SS9: MINI driver Pech on top

Václav Pech has scored the first win by a MINI driver in the 2013 FIA European Rally Championship by setting the pace through Friday’s penultimate test, the 8.76-kilometre Pregarten run.

Pech edged fellow Czech driver and event leader Jan Kopecký by 0.5s to cement fourth place in the overall classification. By going 3.9s quicker than Bryan Bouffier, Kopecký has extended has advantage over the French driver in the battle for victory on the International Jännerrallye.

Once again, heavy rain added to the challenge facing the drivers on the spectacular Austrian event, which caught out Bouffier and rallying legend François Delecour who both briefly left the road, albeit without significant time loss.

“I went off two or three times in a field but I was still flat out,” said Delecour, who is driving a Kronos Racing Peugeot. “I was too fast in a fast corner, I was in a field but I came back out onto the road.”

Kajetan Kajetanowicz continues to set the pace in the ERC Production Car Cup, the Polish champion going fourth quickest overall in his Subaru Impreza.

Friday’s action draws to a close with the rerun of the 22.93 Schönau-St Leonhard stage at 19:30hrs local time.