Bryan Bouffier builds a healthy lead - Day 1 | ERC, Rally Poland - 2013

Bryan Bouffier keeps a tab on the rest of the field, while the homeland star Robert Kubica struggled. With a brilliant start, right from SS1 Talty 1 (6.15 kms), till the end of SS7 helped Bouffier in securing the top position.

Since morning, the conditions were not ideal enough to push, but still all the competitors braved to put a good show. Incredibly slushy and wet conditions prevailed at almost of the entire stages for the day. 

Although the former F1 star Kubica was quickest through the first pass of SS Mragowo 1 (25.16 kms), nature caught out the pole. Explains, "A big stone in the cut, in a 5th gear corner..." Front right wheel is knocked off the car and he thought it was just a flat tyre. When he was asked  "Superally tomorrow?","I don't know...", he said.

Sunday's action is over three [better?!] stages, that are run twice in a loop and will stick to the original itinerary - unlike today's shortened after intervention by the organisers, yielding to the nature's fury.

Top 5 scoreboard by the end of SS7, Day 1

Pos	No	Driver		Time	Diff Prev	Diff      1st
1.	6	B. BOUFFIER		55:12.7	0.0	0.0
2.	7	K. KAJETANOWICZ		55:29.5	+16.8	+16.8
3.	4	M. SOLOWOW		56:18.6	+49.1	+1:05.9
4.	1	J. KOPECKY		56:23.7	+5.1	+1:11.0
5.	10	K. HOLOWCZYC		56:59.6	+35.9	+1:46.9