In the mountains, the two stages which made up today’s fourth leg were hellish for some, but were pure delight for the former rally drivers, including Benoît Rousselot… Isabelle Patissier maintains her pace.

Adifficult leg, in the mountains, over winding tracks, with fast sectors and two special stages. To shine on this fourth day of competition, you needed to be very experienced, or a former rally driver. There was most interest in the Production category, which saw two retirements : the Russian team of Serguey Sukhovenko – Vladimir Korolev (Nissan Dessoude) who fell into a crevasse, and that of Pascal Thomasse – Philippe Bocande, who rolled their vehicle, emerging unhurt. With two of the leading drivers from the category out, Benoît Rousselot and his Nissan are still in the lead.

«The two timed sectors were superb. My own favourite was the second one, where I was just like a fish in water. Just like René Metge had said, it was like a stage from the Rally of Finland…». Sixth overall in the first special stage (183 km), the same position in the second (148 km), Benoît and Fabian Lurquin, his new co-driver, are currently lying fifth in the overall classification, with a solid lead in the Production category. However, the team is taking care of their vehicle, with three legs and four special stages remaining Saturday’s finish in Ankara.

«This is the best day since the start of this rally. Not a single mistake ; Fabian and I are really beginning to complement each other, we’re becoming quite a team.” The team managed well over the route, which hid a number of traps. «I took particular care of my Nissan Pathfinder, there is still a long way to go, and I don’t want to damage it. »

«I definitely did not want to damage my Pathfinder on the scree, and avoided punctures by driving in the middle of the track… Due to the inertia of the car (2 tonnes), it was sliding perfectly in the winding sections, I was even more careful due to the many crevasses which had appeared after the recent violent showers.». Benoît and Fabian Lurquin are working well together, as Benoît explained: «Fabian sometimes pulls me back, when he feels I am pushing too hard…».

True harmony also reigns in the cockpit of the Nissan Pathfinder shared by Isabelle Patissier and Thierry Delli Zotti. The mountaineering champion did well, avoiding all the traps the mountain trails had in store : « I took care, » she said. “You have to be on your guard all the time on this sort of terrain. Because of the sheer drops, I was stuck to the side of the mountain, even if it was very rocky. The number of turns reminded me of Pikes Peak. I felt that the slightest mistake could have a very heavy price, and I was mainly worried about going off or having a puncture.»

Seventh in the first stage, eighth in the second, the Nissan Dessoude team is currently lying in seventh place overall after this fourth day of the Rally of the Orient. Tomorrow’s fourth leg, 599 km, between Erzurum and Sivas, will be identical to today. However, the competitors will retrace their steps to return to Sivas.