ERC Junior U28’s Åhlin suffers mechanical woe in Rome

Exiting one of ACI Roma Arena’s many hairpins, Åhlin spun out of control, smashing through the lightweight barriers marking the course and looped back through the same hairpin once again.

“I think we have a driveshaft problem because the car is rear wheel drive only. We have to and look and see what we can do,” Åhlin told ERC Radio reporter Julian Porter at stage end.

“We can probably make it back to Fiuggi and try and do something in the morning.”

Lightning struck twice in Rome as Italian championship frontrunner Simone Campedelli, who is also competing in ERC this weekend, suffered a near-identical issue, his car’s rear end sliding constantly.

“I broke the driveshaft or rear differential at the fifth hairpin right. I have no chance to fight anymore. It looks like this car is falling down,” he said, referencing engine issues which have plagued his car since Rally San Marino three weeks ago.

Both drivers and their respective teams, CA1 Racing and Orange1 Racing, will have only 15 minutes before Saturday’s stages to repair their cars in morning service.

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