Team MRF’s reigning Asia-Pacific Rally Champion, Gaurav Gill, has won the first round of the 2014 series, New Zealand’s Rally of Whangarei, leading home his team-mate, Jan Kopecky, but just 11.9 seconds.
Gaurav Gill won the Rally of Whangarei for Team MRF.
Driving the Team MRF Skoda Fabia S2000, the 32-year old Indian, with Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall, was 23 seconds from the lead after the opening day, but a determined fight-back on day two gave him victory.
“We’ve come close to winning here before but every year we’ve had some issue, either technical or mechanical,” said Gill, who was runner-up in 2013.
“This time it was the best way to win – to come from the back, especially being down by 23 seconds – it was a massive amount of time to make up in this situation.
“The most important thing is it was a level playing field for Kopecký and I. He is the European champion and I’m the defending (APRC) champion, so it’s a good benchmark for me.
“Plus, we had new stages this rally and I had to push really hard – that’s what makes the win so much more exciting for me and the team.”
Kopecký, from the Czech Republic, is contesting the APRC and all of its events for the first time. His first day performance was remarkable given his unfamiliarity with the stages, however he couldn’t hold off his team-mate’s day two charge.
“We had a really good fight all weekend, so thanks a lot to Gaurav for that because you need to be pushed by an opponent to be able to improve,” Kopecky said.
“I don’t have so much experience at these gravel rallies, and it was the first time for me to compete so far away from home, so we are happy with the result.”
The Rally of Whangarei is one of the championship’s most popular rallies. The event’s 14 special stages are held over some of the most flowing roads in world rallying, yet the loose covering of gravel makes them slippery in dry conditions.
Gaurav Gill.
The Race Torque prepared Skoda Fabias used MRF’s championship-winning gravel tyres to good effect, with both cars finishing over eight minutes clear of the third placed driver, Australian Mark Pedder.
“It’s the perfect start to the season,” Team MRF boss, Lane Heenan, said.
“Gaurav has shown once again why he won the championship last year, with a consistent, measured drive to take the win. His speed on the second day was quite remarkable.
“In Jan we can see why he is the current European Champion. With no knowledge of the event or its stages, he was fast right from the outset and it’s clear that he’s going to push his team-mate all the way in this year’s championship.
“We couldn’t have had a better start to the year, and we’re now preparing and looking forward to the next round.”
The six round Asia-Pacific Rally Championship continues in New Caledonia on May 17 and 18.
Results: VINZ International Rally of Whangarei
1. Gaurav Gill/Glenn Macneall (IND) Skoda Fabia S2000, 2hr11m39.7s
2. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000, +11.9s
3. Mark Pedder/Claire Dowling (AUS) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X, +8m22.6
4. Tom Wilde/Bill Hayes (AUS) Renault Clio CAMS G2, +12m38.8
5. Jun Xu/Sheng Liu (CHN) Skoda Fabia S-2000-R, +12m54.6
6. Michael Young/Erin Kelly (NZL) Proton Satria Neo, +17m53.6
7. Sanjay Takale/Sean Gregory (IND) Subaru Impreza, +22m20.3
8. Takumi Masukawa/Yuya Yamagishi (JPN) Mazda Demio (RJ), +26m14.1
2014 Asia Pacific Rally Championship – driver points after first round (provisional).
1. Gaurav Gill (IND) 38
2. Jan Kopecky (CZE) 31
3. Mark Pedder (AUS) 25
4. Tom Wilde (AUS) 19
5. Jun Xu (CHN) 17
6. Michael Young (NZL) 12
7. Sanjay Takale (IND) 8