RALLY NEWS NO.13                                          Felindre - Sunday  3.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 17 MARGAM (final stage)
1st (11) Petter Solberg/Philip Mills (Subaru) 3.30.36.4
2nd (6) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Ford) 3.31.00.8
3rd (4) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford) 3.32.12.1
4th (10) Tommi Makinen/Kaj Lindstrom (Subaru) 3.33.13.9
5th (5) Colin McRae/Derek Ringer (Ford) 3.33.37.9
6th (24) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Ford) 3.35.38.3
7th (3) Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilainen (Peugeot) 3.35.52.2
8th (18) Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets (Accent) 3.35.52.3
9th (19) Juha Kankkunen/Juha Repo (Accent) 3.36.05.5
10th (15) Toni Gardemeister/Paavo Lukanoer (Octavia) 3.36.39.3
11th (23) Gines Panizzi/Herve Panizzi (Peugeot) 3.39.12.6
12th (29) Manfred Stohl/Ilka Petrasko (Ford) 3.39.42.2

When Petter Solberg's blue Subaru flashed across the Margam stage finish line it marked a new era in world rallying.  The first victory by the 27 year old Norwegian, and on this sort of form, surely not the last.  Petter has given himself some birthday present - he is 28 on Tuesday.  First to hug him in the car was his fiance Pernilla Walfridsson.  Petter was within seconds dancing on the roof of the Subaru and said to the hugely excited crowd, all cheering and clapping…"I'm so so happy, very happy, for the whole team. This absolutely great".  For co driver Phil Mills this is a tremendous day as well, winning his home world championship rally, doing it here in his Welsh homeland a bonus. Petter also took time out to congratulate 2nd placed Markko Martin.

What a show the 2 crews put on for the fans.  This is Markko and co driver Michael Parks first WRC podium finish. Ford Team manager Malcolm Wilson congratulated the two, and said "It won't be long before you have your first win".  It would have been nice in a way to see Ford scoring their first RAC/Rally GB victory since Mikkola in 1979, but it wasn't to be.  As it is, today marks the end of another chapter in Ford's proud rallying history, with Colin McRae moving on, Carlos Sainz unlikely to renew his contract, to leave the fortunes of the team in young drivers hands next year.  Carlos Sainz in 3rd we believe unofficially to have done enough to clinch 3rd in the world rally championship, with Solberg finishing runner up in the WRC. Tommi Makinen went hard towards the end to take 4th place.  Tommi was 3rd fastest on the final stage.  Mark Higgins had a spin on that 2nd run through Margam, but his 6th place is enough to secure another Manufacturers point for Ford. The top 6 cars were all on Pirelli tyres.  Harri Rovanpera got the hydraulics sorted on his Peugeot and also set a fast time through that last stage, to leave Peugeot with just one  top 10 finisher today.

Daniel Sola is the highest finisher in the Junior WRC in his Citroen, Niall McShea 2nd in the Corsa. Giandomenico Basso was 3rd. McShea set fastest times over the final few stages, Sola takes the Junior title. No times as yet for group N, there appears to be a delay in the stage, with Txus Jaio having gone off, but got his Focus going again, however there seemed to be a delay. Oscar Svedlund was leading gpN from James Thompson with Nik Elsmore 3rd. Finally for now, many thanks to all who helped and supported our RallyNews service. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON