History repeats as WRC contender crashes out

2 years ago 124

Former Rally New Zealand person Craig Breen has bombed retired of contention, crashing astatine the aforesaid country Colin McRae made celebrated 2 decades ago.

The Ford operator came into the 5th signifier of the 17-part lawsuit adjacent 2nd with Toyota's Elfyn Evans, some 2.6 seconds down person Ott Tanak of Hyundai.

Breen had been mounting immoderate of the quickest assemblage splits of immoderate operator connected the Whaanga Coast signifier until helium slid disconnected the roadworthy conscionable 2 kilometres shy of the finish.

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The Irishman tried valiantly to reverse his car retired of a ditch but couldn't find a mode out, adjacent with the assistance of spectators.

Ironically, it was the aforesaid tract of McRae's clang successful the 2002 variation of the rally which was besides down the instrumentality of a Ford.

Breen yet got his car backmost connected the road, finishing the signifier much than 18 minutes down connected the fastest time.

"I cognize it's a celebrated place, I cognize I shouldn't beryllium doing each these mistakes, but it's f------ tough," said a despondent Green earlier plucking a cogwheel and driving off.

It's the 3rd lawsuit successful the past 4 rallies that Breen has blown his chances with a crash.

Ford squad main Richard Millener expressed his frustration.

"Not thing I was expecting to spot astatine all, to beryllium honest," helium said.

"No harm to the car and helium seems to beryllium backmost retired but the harm has been successful the clip lost, unfortunately.

"A existent astonishment to spot Craig disconnected the roadworthy due to the fact that helium looked similar helium was precise relaxed and the times were good.

"We were successful with a existent accidental this weekend. It shows however rapidly that tin disappear."

While Breen laic stranded, Toyota's Sebastien Ogier stormed to the pb of the rally arsenic helium vaulted from 5th to first.

The Frenchman's clip was 8.4 seconds amended than his nearest rival and teammate Evans.

It was Tanak who wounded the astir connected the 2nd walk done Whaanga Coast, going from a 2.6-second vantage to a 7.5-second deficit.

That dropped him to 3rd successful the rally standings portion 2nd placed Evans closed the pb to 1.3 seconds.

"That's good," said Ogier of his rally lead.

"We accidental that's the program to propulsion this afternoon, but this [stage] is lone the archetypal one."

In the second-tier WRC2 division, it's inactive New Zealand's Hayden Paddon who leads successful his Hyundai implicit Kajetan Kajetanowicz of Poland to the tune of 42.7 seconds.

Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen lies 3rd successful class, 1:12.4s distant from the lead.

His 2nd walk done Whaanga Coast was peculiarly impressive. Having been 21.5 seconds slower than Paddon the archetypal time, helium was lone 10.5 distant 2nd clip around.

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