Andreas Mikkelsen has set a staggering pace to go fastest on Saturday’s opening stage, the 18.95-kilometre Opolznevoje run.
Driving a Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, Norwegian Mikkelsen actually suggested he lost time with a moment towards the end of the stage, which he completed 6.7s faster than factory Fabia driver Jan Kopecký.
As a result Mikkelsen has narrowed the gap to third-placed Kopecký in the overall standings to 18.9s with five stages remaining.
Out front, Juho Hänninen has increased his margin to Peugeot France’s Bryan Bouffier, despite reporting that he was not entirely happy with his performance through the stage.
“I was a little bit sleeping, it was not a perfect start and the last downhill was quite slippery,” said Hänninen. “They have been cleaning the road during the night but now you have the dust and no clean line.”
Bouffier, meanwhile, said his 207 S2000 was sliding too much.
Kronos Racing drivers Thierry Neuville and Guy Wilks opted for the medium compound Michelin tyre compared to the hard compound version chosen by the bulk of his rivals.
Giandomenico Basso didn’t start the stage following the mechanical troubles experienced on Friday. However, his PROTON Motorsports team-mate Oleksandr Saliuk Sr is still going under SupeRally regulations.
Overall positions after SS9:
| Pos. | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hänninen Juho / Markkula Mikko | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 1h48m16.9s |
| 2 | Bouffier Bryan / Panseri Xavier | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +14.9s |
| 3 | Kopecký Jan / Starý Petr | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m02.8s |
| 4 | Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m21.7s |
| 5 | Wilks Guy / Pugh Phil | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +2m52.8s |
| 6 | Neuville Thierry / Gilsoul Nicolas | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +5m11.9s |
| 7 | Gardemeister Toni / Suominen Tapio | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +5m53.2s |
| 8 | Kruuda Karl / Järveoja Martin | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +7m34.1s |
| 9 | Tempestini Marko / Pulpea Dorin | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +8m10.1s |
| 10 | Raoux Jean-Michel / Magat Laurent | Renault Clio R3 | +13m40.0s |
| 11 | Sandell Patrik / Parmander Staffan | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +13m49.6s |
| 12 | Cosma Vlad / Dorca Florin | Citroën C2 R2 Max | +15m06.5s |
| 13 | Chmykh Mykola / Vilchynskyy Oleksandr | Subaru Impreza Sti | +15m16.4s |
| 14 | Tamrazov Oleksii / German Ivan | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +15m24.3s |
| 15 | Bidzinashvili Archil / Arjevanidze Georgi | Honda Civic Type R | +17m12.8s |