DATE: June 1 2024 FLASH N° 8

DAY: 2

STAGE: SS 8 “Tula-Erula 2” STAGE LENGTH 22,61  KM

WEATHER: Sunny

ROAD CONDITIONS: Dry

Car #27 A. Fourmaux - A.Coria (Ford Puma Rally1): ”I lost the front brakes. I can only break with the handbrake. It is definitely not our rally this year but we continue”

Car #13 G. Munster - L. Louka (Ford Puma Rally1): “I was losing the brakes as well near the end. Happy to be through. It is such difficult stage, it is very narrow but we can attack a bit more than the one before. There is much more risk with the outside rocks and something”

Car #33 E. Evans - S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): does not speak [left rear tyre off the rim]

Car #11 T. Neuville - M.Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): [stopped 15.5km in]

Car #18 T. Katsuta - A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): ”It is very very rough. It is not easy to keep the same rhythm as the first pass because it is so rough and the lines are very different. It is tough. I do not like it”.

Car #6 D. Sordo - C. Carrera (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): “I saw Thierry and I was really disappointed. Honestly, it is sad. I did not want to take this amount of risks. Very tricky stage. For some km then I was thinking too much”.

Car #8 O. Tänak - M. Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): “[Seeing Thierry]For sure it is disturbing. Terrible stage, like driving without power-steering. The car is so difficult to drive, so difficult job. I am quite exhausted at the moment, sorry”.

Car #17 S. Ogier - V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): “It has been a tough loop and I have never seen this stage so rough. It is incredible. I am happy we are through. I hope the stages this afternoon will not be so rough”. [left rear off the rim]

DATE: June 1 2024 FLASH N° 6

DAY: 2

STAGE: SS 6  “Tula -Erula 1” STAGE LENGTH: 22,61 KM

WEATHER: Sunny

ROAD CONDITIONS: Dry

Car #27 A. Fourmaux - A.Coria (Ford Puma Rally1) ”Well, I am just trying to be driving and enjoying and driving fast. Learning how to open the road. Hopefully, it will happen in my career later on. It is still a good practice but it is really not easy. I remember in the previous stage, with rally2 I was making faster times than rally 1 but now I understand”.

Car #13 G. Munster - L. Louka (Ford Puma Rally1): "This one I know a bit better than the first one. It is very technical. We needed to do a change with the setup because we had an unexpected wear on a mechanical part yesterday and I am not so happy with it”.

Car #33 E. Evans - S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): "Terrible feeling. I just have no grip on these narrow parts at all. I do not know. I tried but I just cannot seem to be clean in it”.

Car #11 T. Neuville - M.Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): "I had a good stage to be honest. The car was working well and I felt comfortable. I had a good stage, but it was much more abrasive than expected. There is a lot of loose but it is quite abrasive underneath. At the end, I had to slow down a bit because of the tyres. I did not have the same bite anymore and they were just overheating”.

Car #18 T. Katsuta - A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1):”It is difficult. I was not pushing a lot, but I cannot go any faster. It would be a huge risk. I am not so comfortable now”.

Car #6 D. Sordo - C. Carrera (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): “[why the time is not coming?]I do not have an explanation. I would like to help you and me to understand but no way”.

Car #8 O. Tänak - M. Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1): “I did what I did. I am here like I am. I tried, I was a little bit careful in the rough places because of the bonnet. I did not want to break it again, but otherwise we had a clean stage”.

Car #17 S. Ogier - V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): "A tough start of the day with a puncture. We tried to fix it but we are not 100% sure we can use it. It is a shame, I was just on the line and I did not feel anything but the wheel is a little bit bent on the inside and it is leaking. I did everything I could… a big fight [with Ott]".

Car #25 S. Pajari - E. Mälkönen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2): “In one corner I made the note without a haybale on the outside. We were not hitting the tree, but the haybale was there... no drama”.

Car #40 P.L. Loubet - L. Pascaud (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2): “Already very demanding for the car. Sometimes you can be a bit faster but I do not know if the car resists or not. So we try to manage. Sami is driving very well”.

Car #31 J. Solans - R. Sanjuan (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2): “You just start to think which way is faster. Sometimes you push more and you create a rut. I tried to be smart and tried different styles and see which one is better. It looks OK but we need to keep pushing”.  

Car #27 G. Linnmäe - J. Morgan (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2): “Completely my own mistake. There was a blind crest and I just went in a bit too early and hit a stone. My fault. Not the best [the wheel change]. We should have had more practice in Portugal”.