WRC 2
Solans reclaims WRC2 lead in tense Portugal battle
Jan Solans ended Friday at the front of WRC2 on Vodafone Rally de Portugal - but the Spaniard had to work hard on a day when one of the category’s closest battles of the season unfolded.
Three different drivers led during the day, while six crews held podium positions at one point or another. By the finish, just 10.8sec separated Solans from fifth-placed Andreas Mikkelsen.
Solans held the lead in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 through the day’s opening test, but lost it one stage later when Teemu Suninen went 3.8sec faster than the rest of the field to climb from fifth overnight into first place. His stay at the top lasted only one stage, however, as the Finn could manage only the 15th-fastest time on SS6 in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 and slipped from first to fifth.
Roope Korhonen flew into second spot on Friday
© At World
That handed the lead to another Spaniard, Alejandro Cachón, who continued the strong form he showed last month in the Canary Islands. He remained there until SS8, when he was forced to retire before the stage with an alternator issue. Adding to the frustration, the stage was later red-flagged due to safety concerns.
Diverted to the start of SS9, Solans capitalised on his compatriot’s misfortune and went quickest through the penultimate stage to return to the top of the leaderboard. He stayed there to complete a tumultuous day 3.7sec clear of Roope Korhonen, who moved his Yaris into second place on the final stage.
Korhonen’s late gain relegated Yohan Rossel to third, with the Frenchman successfully completing the first full day for the Lancia Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2 on gravel at WRC2 level. Suninen eventually finished fourth, one place higher than he started the day, with Mikkelsen rounding out the top five.
Yohan Rossel showed the Lancia's full potential on Friday in Portugal
© At World
Mille Johansson continued his best WRC2 rally to date, holding sixth in his Ford Fiesta Rally2, 17.1sec clear of Roberto Daprà. The young Italian spent Friday climbing back into contention after suffering driveshaft issues on Thursday.
Fellow Italian Giovanni Trentin once again proved himself to be one to watch, the 19-year-old guiding his Fabia to eighth, while seasoned campaigners Fabrizio Zaldivar and Eric Camilli rounded out the top 10.
