WRC3
Pelamourgues error hands WRC3 advantage to Chatillon
Mattéo Chatillon stormed into the WRC3 lead on Friday at Rally Islas Canarias after a costly slip-up from long-time leader Arthur Pelamourgues.
Pelamourgues, who dominated his last WRC3 outing at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January, looked set to build a commanding advantage after winning four of Friday’s six asphalt speed tests. However, his charge was halted by a mishap on SS5 when the Renault Clio Rally3 driver hit a rock, damaging a tyre and losing more than 1min 30sec while changing the wheel.
The incident dropped the 25-year-old down to third, allowing fellow Frenchman Chatillon – piloting an identical Clio – to seize the top spot.
Ghjuvanni Rossi also benefitted from Pelamourgues’ misfortune to move into second place. He trailed Chatillon by 54.2sec at close of play, with Pelamourgues a further 19.2sec adrift, completing a French lockout of the provisional podium.
Bolivia’s Nataniel Bruun steered his Ford Fiesta Rally3 to fourth ahead of Toyota GAZOO Racing Challenge Programme drivers Shotaro Goto and Takumi Matsushita, who ended the day fifth and sixth respectively in a pair of Clios.
