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RALLY
NEWS NO.3
Builth Wells..Friday
2.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 (HALFWAY)
1st (10) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Peugeot WRC) 48.52.8
2nd (5) Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Ford WRC) 49.10.3
3rd (7) Didier Auriol/Denis Giraudet (SEAT WRC) 49.21.2
4th (1) Tommi Makinen/Risto Mannisenmaki (Lancer) 49.26.3
5th (19) Gilles Panizzi/Herve Panizzi (Peugeot WRC) 49.28.3
6th (21) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Corolla) 49.30.6
7th (6) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford WRC) 49.42.3
8th (4) Juha Kankkunen/Juha Repo (Subaru WRC) 49.48.8
9th (9) Francois Delecour/Daniel Grataloup (Peugeot WRC) 49.56.3
10th (3) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Subaru WRC) 49.57.7
Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz and Richard Burns all had spins in
stage 5, Sainz also spinning in stage 6. Treacherously
slippy roads, with the drivers on the edge, that's the main topic
of conversation over the last few stages. Marcus Gronholm
continues to lead, indeed extending his lead over Colin McRae,
and that was despite hitting a lamb on stage 6. There were
3 "wooly jumpers" on the road and the Peugeot driver
couldn't miss them all! Marcus said here at service "Not
taking big risks, but it is more slippy than I expected in places".
Stephen Finlay was lying just outside the top 10, but on a long
long right hander his Focus got ever more sideways, eventually
the tail end clipping a tree and taking off a rear wheel - end
of rally for the talented Ulsterman. Didier Auriol in the
SEAT is going fine, reports no problems, although both Gardemeister
and Rovanpera are struggling with some engine response difficulties.
Gardemeister had a big spin ins tage 6 and wants a new turbo
fitted here at service. Tapio Laukkanen got his gearbox
problem sorted out but had a puncture in stage 5, driving 2 miles
on the rim. The ATS did not geet a chance to work, it was a place
where everybody was cutting, and the lip on the track maybe pulled
the tyre off the rim. Early leader Petter Solberg was 4th
fastest on stage 5 and then 7th fastest on stage 6, despite a
burst rear shock absorber. Petter had progressed from 34th
to 21st since his stage 3 accident.
Richard Burns was fastest through stage 6, but only by 2s from
Gronholm, so Richard really has his work cut out to progress
up this leaderboard. Gwyndaf Evans told us his car is lacking
response. Alister McRae says he is trying as hard as he
can, the anti lag is working but the times are still not there.
Mark Fisher has got his Peugeot's suspension now sorted but Mark
lost a lot of time earlier when a front ball joint broke.
Mark Higgins is a brilliant 25th in the Astra and leading F2.
Manfred Stohl leads GpN from Gustav Trelles with Ramon Ferreyros
3rd. Swedish lady Pernilla Walfridsson lost a lot of time
in stage 4 and it has knocked her back, whereas Natalie Barrett
has had a clear run, her only delay being when she caught a car
in stage 2 for 7kms. Penny Mallory has spun her Focus on
virtually every stage. Toshihiro Arai is having a very difficult
time on h is first proper visit to the Welsh forests, doesn't
know what is best as regards suspension set up. Greek driver
John Papadimitriou, who calls his Subaru "old grandmother",
finds his confidence in the pace notes growing by the mile on
this rally, which is so different from his native Acropolis stages.
Richard Davis, Sabrina Shaw and Paul Wedgebury are 3 further
retirements. Frank O'Mahony had a huge spin in stage 3 and stalled
his Subaru engine. Guy Anderson was off for 20 or 30s in
stage 3 and says his Lancer just isn't working properly.
Andy Burnell in the Peugeot is driving at about 80 per cent to
keep his 106 all in one piece for day 2, Andy finding the stages
cutting up badly on the tight corners. Gavin Cox dropped
3minutes when he stopped to change a puncture. Stuart Egglestone
dropped 6 minutes in a stage, reason unknown. More news
later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
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