Tour de Corse: news in brief (2)

Wilks recalls Corsica crash in Peugeot UK 207

Guy Wilks has recalled the moment when he and co-driver Phil Pugh crashed out of Tour de Corse-E.Leclerc earlier today (Friday).

The Peugeot UK driver began day two in style by winning the opening test. But his challenge was over six kilometres from the end of the next run when he slid off the road on a downhill right-hand bend.

Although his car was undamaged it was stuck in a ditch and Wilks was forced to retire from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event.

“I was trying to make up some lost time and just braked too late,” said the Briton. “The back of the car touched the grass, swapped ends and ended up five metres off the road.”

Wilks revealed the sight of a split time from Pierre Campana’s car contributed to his accident.

“It just didn’t feel great to be honest from the start of the stage,” said the 30-year-old Briton. “My split time was down to Campana when we were up on the other stage. I knew it wasn’t working so I was trying to make it happen and I was forcing it. But I forced too much on a very quick downhill section braking into a long open square right. We were only five metres off the road but we just got dragged down a bank. We couldn’t get it out.”

He continued: “I’m disappointed but instead of driving to my pacenotes I was trying to take more time back than what I should have done.”

Mikkelsen satisfied with Friday efforts

Andreas Mikkelsen will start the final day of Tour de Corse E.Leclerc firmly in contention for a podium finish on round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Mikkelsen, from Norway, will leave Saturday’s restart in Ajaccio in fourth overall, 5.6s adrift of second place following a solid performance through Friday’s six stages based around the town of Corte.

“We’ve had a pretty good day,” said the 21-year-old Škoda UK Motorsport driver. “The stages have been tough and quite technical today, and they have caught a few people out. We have been driving hard, but keeping to the middle of the road and not pushing on the limit.”

Mikkelsen’s best IRC finish remains the second place he recorded on RACMSA Rally of Scotland last October. However, he did win the non-championship Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally the following month.

Saturday marks the longest day of the rally with crews tackling 138.44 competitive kilometres. Three stages will be televised on Eurosport.

Mikkelsen is pictured left with co-driver Ola Fløene.

Magalhães in search of final day boost

Bruno Magalhães will be hoping to put a frustrating second day of Tour de Corse-E.Leclerc behind him when he starts Saturday’s closing six stages in eighth position overall.

The Peugeot Sport Portugal star lost ground when his 207 Super 2000 suffered a brake problem on Friday morning.

Although the Lisbon driver’s mechanics were able to make repairs at midday service in Corte, Magalhães admitted that the damage had already been done.

“I had to drive very carefully in the afternoon because I did not want to lose the brakes again,” said the 30-year-old Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winner. “This rally is really tough, really difficult and I have lost a lot of my confidence.”

Providing Magalhães remains in the top 10 on day three then he will be able to celebrate his second point-scoring finish of 2011 alongside co-driver Paulo Grave.