SS6: Hänninen lands first stage victory
Neuville adopted a cautious approach
Škoda Motorsport driver Juho Hänninen has recorded his first fastest stage time on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés. The defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion was 0.1s faster than Freddy Loix through the second Ingenio test, which was held in light drizzle and patches of fog. The Finn remains fourth overall.
BFO Škoda driver Loix reported losing a few vital seconds passing the PG Andersson, who suffered another puncture in his works PROTON Satria Neo. However, the Belgian was able to demote Thierry Neuville into third place and is 3.1s adrift of leader Jan Kopecký.
Neuville said he adopted a cautious approach in the increasingly thick fog. He is now 4.1s off the lead in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207.
Crews are currently heading to the second service halt in Las Palmas with the top four drivers covered by 4.2s. Two night stages remain on day one.
Overall positions after SS6
Pos. | Driver | Car | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Kopecký Jan / Starý Petr | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 47m37.9s |
2 | Loix Freddy / Miclotte Frédéric | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +3.1s |
3 | Neuville Thierry / Gilsoul Nicolas | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +4.1s |
4 | Hänninen Juho / Markkula Mikko | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +4.2s |
5 | Wilks Guy / Pugh Phil | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +28.8s |
6 | Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +30.3s |
7 | Bouffier Bryan / Panseri Xavier | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +31.0s |
8 | Magalhaes Bruno / Grave Paulo | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +50.6s |
9 | Basso Giandomenico / Dotta Mitia | Proton Satria Neo S2000 | +1m21.1s |
10 | Gardemeister Toni / Suominen Tapio | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m24.3s |
11 | Perez Jonathan / Velasco Enrique | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +2m22.8s |
12 | Vinyes Joan / Mercader Jordi | Suzuki Swift S1600 | +2m50.7s |
13 | Antxustegi Gorka / Suárez Gabriel | Suzuki Swift S1600 | +3m18.3s |
14 | Settembrini Massimiliano / Bonato Corrado | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +3m38.1s |
15 | Marrero Angel / Marrero Victor | Honda Civic Type R | +3m42.7s |