Mikkelsen heads dramatic WRC day in Poland

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: June 29, 2024

Andreas Mikkelsen has wound back the clock by surging into the lead at the WRC Rally Poland in a dramatic day highlighted by spectator control issues, a rampant deer, and an explosive rookie drive.

The Norwegian – the 2023 WRC2 champion who opted to return to the top-tier via Hyundai over Ford-MSport in the preseason – found himself heading the pack after a blistering Stage 2 set the tone for his day to lead a WRC rally for the first time since 2019.

On a hot and dusty day where temperatures soared and the humidity rose, stages three and seven were forced to be abandoned due to the lapse of spectator policing, with too many people occupying dangerous viewing points on the roads, a throw back to the older days of the WRC where the crowds precariously packed the roadside.

Evans is only two seconds back in third, and can make a real dent against the championship leaders. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

Mikkelsen ended the day with a slender lead of another part-timer in 2023 WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera, who was a late seat filler due to Sebastian Ogier’s pre-event car crash which saw him stay overnight in hospital.

The Norwegian led Rovanpera by 1.8sec heading into the service park, whilst the third placed Elfyn Evans was well placed to gain on the overall championship lead owing to issues from Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville, sitting third and only two seconds back from the lead.

Tanak led the rally overnight, but an unavoidable encounter with a Deer that jumped over the road in the second stage, with his split second swerving manoeuvre damaging the front of his Hyundai to see him retire.

Whilst Neuville struggled all day with grip on the soft rubber, finishing Friday in seventh place.

Sesks was impressive in his WRC debut driving a Ford Rally1 without the hybrid componentry. Image: WRC

Martin Sesks, driving the non-hybrid Rally1 Ford Puma caused an early shock in his WRC debut, holding second place until midway through the stages until the Latvian dropped to fifth by the final stage.

In a good day for the Ford squad, Adrian Fourmaux holds onto fourth over his non-hybrid teammate, whilst the other full-time oval driver Gregoire Munster holds sixth over Neuville and Takamoto Katsuta.

Tomorrow sees seven planned stages covering 124.1 km, and after Rovanpera’s late charge into second, Mikkelsen will have his hands full, and must rely on his more advanced preparation time if he’s to outpoint the two time champion.

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Mikkelsen heads dramatic WRC day in Poland

Tanak led the rally overnight, but an unavoidable encounter with a Deer that jumped over the road in the second stage, with his split second swerving manoeuvre damaging the front of his Hyundai to see him retire.

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