Ypres - SS9: Loix extends lead, Meeke out

After SS7: Opening stage win for Meeke

Kris Meeke began day two of the Geko Ypres Rally by setting the fastest time through the superfast 14.80-kilometre Proven-Vieteren stage. Meeke was one-tenth of a second faster than event leader Freddy Loix, whose margin out front has been narrowed ever so slightly to 5.7 seconds as the battle for Intercontinental Rally Challenge glory heats up.

Bernd Casier and Andreas Mikkelsen have moved up to fifth and sixth places respectively after Pieter Tsjoen went off the road during the stage.

After SS8: Meeke’s crash hands Loix big lead

There was high drama on the Geko Ypres Rally’s eighth stage when Kris Meeke rolled into a retirement on a high-speed right-hand bend. The Peugeot UK driver was closing on leader Freddy Loix when he crashed for the second rally in succession. Both Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle were uninjured, despite their 207 Super 2000 suffering extensive damage.

Meeke’s retirement means Loix now leads by almost 30 seconds from Škoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecký. Rising Belgian star Thierry Neuville moves into third in his 207 with Bernd Casier fourth in another Fabia. Andreas Mikkelsen is fifth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

After SS9: Loix extends lead in Belgium

Freddy Loix has extended his lead of the Geko Ypres Rally to 30.9 seconds after claiming his sixth stage victory on the challenging asphalt event. Loix, a five-time winner in Ypres, heads Škoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecký with Thierry Neuville still third in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super 2000.

Loix said: “It was an exciting battle with Kris [Meeke] but now I have to change my strategy. It will be difficult.”

Overall positions after SS9