Patrik Dinkel defends his lead with another victory

The fourth of six races in the ADAC Rally Masters was held as part of the “Rund um die Sulinger Bärenklaue” rally. Patrik Dinkel with his co-pilot Felix Kießling defied the changeable weather conditions to take victory in Division 2 in their Brose Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and defend their lead in the fiercely contested championship.

13 challenging trials over 150 kilometers had to be driven in best time. Heavy rain began to fall shortly before the off and submerged the first two stretches, which made the course even more demanding. Patrik Dinkel and Felix Kießling good off to a good start and held a 7.8-second lead on the Friday evening after four trials.

The rally recommenced at 9 a.m. in drying conditions on the Saturday with the classic “Brake” and its huge hill jump. That was followed by the “Seyerberg-Eckhofer Heide” trial, which took the participants 24.70 kilometers this way and that across the grounds of the IVG, a former powder factory in a forest area, and is termed – not without reason – the world’s largest rally maze. The two strongest rivals Michael Bieg and Hermann Gassner Senior with their many years of knowledge of the route lay lurking there and an exciting tussle for every second ensued.

“That’s by far the toughest rally so far this year. We chose the wrong tires twice in the changing weather conditions and also committed the odd slip and so lost time. The IVG’s grounds are unique. We aim to complete it the second time without any mistakes,” said the highly motivated youngster in an interview with the news program N-TV shortly before the rally’s halfway point.

Patrik and Felix improved from trial to trial in the afternoon, clocking six out of seven possible best times, and were duly feted as victors by the spectators lining the circuit in Sulingen. The likable duo from Franconia thus defended its lead in the ADAC Rally Masters, which it shares with the Division 3 team of Carsten Mohe / Alexander Hirsch (Renault Megane Maxi) on 75 points.