Sandell vows to push on final day in Azores

Patrik Sandell says he hopes that by avoiding running first on the road on the final day of Sata Rallye Açores he will be able to push for stage victories on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.

The Swedish star was hamstrung running at the head of the field on day two and starts Saturday’s final five stages seventh on the road after a one-minute penalty dropped him out of fifth place. Had he remained in that position he would have run at the front again on Saturday due to the fact the leading five places are reversed at the completion of the second day’s stages.

“Okay we are quite a bit after the leaderboard so we can’t do anything about that so we will try to drive and be fast and set some good stage times,” said the ŠKODA Sweden driver.

Of his time penalty, Sandall explained: “The organisers say we were one minute early into a stage. But my co-driver Staffan [Parmander] said if it is like that then it’s the first time he has made a mistake in his whole career, which is long so he doesn’t believe it.”