Bogie cruelly denied BRC podium 06 | 03 | 2016
SCOT DAVID BOGIE was denied a podium finish in the opening round of the British Rally Championship after a technical problem on the final stage wrecked a brave fightback.
The 28-year-old from Dumfries, driving his CA1-prepared Skoda Fabia R5, finished the Mid-Wales Stages in fourth place, having fought back from a miserable opening three stages.
In treacherously icy and snowy conditions, the former British champ, and five-times Scottish champion, dropped 52.6-seconds on the opening two tests to the Ford Fiesta R5 of Elfyn Evans, the eventual winner.
"Yeh, we had a wee off on the opening stage, then struggled to get the balance right for the second test," Bogie, driving his Skoda for the first time in the BRC, explained today after arriving back at rally HQ in Newtown.
"We made a few changes to the car's set-up for the final four stages, and the pace of the car certainly improved."
After a spin on stage three, where he dropped another 29s, Bogie, co-driven by Hawick's Kevin Rae, was immediately back on the pace, finishing second fastest in the next two stages.
Starting the final test, the 7.8-miler at Myherin, fast-charging Bogie had closed the 21.7s gap to sit just 4.5s behind the Ford Fiesta R5 of third-placed Tom Cave.
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But within sight of the finish, and with a podium place all but assured, Bogie's Skoda suffered what is believed to be a driveshaft failure.
The Scot limped across the finish line 19.4s behind stage winner Evans, and more significantly, 11.5s behind Cave, to finish 16s off the podium.
"Aye, it's a pain," Bogie, who kept fellow Scot, Duns-based Euan Thorburn's Peugeot back in fifth, admitted, "but that's rallying.
"The important thing is, the speed's there. On our first time out in the Skoda on the British Championship, we've scored good points and proved the car has the pace to win rallies."
Former Scottish champ Thorburn was also buoyed by his performance in the BRC opener.
"We never thought we'd get fifth, so I'm happy with that," he said. "The next event in Ireland will suit the 208 R5 better, so we're already looking forward to that."
Evans, who has already won the opening two rounds of the World Rally Championship WRC2 series in his Fiesta R5, eventually finished 17.1s ahead of Swede Fredrick Ahlin.
Related: Bogie and Thorburn target BRC podium
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Jim McGill