Rally Monte Carlo 2006: OMV CEE - Leg 1
Yassen and Dillyan Popov made sure that the OMV CEE World Rally Team had a sensational entrance at the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship.
Since only eleven competitors at the 74th Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo were permitted to complete the first two special stages and SS three was cancelled, the working day for the Bulgarian OMV duo only began in the afternoon. And what a workload they achieved: the WRC debutants lie in second overall place in the P-WRC after leg one.

The beginning of the rally was anything but smooth. Only the first eleven teams were able to complete SS 2 and SS 3, SS 3 was finally cancelled. The access to the first special stage resembled one long traffic jam. The narrow road had been almost completely blocked by fans` cars during the night. In the morning busses and arriving spectators made the chaos complete. Rally drivers and crews had to return to the service park in Monte Carlo empty-handed.

Sensational intermediate result at WRC-debut The working day for the Bulgarian OMV-duo only began on special stage four. And they reached a sensational intermediate result at their WRC-debut: best time on the first special stage plus one more best time on SS 5 in the P-WRC-ranking. "I`m overwhelmed. It was a perfect beginning for us. We spinned once – but that was all, the rest was flawless – we`re highly motivated for the next two days," smiled Yassen Popov.

Brake problems prevent lead
The OMV CEE World Rally Team reached the finish of leg one in excellent second overall place in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship. Yassen Popov benefitted by his long experience in the national championship. “One needs to take care of the car, especially on the long special stages. Better to get off the accelerator a little sooner and finish the leg than to retire. After all the rally still goes on for two days and we absolutely want to reach the finish,” said the OMV driver.

Further OMV drivers
For the two OMV driver Tibor Cserhalmi (Mitsubishi) and Andrej Jereb (Subaru) – both group N - the 74th Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo also only began in the afternoon. Both performed impeccably: Cserhalmi lies in sixth intermediate place after reaching two fourth best and one sixth-best special stage time – immediately followed by Slovenian driver Jereb.


Tags: omv, monte-carlo, peugeot-307, yassen-popov,