ERC – All rise for Ares as 9 seconds separate top three

FIA European Rally Championship 2020, Round 5 of 5

Rally Islas Canarias leg one memoir: November 27, 2020

Iván Ares tops an close-of-leg FIA European Rally Championship leaderboard for the first time after winding up Saturday’s jog on Rally Islas Canarias with a 7.5s earnings over Adrien Fourmaux, as changeable weather cases made tyre compound alternative a lottery and required drivers to be at their very most fine on Gran Canaria’s mighty hillside roads.

Nil Solans had been the man to beat after six stages, however a chase on SS7 reduce his lead over Ares from 16.1s to three.1s. And with Solans experiencing the worst of the rain on SS8, Ares was in a save to cross in entrance by 10.5s heading to the DISA-backed Las Palmas de Gran Canaria boulevard stage.

Even supposing the 1.53-kilometre test was held in dry cases for the first four crews, which incorporated Fourmaux, by the time the stage resumed following a handy e book a rough stoppage as a result of a non-rally-connected incident, it was raining, ensuing within the final runners shedding time within the slippery cases.

“It was sophisticated to originate the correct tyre alternative and uncover the grip nonetheless it has been an correct day and I’m pleased,” mentioned Ares, who drove his Pirelli-geared up Hyundai i20 R5 to 2d-save ERC functions on Rally Fafe Montelongo final month.

Fourmaux, whose most fine earlier ERC appearance ended in a large break on July’s Rally di Roma Capitale, mentioned he was “truly pleased” to be leading ERC1 Junior in 2d overall on his Rally Islas Canarias debut. “We had truly sophisticated cases however we had correct tempo and an correct tyre alternative,” mentioned the Michelin runner, who was quickest on SS7 and SS8 in his M-Sport Ford World Rally Group-chase Fiesta R5 MkII.

For Solans, his gradual extend was unhappy reward for a mighty performance for a driver making his debut within the ERC and on Rally Islas Canarias. “I didn’t ask the Tarmac to be as slippery because it was, we did the correct tyre alternative, that’s correct however we nonetheless must toughen the car space-up,” mentioned Solans after vacating his Michelin-shod Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo sooner than noon service on the Estadio de Gran Canaria. “I delight in done deal of labor with my pacenotes, they are so descriptive and with these cases it’s mighty more uncomplicated.”

Compatriot Yoann Bonato, a longtime asphalt educated, is fourth in his Michelin-geared up Citroën C3 R5 with José Suárez and Luis Monzón winding up the tip six adopted by Oliver Solberg.

The 19-year-extinct saved out of anguish despite his lack of tournament details and no longer continuously being on the correct tyres for the ever-altering cases. “It was a truly sophisticated morning with very unfortunate cases,” mentioned the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 driver, who is difficult for every the overall and ERC1 Junior titles this weekend. “It’s no longer uncomplicated, very slippery however I was on the restrict persistently. I could presumably per chance delight in long past sooner nonetheless it was plot too harmful so I factual wished to outlive with out making any mistakes so I’m pleased. I don’t try to have faith of the title so mighty. There’s nonetheless a truly good distance to head and we’ve had sophisticated cases.”

Alexey Lukyanuk, the European championship leader after four rounds, was the final of the Rally2 drivers to commence up leg one, a tactical cross to try to retract pleasure in what he believed could presumably per chance be drier cases this morning. On the opposite hand, the rain was far heavier and frequent than he expected and he struggled to originate an affect this morning as a result.

It bought higher for the Saintéloc Junior Group driver this afternoon when he space the fastest time on SS5 and SS6. But rain on SS7 and SS8 was surprising in preserving together with his forecasts and intended for a frustrated Russian. “We loved two dry stages and that’s what I was preserving in my coronary heart for the recollections of this tournament however the overall deal of ingredients was no longer correct,” mentioned Lukyanuk, who remains now heading within the steady direction for his 2d ERC title in three years. “We’re comfy with the save however [the tyre choice is] a lottery and also you’d furthermore’t originate it correct.”

