Josh McErlean sits in ninth after mixed second leg of Central European Rally

While Neuville and Rovanpera won the morning's earlier stages with the latter trimming team mate Ogier's lead to just 0.6s, the eight times World champion revelled on the Col de Jan test
Josh McErlean sits in ninth after mixed second leg of Central European Rally

Josh McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy slide their Ford Puma Rally1 through a corner during the Central European Rally. Picture: Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool

With fractions of a second proving vital, Sebastien Ogier is a mere six tenths of a second ahead of team mate Kalle Rovanpera after the six stages of the second leg in the Central European Rally. 

Welsh ace Elfyn Evans is 28.9s further behind in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 lock-out of the top three positions. The Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) are ninth overall.

Using all his experience Ogier controlled matters on the three stage loop that spanned Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The day's third stage, a 23.37km trek of the Col de Jan test in the Czech Republic, was rated as being the toughest of the entire rally and it lived up to those expectations. 

While Neuville and Rovanpera won the morning's earlier stages with the latter trimming team mate Ogier's lead to just 0.6s, the eight times World champion revelled on the Col de Jan test.

With a virtuoso performance, Ogier went through 3.3s better than his rivals, the nearest being Rovanpera, to lead by 3.9s. “We all knew SS5 would be one of the biggest challenges of the weekend. I landed a bit in the ditch on one (jump) but we made it through.”

French driver Sebastien Ogier is currently in the lead. File picture: Valery Hache/Getty
French driver Sebastien Ogier is currently in the lead. File picture: Valery Hache/Getty

Rovanpera admitted he could have been more brave in the forest. Although Tanak moved into third he described his Hyundai being as "soft like a boat." His team mate Neuville, who made a promising start, collected a rear-right puncture after a heavy landing on the stage and dropped to eighth. 

After incurring a five-second penalty overnight for clipping a haybale chicane on the opening stage on Thursday, Elfyn Evans moved into fourth ahead of team mate Takamoto Katsuta and Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux.

McErlean moved up a place - but at the expense of team mate Grégoire Munster, who was forced to retire his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 with broken rear suspension after he too fell victim to the same jump that caught Neuville. 

McErlean, who was advised of situation prior to the start, had his own misfortune later in the stage, damaging the steering following an impact.

On the repeat loop, Rovanpera narrowed the deficit to 0.3s ahead of the night's final stage only for Ogier to gain a similar margin as Evans was quickest to move 3.3s ahead of Tanak. 

McErlean was ninth. "It was hard to pick the braking points, there was so much to learn from today." 

Eamon Boland/MJ Morrissey (Ford Fiesta Rally2) are tenth in the RC2 category. There are six stages on Saturday and four on Sunday.

Central European Rally (Round 12, World Rally Championship) Passau (Positions after Leg2): 1. S Ogier/V Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1): 1h. 03m. 29.8s; 2. K RovanperÀ/J Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+0.6s. 3. E Evans/S Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+29.5s. 4. O Tanak/M Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+32.8s; 5. T Katsuta/A Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+35.7s; 6. A Fourmaux/A Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+46.1s; 7. S Pajari/M Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+56.0s; 8. T Neuville/M Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+1m. 55.8s; 9. J McErlean/E Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1)+2m. 50.2s; 10. O Solberg/E Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+3m. 37.6s.

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