With six stages over a competitive distance of 98.34 kilometres remaining, Charpentier is 3.2sec ahead of Abramowski, who is also competing in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 on Pirelli tyres.
However, it could have been a three-way battle for first place had Gill not hit trouble nearing the finish of the morning loop.
Taylor Gill’s Rome debut did not go as planned
© At World
Making his FIA European Rally Championship debut, Australian Gill, part of the FIA Rally Star talent detection initiative, was leading by 20.4sec after he won stages two and three of his first Tarmac start since the Croatia Rally in April 2024. But it all went wrong after the penultimate stage of the morning.
The FIA Junior WRC Championship leader explained: “Basically the fuel pump just died after the 34-kilometre stage. We were exiting the stage and after a few kilometres the car just stopped and couldn’t restart. There’s no damage or anything, the car is already fixed and we’ll restart tomorrow and try set some good stage times.”
Gill’s exit left Abramowski leading Charpentier by 0.2sec at the midday service halt in Fiuggi after the Frenchman went off and briefly got stuck in a ditch on SS4.
Tymek Abramowski is set to pounce on Sunday at Rally di Roma Capitale
© At World
While Abramowski, the ERC3 points leader who turns 19 on Monday, focused on an error-free afternoon, Charpentier moved into first place on SS5 and remained in front despite a moment on SS6.
“We touched a haybale [SS6] but otherwise it was really tough and really hot,” ex-circuit racer Charpentier said. “We have a lack of pace so we’ll have to figure that out this evening and push tomorrow. We clipped the haybale with the rear right and now the wheel is a bit bent so we had to finish like this.”
Abramowski, competing on Tarmac for only the second time, said: “I tried to keep the pace and don’t do mistakes like on the first loop when I was too slow or too fast in some cuts.”
Hubert Kowalczyk is a strong third despite set-up issues masking the Renault Clio Rally3 driver’s ultimate pace in the afternoon. “Doing the rally last year helps me because I know a little bit this Tarmac, this grip, but I have so much work and I don’t have time to prepare enough,” the 21-year-old from Poland explained. “Watching my first onboard was in the aeroplane coming here so I try to make what I can.”
Hubert Kowalczyk in action on Saturday at Rally di Roma Capitale
© At World
Casey-Jay Coleman is on course for an ERC3 career-best fourth after a solid showing from the Irishman. “There was a lot more gravel on the roads than expected but I managed the longer stage in the afternoon better than the first run by conserving the tyres and the brakes,” he said.
Adam Grahn is fifth on his Tarmac debut with Błażej Gazda and Sebastian Butyński sixth and seventh respectively. Martin Ravenščak, with sister Dora co-driving, overcame brake issues to complete leg one in eighth place.
After winning SS1 on the streets of Rome last night, Adrian Rzeźnik was hit by an electronics failure on SS2. Although he and co-driver Kamil Kozdroń, who is making his 130th start, tried to fix the issue, they were forced to retire on SS3.
Hubert Laskowski stopped with suspension damage after SS4 but is set to restart on Sunday.
Sunday’s action begins at 08:25 local time with the first run through the 11.58-kilometre Guarcino – Altipiani stage.