After four special stages, Italian driver Mabellini leads the gravel rally by four seconds ahead of Finland’s Korhonen.
Mabellini clinched win in the first special stage on Saturday morning, but on the second stage, Toyota driver Korhonen set the fastest time. In the final stage of the loop, Skoda driver Mabellini and Korhonen shared the fastest time.
“I think it can be quite rough in the afternoon. There were some big rocks, but luckily we are here,” Korhonen reported at the finish of the fourth special stage.
Mabellini’s co-driver, Virginia Lenzi, slightly injured her back during a landing from a jump on the middle special stage of the loop. However, the Italian pair managed to complete the morning’s special stages.
“She has time to have her back looked at during the service, and we will see in the afternoon. For the moment, it is okay. I think I made a stupid mistake by taking the jump completely flat,” Mabellini lamented.
Jon Armstrong, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2 car, holds third place, just over ten seconds behind the leaders. Behind him in fourth is Simone Tempestini, who won the Hungarian ERC gravel rally last year.
Poland’s Mikołaj Marczyk and Norwegian veteran Mads Østberg are battling for fifth place. The top six are within just over half a minute of each other.
Three more special stages are scheduled for Saturday after the midday service. The competition concludes on Sunday.
Rally Hungary standings after SS4/13:
| POS | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Andrea Mabellini | Skoda | 31:40.5 |
| 2. | Roope Korhonen | Toyota | +4.0 |
| 3. | Jon Armstrong | Ford | +10.6 |
| 4. | Simone Tempestini | Skoda | +20.9 |
| 5. | Mikolaj Marczyk | Skoda | +28.8 |
| 6. | Mads Østberg | Citroen | +32.0 |
| 7. | Jakub Matulka | Skoda | +56.3 |
| 8. | Isak Reiersen | Skoda | +57.1 |
