Great Britain : Kome Sport - Leg 1Angelo and Barbara Medeghini and their Subaru Impreza Spec.C of the Kome Sport team confronted the first six stages in the forest of Wales.
After the ceremonial start of yesterday evening from Cardiff`s Millennium Stadium the downright race started early this morning from the Service Park located in Swansea. Today`s leg is the longest of the rally, with a total of 136,76 competitive kilometers, divided in 3 special stages to be repeated twice.
Although a sunny though crispy morning, yesterday`s torrential rain made the route slippery and muddy. The two first stages located in the Brechfa forest, with fast straights and cambered corners lined with trees, have been quite tough.
It was not easy for drivers to keep cars on the muddy track. The third stage, Rheola, was quite different from the previous two, wide and fast, including the famous fast run across the top of a mountain and the descent into the Walters Arena, a vast spectator area set in the middle of the forest.
In the afternoon drivers repeated the stages of the morning, that dried a bit compared to the first pass.
“It has been a tough leg,” said Angelo Medeghini. “Some section, especially those inside the forests, were muddy and it has been difficult to find a line through the mud. During special stage three we hit a rock and we had to drive the remaining 12 km with a punctured tyre. We had to struggle with the differential set up, but at the last service park I think we solved the problem. The race is still long and there is time to improve.”
Angelo Medeghini, co-driven by his wife Barbara, is 6th of Group N at the end of Leg 1.
Tomorrow`s leg will start at 9.00 am and arrival will be at 9.00 pm. It`ll have 7 special stages with a total of 103.86 competitive kilometers.
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