Breen forced to retire as Cronin climbs to 11th overall

Craig Breen’s barren run in the European Rally Championship continued yesterday on the opening leg of the final round, the Tour de Corse, when the Waterford driver retired his Peugeot 208 T16 on the day’s penultimate stage-

Meanwhile, there was better news for the other Irish driver, Cork’s Keith Cronin in the JRM prepared Subaru, who leads the Production Cup category and is 11th overall.

Entering today’s final five stages Stephane Sarrazin in a Ford Fiesta Regional Rally Car is just 1.7 seconds in front of the similar car of Bryan Bouffier. Although series leader Esapekka Lappi (Skoda Fabia S2000) crashed out on the fifth stage he has won the series as his only rival Sepp Wiegand crashed his Skoda Fabia in pre-rally testing.

Breen was in third and 12 seconds off the lead until he lost over a minute on the third stage with differential troubles and dropped well over a minute before eventually retiring on S.S. 5. He may re-start today under Rally2.

Cronin – competing in a Group N car for the first time in two years was quick to adjust to his surroundings – fifth quickest on the opening stage he went on to punch in three fastest stage times within the category where he is 33.2 seconds ahead of the Mitsubishi of Thiery Mattei.