Gilbert eyes Junior WRC title
Frenchman can secure junior crown in Corsica
Rossel heads all- French Junior battle
Yohan Rossel won both Friday’s speed tests to lead the FIA Junior WRC category after the opening leg of Tour de Corse – Rallye de France.
The Frenchman was 22.7sec ahead of fellow countryman Terry Folb, with championship leader Quentin Gilbert, also from France, in third and his sights still fixed on sealing the title on the narrow and twisty mountain roads in Corsica.
“I was really cautious today. I paid attention and tried to anticipate things. I need to continue in the same way but I have to be as careful as I was today. I drove well, but I’m sure I can be much faster,” said Rossel.
Folb’s only issue arose in the opening stage when he overshot a hairpin.
Ole Christian Veiby needs a strong result to keep his title hopes alive and the Norwegian is 54.9sec behind Gilbert in fourth. Jean-Philippe Martin and Jordan Berfa made good starts on their Junior WRC debuts to round off the top six.
Pierre-Louis Loubet overshot a junction in the opening stage and stopped to replace a puncture in the last test, while Jean-Rene Perry punctured in the opener after hitting a rock before dropping two minutes after going off the road in the final stage.
