Turkish delight struck the fan
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Leon Botha
Rough stuff
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The second day of the Turkish Rally sent out a serious wake-up call to most of the teams. “Your cars are not unbreakable”.
The second leg was no less eventful than the first leg with a further 12 crews falling prey to the treacherously rough mountainous stages, the attrition rate now exceeding 50%. Although only two of the day’s victims were frontrunners, none of the other leading competitors escaped unaffected with crews dropping minutes rather than seconds.
The drivers that kept their heads, did well and those who had to retain or at least try retain position, simply lost it.
Harri Rovanpera perished in the last stage of the day, after a magnificent but too harsh drive. Tommi Mäkinen’s problems started in Stage 8 and seem to continue. He drove the last stage without power steering, which must have been pure hell, as the stage was rough and difficult to do with power steer, let alone without it.
Carlos Sainz seems to have the rhythm right. He build up so much confidence that he won stage 10 for instance by 25 seconds. His Citroën was also systematically destroyed, but he kept his pace just quick enough to keep the car together.
Freddi Loix also suffered from a blown Turbo and Mäkinen immediately grabbed his position.
Rain is predicted for today, Sunday 2nd March the last day of the very rough and tough event. The question now is can Mäkinen in the Subaru and Markko Martin Ford Focus, benefit from this?
The Peugeot onslaught is led by Richard Burns who I think tried to safe the car as much as possible, although he did post a fastest time in one stage.
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Leon Botha
Richard Burns lying second after day two.
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Two tarmac specialists Panizzi and Rovanpera must have surprised more people than just me as Rovanpera led the rally for most of the way before he fell out, proving that he is able to keep up with and beat the best, while Panizzi is lying in fifth overall position, driving like a gravel champion, never mind a tarmac specialist.
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Leon Botha
Panizzi - surprising friend and foe
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This is what makes this sport so amazing, the top drivers have so much talent, that it is hard to really categorize them. The unpredictability of the rally in itself made predictions difficult before the rally, but these guys are making it impossible.
The last leg has started already while writing this article, 0700hrs Sunday 2 March, when the remaining competitors left Kemer parc ferme for the first service of the day. The shortest leg of the event, a final 84.01 competitive kilometres comprising five stages, with the first test, the short Simena route, starting at 0801hrs. The event will conclude with another run through the 20.30km Kemer test, and the winning car is expected to cross the finish ramp in Kemer at 1523 hours.
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Leon Botha
Kemer - they made provision for scramblers visiting to ramp through the top storey of the bridge.
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Remember we also present you updates on 082 231 2310 after you dial in “3” will get you to the rally update. Press # to go to the latest standings.
The Postions after the second leg:
Sequence: Driven Navigator Car Total time and time behind leader.
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Sainz Marti Citroen Xsar 3h26'49"9 73.6 km/h
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Burns Reid Peugeot 206 3h28'09"4 + 01'19"5
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Duval Prevot Ford Focus W 3h28'33"9 + 01'44"0
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Mcrae Ringer Citroen Xsar 3h29'15"9 + 02'26"0
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Panizzi Panizzi Peugeot 206 3h29'35"0 + 02'45"1
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Gardemeister Lukander Skoda Octavi 3h30'29"6 + 03'39"7
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Martin Park Ford Focus W 3h30'44"2 + 03'54"3
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Makinen Lindstrom Subaru Impre 3h33'50"9 + 07'01"0
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Loix Smeets Hyundai Acce 3h36'55"5 + 10'05"6
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Pykalisto Mertsalmi Peugeot 206 3h38'04"5 + 11'14"6
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Gronholm Rautiainen Peugeot 206 3h38'30"6 + 11'40"7
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Benik Race Ford Focus W 3h47'59"4 + 21'09"5
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Jean Joseph Boyere Renault Clio 3h48'12"7 + 21'22"8
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Ginley Kennedy Ford Focus W 3h50'04"2 + 23'14"3
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Katajamaki Anttila Vw Polo Supe 3h55'12"7 + 28'22"8
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Wilks Pugh Ford Puma Su 3h57'29"2 + 30'39"3
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Carlsson Andersson Suzuki Ignis 3h57'44"9 + 30'55"0
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Canellas Amigo Suzuki Ignis 3h58'40"4 + 31'50"5
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Teuronen Kaapro Suzuki Ignis 3h59'56"6 + 33'06"7
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Girdauskas Shoshas Mitsubishi L 4h02'01"9 + 35'12"0
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