Mexico 2006: OMV Peugeot Norway - Shakedown
The Corona Rally Mexico, third round of the FIA World Rally Championship, already bared its teeth at the shakedown on Thursday.
Altitude and high temperatures demanded everything of drivers and cars. But the first test kilometres also showed that the OMV Peugeot Norway Team should be able to compete with the best. Still, payday will only be after 360 special stage kilometres on Sunday.

Confident after second-best shakedown time
Manfred Stohl has already adapted to the high altitude of the Leon area. In spite of temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius the OMV driver gave an excellent performance during the shakedown. He completed the course in 4:31,1 minutes, losing only one tenth of a second on best-time holder Petter Solberg (Nor/Subaru Impreza WRC). Stohl: “Bozian Racing has prepared the Peugeot perfectly for these conditions. The shakedown showed that anything is possible. I only have to get used to the fact that the car feels somewhat sluggish. Sometimes I feel like in a group N vehicle. But one just has to get used to this rhythm.“

Putting your foot down
The brothers` duel Henning versus Petter Solberg was already a hot topic at the press conference prior to the Rally Mexico. Even more so since former World Champion Petter has not yet scored a WRC point this season – which means that OMV driver Henning will be starting in front of him in eighth position on Friday. Though Petter hopes that Henning will set a brotherly gesture and make room should he run up to him, the older Solberg counters: “I`ll put my foot firmly down so that this kind of situation won`t come to pass in the first place.“ In any case the OMV driver feels very confident after having won his home rally two weeks ago. Henning Solberg reached fourth-best time during the shakedown, only eight tenths of a second behind his brother.



Altitude is no excuse
The altitude is an omnipresent topic. The team engineers calculate a loss of about 80 PS at a World Rally Car. “It`s the same for everyone. And the brakes are also affected since they overheat,” explains Manfred Stohl. OMV teammate Henning Solberg sees the positive side: “The slower you are the more time you have to think when approaching a turn.“

A sombrero for Ilka
Manfred Stohl`s co-driver Ilka Minor has already gotten hold of her first trophy in Mexico. During the training she observed a Mexican with a huge sombrero idling at the side of the road. Since she simply had to have that hat Stohl stopped and started negotiating with the man. He offered a OMV Team cap in return, which the Mexican could fetch at the service. The man agreed and duly turned up the next day at the service tent. Ilka got her sombrero and the Mexican felt he had had the far better end of the deal with his autographed cap.

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