Patrik Flodin’s hopes of a podium finish on Rally San Marino, round seven of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, are over after the Swede was forced to retire following Friday’s opening stage.
Flodin, in a Petter Solberg Engineering M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, stopped on the road section heading to stage two with an overheating engine caused by a water leak.
His team manager, Graham Clayton, said: “It’s a problem with the engine and he’s had to stop. It’s really disappointing because Hankook and the team had really high hopes for him on a surface that he’s very specialised on. He was really looking forward to this event and felt happy with the car, the set-up and the tyres.”