It’s advantage Prokop in P-WRC

With less than two seconds separating the top two Production Car World Rally Championship runners, the watching world was looking forward to a classic battle between Mirco Baldacci and Martin Prokop through the two Te Akau stages this afternoon. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.

The bad luck which has dogged Baldacci since his switch to the P-WRC in 2006 continued with a broken gearbox this afternoon, leaving Martin Prokop with a lead of more than a minute ahead of the final day.

Prokop said: "It’s a shame for Mirco, it was a very good fight. This is the way it goes sometimes. The stages this afternoon were really fast in places. I enjoyed them, but it’s still quite hard to judge how quick we can go. This is the first time I have driven these kind of stages in this car."

Behind Prokop, after Te Akau South, was 17-year-old Russian, Evgeniy Novikov. Unfortunately, Novikov’s hopes of a second place on his first visit to Rally New Zealand were about to be dashed with a repeat of the transmission troubles which had stuck his Lancer in the morning. This time, though, the problems were severe enough for him to end his Saturday on the back of a tow truck back into Hamilton.

P-WRC regulars Patrik Sandell and Martin Rauam, both in Mitsubishis, passed local Kiwi hero Hayden Paddon in the first of the Te Akau stages and then moved up to second and third respectively when Novikov went out.

Sandell was delighted with his day’s work, having climbed from eighth to second in six stages. "What a day!" exclaimed the former Junior World Rally Champion. "I’ve really found my rhythm today. It’s been very good for me. We’ve had no problems, except for a heavy landing after flying a little further than expected over one jump this afternoon."

Estonian Rauam was only 14.7 seconds behind Sandell and was determined to hustle him for second through Sunday. "I didn't change anything on the car today," said Rauam. "Just my mind. Finally, I was able to find some rhythm. Now I need to carry that on into the final day."

Paddon ended the day 6.1 seconds down on Rauam, but admitted his thoughts and priorities were elsewhere. "I’m thinking about the New Zealand Championship points - and the fact that the car’s got to be on the boat going to Malaysia for the Asia-Pacific Round in a few days..."

Stewart Taylor was second Kiwi in the P-WRC standings, holding a comfortable fifth ahead of Jari Ketomaa, who was still recovering from his morning roll in sixth.

- www.wrc.com  - more photos on automobilsport.com under PHOTOS - WRC Rallyes