Canary Islander Yeray Lemes is P10 after 9 stages with Andreas Mikkelsen combating motivate to P11 after the Rally Hungary winner haemorrhaged time all over the morning rain when he chosen dry-weather Pirelli covers for his Topp-Automobiles Rally Group Škoda Fabia.

Despite his small details of his C3 R5, double ERC Junior champion Marijan Griebel confirmed mighty plot including a top-three stage time this morning. But he was unhappy to drop 15s on SS8 when his windscreen misted up and he struggled for imaginative and prescient. The German is ninth on the overnight pause.

Enrique Cruz, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s Callum Devine, Simone Tempestini (Napoca Rally Academy) and Craig Breen from Group MRF Tyres round out the ERC functions-scorers.

Surhayen Pernía, ORLEN Group’s Miko Marczyk and Albert von Thurn Taxis dangle positions P16-P18 respectively, whereas ERC3/ERC3 Junior contenders Pep Bassas and Sindre Furuseth total the tip 20 of their Peugeot 208 Rally4s.

Niki Mayr-Melnhof is P21 after overcoming take dangle of factors this morning. A puncture delayed Josh McErlean within the 2d Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Hyundai. Pepe López’s expose to repeat his 2019 Rally Islas Canarias victory ended when he crashed out on SS1. Erik Cais was within the tip six when he retired his Yacco ACCR Group Fiesta after inserting a bridge on SS5.

Munster needs magic in ERC1 Junior title stride

Grégoire Munster’s ERC1 Junior Championship expose was hit laborious by a puncture on SS1 and his alternative of dry-weather tyres for the rain-affected opening loop. The Hyundai Junior Driver is as a result of this reality at expose destined to tumble short in his pursuit of the title and the €100,000 grant on provide to the winner with Oliver Solberg preserving the initiative heading into Saturday’s decisive leg.

“It was truly sophisticated to gather the correct forecast for the weather cases,” mentioned the Luxembourg talent, who is sixth in faculty after leg one. “We had been the most aggressive with the tyre alternative and it did no longer repay. It was truly sophisticated to gather the grip truly. We did no longer uncover any for the four stages. The afternoon was mighty higher however the time we misplaced we can’t gather motivate with out complications and we nearly crashed on the first nook [of SS9].”

Out entrance, Adrien Fourmaux holds a clear ERC1 Junior lead over Solberg with Callum Devine third, Simone Tempestini fourth and Miko Marczyk fifth adopted by Munster and Rallye Group Spain’s Efrén Llarena.

The Citroën España-supported Llarena was third within the ERC1 Junior starting the tournament, however also suffered a fancy opening day due. “It was so sophisticated,” he mentioned. “We pit slick tyres and a medium space-up. It was a catastrophe and I was wishing to total the rally as a result of I’m no longer pleased. The spare rear differential is precisely the an identical so we are capable of’t change.”

Bassas reveals his class for Rallye Group Spain

Pep Bassas has excelled all over leg one in his Pirelli-geared up Peugeot 208 Rally4 by going quickest in ERC3/ERC3 Junior on six stages. He holds a lead of 26.3s over Sindre Furuseth, the Norwegian making his first commence up within the European championship this season in a Saintéloc Junior Group Peugeot.

Champion elect Ken Torn is third in his Estonian Autosport Junior Group Ford Fiesta Rally4 with Pedro Almeida fourth. Amaury Molle has battled vitality factors in his older-specification Peugeot 208 R2 however holds fifth in ERC3 Junior ahead of newcomer Charles Munster. Ola Jr Floene completes the young driver class having dropped out of competitors adversarial the steerage of his Toksport WRT-chase Renault Clio RSR Rally5.

