Set-up to blame for Meeke’s puncture

Kronos Racing boss Marc van Dalen has said the set-up of Kris Meeke’s Peugeot 207 Super 2000 caused the puncture that put the Northern Irishman out of the lead of Rally Islas Canarias.

The defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion was 14.4 seconds in front of Jan Kopecký when he suffered a front-left puncture approximately five kilometres into Friday’s penultimate stage. Meeke’s car had been lowered to increase speed and improve handling.

Van Dalen said: “We decided together to run quite an aggressive set-up for more speed because we are still a private team and we had to take a risk. The set-up is made for very flat roads and works perfectly when the conditions are like that but there can be a problem on bumpy sections. Unfortunately just one stupid compression in a corner caused a bolt in the suspension to break the wheel.

“It’s really a shame for Kris because we have seen a very good performance from him today. But this is rally and we have to accept it.”

Meeke’s puncture has dropped him from first to sixth, almost 90 seconds off the lead, heading into the final day of the rally.