Defending Asia Pacific Rally Champion Alister McRae has won a dramatic Malaysian Rally in Proton Satria S2000, where the top spot changed four times.
Current APRC points leader Chris Atkinson took the initial lead but part way through stage 3 his MRF Skoda Fabia burst a water-pipe spraying hot cooling fluid through the cabin. The Australian fixed the problem in the stage but lost over 22 minutes in the process, dropping to 10th place.
Proton’s PG Andersson took over the lead and at the end of the opening day and was 88 seconds in front of Indian driver Gaurav Gill (MRF Skoda). Gill had lost over a minute on the second stage, with an off-road excursion and was fighting his way back up the leader board.
On the first stage of Day 2, Gill’s event ended in a cloud of steam when grass caught in the radiator and the Skoda over-heated.
On the next stage rally leader PG Andersson retired from the lead with an electrical problem in his Proton, allowing team-mate Alister McRae to take over the top spot and win the event.
Atkinson was fighting his way back up through the field , eventually finishing in third place.
The Australian was unable to reel in Cusco driver Yayu Sumiyama.
Brian Green was fourth and by finishing every event this year, continues to hold third place on the points table with 71, while McRae moves into second with 81 points. Atkinson still has a massive lead on the rest of the drivers with 126 points.
Here is the TV news feed from Day 2 at the Malaysian Rally
