With fans packing the sunlit parkland stage
close to central Tartu, Hyundai i20 N Rally2-powered Paddon edged Jon Armstrong
(Ford Fiesta Rally2) by 0.8sec after he stopped the clocks in a time of 1min
31.0sec.
The Pirelli-equipped New Zealander said:
“In the WRC I was rubbish at all super special stages, if only I knew this 10
years ago.”
Michelin-shod Škoda driver Simone
Tempestini completed the 1.48-kilometre test third quickest followed by Mads
Østberg, Mikko Heikkila and Miko Marczyk.
But there was drama for Heikkila after a
mechanical issue left his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 stuck in second gear following
the stage.
Andrea Mabellini was seventh fastest, one
place ahead of Robert Virves, the leading Estonian contender. Mathieu
Franceschi, who started the event joint top of the standings with Paddon, went
ninth quickest followed by Toyota development driver Yuki Yamamoto.
Qualifying Stage pacesetter Georg Linnamäe
was 11th quickest, Mārtiṇš Sesks took 12th for Team MRF
Tyres with Teemu Asunumaa beating his fellow Finn Benjamin Korhola to the 13th
quickest time as Frank Tore Larsen rounded out the top 15 contenders.
Tristan Charpentier set the FIA ERC3 and
ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy pace, while ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team’s Timo Schulz
was fastest in FIA ERC4 and FIA Junior ERC.
Delfi Rally Estonia continues tomorrow
(Saturday) with the 21.45-kilometre Raanitsa stage from 07:49 local time.
Asunmaa, the reigning Finnish champion, is set to open the road with Paddon
lining up fourth.
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