Andreas Mikkelson and Ola Floene took a dramatic victory on the Rally RACC in Spain. The duo put in a stunning final stage time and that was just the start
From PR materials
ANDREAS MIKKELSEN CLAIMED HIS MAIDEN WRC VICTORY AT SPAIN’S RALLYRACC CATALUNYA – COSTA DAURADA ON SUNDAY WHEN WORLD CHAMPION SÉBASTIEN OGIER CRASHED OUT OF THE LEAD IN THE FINAL SPEED TEST.
In a hugely dramatic finale, Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Floene finished the last stage and learned they had edged Volkswagen team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala for what should have been second after a fierce final day fight.
Seconds later the Norwegian was informed that Ogier had smashed his similar Polo R into a metal roadside barrier less than 4km from the finish, ripping the rear right wheel from the car.
Mikkelsen was stunned into silence as he realised the significance of his colleague’s error. It was his first WRC win in 64 attempts and kept alive his hopes of pipping Latvala for second in the drivers’ standings at next month’s final round in Britain.
“It was absurd because Ogier never makes mistakes so when they told me I didn’t believe it. It was a big surprise, and although it’s not the way I want to win a rally, we’ve been so close so many times that I feel I really deserve this one,” said 26-year-old Mikkelsen.
Ogier was airlifted to hospital but was passed fit after checks. The 31-year-old Frenchman was seemingly on his way to an eighth victory of the season on the four-day mixed surface event south of Barcelona with a comfortable 50.9sec lead over Mikkelsen.
Mikkelsen and Latvala fought tooth and nail through the final leg and were less than a second apart before Latvala punctured three stages from the end. Mikkelsen then spun in the penultimate test and the duo began the final stage showdown 1.4sec apart.
The eventual winning margin was 3.1sec, with Dani Sordo taking the final podium place at his home event in a Hyundai i20, a further 18.1sec back.
Citroen’s Mads Østberg finished fourth after demoting team-mate Kris Meeke who spun his DS 3. The gap between them was 1.9sec, with New Zealand’s Hayden Paddon completing the top six in another i20.
Thierry Neuville’s hopes of a top six finish ended in the penultimate stage when a transmission problem pitched the Belgian off the road under braking. He limped through the final stage to take eighth behind Martin Prokop’s Ford Fiesta RS. WRC 2 winner Pontus Tidemand and team-mate Jan Kopecký completed the leaderboard.
The final round of the season is the gravel Wales Rally GB which is based in Deeside on 12 – 15 November.
PONTUS TIDEMAND WON WRC 2 AT SPAIN’S RALLY RACC CATALUNYA – COSTA DAURADA ON SUNDAY BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH TO PREVENT NASSER AL-ATTIYAH SECURING THE TITLE FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON.
The Swede took the lead from Al-Attiyah early on Friday and was never headed as he won the four-day mixed surface event near Barcelona by 10.7sec from Skoda Fabia R5 team-mate Jan Kopecký.
If Tidemand won, Al-Attiyah needed to finish no lower than third in his Fabia R5 to clinch the title at his final points-scoring opportunity, no matter what the Swede did at next month’s final round in Britain.
The Qatari held third but was under threat from a charging Armin Kremer, who closed the gap to just a tenth of a second ahead of the final stage. However, Al-Attiyah could celebrate a third FIA title in three weeks after the test was cancelled following Sébastien Ogier’s crash.
Tidemand was the rank outsider of the six pre-rally championship hopefuls, but was the last remaining driver who could take the title fight to the last round.
“It’s my first WRC 2 win for Skoda and I could not be happier,” said Tidemand. “When this rally started, my aim was simply to finish. I did not expect to be on top of the podium at all. However, our speed through the gravel stages on Friday was the key to our success.”
Al-Attiyah finished almost four minutes behind Kopecký, who struggled with a slipping clutch today. Yuriy Protasov’s Ford Fiesta RRC and Jaroslaw Koltun’s Fiesta RRC completed the top six.
Eric Camilli retired his Fiesta R5 from third after a mechanical problem.
Enrico Brazzoli won the Production Cup within WRC 2 in a Subaru Impreza after leader Joan Carchat retired his Mitsubishi Lancer this morning.
NEWLY-CROWNED JUNIOR WRC CHAMPION QUENTIN GILBERT RACKED UP HIS FIFTH WIN FROM SIX STARTS THIS SEASON WITH VICTORY AT SPAIN’S RALLYRACC CATALUNYA – COSTA DAURADA ON SUNDAY.
The Frenchman, who secured the title on the last round in Corsica, sprang into the lead on the first stage. But he had a fight on his hands on Saturday morning when a time penalty for leaving service late and then a puncture dropped him almost two minutes behind Simone Tempestini.
But when Tempestini also punctured in the afternoon Gilbert found himself back in the lead and he managed his pace through Sunday’s six stages to take victory by 1min 37.9sec. Fellow Frenchman Terry Folb was second while Italian Tempestini was third, 2m 22.6sec further back.
“As soon as we reclaimed first position it was important to control the race,” said Gilbert. “I’m really pleased with our performance and with our season. The whole team has done a fantastic job. We have ended up winning five out of six rallies this year in the FIA Junior WRC!”
Mohammed Al Mutawaa recorded his best result so far with fourth, finishing ahead of Pierre-Louis Loubet, Federico Della Casa and Ole Christian Veiby. All were driving Citroen DS3 R3 Max cars.
All Junior drivers are also registered for the WRC 3 support category. Gilbert extended his lead to 19 points over Tempestini and is firm favourite to secure a second title at the final round in Wales next month.
PONTUS TIDEMAND WON WRC 2 AT SPAIN’S RALLY RACC CATALUNYA – COSTA DAURADA ON SUNDAY BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH TO PREVENT NASSER AL-ATTIYAH SECURING THE TITLE FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON.
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The Swede took the lead from Al-Attiyah early on Friday and was never headed as he won the four-day mixed surface event near Barcelona by 10.7sec from Skoda Fabia R5 team-mate Jan Kopecký.
If Tidemand won, Al-Attiyah needed to finish no lower than third in his Fabia R5 to clinch the title at his final points-scoring opportunity, no matter what the Swede did at next month’s final round in Britain.
The Qatari held third but was under threat from a charging Armin Kremer, who closed the gap to just a tenth of a second ahead of the final stage. However, Al-Attiyah could celebrate a third FIA title in three weeks after the test was cancelled following Sébastien Ogier’s crash.
Tidemand was the rank outsider of the six pre-rally championship hopefuls, but was the last remaining driver who could take the title fight to the last round.
“It’s my first WRC 2 win for Skoda and I could not be happier,” said Tidemand. “When this rally started, my aim was simply to finish. I did not expect to be on top of the podium at all. However, our speed through the gravel stages on Friday was the key to our success.”
Al-Attiyah finished almost four minutes behind Kopecký, who struggled with a slipping clutch today. Yuriy Protasov’s Ford Fiesta RRC and Jaroslaw Koltun’s Fiesta RRC completed the top six.
Eric Camilli retired his Fiesta R5 from third after a mechanical problem.
Enrico Brazzoli won the Production Cup within WRC 2 in a Subaru Impreza after leader Joan Carchat retired his Mitsubishi Lancer this morning.
