Peugeot Academy’s Craig Breen has ended day one of the Kenotek by CID LINES Ypres Rally, round five of the 2015 FIA European Rally Championship, on top of the times sheets in his Peugeot 208 T16 R5. Breen and co-driver Scott Martin hold a slender lead of 4.6 seconds over French driver Bryan Boffier.
It was Dutch driver Kevin Abbring who set the pace on the opening test winning the test by 1.4 seconds over Breen with local driver Kris Princen a further 1.9 seconds behind in third.
Abbring extended had extended his lead to 7.1 seconds by the end of stage three but a puncture on the fourth test dropped him down the order. Breen inherited the lead but he had to contend with a hard charging Boffier who won stages three and four and was now only 7.8 seconds behind in second. Stephane Lefebvre was also on the move and headed into service in third 8.6 seconds off the lead.
Into stage five and Abbring set about his comeback by winning the test by six seconds and moving into second place 4.7 second off Breen. Drama was to follow on stage six when the Dutch driver crashed out spectacularly ending his strong run. Both Abbring and Pieter Tsjoen were both unhurt.
It was Brian Boffier who went on a charge at this point winning the final two stages of the day to end the leg 4.6 seconds off Breen. Lefebvre holds third place.
In ERC2 Tibor Erdi leads class by over 20 seconds. Marijan Griebel leads the way in the ERC Junior series overhauling early leader Aleksander Zawada. Griebel holds a 5.5 seconds lead over championship leader Emil Bergkvist.
