Zimbabwean motor rally driver Conrad Rautenbach and French co-driver Nicolas Klinger steered their Green Fuel Ford Fiesta S2000 to victory at the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally near Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
It was the pair’s third victory of the season in the eight-legged championship series and it ensured that the 26-year-old former FIA African Rally Champion regained his lead in the South African Rally Championship with one round remaining.
Rautenbach and Klinger completed nine stages 198km of action in spectacular fashion in a time of 1hr 39min 16,3 seconds ahead of the factory BP Volkswagen Polo of reigning champions Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson, who finished 23 seconds behind.
Privateers Charl Wilken and Greg Godrich (S2000 Basil Read/bizhub Ford Fiesta) claimed the final podium position after winning three of the day’s stages and finishing 29,6 seconds in arrears.
Rautenbach had started the day in fourth place, behind overnight leaders Johnny Gemmell and Drew Sturrock in a factory S2000 Castrol Toyota Auris, Poulter and Coetzee in the second factory Toyota and the Wilken/Godrich Ford.
Showing his intentions early on, Rautenbach won the opening two stages (stages five and six) and drew level with Gemmell, relegating Poulter to third.
