Local hero Freddy Loix has won his sixth Ypres Rally by 21.4 secs to team-mate Jan Kopecky with another local driver Theirry Neuville third. Finishing the top six was Belgian Bernd Casier, Andreas Mikkelsen and Bruno Magalhaes. The latter benefiting from another Ypres legend Patrick Snijers retiring on the final stage with engine failure.
Missing from the Top 10, or even the Top 50 were Kris Meeke and Juho Hanninen. Meeke fought with Loix at the top of the standings until the Irishman rolled his Peugeot on SS8 rather spectacularly. Hanninen binned his Skoda late on Friday, but still holds the lead in the Drivers Championship.
“It was a mistake with the pacenote. We turned in a little too early and ran out of room on the exit of the corner. When you’re pushing like we were that kind of thing can happen.” noted Meeke.
This accident marks Meeke's third rally-ending crash and his fourth retirement this year.
Young local Theirry Neuville finished on the bottom step of the podium, claiming his podium on only his third IRC start. Neuville's podium brightened up things at Peugeot after Meeke and Belgian National Championship leader Peter Tsjoen both crashed out.
Kevin Abbring won the IRC 2WD class in his Renault Cilo R3 with Frenchman Pierre Campana, now leading the 2WD Series in his Renault Cilo R3.
Talented young Irishman Martin McCormack finished 21st o/a in his Citroen C2 R2 Max. McCormack also finished second in the Citroens.
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