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Paddon makes a clean sweep in Alba, TER – Tour European Rally Round 4
25.06.2022
Lefebvre and Andreucci trade places and seconds in a great battle for silver.
The fourth round of the 2022 TER – Tour European Rally is witnessing great sporting action in the beautiful landscape of the Langhe Roero Monferrato region, UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard were fastest in all of the morning’s stages. The Hyundai i20 crew mastered the changing grip conditions, nibbling away seconds to close the morning loop with a 12 second advantage over Stéphane Lefebvre, codriven by Andy Malfoy.
The pair made the most of their Citroën C3 Rally2, and despite a lack of power was second fastest on the fifth stage, only 0.2” behind Paddon. This allowed them to snatch second place from the Škoda Fabia Rally 2 of Paolo Andreucci and Rudy Briani.
The multiple Italian Champion has been in a close fight with Lefebvre all morning, climbing into second after the day’s opening stage and holding onto the position until the final stage of the loop. The 1.8” that divide the two crews show there will still be a lot to fight for in the afternoon.
Jonathan Michellod and Stéphane Fellay, winners of Rallye du Chablais with a Škoda Fabia Rally 2, climbed into fourth with a great time in the second stage, and are fighting with the Volkswagen Polo of Ivan Ballinari with new codriver Elena Giovenale, following at only 3.3”.
Another Škoda Fabia Rally 2, driven by Alberto Dall’Era and Luca Beltrame is sixth, in yet another close battle with the Citroën C3 of 2021 Swiss Champion Mike Coppens, codriven by Renaud Jamoul, only 4.8” behind. Massimo Marasso and Luca Pieri’s Škoda Fabia Rally 2 is eighth, after losing time on stage 3.
In the TER Junior category, Sacha Althaus and Lisiane Zbinden (Renault Clio Rally 4) were fastest on the day’s opener, taking the lead ahead of the Peugeot 208 Rally 4 of rallying novice Yohan Surroca, codriven by Gilbert Balet. Mexican 2021 NACAM Junior Champions Patrice and Nicolas Spitalier (Renault Clio Rally 5), fastest on the opening test, are in third place ahead of the sister car of Yoann Loeffler with Mathieu Coppa.
Thibault Maret and Kevin Bronner’s Peugeot 208 Rally 4 retired in the day’s opener, while Guillaume Girolamo and Benjamin Betrisey’s maiden event on a Ford Fiesta R5 came to an early end in SS 3.
