The South African Class S1600 champion, Guy Botterill in a Toyota Etios R2, is heading for a podium finish on the 25 Sasol Rally that is running in the Sabie and Nelspruit area. The event is still being led by Leeroy Poulter in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota Yaris, followed by his team mate, Giniel de Villiers in the second Toyota Yaris.
According to the “unofficial overall classification” released by rally headquarters, Botterill inherited third when Wilro Dippenaar in a Ford Fiesta was penalised for a “route deviation” and dropped to 9th position in the provisional standings.
If Botterill stays in third it will be the first time since 1999 that an entrant in a S1600 car has been on the podium. It was the year that Serge Damseaux campaigned in a Class C Toyota and won the Total Rally South Africa that was held in Cape Town.
It was also the year that Damseaux won the SA Rally Drivers Championship in a Class C Toyota.
Poulter is leading the event with a total time of 1:38:36.5, while de Villiers who has been second all of the rally has given away quite a lot of time to Poultrer and trails the leader by 54.7 seconds.
In 4th position is another S1600 car. Richard Leeke who has played second fiddle all day to Botterill is 34.1 seconds behind the S1600 leader.In 5th is Theuns Joubert in a NRC Toyota Auris +2:38.3.
If the overall standings stay the same, Toyota could claim all three podium finishes as well as the manufacturers award.
The 14 stage Saswol Rally finishes in Sabie later.