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Meeke: No hard feelings

Kris Meeke has no hard feelings towards co-driver Paul Nagle following their spectacular retirement at last weekend's Corsica Linea - Tour de Corse.

The Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team duo's Corsican challenge ended abruptly on Saturday's final asphalt stage as they were fighting to pull clear of Thierry Neuville in the battle for second place.

Their C3 WRC left the road at high speed when Nagle made an uncharacteristic mistake with a pace note, calling a fifth-gear left-hand corner instead of the correct third-gear left-hand bend.

Both men avoided injury in the accident but, with their car well off the road, their challenge was over early.

"It was a close battle for second and we were trying pretty hard," Meeke said. "Unfortunately, Paul got a bit mixed up on the pace notes and he called a really fast corner when it wasn't.

"It's never happened before but that's rallying. We're a team and he's been with me many times when I've made a mistake. We'll both take it on the chin."

Nagle was equally philosophical as he explained the sequence of events leading up to their retirement from the fourth round of the season.

"There's a sequence of three left-hand corners and there's a fifth gear, third and third. I just got myself slightly confused and we left the road on the wrong corner," he explained.

"It's my mistake but we win and we lose together. That's the way it happens."

With their car repaired on Saturday night, Meeke and Nagle rejoined the rally on Sunday and managed to recover something from the event as they earned two championship points on the Live TV Power Stage.

Citroën Racing team principal, Pierre Budar, praised the courage Meeke and Nagle showed as they recovered from such an unnerving retirement.

"It was important for Kris and Paul to get back into the saddle quickly and put the previous day's misfortune behind them," he said.

Zdroj: wrc.com