RALLY NEWS NO.10                       Felindre-Sunday 10.15am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 14 Resolven 2
1st (11) Petter Solberg/Philip Mills (Subaru) 2.42.20.9
2nd (6) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Ford) 2.42.41.2
3rd (4) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford) 2.43.12.9
4th (1) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Peugeot) 2.43.19.8
5th (10) Tommi Makinen/Kaj Lindstrom (Subaru) 2.44.42.1
6th (5) Colin McRae/Derek Ringer (Ford) 2.44.48.8
7th (21) Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Xsara) 2.44.55.4
8th (3) Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilainen (Peugeot) 2.46.10.5
9th (24) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Ford) 2.46.16.8
10th (18) Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets (Accent) 2.46.28.1
11th Kankkunen 12th Gardemeister 13th Panizzi 14th Stohl

Petter Solberg was ebullient when he arrived t the end of the Resolven test having taken the lead of this Network Q Rally GB with a stunning time of over 20s faster than overnight leader Markko Martin.  Richard Burns was just under 3s slower than Solberg, with no one else breaking the 29 minutes mark for the 32.8 mile stage.  Solberg was just bubbling when we talked to him at service 'in' here at Felindre. He said "Yes, it was quite exciting, I push really hard. I tried to think before the start of stage it is a new rally.  Last night I could not sleep and watched the TV programme, and heard Nicky Grist say Markko Martin should win, and I thought ' no …..''way'.  I tried to be relaxed and think positive, drive normally but push hard. Subaru have helped the engine of the car since yesterday. Every second counts now, this stage may have decided the result, but I'm sure Markko has not given up yet. I will try to get even more time, but you know there were no crazy moments in there".  Interestingly, despite some fog this morning and quite a bit of mud and ruts in the stage, Solberg was 7s faster than World Champion Gronholm yesterday morning on the same stage.

Malcolm Wilson commented about his driver Martin.."He never liked the fog, and admitted to being too cautious, but really he still thinks a little like a privateer and tries to get to the finish at all costs.  We are really pleased with his performance and he has given the team inspiration for next year". 

Carlos Sainz in 3rd admitted that he is going to be hard pushed to keep 4th placed Burns at bay. The latter said he wasn't going to go crazy, and anyway the car goes best when not too sideways.  Tommi Makinen picked too wide a tyre this morning and it was moving about in the mud. Mark Higgins had an intermittent intercom squealing problem. Colin McRae said "A good run in there, I'm back within striking distance of Tommi Makinen".

In the Junior WRC category Daniel Sola still has a commanding lead over Basso with Baldicci 3rd,  Niall McShea 4th. Gwyndaf Evans in the MG 5th. Svedlund leads gpN from James Thompson.  17 year old Finnish driver Jari Matti Latvala continues to impress, now 19th overall and he said "We make no mistakes, there were some big holes, but nothing broke in the car. Only trouble so far in rally one broken drive shaft and one puncture which cost some time. Jari Matti drives a group A Lancer, but it is really a gpN car with bits which makes his performance even more noticeable. On the subject of punctures, most of the top drivers opted to run with no spare this morning. Several had punctures, but the mousse did it's job. Finally for now, a little warning to all….Stan Harper had his lorry parked in Cardiff last night, it was broken into, the World Rally Car was pushed down ramps and equipment unloaded. Happily the thieves were disturbed, the equipment was intact and the Impreza WRC was found in an industrial estate nearby. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON