SS10: Joy turns to despair for Sandell

Patrik Sandell’s joy at winning his first stage of RACMSA Rally of Scotland was short lived after he retired on the road section heading to the next stage in his ŠKODA Sweden Fabia Super 2000.

Sandell was 0.5s faster than event leader Andreas Mikkelsen through the 9.91-kilometre Loch Chon test but damage sustained to his rear suspension when he ran wide within sight of the stage finish has forced him out of fourth overall.

He told Rally Radio: “I hit the stone 200 metres away from the flying finish, hit the damper, it’s completely loose from the wheel. We’ve had to stop. This morning started perfect. It’s a real shame that we have to stop here, I was really looking forward to the next one. The suspension is completely loose from the hub.”

There was more woe for Thierry Neuville who spun and broke his reverse gear in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super 2000. As a result the double IRC event-winner has slipped down from fourth to ninth position and potentially out of the fight for the IRC title.

ŠKODA Motorsport’s Juho Hänninen has increased his margin over second-placed Bryan Bouffier, in a Peugeot France 207, to 9.5s.