Friday
WRC Academy
wrap: Breen
in control

Irishman Breen started the event 20 points behind Kaur and will finish the season 13 points adrift of the Estonian if he wins and Kaur takes second.

But with Breen claiming nine bonus points already for his nine stage wins, there’s a strong chance that Breen will become champion when the event concludes in Builth Wells on Saturday evening providing he claims victory and maintains his stage-winning pace.

“Everything is going according to the plan,” said Breen. “We attacked from the start yesterday and today we’ve been taking it a bit easier but the times still look very good so I’m quite pleased.”

Kaur had been in third position heading into Friday’s final stage but inherited second place when Northern Irishman Alastair Fisher slid into a ditch and got stuck on the rain and fog hit 11th test, dropping behind Kaur to third.

Christian Riedemann is fourth with Molly Taylor an impressive fifth on the back of her first stage victory in the WRC Academy, which she achieved on the second Dyfnant run. Czech Jan Cerny completes the top six.

Several drivers encountered problems on a tough day in Wales. Brendan Reeves retired with driveshaft failure on stage four. American newcomer Chris Duplessis rolled into retirement on the same test, fortunately without injury, while a broken driveshaft forced Fredrik Ahlin’s exit on stage seven.