear corner.

Following a regroup in Corte, crews will tackle the Erabajolo-Pont d’Altiani stage live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player from 11:10hrs local time with coverage from 11:00hrs.

Go to http://irc-results.com/2012/tour-de-corse-2012/ to view the latest results.