Azores Airlines Rallye’s second Saturday morning stage has been delayed by a crash for FIA European Rally Championship Under 28 competitor Frank Tore Larsen, his Ford Fiesta R5 blocking the stage.
Larsen was running as third car through the 21.99 kilometre Tronqueira stage, but ran wide and hit a bank, bouncing back into the stage at 90 degrees to the road and blocking the stage. Both Larsen and co-driver Torstein Eriksen were reported as OK following the crash.
While spectators were able to push the car far enough for Rhys Yates to squeeze through, organisers elected to suspend the stage thereafter while marshals cleared Larsen’s stricken Fiesta.
Action will resume at 11:19am local time with Fredrik Åhlin setting off. Bernardo Sousa was originally scheduled to start after Yates, but heavy damage sustained to his Citroën DS3 R5 in Saturday’s opening stage lead to his retirement after SS10.