Juho Hänninen’s cautious run through the Lille-Eurométropole stage in France didn’t proved costly after he was able to extend his lead of the Geko Ypres Rally to 29.7s over Freddy Loix.
Driving a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, Hänninen was 2.8s quicker than Loix, in a Peugeot 207 S2000, through the 8.47-kilometre stage.
“I was too careful in the first part, I was a bit afraid after the recce and wasn’t happy with my pacenotes,” said the Finn.
Pieter Tsjoen was third quickest and maintains a comfortable advantage in his bid to secure the final podium place for ŠKODA Belgium.
Sweden’s Patrik Flodin said he was braking too early for the corners in his Petter Solberg Engineering M-Sport Ford Fiesta.
Next up for the crews is the 1.88-kilometre Show Wasquehal street stage, which gets underway at 15:18hrs local time.