Rally Sibiu 2013 to starts today with the first stage Dobarca 1 at 13:01 Central European Time. The rally is a part of the European Rally Championship round 7. There are total 14 stages today and tomorrow Saturday July 27th 2013. The entry list for ERC title includes 40 crew members plus 5 drivers rally for Suzuku cup and 11 drivers for Dacia Logan cup.
In Romania the leader in the ERC standing Jan Kopcky with 146 points is here and the third in the standing Bryan Bouffier with 99 points is also here.
 There are total distance of 561.50 kilometers as the SS distance is 228.00 kilometers (101.80 kilometers on leg one, 126.20 kilometers on leg two). The longest rally stage in Rally Sibiu is Gatu Berbecului running twice with a distance of 30.00 km.
The location of the rally is Sibiu, Romania. The surface is mixed as 20% of the trace is asphalt the rest is gravel. Some of the stages are during the evening in the dark.
 

Freddy Loix takes the rally lead from the first stage and keep in all 20 stages to the end of the rally as rally leader. In the second day there are total 14 stages to run. Freddy Loix advantage to Bryan Bouffier after the first day was 1:36.2 enough time to drive carefully to the end of the rally.
It is reporting for rain, wet and mud in the stages.
Craig Breen wins the first 4 stages today. With these stage wins Breen moved to third position ahead Paddon.
In SS 8 Craig Breen comments:  It was strange, on the crossing of the roads in the field we could see Hayden going towards us, but it was OK, just strange a bit.
In the next stage Loix comments: We were on the limit yesterday, today we are controlling the situation.
After the service break Craig Breen wins another stage SS 11. Boffier successfully takes two stage wins in SS 12 and SS 14 while Freddy Loix make the first stage win today in the shortest stage SS 13 (1.88 km).
In the next 4 stages at the top was Bryan Bouffier with 3 stage wins, while Breen takes one stage win. Freddy Loix control the situation and driving carefully as lost 10 seconds for all 12 stages.
After the last service park there are two stages to run. In the first one SS 19 Heuvelland 2, Bryan Bouffier again finished at the top while Loix comments: We aren´t there yet. We have big gap so isn´t reason show how fast we are. I want to be with car in the finish line - it´s the most important.
In the last SS 20 Hollebeke 2 (28.82 km) it was a disaster stage for many drivers. Two cars are in fire these cars are of Mikko Pajunen and Davy Vanneste (Current 4th position). Craig Breen was stuck in a ditch. Breen delay with more than 13-minutes. In the stage before the Breen disaster he was at comfortable third position. The stage is stopped due too the car fires.
Loix comments: Fantastic! Belgian rallye's are similar so it was for me maybe more easy than for other guys.
Bouffier: Second place in Ypres, I´m very happy. It was fantastic weekend and car worked well. Many thanks to my team.
Due too the stage cancel the final results are not ready but the top 3 positions are as follow:
1. F. Loix
2. B. Bouffier
3. A. Lefevere
 

The local star Freddy Loix takes the first stage Dikkebus 1 (14.30 km) in Geko Ypres Rally 2013. Second position in the stage for Craig Breen in this rainy weather. The third in the stage finished Bryan Bouffier at +15.9 seconds.
Kris Meeke comments: It was incredibly dirty, really slippery.
F. Loix: OK, already quite tricky, especially because the R5 cars in front of us were cutting on left and right.
The advantage for Freddy Loix rises in the next SS 2 Wijtschate 1 (24.89 km) with 10.3 seconds by Craig Breen. B. Bouffier delays with 29.3 seconds in the stage.
The same positions keep in SS 3 Langemark with a distance of 13.82 km. Freddy Loix is first followed by Breen, Bouffier, forth in the stage is Hayden Paddon.
Comments:
Paddon: The tyres are too hard, we have no grip. Not so fun to drive.
Bouffier: We were not confident on this one, we found some muddy places there so we just wanted to survive.
After the service park follow with second run of Dikkebus with Loix stage win. In this stage Craig Breen is with a puncture but delay 5.6 seconds only. In SS Wijtschate 2 Loix continue to extend his overall lead as takes 25.7 seconds by Bryan Bouffier who finished second, third is Paddon. Craig Breen delay 1:40 minutes due too a technical problem Breen explains: We broke a driveshaft on the road section so now we drove with complete rear wheel drive.
Breen down to third position but 7.5 seconds ahead the fourth Paddon.
A. Aigner: I expected puncture already 2 kilometers after the start, we hit some stone, but finally it was only vibration in the steering. There is lot of standing water, difficult.
F. Loix: I expected puncture already 2 kilometers after the start, we hit some stone, but finally it was only vibration in the steering. There is lot of standing water, difficult.
In SS 6 Mesen 9.66 km, Freddy Loix drives carefully to finished third. First in the stage is H. Paddon followed by Bryan Bouffier.
Results after the end of Day 1:
1. F. Loix (Skoda Fabia S2000) 57:56.8
2. B. Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000) +1:36.2
3. H. Paddon (Ford Fiesta S2000) +2:09.0
4. C. Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000) +2:22.2
5. A. Aigner (Subaru Impreza Sti R4) +3:17.9
6. D. Vanneste (Peugeot 207 S2000) +3:46.9
There are 14 stages to run tomorrow.
 

The battle today starts with SS 7 Carbuccia - Tavera 1 (16.89 km) with stage win of Bouffier who moved to the top ahead of Jan Kopecky who delay with 15.9 seconds in the stage. Craig Breen also lost precious seconds as he lost the third position overall by Stephane Sarrazin.
Sarrazin: Very difficult stage, we have no grip. Lot of sliding. I try to push, but I have to brake a lot.
Breen:  We lost a lot of time, we have two hard and two soft, but the stage was almost completely damp. We hit something with the rear.
Kopecky: The stage was very slippy, in the beginning I was struggling with huge understeer. I lost the confidence, I lost a lot of time.
In SS 8 Sarrola - Liamone 1 Bryan Bouffier continue with new stage win followed by Craig Breen. In SS 9 Marato - Acqua Doria (22.47 km) Jan Kopecky takes the stage as close the overall difference with Bouffier to 10.7 seconds. Craig Breen moved to third but Sarrazin is within the second behind Sarrazin.
After the service park today in SS 10 Carbuccia - Tavera 2, Bryan Bouffier takes the stage as extend the difference to Kopecky to 13 seconds overall. Sarrazine back to third position as Breen remains at 7.9 seconds at fourth position.
In the last stage Bryan Bouffier finished first followed by Breen at +7.9 seconds.
Overall Results:
1. B. Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000) 2:41:58.2
2. J. Kopecky (Skoda Fabia S2000) +39.8
3. S. Sarrazin (Mini John Cooper Works S2000) +1:37.6
4. C. Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000) +1:40.8
5. F. Delecour (Peugeot 207 S2000) +3:25.0
6. J. Maurin (Ford Fiesta S2000) +3:37.6