He said: “It was a shame but unfortunately we were in a high-speed downhill section. It was a quite fast corner but easy flat out. It was not very heavy braking but quite big braking into a third-gear corner. Unfortunately when I hit the brakes I lost the rear of the car and I had to reduce the pressure otherwise I would spin and the road was very narrow. Then I just didn’t manage. I was completely sideways before the corner. Not completely but quite a lot of sideways. I tried to do the corner but I hit the barrier. I didn’t reduce enough speed but I hit the barrier with the rear-left corner. Then with the front we dived into the barrier. It’s a shame but unfortunately this can happen.”

 

Kubica continued: “Yesterday was a very positive day for us with a lot of positive experience. Today is the complete opposite but we have to take a step forward and take out the experience. Unfortunately today was a negative experience but it’s part of driving.”

 

The Polish driver’s exit handed the rally lead to his close friend, the ŠKODA Motorsport ace Jan Kopecký, who will shortly be starting the final stage of the asphalt event.