Azores Rallye

Sébastien Loeb leads Azores Rallye after the opening loop

31.03.2023

The Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 is the car to beat in 2023 TER Series Round 2

 

Sporting action has begun for the Azores Rally crews. The first leader over the challenging gravel roads of the São Miguel island is French 9-time World Champion Sébastien Loeb: at his first time both on the Portuguese event and behind the wheel of a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, partnered by Laurène Godey, Loeb was fastest on both of the opening loop’s stages.

 

Toksport WRT team mate, WRC2 and ERC Champion Andreas Mikkelsen codriven by Torstein Eriksen, lost a few seconds due to a puncture in the opening stage, setting third fastest, but recovered in the second test to overtake fellow Norwegians Ole Christian Veiby and Stig Rune Skjærmoen, who are third and complete a Fabia RS 1-2-3.

 

The 2017 Junior and WRC3 World Champion, Spain’s Nil Solans with Marc Marti, is a steady fourth with less than one second over local heroes Ricardo Moura and Antonio Costa, returning to the Series after a few years. Another TER returnee is Czech Erik Cais, codriven by Petr Těšínský, in sixth place only 2 seconds behind Moura.