Raphaël Astier leads Tour de Corse Historique after rainy second leg

Raphaël Astier and Denis Giraudet have taken the lead in the Tour de Corse Historique after the second leg of the rally. Driving a Porsche 911 RS, the duo won all four stages between Calvi and Lucciana, establishing a 34-second lead over Tom and Tristan Pieri in a BMW M3.

Heavy rain throughout the day significantly impacted the competition, covering 98.3 km of timed stages and turning roads into difficult, slippery surfaces. The changing conditions made tire selection a critical factor for the crews. Astier noted that because he is new to both the event and the manual-gearbox Porsche, he had to rely heavily on pace notes and intuition to navigate the treacherous terrain.

The competition remains tight, with Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud in a Lancia Delta HF Integrale holding third place. The rally continues with four more special stages scheduled, including the longest stage of the event at 40 km.