SS9: Kopecky cuts Sordo’s advantage in Corsica

Jan Kopecký has cut Dani Sordo’s lead on Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse to 20.9s after winning Saturday’s opening stage by 3.2s.

Driving a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the Czech driver is now 11 seconds clear of Corsican hero Pierre Campana in the battle for second place on round four of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. “I was trying to push in this stage because the next stage is very tricky,” said Kopecký.

Campana, meanwhile, reported the rear of his Munaretto Peugeot 207 S2000 was moving around too much and suggested he lost time because of this. He was fourth quickest, 6.6s down on Kopecký.

ŠKODA UK’s Andreas Mikkelsen was second fastest through the stage, 3.2s slower than Kopecký with event leader Dani Sordo third quickest in his MINI John Cooper Works S2000. “Kopecký is still pushing but we have a bigger stage next so we’ll see,” said the Spaniard. “We need to keep pushing.”

Bryan Bouffier’s challenge for a podium finish suffered a setback when the Frenchman spun his Peugeot at a junction and lost time while he tried to get pointing in the right direction again. He was seventh fastest behind Craig Breen, 16.8s down on Kopecký.

Mathieu Arzeno was fifth quickest as he begins his recovery from the delay he suffered on Friday’s final stage with a mechanical problem. The French ace lies just outside of the top 10.

Subaru Impreza driver Jarkko Nikara reported a gearbox problem and suggested he might not be able to continue his IRC Production Cup bid.

Stage 10, Marinca-Cagnano 1, gets underway at 11:10hrs local time.