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Rally News No.5 Charterhall Service ..... Saturday Noon UNOFFICIAL FORMULA RALLY L/BOARD AFTER SS7 - Blackadder 1st (F1) Martin Rowe/Chris Wood (Ford Puma) 57.56.4 2nd (F5) David Higgins/Mike Gibson (VW Polo) 58.08.0 3rd (F4) Mats Andersson / Claire Mole (Proton) 58.35.8 4th (F3) Patrick Magaud/Guylene Brun (Ford) 58.37.6 5th (F11) Simon Mauger/Keith Hounslow (Proton) 58.57.6 6th (F7) Max McKillen / Nicky Beech (Saxo) 1.00.09.3 As the stages gradually dry out the battle at the front of this Jim Clark Rally is intensifying into a fight for every second between the top drivers, with Martin Rowe and David Higgins in particular so close on times. Through stage 7 Blackadder for example, Rowe and Higgins tied on 7.00.7 while Patrick Magaud was less than half a second down on the pair in front, and Mats Andersson, less than 2s. Through stage 6, Rowe and Magaud tied, with Sansom 3rd. Through stage 5 Magaud was fastest with Higgins 2nd fastest, Mats Andersson 3rd. It is a close run thing. Martin Rowe commented here at service "It's a lot better now that it's drying out, I can attack the stages and it is a lot more consistent but can still be quite tricky as there has been lots of mud spread by the previous loop of cars. As regards tyre choice, the Pirellis are working well, but we had to mark 12 tyres in total before the rally, which is quite restrictive, and I think we will have to compromise on choice before the end". Following a slow start Rowe's Ford team mate Magaud has really speeded up, and when we asked the Frenchman what was making the difference, he gave a Gallic shrug, a bit of a smile, and said "Yes, yes I change my right foot and my brain!". David Higgins in the Volkswagen told us "We're going hard, not mega hard - it feels criminal at times on the engine, the long straights, I'm worried about how long the motor can take that sort of grief. There is still bits of mud in unexpected places which keeps the heart fluttering". Mats Andersson in the Proton observed "It goes not bad, no problems, but there is little left. I lose time some times at stage starts - first gear is quite high and the engine dies, uphill starts especially". Martin Sansom has retired from the rally - after setting 3rd fastest time on stage 6, his Peugeot, a twin car to Justin Dale's factory machine, broke a driveshaft on exactly the same corner as Justin's had broken on the previous loop. Quite a coincidence, it is a corner over a jump bridge near Reedyloch. As Peugeot's Stella Boyles remarked "Definitely not a Peugeot corner". This puts further pressure on the team for next weekend's Banbury Rally, the decider for the Formula Rally Drivers and Manufacturers titles. In the VW Polo Challenge today, David Dateson is ahead of overall points leader Clive Wheeler with Adrian Kermode 3rd. In the National part of the rally Peadar Hurson has now got a 32s lead over Tim McNulty in the Subaru, Toyota driver Hurson told us "I'm still getting used to the car, we've done more miles today than we have all season with the F&M. I've had a few overshoots but otherwise ok. Steve Fleck has put his Subaru up to 3rd, John Cope 4th, Barry Johnson, 5th and Phil Walker 6th. More News Later..... Brain & Liz Patterson |
