Sweden : OMV Peugeot Norway - Leg 2
It was a jinxed eleventh special stage for the OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team at the Uddeholm Swedish Rally. First Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud`s Peugeot 307 WRC overturned just two kilometres short of the finish. Thanks to the help of fans they were able to complete the stage. Bozian Racing did a perfect job at the service zone and the OMV duo finished leg two in ninth place.
Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor had less luck. After their accident the engine died and couldn`t be restarted. Blessing in disguise for OMV Peugeot Norway Team: the crews remained unharmed.

Fateful right turn
Just two kilometres short of the finish of the 20,28 kilometres long SS 11 (Sundsjon 2) both OMV teams met the same fate. First Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud tested the rollover qualities of the Peugeot 307 WRC. Solberg: “The snowbanks were missing in this right turn. The car started to slither across, our front got hit and we took off to the left. During the rollover the windshield broke and we got loads of snow in the car. I really must thank the fans – they helped us turn the car back over and therefore we were able to finish the stage.“

Without a windshield – at -11 degrees – the Norwegian duo reached the service zone in Hagfors within the allotted timeframe and eventually completed leg two in ninth place.

With a little help from my fans
Only 15 seconds later Manfred Stohl /Ilka Minor met the same fate at exactly the same spot. Once again fans helped put the car back on its wheels. “We went on for another fifty metres but then the engine died and we couldn`t restart it. I suppose that the drive shaft was damaged and a cable had snapped, as well. The fans were right there and immediately began to help us. This time around it was the ‘Peugeot corner` where we met our fate – too bad, for up to then everything had been going great,“ said a disappointed Manfred Stohl. Both Bozian Racing and Manfred Stohl plan to compete again tomorrow. But the final decision will only be made after a close inspection of the car.

Tags: rally,