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26/09/2009 //
IRC - ROUND 10: RALLYE SANREMO - DAY 1 - MEEKE (PEUGEOT/BFGOODRICH) LOOKING GOOD IN ITALY
2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge
Round 10: Rallye Sanremo
Friday 25 September
Day 1
MEEKE (PEUGEOT/BFGOODRICH) LOOKING GOOD IN ITALY
An off for Jan Kopecky (Skoda/BFGoodrich) on SS2 has enabled Kris Meeke (overnight fourth) to steal the advantage in the final run-in to the chase for the 2009 Drivers' title. At the end of the opening leg, the Rallye Sanremo is led by local hero Paolo Andreucci who is less than 10 seconds clear of his compatriot Luca Rossetti (Abarth/BFGoodrich).
As the penultimate clash of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Rallye Sanremo could well prove decisive in the outcome of the scrap for this year's Drivers' title between Briton Kris Meeke (Peugeot/BFGoodrich) and the Czech Republic's Jan Kopecky (Skoda/BFGoodrich).
The factory Skoda/BFGoodrich driver got his weekend off to a flying start thanks to a fastest time on SS1, but he then went off on the following test, seriously denting his chances of securing the crown. Meanwhile, Kris Meeke, who is contesting the Rallye Sanremo for the very first time this weekend, is currently fourth overall.
The Italian contingent emerged as the dominant force on this evening's leg which featured stages in the vicinity of Monte Bignone, between San Romolo and Baiardo. Paolo Andreucci (Peugeot) posted two consecutive fastest times to reach the overnight halt in Sanremo with an 8.1-second cushion over Luca Rossetti (Abarth/BFGoodrich), while the three Kronos Racing BFGoodrich-equipped Peugeot 207 S2000s monopolise the next three places in the hands of Nicolas Vouilloz (3rd), Meeke (4th) and Freddy Loix (5th).
The final stage of the leg was the longest of the season (44km) and run entirely in darkness. The best time was the work of Luca Rossetti and his Abarth Grande Punto S2000 running on BFGoodrich A31 tyres. Nicolas Vouilloz (Peugeot/BFGoodrich) was second fastest to earn a footing on the overnight podium.
"With the exception of François Duval, all the BFGoodrich drivers chose the hard compound tyre for the first loop of three stages," reports BFGoodrich technician Michel Ducher. "They then nearly all opted for the same choice for the 44km night-time stage, banking on the A31's durability, although Juho Hanninen (Skoda/BFGoodrich) chose to switch to the medium compound A11."
Tomorrow's programme features the infamous Monte Ceppo and Colle d’Oggia tests, with survivors facing the prospect of more than 100km of stage action in the Ligurian mountains before Saturday afternoon's finish in Sanremo.
Round 10: Rallye Sanremo
Friday 25 September
Day 1
MEEKE (PEUGEOT/BFGOODRICH) LOOKING GOOD IN ITALY
An off for Jan Kopecky (Skoda/BFGoodrich) on SS2 has enabled Kris Meeke (overnight fourth) to steal the advantage in the final run-in to the chase for the 2009 Drivers' title. At the end of the opening leg, the Rallye Sanremo is led by local hero Paolo Andreucci who is less than 10 seconds clear of his compatriot Luca Rossetti (Abarth/BFGoodrich).
As the penultimate clash of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Rallye Sanremo could well prove decisive in the outcome of the scrap for this year's Drivers' title between Briton Kris Meeke (Peugeot/BFGoodrich) and the Czech Republic's Jan Kopecky (Skoda/BFGoodrich).
The factory Skoda/BFGoodrich driver got his weekend off to a flying start thanks to a fastest time on SS1, but he then went off on the following test, seriously denting his chances of securing the crown. Meanwhile, Kris Meeke, who is contesting the Rallye Sanremo for the very first time this weekend, is currently fourth overall.
The Italian contingent emerged as the dominant force on this evening's leg which featured stages in the vicinity of Monte Bignone, between San Romolo and Baiardo. Paolo Andreucci (Peugeot) posted two consecutive fastest times to reach the overnight halt in Sanremo with an 8.1-second cushion over Luca Rossetti (Abarth/BFGoodrich), while the three Kronos Racing BFGoodrich-equipped Peugeot 207 S2000s monopolise the next three places in the hands of Nicolas Vouilloz (3rd), Meeke (4th) and Freddy Loix (5th).
The final stage of the leg was the longest of the season (44km) and run entirely in darkness. The best time was the work of Luca Rossetti and his Abarth Grande Punto S2000 running on BFGoodrich A31 tyres. Nicolas Vouilloz (Peugeot/BFGoodrich) was second fastest to earn a footing on the overnight podium.
"With the exception of François Duval, all the BFGoodrich drivers chose the hard compound tyre for the first loop of three stages," reports BFGoodrich technician Michel Ducher. "They then nearly all opted for the same choice for the 44km night-time stage, banking on the A31's durability, although Juho Hanninen (Skoda/BFGoodrich) chose to switch to the medium compound A11."
Tomorrow's programme features the infamous Monte Ceppo and Colle d’Oggia tests, with survivors facing the prospect of more than 100km of stage action in the Ligurian mountains before Saturday afternoon's finish in Sanremo.