Team MRF's Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) blazed into the lead on the first day of the FIA APRC (Round 2) International Rally of Queensland held here on Saturday. The pair holds a 1:49.4s advantage over teammates Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian).
Gill, driving the quick Skoda Fabia R5, negotiated the slippery surfaces of the Imbil State Forest with aplomb. The slick roads put the driver and the machine to the test.
“The sun was out in the morning after the overnight rains. This made the ground feel like marble. I had to be careful when accelerating, because the grip was poor. It was a tough day, and I’m happy to have come out on top,” Gill said.
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The Indian added that he will look to preserve his car on Sunday, given that he is in a comfortable position. “I’ll try to maintain the momentum tomorrow, without pushing too hard. I have not used this R5 too much, so I’m trying to get comfortable with the braking, suspension geometry and other aspects,” he said.
Kreim, meanwhile, drove with a fair amount of caution. The 23-year-old German, making his first appearance in this event, finished second to Gill in all eight stages on the day.
Cusco Racing’s Michael Young (co-driver Malcolm Read), in his Subaru Impreza WRX, came in third.
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Provisional results (top-four, penalty time in brackets): 1. Gaurav Gill/ G. Macneall (1:13:51.0s), 2. Fabian Kreim/Frank Christian (1:15:40.4s), 3. Michael Young/ Malcolm Read 1:16:15.5s, 4. Nathan Quinn/ David Calder 1:16:37.9s.
( Ashwin Achal is in Australia at the invitation of MRF Ltd. )