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Japan APRC: Gill cruises to fourth straight win

Gaurav Gill continued his victory spree in Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, winning his fourth successive rally in succession in Japan.

Gaurav Gill, Stephane Prévot, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF

Gaurav Gill, Stephane Prévot, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF

APRC

Mike Young, Malcolm Read, Subaru Impreza WRX, Cusco Racing
Gaurav Gill, Stephane Prévot, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF
Sanjay Takale, Noriko Takeshita, Subaru Impreza WRX, Cusco Racing
Gaurav Gill, Stephane Prévot, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF
Yuya Sumiyama, Takahiro Yasui, Toyota Vitz, Cusco Racing
Fabian Kreim, Frank Christian, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF
Mike Young, Malcolm Read, Subaru Impreza WRX, Cusco Racing
Gaurav Gill, Stephane Prévot, Skoda Fabia R5, Team MRF
Yuya Sumiyama, Takahiro Yasui, Toyota Vitz, Cusco Racing
Sanjay Takale, Noriko Takeshita, Subaru Impreza WRX, Cusco Racing

Having dominated the first leg with eight stage wins, Gill (co-driver Stephane Prevot) arrived on Sunday with a healthy 1m50.06s lead in hand.

But the Indian wasn’t ready to rest on his laurels, topping the first four stages of the day in the Skoda to further extend his advantage at the top of the table.

Although Gill lost out to MRF Teammate Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) in the final three stages, he went on to take a comfortable win with a total time of 2hr00m23.9s.

Kreim, who was put on the backfoot due to a puncture yesterday, enjoyed a trouble-free Leg 2, winning the last three stages to finish second, 1m50.06s adrift of Gill.

Michael Young (co-driver Malcolm Read) once again took the tag of best of the rest, picking up the final spot on the podium in the Subaru with a time of 2hr04m18.3s.

Hitoshi Takayama (co-driver Hideki Takeyabu) finished as the lead Japanese driver in fourth, while Eiichi Iwashita (co-driver Akihiko Takahashi) in the lead Mitsubishi moved up one position to finish fifth.

Fuyuhiko Takahashi (co-driver Mitsuo Nakamura) was classified sixth, while Hiroshi Hoshino (co-driver Tsuyoshi Kobayashi) jumped from 10th to seventh on the final day.

Veteran Indian rally driver Sanjay Takle (co-driver Noriko Takeshita) took the eighth spot. Waturo Aono (co-driver Yuko Mitsukuri) was ninth and the lone Suzuki of Kimito Kondo (co-driver Yoshihiro Kondo) in 10th.

Final results - Top 10:

PosDriverTimeCarDifference
1  Gaurav Gill
 Stephane Prevot
2:00:23.9 Skoda  
2  Fabian Kreim
 Frank Christian
2:02:14.5 Skoda +1:50.6

3  Mike Young
 Malcolm Read
2:04:18.3 Subaru +3:54.4

4

 Hitoshi Takayama

 Hideki Takeyabu

2:05:12.8 Subaru +4:48.9

5

 Eiichi Iwashita

 Akihiko Takahashi

2:13:40.0 Mitsubishi +13:16.1

6  Fuyuhiko Takahashi
 Mitsuo Nakamura
2:18:39.7 Subaru +18:15.8

7  Hiroshi Hoshino
 Tsuyoshi Kobayashi
2:21:25.0 Subaru +21:01.1

8  Sanjay Takle
 Noriko Takeshita
2:21:56.7 Subaru +21:32.8

9  Waturo Aono
 Yuko Mitsukuri
2:22:34.8 Mitsubishi +22:10.9

10  Kimito Kondo
 Yoshihiro Kondo
2:27:59.5 Suzuki +27:35.6

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