SS9: Neuville shoots into Canarias lead

Thierry Neuville has shot into the lead of Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés following a sensational run through Saturday’s first stage.

Driving a Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super 2000, the Belgian was 6.6s faster than Jan Kopecký through the 23.42-kilometre San Mateo test.

“It’s really good, I pushed really hard and tried to drive very clean,” said the 22-year-old. “The car was working very well, it’s beautiful.”

However, it was defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Juho Hänninen, in the second factory Škoda Fabia, who was fastest of all. It means one second now covers the top three drivers with Freddy Loix 4.1 seconds further back in the overall standings.

“It was good, quite okay rhythm and no mistakes on the whole stage,” said the Finn.

Kopecký, the overnight leader, said he wasn’t happy at the stage end: “The rhythm was changing a lot so it was not so nice in there.”

Guy Wilks moved up from seventh to sixth in his Peugeot UK 207. He is now just 1.1s behind fifth-placed Andreas Mikkelsen.

Standings after SS9: