Australia : OMV World Rally Team
A great beginning for the OMV World Rally Team (Citroen Xsara WRC) at the Telstra Rally Australia. Manfred Stohl lies in sensational fifth place after the first day. This despite the 33-year-old OMV driver`s having been rather discontent in the morning and complaining about tuning problems. But during the day Stohl and co-driver Ilka Minor took their opportunity and gave a faultless performance up to the last special stage (super stage in Perth).

Xavier Pons and Carlos del Barrio were less lucky. The Spanish OMV duo hit a tree on SS 5 and had to retire.

Satisfying performance
Though the morning saw a rather insecure Manfred Stohl, in the evening the OMV World Rally Team could look back on a successful day. A faultless performance brought the Viennese up to fifth overall place. After having been second in Cyprus on Friday this is the second-best place for Stohl after one third of a rally. Stohl: “In the beginning I felt extremely insecure. It was slippery and the Citroen didn`t perform the way I wanted it to. But things got better with each kilometre. I`m really satisfied with the performance and the time.“

Amazingly close times
After having had a look at the results, Manfred Stohl could only wonder: “I wouldn`t have thought that times would be so close. There`s sure to be a tough fight to come. Everything is possible, from second to eighth place.“ But the OMV driver is convinced that the wheat will be separated from the chaff on Saturday. An average speed of 120 km/h is expected on the legendary special stages south of Perth. Nothing for the weak of heart if one adds the slippery raod conditions.

SupeRally not possible
Bad luck for Xavier Pons. The Spaniard of the OMV World Rally Team had entered the WRC-finale with a lot of self-confidence. He was motivated by his fourth place in Spain and the fact that he feels at home at this gravel-surface rally. Last year he had finished as second-best group N driver in sixth overall place. But this time around the fifth special stage proved to be the last. Pons: “We skidded of the road and hit a tree – thereby damaging the radiator. Following this the engine broke down. This makes a start within the SupeRally regulation on Saturday impossible.“


Tags: australia, omv, stohl, pons, telstra, citoren, xsara,