MacCrone impresses on rally returnposted in WRC27 | 10 | 2017

    SCOTLAND’S JOHN MACCRONE eased himself into the first day of Wales Rally GB, ticking off the opening three stages — Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren— on the this morning’s loop in his Ford Fiesta R5, prepared by Kelso's Dom Buckley RSC.
 (Related: Local hero Evans leads Wales Rally GB)

    At the lunchtime regroup, he was 29th overall, and 16th in class, despite losing time on the 21.83 miles of Hafren when he caught car on the stage.
 But in the afternoon, John moved up a gear, building on the confidence and speed he’d demonstrated in the morning.


    2-John-and-Car.jpg

    The 28-year-old from Mull was 23.4s faster than his morning time through the 12.60 miles at Myherin: the gap to class leader and stage winner — WRC 2 runner, Swede Pontus Tidemand’s Skoda Fabia R5 — also closed from 34.5s in the morning, to just 18.8s.


    The improvements continued through Sweet Lamb. MacCrone’s time of 3mins 06secs through the 2.63 miles test was exactly 2s faster than in the morning: the gap to stage winner Tidemand came down from 9.6s to 9.4s.


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    In the day’s final stage, the repeat of the longest stage through Hafren, John improved by 2.4s on his morning run, and closed the gap to stage winner — WRC2 runner, Finn Teemu Suninen’s Fiesta R5 — from 36.5s this morning, to 29.9s
J

    ohn heads into Saturday’s nine stages, lying an impressive 12th in class, 19s off the top 10, and 24th overall.

    JOHN’S QUOTES FROM WALES RALLY GB — DAY 1:

    SS7 Hafren 2 (35.14 km)


    85. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5

    
“Aye, it's absolutely brilliant! Great privilege to drive the car here and I'm having a lot of fun and entertaining the crowds.”

    SS6 Sweet Lamb 2 (4.24 km):


    Weather: Sunshine


    85. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5


    “I made the same mistake again and dropped more time so I am annoyed at myself.”

    SS5 Myherin II (20.28 km):


    Weather: Dry and Sunny
Road Conditions: Wet, slippy but drying.
8

    5. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5

    
“I’m taking no risks but as there is a long way to go, Myherin was my least favourite stage on the recce.”

    SS4 Hafren I (35.14 km):


    85. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5

    
“Slippery, we're trying to build the speed, we caught a car in the stage.”

    SS3 Sweet Lamb 1 (4.24 km):


    85. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5


    “I was happy enough but I slid wide on some corners. We're looking at the stages for the first time so should be better this afternoon.”

    SS2 Myherin I (20.28 km):


    Weather: Bright sunshine, mist has cleared, no sign of rain. 
Road Conditions: Still quite wet, but drier than we've seen so far this weekend


    85. John MacCrone (GBR) / Rhianon Gelsomino (AUS) - Ford Fiesta R5

    
“That was good fun! Perhaps a little bit cautious but I'm happy enough. Bedding ourselves in nicely.”

    Related: John MacCrone returns for Wales Rally GB

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    Jim McGill

     

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