WRC 2 wrap: Debut win for Al-Kuwari

Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari dominated the WRC 2 support category to bring his Ford Fiesta RRC home 9min 14.6sec clear of Mexico’s Nicolas Fuchs.

The Qatari was the only driver present in a new-generation WRC 2 car and he won 21 of the 23 stages on his Rally Mexico debut.

It was also Al-Kuwari’s first appearance in a Fiesta RRC and he admitted the weekend had been easier than anticipated.

“I thought it would be very difficult here, but we started well and continued to do a good job,” he said. “There were no mistakes and no problems with the car. Killian (Duffy, co-driver) did a great job. Four hundred kilometres on the pace notes and no mistakes.”

Fuchs had no serious problems in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX and finished 8min 19.6sec ahead of the Evo X Lancer of Ricardo Trivino, who struggled with brake issues in the high temperatures.

Armin Kremer retired from third yesterday with a broken steering arm on his Subaru Impreza WRX. He restarted today under Rally 2 rules and came home fourth, despite stopping in the opening stage to check a vibration which turned out to be a stone wedged in the brake caliper.

Yuriy Protasov was sidelined on Friday with broken suspension on his Impreza WRX but he, too, restarted and completed the finishers despite a dramatic final day. He survived a big spin in the opening stage, but punctured both rear tyres and bent his front right suspension in the incident.