Craig Breen leads the Circuit of Ireland at the end of day one on his return to the FIA European Rally Championship and is on course for back-to-back victories on the event.
Using an R5 version of the Michelin-equipped Citroën DS3, he’s campaigning in the World Rally Championship this year following his successful three-year stint in the ERC.
Breen moved into the rally lead on SS3 as he set a stunning time on the longest stage, the 31.21 kilometres of The Glens. Grinning from ear to ear at the stop line, Breen described the stage as “the best bit of tarmac in the world”.
Breen’s pace-setting time on SS3 coincided with the demise of early leader Elfyn Evans.
Running first on the road for his ERC debut after topping yesterday’s Qualifying Stage, Evans seemed to be continuing his winning start to 2016 by leading the opening two stages before being forced out by an overheating engine on his Ford Fiesta R5 due to a mechanical failure.
Prior to SS3, Breen had only 0.9 seconds in hand over his 2015 ERC rival Kajetan Kajetanowicz after a strong start from the defending champion.
However, in his element on The Glens, the Irishman was able to open a 25-second lead thanks also to an inspired tyre choice, even though Kajetanowicz was the next quickest driver through the stage.
Breen won the two tests that followed in the afternoon to stretch his margin to 36.1s, only to drop 11s relative to his rival with a spin on the evening street stage in Newtownards.
Alastair Fisher has always had the speed to run with the best on his home event, but had only managed a combined six stages on his previous two starts. This time he’s matched that distance with no dramas and is just 2.5s behind fellow Fiesta R5 driver Kajetanowicz after winning SS6.
Fredrik Åhlin began the rally in cautious mood on his first start on asphalt since 2012, but he quickly got up to speed and climbed from 10th to fourth on SS3, which he compared to Finland’s famous Ouninpohja stage.
He was later second-quickest to Breen on SS5 despite complaining of a lack of confidence in his tyre choice, but lost half a minute and three positions when he hit a kerb in Newtownards, damaging the right-rear corner of his car.
Driving an older Super 2000-rules ŠKODA Fabia, McCormack is now up to fourth overall ahead of ERC regular Jaromír Tarabus, who has enjoyed the first day of his 2016 campaign, sitting fifth after a trio of top-five stage-times in the afternoon.
His fellow Fabia R5 driver David Bogie also raised his speed in the afternoon as he moves on from the Free Practice spin that forced out of the Qualifying Stage, and the former British champion sits eighth between brothers Josh and Sam Moffett.
Local man Jonny Greer is 10th in front of Tom Cave and Joseph McGonigle.
Robert Consani’s bad fortune failed to improve after his car issues in the Canary Islands and damage sustained in the Qualifying Stage, and the Frenchman, co-driven by reigning WRC3 champion Renaud Jamoul for the first time, was forced out by a broken driveshaft on his Citroën after the first stage.
Fellow DS3 R5 driver Keith Cronin’s chances also ended on SS1 when an off led to an overheating engine. Federico Della Casa and Neil Simpson were casualties of the very challenging SS3, going off the road at similar points in the stage.
