Second BRC win for Swedish star Ahlin

Swedish Skoda Fabia R5 driver, Fredric Ahlin, followed his victory on the opening round of the British Rally Championship by winning the second round, the Pirelli International Rally.  

Ahlin (pictured)  took the lead halfway through the first day when the leader, Hyundai driver Tom Cave, withdrew after the team were worried about suspension problems, and he finished 39 seconds ahead of non-championship driver Osian Pryce.  

David Bogie had a slow start because of brake troubles but recovered to come fourth, behind Martin McCormack.  

The Junior category saw four different leaders on this eight-stage event, with Peugeot 208 R2 driver William Creighton taking the lead on the final stage by 0.4 seconds.  

The Pirelli Rally traditionally uses the Kielder forests close to the border with Scotland.  Eyvind Brynildsen was forced to miss stages with a broken brake pipe on the first stage of the rally, and Keith Cronin and Dessi Henry both retired when they went off the road.
 
- Martin Holmes  

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