Deutschland dramas but Brendan still 2nd in WRC Academy Championship

Brendan and Rhianon have finished Rally Germany in 5th place after an 'off' and a puncture on the last stage of the day, the tricky Panzerplatte stage. Trying to avoid one of the notorious 'hinklesteins' on the Arena Panzerplatte, Brendan ran wide to miss it but unfortunately got stuck. With the help of some spectators, the Fiesta was finally able to continue after losing about 15 minutes.  Worse was to come, though, when a puncture just four kilometres from the stage (and rally) end, damaged the front left guard and the Aussie pair were forced to stop and change the tyre and limp home.They still maintain 2nd in the Championship standings.

Here's what Brendan said after the rally:

“The last stage [SS12] was good until about 24 kilometres in! It was a six-right and a five-left wide, but it wasn’t as wide as I thought! We slid towards the ‘Hinkelsteins’ and I turned out because there was a gap and I didn’t want to hit one of them! We went off into the trees and became stuck there for a good fifteen minutes or so.

“We managed to get the car going again, but then we got a puncture. There was only about four and a half kilometres to go so I thought I would take it slow but I just destroyed the guard so we had to change the wheel in the end.

“But we got it back. In the end we have only lost five championship points compared to where we were, but it is still disappointing to end like that!”

Full story to follow.