Breen equals best-ever WRC finish after taking second-place at Rally Sweden

PODIUM FINISH: The winners Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, Estonia, center. second placed Craig Breen and James Fulton, Ireland, left, and Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, Belgium, third placed, celebrate on podium after the Swedish Rally, World Rally Championship in Umea. Pic: Micke Fransson/TT News Agency via AP

On his return to Hyundai Motorsport, Craig Breen equalled his best ever WRC result with second place in Rally Sweden where his Cavan co-driver James Fulton secured his maiden WR podium finish. 

There was late drama as the pair, who led until late on Saturday, took a ten second penalty by checking in early to the pre Wolf Power Stage (final stage) control to allow team mate Thierry Neuville slot into second in his bid to secure more championship points. 

Then, unknown to them, Neuville lost time when he slid into a snowbank and they reclaimed the runner-up spot by 1.3 seconds from Neuville as Ott Tanak, on his return to M-Sport, took his Ford Puma Rally1 to an 18.7 second victory.

With a steady rhythm Breen maintained top spot through Saturday morning’s three stages. On the first of the afternoon tests (SS13) the front left tyre delaminated a few kilometres from the stage finish to add to a hybrid issue allowing Tanak cut the deficit to a mere half second.

On the day’s penultimate stage Tanak, who had preserved his tyres for a planned late charge that, based on split times was set to finish around ten seconds ahead of Breen, then witnessed his front left tyre of the Ford Puma delaminate. 

Yet, his performance was enough to propel him 2.3 seconds beyond Breen and into the lead for a second time and on the night’s final stage he stretched his advantage to 8.6 seconds. The hybrid issue continued to affect Breen whose team mate Thierry Neuville, with a better road order, set a string of fast times to move from sixth to third. 

Another of the Hyundai team Esapekka Lappi lost over seven minutes when he became stuck in a snowbank on SS13. Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota GR Yaris) ended the day in fourth, 27.5 seconds off the lead.

Craig Breen of Ireland, and co-driver James Fulton of Ireland steer their Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid during the 2nd stage of the Rally Sweden. Pic: MICKE FRANSSON/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images

On back-to-back runs over the 26.48km Vastervik stage Breen and Tanak traded times before Breen took the time penalty that ultimately didn’t pay off and somewhat surprised at the finish when told of Neuville’s error, he remarked: “That wasn’t the plan, I had no way of knowing. We're happy - it's been an incredible weekend and great to be back at the front again. It was such a horrible black place where I was last year. Don’t let anyone ever put you down because only you know your true potential, the people close to me know it and finally we put it together back out again.” 

There was more Irish success when William Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan (Ford Fiesta Rally3) won the Junior WRC category. They lost the lead when their bonnet flipped up and smashed the windscreen costing them almost a minute during Saturday’s stages but made a magnificent recovery to regain the lead two stages from the end to win the category by six tenths of a second.

Meanwhile, the Rosscarbery/Leap pairing of Brian O’Mahony/Amy Gallwey (Subaru) won the Skibbereen ‘100 Isles’ Navigation Trial, a counting round of the National and Munster Navigation Trial Championships. 

They only dropped one penalty on the 85-mile route that was based in terrain to the north of Leap. Their novice status secured the win after national championship leaders and expert crew Mallow’s Derek Butler and Drinagh’s Denis O’Donovan (Subaru) also finished with a single penalty.

Rally Sweden (Round 2, World Rally Championship) Umea: 1. O. Tanak/M. Jarveoja (Ford Puma Rally1) 2h. 25m. 54.5s; 2. C. Breen/J. Fulton (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+18.7s; 3. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+20s; 4. K. Rovanpera/J. Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+25.1s; 5. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 24.1s; 6. P.L. Loubet/N. Gilsoul (Ford Puma Rally1)+5m. 59.0s; 7. E. Lappi/J. Ferm (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+7m. 42.5s; 8. O. Solberg/E. Edmondson (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+7m. 48.1s; 9. O. Veiby/T. Eriksen (VW Polo GTi R5)+8m. 30.4s;10. S. Pajari/E. Malkonen (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+9m. 03.2s.

Drivers’ Championship (Positions after Round 2): 1. O. Tanak 41pts; 2. K. Rovanpera 38pts, 3. T. Neuville 32pts; 4. E. Evans 29pts; 5. S. Ogier 26pts; 6. C. Breen 19pts; 7. E. Lappi 15pts; 8. T. Katsuta 8pts; 9. P-L Loubet 8pts; 10. D. Sordo 6pts.

Manufacturers’ Championship (Positions after Round 2): 1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 80pts; 2. Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 66pts; M-Sport Ford WRT 51pts.

Skibbereen ‘100 Isles’ Navigation Trial (Rounds of MI National & Munster Navigation Trial Championships) Skibbereen: 1. B. O’Mahony/A. Gallwey (Subaru) 1 penalty; 2. D. Butler/D. O’Donovan (Subaru) 1pen; 3. S. Dalton/R. Treanor (Subaru) 4pens; 4. D. Kelly/O. Sherlock (Subaru) 7pens; 5. O. Murphy/K. Carmody (Subaru) 9pens; 6. J. French/C. French (Subaru) 10pens; 7. P. McDonagh/G. Shinnors (Subaru) 12pens; 8. B. O’Connor/P. O’Leary (Subaru) 13pens; 9. M. Swinburn/G. Swinburn (Subaru) 72pens; 10. K. Lynch/E. Creedon (Toyota Starlet) 90pens