After one of the most grueling weekends in motorsport, Craig Breen has finished up fifth at the Safari Rally Kenya.
Conditions were challenging to put it lightly and a suspension issue on stage 7 essentially ended any hopes the Waterford man had of contending for a podium.
"Obviously since what happened on Friday, we've been in no-mans land and we're just trying to bring the car home. We've been picking positions up as the days have gone on but obviously, with speed it's not going to bring us forward" Breen said on Sunday morning.
🇰🇪 #SafariRallyKenya 2022 🇰🇪
Our Safari adventure is finally at an end. The country, the people & the rally have been incredible, but our result has not. After our issues on Friday we managed to finish the event in 6th place.
🇪🇪 🇫🇮 🇧🇪 next up, can’t wait! 😁#WRC pic.twitter.com/fTGAMJPQED— Craig Breen (@Craig_Breen) June 26, 2022
M-Sport Ford will look back on a weekend that may be best forgotten considering the number of mechanical issues they had to contend with.
The top four spots on the leaderboard were blocked out by Toyota who now top the manufacturer's standings with a 39 point cushion over Hyundai, and a while 8- points on Ford.
The driver's championship meanwhile has changed its complexion also. Breen has been dropped to fourth place and trails Ott Tanak by 10 points. The Slieverue native does however remain the leading driver for M-Sport Ford.
It's three weeks to go until the next outing for Breen who will be returning to Estonia for the third time in his WRC career. He's already managed a second-place finish on two occasions for Hyundai in the Baltic state. It will be the seventh event of the year and kicks off from July 14th - 17th.
Some of the scenery in Kenya
