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Skydive Dubai Rally Team driver Rashid Al-Ketbi and German co-driver Karina Hepperle were just outside the top 10 in the WRC 2 category after the first run through the Silves special stage of the 2014 Vodafone Rally of Portugal yesterday. |
The Dubai-based Ford Fiesta R5 driver had begun his 2014 challenge for honours on Thursday evening’s super special stage before the action switched to the muddy and twisty gravel trails of southern Portugal.
WRC champion Sébastien Ogier of France held a 1.9-sec advantage over Estonian driver Ott Tanak after the early exchanges yesterday. Ogier’s Volkswagen team mate Jari-Matti Latvala was fifth with Spaniard Dani Sordo and Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen in third and fourth. Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi was classified in 19th overall.
AL-ATTIYAH QUICKEST
Despite low oil pressure and a minor turbo issue, Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah led the WRC 2 category by 3.8 seconds after the second stage, courtesy of the quickest time through the Silves stage. Finland’s Jari Ketomaa held second position and Sweden’s Pontus Tidemand was third. WRC 2 championship leader Yuriy Protasov was running close behind.
“I had no intention taking any risks on the early stages,” said Al-Ketbi. “This is my first event since Dubai last December and my first in the WRC since Spain last year, so I wanted to settle in safely and not make any mistakes.
“It will not be easy to achieve a podium finish this weekend. This is probably the strongest entry of the year in the WRC and many of the drivers have been competing regularly every week.”
The opening 3.27km stage on Thursday evening took place at Praco do Imperio close to the Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before the route ventured south towards the Algarve for the next three days.
Ogier set the quickest time of 2min 52.7sec and beat his team mate and birthday boy Jari-Matti Latvala by 2.7sec. Ukraine’s Yuriy Protasov and Portugal’s Bernardo Sousa tied for the lead in the WRC 2 category. Al-Ketbi started cautiously in 14th overall.
The event reaches a conclusion at the Algarve stadium tomorrow afternoon after a total of 16 timed tests.