Ireland - after SS11: Mikkelsen back in the fight

SS9: Crazy push puts Mikkelsen back in the fight

Andreas Mikkelsen has cut Juho Hänninen’s lead of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally to 4.2s despite a “big moment” on the ninth stage of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event.

Mikkelsen repeated the second run of the 25-kilometre Redrock stage in a time of 13m26.2s with Hänninen recording a 13m31.0s in his similar ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.

“We pushed everything we had,” said Norwegian Mikkelsen. “We had a big moment near the end when I had to save the car five times on a straight. I was in a ditch and bouncing off a hedge. It was absolutely crazy, we need to push.”

Hänninen said: “It was much more dry than in the morning so no drama. I have to keep the pressure on to keep Andreas behind.”

Jan Kopecký is adopting a low-risk strategy to maintain his third place overall in his Fabia. He was third fastest through the stage, 11.5s slower than Mikkelsen.

Craig Breen was fourth quickest in his Saintéloc Peugeot 207 S2000 and is now 21.0s behind ŠKODA Ireland’s Robert Barrable in the battle for fifth position overall. Breen said changes to his rear damper settings in service had improved the handling of his car.

Sepp Wiegand lost several seconds when he braked too late for a junction and charged a fence in his ŠKODA Auto Deutschland Fabia.

“The window is broken, we lost a lot of time,” said the young German driver. “I pushed a bit harder but maybe the tyres were a little cold.”

IRC 2WD Cup leader Marty McCormack suffered an overshoot at a square-right junction. The Northern Irishman is nursing a gearbox problem but still managed to go faster than category rival Tommy Doyle. Garry Jennings continues to top the IRC Production Cup standings in his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.

SS10: Hanninen hits back on Circuit of Ireland

Juho Hänninen has hit back in his efforts to claim his first victory in this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge by winning stage 10 of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

The ŠKODA Motorsport pilot was 0.5s quicker than Andreas Mikkelsen, which means he extends his overall advantage to 4.7s.

“There was a lot of gravel on the road so it was difficult but there were no mistakes,” said the Finn, IRC champion in 2010.

Defending IRC champion Mikkelsen, in a ŠKODA UK-backed Fabia, said: “There was more gravel but we tried to push. Juho is driving fast and there is not much I can do.”

Jan Kopecký was third fastest in his works Fabia. He said: “It was not an easy stage and we are trying to stay on the road.”

Irishman Craig Breen has slashed his gap to fifth-placed countryman Robert Barrable to 7.1s after recording the fourth quickest time in his Saintéloc Racing Peugeot 207 S2000.

French star Mathieu Arzeno, who was fifth fastest, said: “It was slippery and difficult but when I look at the time of the ŠKODA drivers it’s unbelievable.”

There was drama for IRC 2WD Cup leader Marty McCormack who suffered two right-side punctures.

SS11: Breen snatches fifth from Barrable

Craig Breen has moved ahead of Robert Barrable in the battle to be the top Irish finisher on the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Breen, in a Saintéloc Peugeot 207 Super 2000, was faster than ŠKODA Ireland driver Barrable through the second 14.56-kilometre Hollow stage and now heads his countryman by 3.8s in the overall standings in fifth position.

Out front, Andreas Mikkelsen has slashed Juho Hänninen’s lead to 2.3s with four stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier remaining.

It took Mikkelsen 8m29.8s to complete Hollow 2, compared to the 8m32.2s recorded by Hänninen.

“It was a good stage, no problem,” said Mikkelsen. “We’re pushing very hard to gain some time on Juho. This one I take my hat off to him – he’s doing a very good job. I try to push but it’s difficult to make up time.”

Hänninen said: “It was quite okay with very good grip on the stage. I cannot do much better in this one. If he wins, he wins, there’s not much to do but to keep pushing.”

There was more woe for IRC 2WD Cup contender Marty McCormack, whose Citroën DS3 R3T only has first, second and third gears working. He is hoping to rectify the problem at the upcoming 30-minute service halt in Armagh.