Russian ERC2 driver Dmitry Feofanov now faces a race against time to fix his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X so he’ll be able to enter this weekend’s Rally di Roma Capitale after a high-speed roll during a test the tests earlier this week.
Feofanov crashed near the Italian village of Strangolagalli on Tuesday as he prepared for just his second-ever start on a tarmac rally.
The mechanics from the Latvian team Prospeed had to then move the damaged car away from the nearby official test stage to the rally’s service park at the town of Fiuggi, and are now hoping to make a full repair to the car in the hope to be able to get it finished in-time for the ERC opener this weekend.
Both Feofanov and his co-driver Normunds Kokins were unharmed in the accident, but a shaked Feofanov explained about the crash; “It was very soft, I tried to have a high speed before the one corner and tried to push a bit more but it was too slippery there so that was the reason [why we rolled],”
“It was a left corner after a pretty long straight. I think [we were doing] 140kph, something like this. Until the last second, I thought it would be just stopped but at the very last moment it just rolled. I think the car will be fine [for the rally].”
Earlier this month, the pair attended the Rally Internazionale del Casentino in Italy to gain important mileage on tarmac rallies before entering the Rome-based event this weekend.
“I tried Tarmac for the first time three weeks ago, it was good, I liked it and feel more comfortable now because it’s my second Tarmac rally, I didn’t expect so much fun after gravel but I found it to be really cool so I hope we can show some results and be on the podium. But I don’t like to do these kinds of forecasts, I try to do my best.” Feofanov said.
