Lukyanuk edges Moura for ERC Azores lead despite off
ByERC
Published 22/03/2018 at 19:24 GMT
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Image credit: ERC
Alexey Lukyanuk has taken a narrow lead in FIA European Rally Championship’s opening round, edging out Qualifying Stage winner Ricardo Moura despite running wide into a field during a chaotic second stage.
Vila Franca / São Brás caught out a swathe of drivers including Lukyanuk, yet incredibly Russian Performance Motorsport’s lead driver also went fastest through the 17 kilometre test, even after an overshoot into a field caused by taking too much speed over a jump.
They were joined in the lead battle by ERC Junior U28 leader Martin Koči. Taking a cautious approach in the opening Lagoa Stage to save tyres, Koči charged through the tricky Vila Franca / São Brás test third quickest, joining Lukyanuk and Moura in taking advantage of his road position for a cleaner stage surface.
Three-time Azores Airlines Rallye winner Bruno Magalhães heads a close battle over fourth place, having lost over ten seconds during the Vila Franca / São Brás test to fall away from the leaders.
His compatriot Bernardo Sousa finished Thursday’s trio of stages 1.4 seconds behind Magalhães, holding an extremely thin 0.4 second advantage over second placed ERC Junior U28 competitor Chris Ingram.
Ingram suffered a hairy moment in the second stage, losing the rear bumper of his Toksport WRT ŠKODA Fabia R5 after clipping a tree, but was still fourth quickest through Vila Franca / São Brás regardless.
Frederik Åhlin finished the opening trio of stages 0.3 seconds behind Ingram to hold third place in ERC Junior U28 and seventh overall, but suffered a worrying end to his day with an oil pressure warning light flashing on his ŠKODA Fabia R5.
Double ERC Junior champion Marijan Griebel, Frank Tore Larsen and ŠKODA Auto Deutschland driver Fabian Kreim completed the top 10 overall, the latter pair also completing the ERC Under 28 top five.
Vila Franca / São Brás claimed many victims, through a mixture of accidents and mechanical failures. Hermann Neubauer crashed out towards the end of the test in the slippery conditions, while Pierre-Louis Loubet retired his OSCARO-backed car with a technical problem midway through the stage. Laurent Pellier reached the end of the same stage, but then retired in the following road section with an electrical problem.
They were joined in the lead battle by ERC Junior U28 leader Martin Koči. Taking a cautious approach in the opening Lagoa Stage to save tyres, Koči charged through the tricky Vila Franca / São Brás test third quickest, joining Lukyanuk and Moura in taking advantage of his road position for a cleaner stage surface.
Three-time Azores Airlines Rallye winner Bruno Magalhães heads a close battle over fourth place, having lost over ten seconds during the Vila Franca / São Brás test to fall away from the leaders.
His compatriot Bernardo Sousa finished Thursday’s trio of stages 1.4 seconds behind Magalhães, holding an extremely thin 0.4 second advantage over second placed ERC Junior U28 competitor Chris Ingram.
Ingram suffered a hairy moment in the second stage, losing the rear bumper of his Toksport WRT ŠKODA Fabia R5 after clipping a tree, but was still fourth quickest through Vila Franca / São Brás regardless.
Frederik Åhlin finished the opening trio of stages 0.3 seconds behind Ingram to hold third place in ERC Junior U28 and seventh overall, but suffered a worrying end to his day with an oil pressure warning light flashing on his ŠKODA Fabia R5.
Double ERC Junior champion Marijan Griebel, Frank Tore Larsen and ŠKODA Auto Deutschland driver Fabian Kreim completed the top 10 overall, the latter pair also completing the ERC Under 28 top five.
Vila Franca / São Brás claimed many victims, through a mixture of accidents and mechanical failures. Hermann Neubauer crashed out towards the end of the test in the slippery conditions, while Pierre-Louis Loubet retired his OSCARO-backed car with a technical problem midway through the stage. Laurent Pellier reached the end of the same stage, but then retired in the following road section with an electrical problem.
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