|
|
|
|
|
|
RALLY
NEWS NO.7
Swansea..Saturday
12.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 (RESOLVEN)
1st (5) Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Ford WRC) 2.13.25.9
2nd (10) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Peugeot WRC) 2.14.11.1
3rd (3) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Subaru WRC) 2.14.22.1
4th (1) Tommi Makinen/Risto Mannisenmaki (Lancer) 2.15.09.3
5th (6) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford WRC) 2.15.15.7
6th (9) Francois Delecour/Daniel Grataloup (Peugeot WRC) 2.15.39.7
7th (4) Juha Kankkunen/Juha Repo (Subaru WRC) 2.15.41.0
8th (7) Didier Auriol/Denis Giraudet (SEAT WRC) 2.15.59.2
9th (19) Gilles Panizzi/Herve Panizzi (Peugeot WRC) 2.16.12.0
10th (21) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Corolla) 2.16.23.3
11th (17) Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilaien (SEAT WRC) 2.17.21.3
12th (15) Alister McRae/Dave Senior (Accent) 2.18.09.8
Resolven was always going to be a crucial test at 28.86 miles
long, Colin McRae was fastest by just over a second from Richard
Burns. Marcus Gronholm 3rd fastest, almost 12s behind the Subaru.
Ari Vatanen was on hand as McRae cruised into the Regroup.
Colin told the assembled throng of journalists "The stage
wasn't perfect for me, on a right hand corner we hit a very big
puddle and the screen misted over, so I couldn't see for about
1km. Otherwise it was alright. As regards Richard, I still
have a small amount left, but that wee bit is kept for special
occasions! I'm enjoying the driving, there's no real pressure,
the car is great, the mechanics are going to change the suspension
struts now as routine. The thing for me now is to make
no mistakes - the speed is not a problem". When asked
what he thought of Marcus Gronholm's performance, Colin went
on "He's driving very well, but you have to drive at a certain
speed, to keep the car working and to keep concentration".
When Burns came in he said "I'm quite relaxed, pushing hard,
enough to reel everyone in but Colin. That was a good stage for
me, I had no problems, but I think if I push any harder I could
go off the road". Tommi Makinen told us "I push
hard on that last stage to try and make up for the delay in stage
10, but on the first tight right hander I went off, then later
I spin!". Carlos Sainz felt the stage wasn't so slippy
although it was very muddy. Gronholm reported a small brake
problem from halfway through the stage, and also said that generally
he was braking too early for some corners, and still being very
careful because it is so slippy.
Outside the top 12 - Gardemeister in 13th: Petter Solberg
14th: Schwarz 15th: then its Navarra, Climent, Henning Solberg
and the Japanese driver Arai, who is starting to settle in as
he gets his Subaru set up more to his liking. Manfred Stohl
continues to lead GpN. Mark Higgins is still the fastest F2,
2wd driver. Mark telling us "I didn't have a good
morning, I bent something in the suspension and then the jack
broke when I tried to change the tyres round between stages 9
and 10". Interestingly, Neil Wearden started the day
over 40s behind Mark and he has reduced that to 20 over 2 stages.
Mark Fisher has decided to call it a day, ongoing mechanical
problems meaning an unhappy rally for the young Ulsterman.
In stage 10 the Greek driver John Papadimitriou caught Mark's
Peugeot, and they both nearly ended up in a ditch at a hairpin
when the Athens hotelier tried to push his Subaru past the ailing
Peugeot. Ramon Ferreyros has been making a charge, set
fastest gpN time through stage 10, but slammed the side of his
Lancer in the process, wrecking the driver's door. Jeremy
Easson is now best placed British gpN driver in 7th in the category,
just ahead of Stig Blomqvist in a similar Lancer. Stig has Venezuelian
Ana Goni co-driving, this is the start of a full WRC 2001 campaign.
More news later..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
|
|
|
|
