After favourite Ott Tänak (Hyundai) retired from SS2 after a collision with a deer, this primary day was a superb day for the drivers coming from behind. Aboard the third Hyundai entered, Andreas Mikkelsen took full benefit of his place on the street to instantly take the lead within the occasion. Shut on the heels of the Latvian Martins Sesks and his non-hybrid Ford Puma, and the opposite Fords of Fourmaux and our compatriot Grégoire Munster, additionally benefiting from the sweep carried out on the entrance.
Even Kalle Rovanperä, who was known as out urgently whereas repairing his jet-ski to exchange Sébastien Ogier who had an accident throughout the reconnaissance, managed to face out. On laborious tyres, the Finn took benefit of his morning runs to instantly set the most effective time of the afternoon and take the lead within the normal standings, forward of Mikkelsen (Hyundai), Sesks (Ford) and Elfyn Evans (Toyota), all inside simply over 2 seconds.
Behind this quartet, however nonetheless outpaced by the 2 official Ford Pumas of Fourmaux and Munster (writer of a 2nd quickest time in SS4), Thierry Neuville fought laborious to remain involved. Regardless of two finest instances (SS3 and SS6), our compatriot barely hid his disappointment on the finish of the ultimate train of the day, a brand new duel as a Tremendous Particular within the Mikolajki Area. “In the long run I solely made a small mistake of two seconds and regardless of that, I discover myself seventh total and compelled to start out third this Saturday. It is nice to be main the championship, however the worth to pay could be very excessive, particularly when a bunch of occasional drivers are available between by benefiting from their higher beginning place.”
