New Zealand APRC: Kreim heads Gill in Team MRF 1-2 after Day 1
Fabian Kreim headed teammate Gaurav Gill at the end of the opening day of Rally Whangarei, in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.
Fabian Kreim and Frank Christian, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF
APRC
The duo driving the new Skoda R5 took the lead of the rally, after two short super special stage, held on Friday.
Debutant Kreim (with Frank Christian) ended 1.2s ahead of the experienced Gill (with Glen Macneall), after the Indian was held up due to a stalled Mike Young, in the first stage, where the 2013 champion, lost time.
The German, at the end of the 1.45km long first stage, clocked a time of 54.3s, having an advantage of 2.4s over Gill.
But the Delhi-based driver bounced back in the second stage, to go faster with a time of 49.9s to Kreim's 51.1s, to truncate the lead of his teammate, to half.
The result, could however change, giving Gill the advantage, as the incident between the Indian and Young is under investigation.
“During the first run, we were stopped as Mike Young who had started before us, was stranded on a right-hander," said Gill.
"As soon as we stopped, we were asked to proceed. That cost us time. We will be the first car out and so, will be sweeping the Stages."
Finishing third was Team Peddars' Scott Pedder (with Dale Moscatt) driving the Subaru Impreza, a full six seconds off, from the leader.
India's Sanjay Takale, upon his fulltime return to APRC, finished fourth in his Subaru, 11.8s off Kreim, as teammate Young couldn't get going due to electrical issue, hoping to be back on Day 2.
Earlier, Gill had topped the morning shakedown with Kreim second, while Young finished third.
Saturday will see further eight stages, with the final day having six more stages, to round up the event.
Day 1 standings:
Pos | Driver | Car | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Fabian Kreim Frank Christian |
Skoda | 1m45.04s |
2 |
Gaurav Gill Glenn Macneall |
Skoda | 1.2s |
3 |
Scott Pedder Dale Moscatt |
Subaru | 6.0s |
4 |
Sanjay Takale Noriko Takeshita |
Subaru | 11.8s |
5 |
Fuyuhiko Takahashi Shigery Ikeda |
Subaru | 16.3s |
6 |
Makoto Kawahara Osamu Ikeda |
Mitsubishi | 19.5s |
7 |
Tatsuo Koizumi Takumi Takahashi |
Subaru | 23.4s |
8 |
Mike Young Malcolm Read |
Subaru | 13m58.8s |
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