Rovanperä on a charge; suspension woes for Greensmith
Breen continued to press Loubet and challenge for sixth place but the Frenchman edged another 0.6 seconds ahead in the fine drizzle that shrouded the re-run of Cabeceiras de Basto. Greensmith tried to make emergency repairs to his Puma after the incident in SS13, but the suspension was damaged and the Briton retired for the day before the stage.
Katsuta continued to pull away from Sordo and a flying Rovanperä took another nibble into Evans’s lead with the quickest time and headed to Amarante trailing by just 9.9 seconds.
Car 69. ROVANPERÄ/HALTTUNEN
The fastest time enabled the Finn to trim Evans’s lead to 9.9 seconds.
Car 8. TÄNAK/JÄRVEOJA
6.7 seconds slower on his second pass.
Car 18. KATSUTA/JOHNSTON
The hard-pushing Japanese tightened his grip on third place to 6.5 seconds by beating Sordo by 2.4.
Car 44. GREENSMITH/ANDERSSON
Did not start the stage at the allotted time. The team confirmed that the crew were trying to repair
damaged suspension after clipping a banking in SS13.
Car 16. FOURMAUX/CORIA
A good run by the Frenchman and he beat his morning’s run by four seconds.
Car 7. LOUBET/LANDAIS
The Frenchman managed to edge another 0.6 seconds ahead of Breen in the battle for sixth overall.
Car 23. SOLBERG/EDMONDSON
Stopped in SS13 with a broken steering arm. He is trying to make repairs in the stage.
Car 35. ZALDIVAR/DEL BARRIO
Stopped near the end of SS13.