In ERC3, debutant Jorge Cagiao is fifth ahead of Sergio Fuentes and top female driver Adrienn Vogel. Chris Ingram, the 2019 outright champion, is ninth in ERC3 on his championship comeback in a Toksport Clio. Ekaterina Stratieva is P12 in ERC3 however Łukasz Lewandowski retired with gearbox factors.

Abarth-powered Poloński in Pole save to retract ERC2

Dariusz Poloński’s return to ERC2 jog is going to devise with the Polish driver leading the manufacturing-essentially essentially based category in his Abarth 124 rally. Poloński, who also tops the Abarth Rally Cup ranking, heads ERC2 champion elect Tibor Érdi Jr with Andrea Mabellini demoting Dmitry Feofanov for third on SS9. Mabellini can’t be caught within the Abarth Rally Cup title fight however is in competitors to retract the ERC2 title, making a brake scenario within the morning a nerve-racking abilities for the young Italian. Zelindo Melegari was third in ERC2 in his Alpine A110 RGT however crashed out on SS7.

PROVISIONAL TOP 15 ERC POSITIONS (after 9 stages, 99.69 kilometres)

1 Iván Ares (ESP)/David Vázquez (ESP) Hyundai i20 R5 1h06m58.8s

2 Adrien Fourmaux (FRA)/Renaud Jamoul (BEL) Ford Fiesta R5 MkII +7.5s

3 Nil Solans (ESP)/Xavi Moreno (ESP) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +9.0s

4 Yoann Bonato (FRA)/Benjamin Boulloud (FRA) Citroën C3 R5 +39.2s

5 José Suárez (ESP)/Alberto Iglesias (ESP) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +1m08.1ss

6 Luis Monzón (ESP)/José Carlos Déniz (ESP) Citroën C3 R5 +1m10.6s

7 Oliver Solberg (SWE)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 +1m30.1s

8 Alexey Lukyanuk (RUS)/Alexey Arnautov (RUS) Citroën C3 R5 +1m31.9s

9 Marijan Griebel (DEU)/Pirmin Winklhofer (AUT) Citroën C3 R5 +1m33.0s

10 Yeray Lemes (ESP)/Rogelio Peñate (ESP) Hyundai i20 R5 +1m41.9s

11 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Anders Jæger-Amland (NOR) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +1m46.3s

12 Enrique Cruz (ESP)/Yeray Mujica (ESP) Ford Fiesta R5 MkII +1m51.1s

13 Callum Devine (IRL)/James Fulton (IRL) Hyundai i20 R5 +2m08.3s

14 Simone Tempestini (ROU)/Sergiu Itu (ROU) Citroën C3 R5 +2m11.5s

15 Craig Breen (IRL)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Hyundai i20 R5 +2m14.3s

FIA ERC2: Dariusz Poloński (POL)/Łukasz Sitek (POL) Abarth 124 rally

FIA ERC3:  Pep Bassas (ESP)/Axel Coronado (ESP) Peugeot 208 Rally4

FIA ERC1 Junior:  Adrien Fourmaux (FRA)/Renaud Jamoul (BEL) Ford Fiesta R5 MkII

FIA ERC3 Junior:  Pep Bassas (ESP)/Axel Coronado (ESP) Peugeot 208 Rally4

Abarth Rally Cup:  Dariusz Poloński (POL)/Łukasz Sitek (POL) Abarth 124 rally

Reside timing and results: https://www.fiaerc.com/are dwelling-timing/

What’s next?

The 44th Rally Islas Canarias and the 2020 FIA European Rally Championship will be decided the next day (Saturday) with eight stages over a aggressive distance of 102.10 kilometres. SS11 (10h29) and SS17 (15h45) could presumably also be shown are dwelling on Fb and YouTube whereas ERC Radio will be are dwelling all over the day. Highlights from leg two will be shown on Eurosport and Eurosport Participant at 00h30 CET on Sunday. The ERC All Catch steady of entry to magazine stamp will be broadcast on Eurosport at 00h30 CET on December 2, whereas the prolonged Rally Evaluation programme is disbursed to global broadcasters.