Rallye de France-Alsace (30 September – 3 October 2010) – Day 2
While targeting another podium on the roads of the Rallye de France-Alsace, Sébastien Ogier andJulien Ingrassia were forced to retire during the second loop of stages. Kimi Räikkönen and KajLindström were also stopped in their tracks after going off the road.
After completing a promising opening day, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia set off third on the roadand fought at the front throughout this morning’s loop of four stages. The route took competitorsthrough the foothills of the Vosges and towards the Pays d’Ormont stage: the longest of the rally at35.48 competitive kilometres.
Ogier, who is currently second in the World Championship for drivers, set third-fastest and then fourthfastesttime on the opening two stages to reduce the gap to Dani Sordo – until the final few kilometres.“The stages were all very different to each other today,” said Julien Ingrassia. “The key was to find theright pace and then stick to it, despite the constant changes of grip. We were fighting with Dani (Sordo)when we went off three kilometres from the end of the long stage. It was a really tricky place under thetrees, where there was a lot of mud. The car suddenly oversteered. Sébastien wasn’t able to brake for thenext left so we ended up hitting a tree.”
While Sébastien and Julien were able to get going again without further damage to their Citroën C4WRC, they lost nearly 10 seconds that denied them the chance of getting close to Dani Sordo.After the service halt, the Frenchmen set a fastest time on Klevener 2 before breaking a suspension strut.They were able to reach the finish of SS10, but were then forced to retire on the following stage. Thenumber 7 Citroën C4 WRC will re-start the final day under the SupeRally rules.
Kimi Räikkönen did not have as good a road position as his team mate on day two, and had to contendwith a very dirty surface. In Ungersberg 1 (SS10), the Finn went off the road at slow speed but the carremained beached for a long time. “It was a really dirty place that we must have taken at about 20kph,”explained his co-driver Kaj Lindström. “The car slid wide and just got stuck in the mud. A dozen or sospectators came to help us, but they weren’t enough.”
Kimi lost more than 35 minutes but remained in the rally. “In some places the roads were so muddy thatwe couldn’t even see the asphalt,” he said. “The first cars don’t have the same conditions as us, butthat’s just how it is. Now we need to keep on going and try to make more progress.”In the afternoon, having set a sixth-fastest time on Ungersberg 2 (SS14), Kimi went off the road on Paysd’Ormont 2 (SS15). Once more the car was undamaged, but this time the Finnish crew were not able toget it back on the road to finish the day. Kimi chose not to re-start the final day under the SupeRallyregulations.
Classification at the end of day two:1. Loeb / Elena Citroën C4 2:46’39’’22. Sordo / Vallejo Citroën C4 +42’’83. P. Solberg / Patterson Citroën C4 +1’14’’24. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus +1’34’’25. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus +3’23’’56. Ogier / Ingrassia Citroën C4 +11’14’’17. Villagra / Curletto Ford Focus +13’27’’08. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus +13’29’’99. H. Solberg / Minor Ford Fiesta +14’57’’810. Sandell / Axelsson Skoda Fabia +15’38’’4…46. Räikkönen / Lindström Citroën C4 +53’50’’9...
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