Guest driver Munster takes charge in Junior WRC

Munster is a regular in the WRC2 category but has entered this week’s penultimate FIA Junior WRC round in a bid to gain more experience ahead of next month’s Secto Rally Finland.

He wasted no time in getting re-acquainted with the M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 he last drove back in February, completing the opening loop of stages 18.9sec back from Creighton in second position.

But Creighton’s rally unravelled in the first stage after lunch when he was caught out in a rut and ran wide into a ditch. The Irishman’s car sustained a broken steering arm and he retired for the day, enabling Munster to reach the overnight halt 12.6sec clear of Laurent Pellier.

Diego Dominguez, currently second in the championship by a single point ahead of Pellier, completed the podium on his Rally Estonia debut. The Paraguayan was 45.7sec down on his rival but comfortably clear of Roberto Blach and Hamza Anwar.

Tom Rensonnet and Eamonn Kelly are lucky to still be in the running after both drivers rolled in SS2. They round out the leaderboard in sixth and seventh respectively.