Consistent and flawless performance by Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak during the first leg of Rally Italia Sardegna 2020. The LOTOS Rally Team crew maintained good pace at the forefront of their category, just a few seconds behind top-three position. After six special stages the Poles hold fifth position in the WRC-3 standings, ahead of all factory crews!
The pace of the competitors in the largest WRC-3 field is impressive. The best crews of the world fight for another points in the championship standings. Today’s leg of Rally Italia Sardegna featured almost 93 competitive kilometres and presented a huge challenge. The Polish duo encountered many stones on the road, fortunately managing to avoid them. In this tough battle on narrow and bumpy gravel roads it was very easy to make a mistake, which could cause significant time loss or even retirement. However, Kajetanowicz and Szczepaniak maintained good pace and steered clear of problems on the stages.
– We have completed the first day of Rally Italia Sardegna, with some positive conclusions. We have a good starting position for the next leg. Today it was not easy to judge grip levels on the stages and my tyre choice was not always perfect. I will try to improve. We will push, we will attack and we will enjoy driving – just as we have done it before
– said Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the LOTOS Rally Team driver.
Saturday marks the longest leg of the rally. The day starts with a set of two stages, with two runs: first the longest stage of the rally, SS7/9 Monte Lerno (22.08 kms, at 7:37 and 10:07) and then SS8/10 Coiluna – Loelle (15.00 kms, at 8:38 and 11:08). These four stages will be followed by another service break and re-run of Friday’s second loop: SS11 Sedini – Castelsardo (14.72 kms, at 16:08) and SS12 Tergu – Osilo (12.81 kms, at 17:02). Saturday comes to an end with usual 45-minutes service break.
The final leg runs on Sunday, on just over 40 competitive kilometres: SS13/15 Cala Flumini (14.06 kms, at 8:15 and 10:10) and SS14/16 Sassari – Argentiera (6.89 kms, at 9:08 and 12:18) – with the second run contested as the Power Stage. The rally ends around 13:00.
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by strategic partner of the LOTOS Rally Team – Grupa LOTOS – as well as Delphi Technologies, Driving Experience and Pirelli.
Rally Italia Sardegna 2020 – unofficial WRC-3 results after SS6:
- Solberg/Johnston (Sweden/Ireland, Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) 1:15:42.1
- Rossel/Fulcrand (France, Citroën C3 R5) +6.4 s
- Ciamin/Roche (France, Citroën C3 R5) +23.4 s
- Huttunen/Lukka (Finland, Hyundai i20 R5) +30.9 s
- Kajetanowicz/Szczepaniak (Poland, Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) +43.4 s
- Scandola/D’Amore (Italy, Hyundai i20 R5) +1:24.9 s
- Bulacia Wilkinson/Der Ohannesian (Bolivia/Argentina, Citroën C3 R5) +2:21.9 s
- Johnston/Kihurani (USA, Citroën C3 R5) +2:34.2 s
- Camilli/Buresi (France, Citroën C3 R5) +2:46.0 s
- Heller/Martí (Chile/Spain, Ford Fiesta Rally2) +3:36.9 s
