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MANX RALLY
TALES NO.1 Thursday..Grandstand 5pm
Just two drivers, Neil Wearden or Marko Ipatti, can win the Mobil
1 British Rally Champion driver title this weekend, the biggest
issue on this Manx International Rally. Outright winner of the
rally could well be someone entirely different of course, while
the various categories, as well as the Trophy and Historic, generate
their own interest. The Mobil 1 British title is the big one
however.
There is a lot of pressure on both Wearden and Ipatti, with Marko
reckoning it is all on the Vauxhall driver! Realistically, if
Ipatti finishes near the front at all, Wearden has to be first
or second, with several registered drivers between the two if
Vauxhall are to add the drivers' title to the Manufacturer's.There
are many permutations. Lets hope its a good clean fight!
At Mt Murray scrutineering this morning, Wearden told us, "I
feel up for it. We'll be a wee bit careful tonight. The car has
been good all year, but at the test stage yesterday the engine
was as sweet as a nut, the handling even better."
His team mate Mark Higgins looked perhaps just a little downcast.
Commonsense dictates that Mark must help his team mate to the
title. However the former Manx resident, always brilliant here
but not having won the rally, would only say, "This is the
most unpredictable event in the Championship. Anything can happen"
VW's Tapio Laukkanen is another who could have a big bearing
on the title outcome. The Finn didn't however seem his usual
buoyant self, remarking, "I think we have a chance to win,
perhaps a better chance in dry weather. We only managed one run
on the test stage. We try a little bit different springs. We
shall see".
Ipatti's car is in new red livery, with new back up in RRE -
Rally Rent Europe. Marko tells us, "The car has been
totally rebuilt, but it is the same, just different colour. We
try here for 3rd position, must start normally, but still fast,
not slowly".
Neil Simpson in the Pirelli car could have a big bearing on the
Championship outcome, and after last year's performance here
in the VW TDi, and indeed previous years as well, expect Neil
to be right in the thick of it. But then there are many of the
GpN drivers who will be fighting every inch of the way. In the
Super 1600 division the spotlight is very much on Peugeot driver
Justin Dale - he's under title pressure as well, in the points
race with Proton's Mats Andersson. Young Ian Barrett has switched
to Proton for this one, and it will be interesting to see how
the Delphi backed youngster goes. Further back, there is much
interest in the Trophy Rally this time, and the Tarmac series
points position. Despite it being his first time to compete here,
Andrew Nesbitt is favourite, the Armagh Cross Refrigeration director
telling us, "Glad to be here. The stages are a bit narrower
than I expected - have to watch out for punctures. The organisers
are more than friendly, we're being treated with every respect.
The main thing is to score tarmac points!" Daniel
Doherty(Impreza), Glenn Leece (6R4) & Sean McArdle (Celica)
are probably Andrew's biggest opposition. McGarrity is non-starting.
In GpN Mark Fisher & Brendan Kelly should be 'the men'. That's
only a taster of the build up to this rally of course. Once again
it has all the makings of a cracker! More news later.BRIAN &
LIZ PATTERSON |
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