Toksport’s Nikolay Gryazin will play no further part in this weekend’s Rally Finland after an 11G crash on Thursday’s shakedown test.
Gryazin had completed one run through the shakedown, setting a time of 2m08.9seconds, which was good enough to be fifth fastest of the WRC2 runners, but on his second attempt he rolled his Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo.
Both Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov were un-injured in the incident, but considerable damage has been caused to the car, including to the rollcage, meaning the pair are now ruled out for the entire event.
“One of the cage bars was slightly damaged. End of the game,” Toksport team principal Serkan Guru explained to DirtFish.
“You know, he has done two days of testing and he has been very well prepared.
“OK, unlucky I can say. It happens. We are happy they are OK.”
Toksport isn’t a chassis builder, and as such, it is unable to repair the damage caused to the rollcage on Gryazin’s car – although such work would be prohibited during a rally anyway.
Guru also confirmed that Škoda only repairs minor damage, meaning the car will need to be completely re-shelled for Ypres Rally Belgium.
Gryazin’s crash comes after two consecutive national rally victories on Rally Di Alba and the San Marino Rally, but Finland was due to be his first outing in the World Rally Championship since Rally Italy in June – which Gryazin won in WRC2.
Despite not having competed in the WRC for two months, the Toksport driver remains fourth in the WRC2 standings, 27 points behind championship leader and team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen.
