Great Britain : OMV World Rally Team - Preview
The FIA World Rally Championship enters its twelfth round – the Wales Rally GB - from 15th to 18th of September. This event holds fond memories for the OMV World Rally Team (Citroen Xsara WRC) for in the last two years Manfred Stohl managed to successfully score points. Xavier Pons also reached the finishing line twice already in Wales.
Scoring at favourite rally
Manfred Stohl and the Wales Rally GB – more than just a success story. The 33- year-old OMV driver has scored several sensational results in Great Britain. For instance, Stohl won twice in the FIA Production Car-World Rally Championship (1998 and 2000) and reached seventh overall place in 2003 as well as eighth place in 2004 (both times with the Peugeot 206 WRC). All in all it is the ninth assignment for Stohl in Wales.
“I love competing in this rally. It has got everything in it. Especially when it is wet one could be able to compete with the works teams. But if it remains dry one has to be prepared for an absolute high-speed rally,“ the OMV driver explains. The Austrian has but one intent: “Full speed right from the start for at a special stage length of 354 kilometres there is no time for tactics.“
Positive experiences in Wales
Xavier Pons has had positive experiences at the Wales Rally GB, as well. At both of the 25-year-old Spaniard`s starts he reached the finish. In 2003 he scored 22nd overall place and last year fifth place in the FIA Junior-World Rally Championship. Pons: “The gravel in Wales suits me. One can drive at very high speed. But unlike Manfred I prefer dry road conditions.“ Wales marks the fifth start with the OMV World Rally Team for Pons. After a ninth, two tenth and one twelfth overall place he now plans to score WRC-points for the first time.
Best private team in the WRC
Currently Manfred Stohl ranks ninth in the intermediate standings of the FIA World Rally Championship with twelve points to his account. But it is not only the Viennese who is causing a stir within the scene. The whole OMV World Rally Team has become the focus of attention. For the Citroen Xsara, employed by Kronos Racing, were the best privateers in Monte Carlo, New Zealand, Cyprus, Argentina and Germany. “We not only want to keep this position but even extend it. Both of our drivers have the potential to successfully compete with the works teams,“ is OMV World Rally Team Manager Marc van Dalen convinced.
354 special stage kilometres on 17 special stages
The Wales Rally GB will commence on Thursday (15th of September) in Cardiff at 19.30 (local time). 17 special stages with a length of 354,22 kilometres are scheduled from Friday to Sunday (16th – 18th of September). The overall length measures exactly 1.252,25 kilometres. The finishing line will be crossed on Sunday (18th of September) at 14.00 (local time) in Cardiff. The rally will be crowned by the super stage on Saturday (17th of September) at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. This stage will be performed on gravel in front of about 50.000 spectators.
This is Wales
Area: 20.578 sq km; Population: 2.900.000 inhabitants; Population density: 141 people per sq km; Capital: Cardiff (316.000 inhabitants); In a referendum on devolution in 1979 Wales has rejected the separation from Great Britain. Cardiff is the seat of the Welsh Parliament since 1999. Average temperatures are at 16 degrees Celsius in September – with up to 19 rainy days during the month.


Tags: great-britain, citroen, omv, wales,