Stage 5:
In stage 5 of Tour de Corse Bryan Bouffier was the fastest man less than a second faster than Dani Sordo. In this stage Andreas Mikkelsen lost the rally as he has a puncture that replace in the stage and lost more than 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Dani Sordo takes the rally lead after SS 5.
Comments:
Mikkelsen: We went slightly off and got a puncture. We had to replace the wheel, it was my mistake.
Sordo: Quite nice stage. I was pushing really really hard.
Wiegand: Especially this stage was very difficult, last few kms we had no brakes. In the beginning we had big moment, we have too much oversteering. We have to do something with the setup.
Kopecky: We are trying our best. It is not easy, but the car is working perfectly.
Arzeno: We made a small mistake, we hit a small rock with the rear.

Stage 6:
In stage 6 Dani Sordo set the fastest time 2.7 seconds faster than Mikkelsen. Finally the stage was cancelled after few incidents include car in fire of Pierre Antoine Guglielmi.
Sordo: It was good, I'm happy. But the car was little bit understeering, it could be better.
Mikkelsen: It was OK, I again found confidence after the previous accident.

Stage 7:
Dani Sordo is again the fastest man in stage 7, 0.7 seconds faster than Campana.
Arzeno: It's difficult, we changed the setup, but it seems it was not good move.
Campana: Good stage for me, the car is really good now.
Mikkelsen: Good stage, no problems, good rhytm.

One stage remains to the end of day 2 and 6 stages for Saturday.

Results after SS 7:
1. D. Sordo 1:43:02.2
2. J. Kopecky +29.2
3. P. Campana +29.4
4. B. Bouffier +35.9
5. Arzeno +1:02.3
6. A. Mikkelsen +2:42.1

Andreas Mikkelsen is the rally leader after the end of day 1 in Corsica. Dani Sordo with Mini John Cooper Works S2000 is second at +7.2 seconds. Andreas and Dani are the two drivers who will battle for the first place.

The first stage of Tour de Corse 2012 with length of 25.89 km is won by G. Basso with 3.4 seconds faster than Dani Sordo.
Stage 1 comments:
G. Basso: Very difficult, long stage for the car, tyres and brakes. We have hard tyres.
D. Sordo: It was really good, nice stage. I remember it slightly from 2008. It's hard for tyres.
A. Mikkelse: Tyres are going worn very fast here, also the brakes are very warm.

Stage 2:
Dani Sordo and Andreas Mikkelsen set identical times in stage 2 with length of 16.89 km. Giandomenico Basso is the rally leader after the end of stage 2. In stage 2 Bryan Bouffier spun in the stage as lost 6.9 seconds, while Hermann Gassner junior has a puncture and Craig Breen is with a broken driveshaft.

Stage 3 winner the last for day 1 is Pierre Campana.
SS 3 comments:
Dani Sordo: We feel the lack of power compared to the WRC car. We have little bit understeer, but it's OK. I do my best.
Mikkelse: It has been perfect day for us. It's difficult rally, the two guys in front are pushing really hard.
J. Kopecky: We were very lucky, because we went off and hit some concrete. But we are here.
Sepp Wiegand: It was OK. Really difficult, you must be very careful. It's hard for tyres and the brakes, but it was OK for us.
P. Campana: We have few problems with brakes.
C. Breen: It's disappointing, unfortunately at the begiining of the SS 2 we broke the front driveshaft and since that time we drive it like RWD Ford Escort...
G. Basso: We were on a straight section when I noticed another car on the road coming in my direction. I pulled to the side to avoid it but I hit a rock on the side of the road and this damaged something in the steering. I carried on for about 20 kilometres but there was damage also to a driveshaft and an engine.

Stage 4:
In stage 4 the drivers was surpriced by water in some of the corners. Dani lost 5.4 seconds in stage 4, as Andreas win stage 4.
SS 4 Dani Sordo comment: It was good, I lost maybe a little time in the final part of the stage. It is difficult for the pacenotes.

Results after SS 4:
1. A. Mikkelsen 1:02:40.3
2. D. Sordo +7.2
3. J. Kopecky +26.1
4. P. Campana +27.6
5. M. Arzeno +29.6
6. B. Bouffier +34.7
 

Juho Hanninen win Circuit of Ireland 2012. The finland was the fastest in a serious competition with the 2011 champion Andreas Mikkelsen. Finally Hanninen win with 44.2 seconds difference by Mikkelsen. In the day two in the morning sections was wet while in the afternoon almost dry.
In SS 3 Sepp Wiegand has a puncture that does not allow him to battle for the positions after the top 3 drivers. In the same stage Craig Breen had problems with fuel pump but as overall finished well.
As overall Mikkelsen made couple of mistakes in the rally. In stage 8 he missed junction and back to lose 7.4 seconds in the stage by Hanninen.
Mikkelsen won stage 9 as he comments that have “a big crazy moment” in the stage.
In Stage 12 Andreas Mikkelsen hit a bale that cause him 40 seconds delay in the shortest stage of 1.03 km only. As overall Mikkelsen keep the second place.
Jan Kopecky has no chance to catch up the both leaders with much slower speed.
Results:
1. J. Hinninen 1:58:21.8
2. A. Mikkelsen +44.2
3. J. Kopecky +1:39.5
4. M. Arzeno +4:01.6
5. C. Breen +4:53.8
6. R. Barrable +5:14.5
 

Location: Belfast and Armagh, Ireland
Total 15 SS in 2 days rally.
Total SS distance 221.47km. Liaison 368.12km total distance of 607.59 km that is 36.5% SS distance.

The longest rally stage Legane 1 and 2: 25.29 km.
Surface: Tarmac
Rally Ireland was a part of WRC in 2007 and 2009 with winner Sebastien Loeb.
The major competitors in rally Ireland 2012 are Andreas Mikkelsen, Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen.
The rest competitors with S2000 are Craig Breen, Sepp Wiegand and Mathieu Arzeno.