Breen has breathing space

Irish pair Craig Breen and Paul Nagle put in a strong drive in the S-WRC category of Rally GB as their title rivals hit trouble during yesterday’s opening leg of six stages.

Hayden Paddon in his Skoda Fabia was quickest on the opening test, 4.4 seconds faster than PG Anderson, with Breen, in a Ford Fiesta S2000, 7.1secs off top spot.

Breen then moved into the lead on the second stage, 8.8secs ahead of Tyrone’s Alastair Fisher.

Andersson lost 45 seconds to the Waterford driver and then his title hopes suffered a major blow when he ripped a wheel off his Proton Satria-Neo on the third test, where Fisher retired his Fiesta with a broken front suspension.

However, both drivers are planning to re-join under the Rally2 rule.

Breen was quickest on the remaining stages and leads Saudi Arabian Yazeed Al Rajhi by 1:14, with Welsh driver Tom Cave (Proton) 2:30 adrift.

“It’s been a great day, we started cautiously and then went on to set five fastest stage times,” Breen said.

“In terms of the championship it’s been good with Hayden and PG having problems, I’m now in a position that I can pace myself tomorrow and Sunday.”