European Rally Championship is gaining momentum — the Azores took the fourth stage, which was perhaps the most difficult to date this year's race.
None of the rally favorites could not avoid the problem — And the most «killer» was the final day of the race.
In the struggle for leadership in the course of three days, the rally was attended by four pilots — the reigning champion of Europe Kaetanovich Cajetan, one of the leaders of this season Alex Lukyanyuk, winner of the Acropolis Rally Ralph Sirmatsis and local star Ricardo Moore.
The first leader of the race was the Polish — Kaito won the first extra, then skipped ahead to Moore, then regained the lead and managed to hold it to the finish line launch day.
Kaetanovich on SS2:
On the second day Kaetanovich twice lost the first place, but was able to return it to myself only once — on the first morning he missed SU Alexei Lukyanyuk then again burst forth, but on the final Friday dope again lost the first position. And, as it turned out, forever!
In the first place in the two days came Alexei Lukyanyuk. Russians won the qualification has created a problem in the opening race. «Slipping» in one of the turns of the first special stage from St. Petersburg flew into a stone wall, which led to a loss of 13 seconds with respect to the winner of the special stage, as well as damage to the front suspension.
Accident Lukyanyuk on SS1:
But the Russians are not going to give up without a fight. Operative repair under field conditions allow to minimize the consequences of the departure and the duo two Alekseev — Lukyanyuk and Arnautova — rushed to recoup and did it brilliantly.
With 18 seats, which they occupied on the basis of failure SS1, for the remaining three dopa Thursday St. Petersburg climbed to the third position. A four wins and two second places on the second day of the special stages have allowed them to take away the lead from Kaetanovicha and lead the race. The third position on the eve of the final day of racing took Ricardo Moore, and the fourth went Ralphs Sirmatsis.
But the first Saturday the stages turned the situation in the leading group on its head.
The first loser of the day was Kaetanovich — his Ford Fiesta R5 cut the half-line and become monoprivodnom machine did not allow him to continue the fight for the victory. He fell back to fourth place.
The next special stage due to steering failure descended Sirmatsis. And then came chёred Lukyanyuk.
Alexis First launched on SS12 — the recognition of the Petersburger reason for this was an inaccuracy in the transcript. But two dopami later played out a real sports tragedy — he started with turbo problems and he rolled from the first position to the second.
«We flew fitting, as the last race in Greece. I do not like it when the same problems are repeated twice — told later the Russians. — We have tried to do everything possible, but it was not enough. »
This, as well as a slow puncture on the final special stage, prevented Lukyanyuk catch up with the new leader of the race, which began Ricardo Moore. The Portuguese was the only one of the quartet of leaders who managed to get away. This enabled him to win.
Russian Alexey Lukyanyuk finished second, and closed the top three winners Cajetan Kaetanovich.
At the end of the race pole to keep the lead in the individual competition of the European Championship, and from St. Petersburg he loses 15 points — not so much.
In monoprivodnom standings ERC Junior Rally Azores spoke another crew of Russia. However, Nicholas Gryazina and Yaroslav Fedorov was unable to complete the race.
The next stage of the European Rally Championship will be held from 23 to 25 June in Belgium — will be held there Ypres Rally.
Photo: www.fiaerc.com
