The Italian, driving a Pirelli-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 for The Racing Factory, posted fastest times in four of Saturday’s six tricky gravel stages, to hold a 10.6sec lead over Team MRF Tyres’ Roope Korhonen. Last year’s Rally Hungary winner Simone Tempestini completed day one of the FIA European Rally Championship counter in third, 30.8sec adrift.

Mabellini jumped to the rally lead after winning the 18.75-kilometre Hegyesd stage on Saturday morning before extending that advantage over the hard-charging Korhonen to 4.0sec at the end of the morning loop. There was some drama for the crew when co-driver Virginia Lenzi felt some discomfort in her back following a heavy landing from a jump on the mammoth Kislőtér test but was given the all clear to continue.

The pair posted an identical time to rival Jon Armstrong to top stage five before driving smartly through the heavily rutted second pass of Kislőtér. Mabellini ended the day by winning stage seven (Várpalota 2) to extend the lead over Korhonen to 10.6sec.

“The pace is really high and tomorrow is another day. I think we had a great time to day and sorry to Virgi [co-driver] for the jump this morning,” said Mabellini.

Korhonen (above) started the afternoon 4.0sec behind Mabellini but his victory challenge seemed to have suffered a blow in Kislőtér 2 when the Finn was caught in the dust of the recovering M-Sport Ford Fiesta of Jon Armstrong. Unfortunately, Armstrong, sitting third at the time 3.6sec behind Korhonen, was forced to stop twice in the stage due to tyre damage, that required two wheel changes.

Korhonen initially dropped 29.5sec as he struggled to see in the hanging dust from Armstrong and dropped to fourth before officials later issued a revised time that restored his second position.

“It has been a quite clean day for us so let’s see what we can do tomorrow,” Korhonen said. “Of course it is difficult [to avoid tyre damage] but luckily we have good tyres, so it is good.”

Armstrong’s misfortune demoted the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver out of the points-paying positions after what had been a strong showing up until stage six.

“The conditions were quite rough. The first puncture was in the rough section, but then the second one we were stuck in dust and going slowly, and I don’t even know what happened there,” said Armstrong. “To get two in the one stage is pretty unlucky. I don’t know what the game plan is now but it is a big shame as everything was going quite well.”

Last year’s winner and overnight leader Tempestini (above) inherited third position after setting the pace in stage six where Armstrong was forced to stop twice.

Miko Marczyk, in a Michelin-equipped Škoda, moved into fourth in what proved to be a hotly contested battle for the final podium spot. The Polish driver ended the day 3.7sec ahead of Mads Østberg, driving a Citroen C3 Rally2. Isak Reiersen enjoyed an impressive run to sixth in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on Hankook tyres.

The top 10 was completed by Poland's Jakub Matulka ahead of a trio of Hungarians in Martin László, Gábor Német and Sasa Ollé. The latter additionally leads the Master ERC Championship by 28.2sec from ex-Formula One driver Jos Verstappen.

Max McRae continued his charge up the leaderboard, ending the day in 18th after dropping to 63rd following a crash on Friday night’s super special. The incident led to 3min 10sec of penalties for being late to a time control and out of service. A clutch issued slowed him down through stages six and sevent.

In FIA ERC3, Tristan Charpentier leads Igor Widłak by 2min 11.2sec after early leader Tymoteusz Abramowski suffered tyre and radiator damage in stage five. Home hero Martón Bertalan is third.

ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team’s Calle Carlberg tops the FIA Junior ERC and FIA ERC4 standings with a 46.2sec advantage over Jaspar Vaher, driving the new Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF. Ioan Lloyd completes the provisional all-Hankook podium in a Peugeot 208 Rally4.

ERC Staff House Rally Hungary concludes on Sunday with crews set to tackl six stages, comprising 82.26 kilometres.