ERC
Allen aces it with ERC Qualifying Stage best
Philip Allen followed up his Hungary heroics with the fastest time on the BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia Qualifying Stage this afternoon.
With Craig Drew co-driving his Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the Northern Irishman charged through the 6.00-kilometre Örnäs test in 2min 42.9sec.
“That felt grand in there to be honest,” said Allen, who won the ERC Staff House Rally Hungary Power Stage earlier this month. “No pressure, just a bit of drama before the stage swapping helmets, it didn’t feel so bad and we could have done a bit more, to be honest, but it felt good. Hopefully we can keep it together.”
Andrea Mabellini hit back from his Hungary heartbreak with the second fastest Qualifying Stage time, a 2min 43.627sec effort aboard his Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally2.
We could have done a bit more, to be honest, but it felt good. Hopefully we can keep it together.
“We enjoyed it, it’s part of the game, you must go ahead and this is a good way to start the rally,” said Mabellini, who retired from the lead of ERC Staff House Rally Hungary earlier this month. “I felt really good in that stage, the car also, it’s going to be for sure not easy but we will try our best, we are pushing.”
Behind Italian Mabellini, Norwegian hope Frank Tore Larsen was third quickest in a MRF-shod Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. “It feels fast, very fast, I’m just happy we got a clean run,” Larsen said. “We pushed hard without any mistakes.
Andrea Mabellini hit back from his Hungary heartbreak in P2
© At World
Like Mabellini, Jon Armstrong was also out of luck on ERC Staff House Rally Hungary earlier this month. But the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver was on a Qualifying Stage flyer, stopping the clocks just 1.0sec slower than Allen in fourth.
“No test here and these roads are quite specific,” Armstrong said. “We went okay and the feeling has been there from the off, we’re just trying to enjoy the weekend. This is a good start because for the last two years I’ve had a bad road position but now we’ve got a good one. We’ve just got to keep the throttle down and go for it.”
Frank Tore Larsen was third fastest
© AT World
Eyvind Brynildsen reported having to avoid “a few rocks” on his third start in a Pirelli-equipped Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. He was a fine fifth quickest followed by Sweden’s Hankook-equipped Isak Reiersen with Mads Østberg and FIA European Rally Championship leader Miko Marczyk next up. Simon Tempestini and Rally Hungary winner Roope Korhonen rounded out the top 10.
SSS1 Bråtebäcken is up next from 18:23 local time.
