Yağız Avcı Wins Yeşil Bursa Rally
The 41st Yeşil Bursa Rally, round four of the 2016 Turkish Rally Championship, was organised by Bursa Otomobil Sporları Kulübü (BOSSEK) on 23-24 July 2016. The event, supported by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Crowne Plaza Bursa, Hankook Toktaş Otomotiv, Eker Meydan, Durmazlar, Yazıcı Air, Bursa Teleferik, Uludağ İçecek, Ergünler İnşaat, Özel Ceylan International Hospital, Red Bull, AutoClub and Ströer Kentvizyon, attracted 49 cars and 98 competitors.
The biggest sporting event staged since the attempted coup of 15 July, the 41st Yeşil Bursa Rally saw every competitor carry a Turkish flag in their car, and the trophies were raised with Turkish flags at the prize-giving ceremony.
HOT AND DEMANDING STAGES TEST THE CREWS
The rally began on Saturday 23 July with the start at 13:30 in front of Eker Meydan. At 14:00 the crews tackled the spectator stage held inside Kültürpark in memory of former BOSSEK president Selçuk Özsevinç, which drew a big crowd of motorsport fans from Bursa. After that, the crews ran the İbrahim Yazıcı and Mehmet Köprücü stages in the Orhaneli area before finishing the day at Eker Meydan.
Yağız Avcı-Bahadır Gücenmez, competing for Neo Motorspor with the support of Peugeot Sport Türkiye, ended the day in the lead, 50.3 seconds ahead of Castrol Ford Team Türkiye's Orhan Avcıoğlu-Burçin Korkmaz. The hot weather and hard-packed gravel stages made life difficult for the crews on the opening day. Third place went to BC Vision Motorsport's Burak Çukurova-Vedat Bostancı, who made their first appearance in front of Turkish rally fans in the Citroen DS3 R5 at this event.
THE DRAMA CONTINUES ON DAY TWO
The crews were back behind the wheel from 08:30 on Sunday 24 July and the fight continued on the second day. The İbrahim Yazıcı and Mehmet Köprücü stages were each run twice, and the crews were cheered on enthusiastically by spectators who were transported from the city centre on special shuttles arranged by BOSSEK. Ahead of the final stage, Yağız Avcı's puncture cut a 43-second gap to just 6 seconds, raising the tension once more before the last stage, the Red Bull Power Stage.
The Peugeot Sport Türkiye-backed crew of Avcı-Gücenmez won that stage too, taking an extra 3 points to the championship, moving back into the standings lead and winning the 41st Yeşil Bursa Rally to add their names to the roll of honour for the fifth time. Castrol Ford Team Türkiye's Orhan Avcıoğlu-Burçin Korkmaz, driving a Ford Fiesta S2000, took second place overall, 20.8 seconds behind, while BC Vision Motorsport's Burak Çukurova-Vedat Bostancı finished third in the Citroen DS3 R5.
