Heartbreak for co-driver Phil Hall in Sardinia rally

Mansfield co-driver Phil Hall has vowed to learn from the experience after unluckily recording his first non-finish in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC).

Hall had guided Tom Williams through three days of gruelling, rough and rocky stages in the Rally Italia Sardegna.

But with a solid placing and the finish almost in sight, despite two punctures, they had to retire in Sardinia after a large rock pierced the sump pan of their Ford.

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The stages had offered a wide mix of technical and super-fast sections.

Hall said: “We did everything we could but it just wasn’t to be.

“We took off the sump guard and made a temporary repair using items from our medical kit, some radiator putty we carry in the car, and anything else we could find.

“That actually worked for a while, but it started leaking on the way to the finish ramp and when we ran out of oil altogether, it was game over.

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“It’s devastating but I’m really proud of the way we managed the situation.

“The determination we both had to make it to the finish was great and if anything we can really learn from this experience.

“The whole rally has been amazingly tough, both physically and mentally, but I felt very prepared for it and that’s important when you are competing at this level.”

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