GRYAZIN WIN AS BRITISH HOPE INGRAM STARS IN WRC2
Britain’s Chris Ingram extended his lead in the junior category of WRC2 and came within an ace of his second podium in a fierce battle behind eventual winner Nikolay Gryazin.
The Russian charger found himself outpaced by defending WRC2 champion Andreas Mikkelsen’s similar Skoda Fabia over the opening stages, with Mikkelsen eager to get back to winning ways after retiring from Rally Portugal with a blown engine.
The popular Norwegian was to suffer still more disappointment in Sardinia, however, when his engine went terminal once again.
The saving grace for Mikkelsen was that points leader Johan Rossel crashed out on SS7 and Hyundai’s WRC refugee Teemu Suninen also broke his suspension, handing Gryazin a sizeable advantage over Spaniard Jan Solens’ Citroen C3.
Ingram had meanwhile been running strongly, setting the fastest time of all the WRC2 runners on SS2, although his ultimate position was badly affected by punctured Pirellis.
A pair of punctures also plagued the M-Sport Fiesta of Jari Huttunen but the Finn’s rise back up through the field soon became inexorable. Ingram gave it his best shot on the final day to wrest back third, but was content to seal another Junior drivers’ win as veteran Freddy Loix wrapped up another Masters’ win in 10th place.
The end result leaves Rossel at the head of the points table, with 11 points in hand over Gryazin who is just one point clear of Mikkelsen. Ingram is fourth overall, a further seven points behind, but holds a six-point lead in the
Junior standings.
“I’m very satisfied because it’s been such a difficult rally and [Saturday] was brutal,” the Mancunian said.
“To get another podium and still be leading the junior championship: that’s our target for this year. It’s been a great weekend – not perfect, but we’ve got four good scores now and we can push for the title in the next three rounds.”