Great Britain : OMV World Rally Team - Shakedown
The OMV World Rally Team (Citroen Xsara WRC) was off to a successful start at the shakedown of the Wales Rally GB. Especially Manfred Stohl impressed at the last test before the beginning of the race.
The 33-year-old Austrian achieved fourth-best time on the 3,90 kilometres long course. Xavier Pons restrained himself during the pouring rain for the time being. The attack will only begin tomorrow morning at 7 am.
The importance of warming up
Manfred Stohl was obviously satisfied with the outcome of the shakedown. Yet the OMV driver puts the times into perspective. On one hand not everybody is giving their all during this test, on the other hand the 3,9 kilometres hardly mirror the whole rally.
The fourth-best time – only Petter Solberg (Subaru), Marcus Grönholm (Peugeot) and Francois Duval (Citroen) were faster – nevertheless boosts the Austrian`s morale. Stohl: “It was extremely slippery. But I do like that. Still, dry conditions would be better for our Michelin tyres.“ The first two special stages will be decisive, for: “I`ll need those to warm up. If you`re not in the car all the time you first have to get used to the speed. That is why I would prefer a rainy beginning for then everything would start more slowly,“ says the OMV driver.
Anything but rain
Xevi Pons` wishes widely differ from Stohl`s. The 25-year-old Spaniard in the employ of the OMV World Rally Team sees his chances dwindle on a wet surface. Pons: “I really like the Wales Rally GB but rain isn`t very much fun. It becomes hard to keep the car on the course. For this I`m still lacking in experience. But we will nevertheless do our utmost to keep the chances for WRC-points alive as long as possible.“

The Rally Wales GB will commence on Friday at 7.00 in Swansea. The end of the first leg (6 special stages/136,74 SS-kilometres) will also be in Swansea at 17.45.


Tags: welsh, shakedown, stohl,