Copyright © Subaru Turkish Rally Team

Subaru Turkey Rally Team driver Hakan Dinc won Group N once again extending his lead in the championship.

33rd Hitit Rally, 5th event of Turkish Rally Championship, got underway on 1st of July at the Bilkent Hotel in Ankara. The crews started the two day event with a total of 146 km long 12 gravel special stages.

Ford's Mehmet Besler scored his first win of the season as Ercan Kazaz was forced to retire from the event while leading. Subaru Turkey Rally Team driver started the event setting fastest time on the opening stage and expanding his lead by 26,3 seconds with his SUBARU IMPREZA WRC over Ford WRCars. Ercan Kazaz was surprised to see smoke getting in the car when he was running the closing kms of SS4 and decided to stop as the flames ran over the bonnet of his IMPREZA. The crew stopped in the stage immediately and managed to stop the fire. After the inspection at the service area, the sudden fire on the Impreza was caused by a leak catching fire from a loose pipe.

Another unfortunate event caught STRT's youngest driver Hasan Ozseyhan on SS8, when he drove into a corner faster than usual and the crew ended up in the ditch after a couple of rolls. Hasan Ozseyhan and codriver Erkan Guleren was taken to the hospital after the accident for medical controls. Erkan Guleren left the hospital as Ozseyhan stayed for the night as he had a broken collar bone.

Subaru Turkey Rally Team driver Hakan Dinc won Group N once again with his SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI spec C.

Ercan Kazaz

	Copyright © Subaru Turkish Rally Team

"On the closing kilometers of Guvenc stage, we faced first an unexpected smell, then smoke and then the flames. We decided to stop immediately as we were unable to breath because of the smoke in the car. We saw that the underneath of the car was on fire and interfered immediately. We were really lucky to stop the fire. Hasan and Erkan had a big accident on day 2, thank god they are ok apart from some bruieses and Hasan's broken collar bone."

Total of 51 crews started the fastest gravel event of the season but only 42 crews could make it to the finish.

The Turkish Rally Championship Rd.6, "Bursa Rally" will be taken place from 9-10 September.