Indian star Gaurav Gill has described winning the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship* as an “amazing feeling” after he secured the coveted title spoils with second place on China Rally Longyou today (Sunday).
Driving for Team MRF ŠKODA alongside navigator Glenn Macneall, Gill finished runner-up to team-mates Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm in his Fabia Super 2000 following three days of thrilling action. He could have challenged for victory had he not lost some three minutes stopping to change a puncture on stage six. The 31-year-old also completed the final four kilometres of the event in front-wheel drive following a rare propshaft failure caused by the demanding conditions.
India’s Sanjay Takale, the APRC Production Cup champion, finishes third in the final table for Subaru with New Zealander Michael Young claiming an impressive fourth overall. Young is also the winner of the APRC Junior Cup driving a Toyota Vitz.
China Rally Longyou once again lived up to its reputation as one of the most challenging events on the APRC calendar. Based in the Zhejiang province in eastern China, 400 kilometres from Shanghai, the stages use a mixture of gravel and concrete roads. But with rain falling, drivers reported the concrete sections were extremely slippery. They also faced two rock-strewn mountain stages, while brake problems and a spin for Lappi on Saturday morning added to the drama.
More news to follow:
FIA APRC RESULTS (after 13 special stages, 230.92 kilometres):
1 Esapekka Lappi (FIN)/Janne Ferm (FIN) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 3h01m46.9s
2 Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +5m37.4s
FIA APRC Team Trophy: Team MRF ŠKODA
FIA Asia Cup winner: Yuya Sumiyama (JPN)/Naoki Kase (JPN)
FIA APRC Junior Cup: Michael Young (NZL)
FIA APRC Rally Cup 2WD: Michael Young (NZL)/Malcolm Read (NZL)
PROVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS (after 6/6 rounds, full standings at www.fiaaprc.com):
Overall drivers: 1 Gill 145.5pts; 2 Lappi 117; 3 Sanjay Takale 104; 4 Michael Young 92; 5 Hiroshi Asakura 53 Overall co-drivers: 1 Macneall 145.5pts; 2 Ferm 117; 3 Sean Gregory 104; 4 Malcolm Read 64; 5 Takumi Takahashi 30; 6 Daniel Willson 28; 7 Osamu Yoda 23 Manufacturers: 1 ŠKODA 197.5pts; 2 Subaru 145; 3 Mitsubishi 104.5; 4 Toyota 55; 5 PROTON 29; 6 Suzuki 24
ROLL OF HONOUR
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship for Drivers: Gaurav Gill (India)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship for Co-drivers: Glenn Macneall (New Zealand)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Cup for Manufacturers: ŠKODA
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Production Cup for Drivers: Sanjay Takale (India)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Production Cup for Co-drivers: Sean Gregory (Malaysia)
FIA Asia Cup for Drivers: To be decided on the Thailand Rally
FIA Asia Cup for Co-drivers: To be decided on the Thailand Rally
FIA Pacific Cup for Drivers: Simon Knowles (Australia)
FIA Pacific Cup for Co-drivers: Margot Knowles (Australia)
FIA Asia-Pacific Junior Cup for Drivers: Michael Young (New Zealand)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Cup for Drivers – 2WD: Michael Young (New Zealand)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Cup for Co-drivers – 2WD: Malcolm Read (New Zealand)
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Teams’ Trophy: Team MRF ŠKODA
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