Jan Kopecký is likely to be credited with the fastest time on the opening stage of Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia, round five of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
That’s despite Rashid Al-Ketbi clocking a time that was 3.3s faster than the Czech ace in a similar a ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.
An event official suggested the Skydive Dubai Rally Team’s Al-Ketbi inadvertently took an incorrect line through the test and the matter will be considered by the event stewards who could decide to adjust Al-Ketbi’s time around the compact 1.65-kilometre Citta’ Di Palermo stage at the capital’s old airport.
Defending IRC champion Andreas Mikkelsen was 0.6s down on Kopecký in his ŠKODA UK entry. He said: “It was very slippery in one corner so I was a bit out of line and maybe we lost one second there. But there are still 10 more stages to go so it’s no problem.”
Six-time Targa Florio winner Paolo Andreucci was next up in his Peugeot Italia 207 Super 2000. “The stage was dirty and I had to use the clutch a lot on the tight corners, which is not so good,” said the Italian legend.
Craig Breen was next on his one-off outing for the HRT Motorsport Peugeot team, with Matteo Gamba in a similar 207 S2000, and Giandomenico Basso (M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC) close behind. “It was fun but the surface was very dirty, not so easy,” said Basso.
Umberto Scandola spun and stalled his ŠKODA Italia-backed Fabia and was 4.2s adrift of Kopecký as a result.
Crews now head east to the permanent service park in Termini Imerese for a 45-minute halt. Friday’s action gets underway with the 13.60-kilometre Targa stage at 08:35hrs local time. The stage contains sections of the famous Targa Florio road racing circuit.
| Pos. | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Al-Ketbi R. - Al-Kendi K. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 1m36.5s |
| 2. | Kopecký J. - Dresler P. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +3.3 |
| 3. | Mikkelsen A. - Floene O. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +3.9 |
| 4. | Andreucci P. - Andreussi A. | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +4.0 |
| 5. | Breen C. - Roberts G. | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +4.4 |
| 6. | Basso G. - Dotta M. | Ford Fiesta RRC | +5.7 |
| 7. | Wiegand S. - Gottschalk T. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +6.0 |
| 8. | Perico A. - Carrara F. | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +6.2 |
| 9. | Gamba M. - Inglesi E. | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +6.2 |
| 10. | Scandola U. - D’Amore G. | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +7.5 |
| 11. | Runfola M. - Lo Neri G. | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +9.0 |
| 12. | Campedelli S. - Fappani D. | Citroen DS3 R3T | +9.1 |
| 13. | Tempestini M. - Pulpea D. | Subaru Impreza STi R4 | +11.7 |
| 14. | Consani R. - Klinger N. | Renault Megane RS | +11.8 |
| 15. | Nucita A. - Princiotto G. | Citroen C2 | +12.4 |
| 16. | Kangur M. - Kütt S. | Honda Civic Type-R R3 | +13.7 |
| 17. | Bosca A. - Aresca R. | Renault Twingo R2 | +14.1 |
| 18. | Pellitteri N. - Grassadonio G. | Renault Clio RS Light | +15.1 |
| 19. | Cunial G. - Menegazzo M. | Citroen C2 R2 | +15.4 |
| 20. | Carella A. - Riolfo I. | Renault Twingo R2 | +15.6 |