Great Britain : Mitsubishi / PCWRC
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution driver Riccardo Errani continued a steady drive on the second leg of Wales Rally GB, poised to score FIA PWRC points on the final day. A further five Mitsubishi crews hold top ten positions overnight among the Group N contenders, with British youngster Stuart Jones still leading the pack of Lancers.
The second leg was the shortest of three, with two loops of three stages in the forests north-east of the Swansea service park before crews headed to Cardiff`s Millennium Stadium for a spectator-friendly purpose-built figure of eight special stage. The bright sunshine continued from leg one keeping the stages dry and fast, covering a competitive distance of 103.86 kilometers.
FIA PWRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution driver Riccardo Errani`s clutch problems continued throughout the day as a hangover from leg one but his plan to drive steadily rather than take any risks is keeping the Italian on course for the finish he is aiming for.
“The clutch is still not working properly but I think a change is too big a job for us during one service so we are just keeping the clutch clean using some Coca-Cola,” he explained. “But this is a really good rally; it`s easy for the car but very difficult for a driver for the first time. I think the gap between those drivers with experience and those doing it for the first time is bigger than on a rally like Cyprus where experience is less crucial.”
Stuart Jones is still leading the Mitsubishi Group N contenders who are not registered for the FIA PWRC and holds fifth overall in the category, followed by Austrian youngster Andreas Aigner and reigning British Rally Champion David Higgins.
British 20-year-old Jones said: “I`m happy enough with my performance although if I hadn`t made some wrong tire choices I think we would have been a place or two higher. Looking at our times today, when the roads are flat and twisty we are quite competitive but we struggle a little uphill. The stage in the Stadium was a lot of fun though; there was a great atmosphere in there!”
Local favorite David Higgins, also driving a privately-run Lancer, has ruled out the possibility of a category win but is happy enough with his performance despite a few hiccups and lies seventh in Group N overall.
“Yesterday we dropped way down the order with a puncture and today we are still doing our best to catch up,” said the 31-year-old Manx driver. “This morning we bent something on the rear tracking so I had to be a bit cautious; we made up some time but then I overshot a junction this afternoon after getting caught in dust and we lost the time we had just made up, but we have moved up a position from yesterday.”
The third and final leg includes two identical loops of two stages in the forests east of Swansea, before crews reach the Cardiff finish ramp at 14:00 hrs.


Tags: mitsubishi, lancer, evolution, group-n, rally-gb,