This weekend on So Miguel Island, Sebastien Loeb is leading the 57th Azores Rallye, which combines the Tour European Rally Series and the Azores Rally Championship. The Frenchman, who drives a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and is piloted by his co-driver Laurene Godey, holds a 15.1-second lead over the opposition after winning four of the first leg’s five special stages.
In the second place, Andreas Mikkelsen, driving a comparable vehicle, posted the fastest time through Grupo Marques but suffered a puncture during the initial special stage. Ole Christian Veiby, also from Norway, is in third place, 36.1 seconds behind the leader, and driving a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Ricardo Moura, who finished fourth, is the finest national driver and the leader in the Azorean championship.
Also in the top 10 are the Czech Erik Cais, the Spanish Nil Solans, and the Azoreans Luis Miguel Rego, Rben Rodrigues, Pedro Camara, and Bruno Amaral. The second phase of the rally organized by Grupo Desportivo Comercial will begin tomorrow with a double transit via Tronqueira, Graminhais, and Ribeira Grande, interspersed with a fresh evolution through Grupo Marques.
