Australia : OMV World Rally Team
The OMV World Rally Team (Citroen Xsara WRC) is about to score its second place on the podium this year at the Telstra Rally Australia after having reached second place in Cyprus.
The OMV duo Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor is lying in fourth place after 20 of 26 special stages. During day two the 33-year-old Viennese provided a spectacular fight with Gigi Galli (Ita/Mitsubishi Lancer WRC). At the end of the day Stohl was able to decide the thriller to his advantage.

Anything is possible – from first to eighth place
The Telstra Rally Australia isn`t for the weak of heart. Times were seldom that close at a run to the FIA World Rally Championship. The many retirements come as no surprise, though – one victim having been the superior leader, Norwegian ex-World Champion Petter Solberg on the second day.

Manfred Stohl, on the other hand, gave a nearly faultless performance once more and finished the second leg in fourth overall place. “Looking at the results really surprises me. No one could have predicted that. Now anything is possible on the last 100 special stage kilometres – from first to eighth place. In any case, my goal remains a place on the podium,” explains OMV driver Manfred Stohl.

Centre of attention: Stohl versus Galli
Manfred Stohl was barely seven seconds ahead of Galli prior to the second day of the last WRC round of the season. In the morning the two longtime friends provided a true thriller, fighting for each second until the Italian managed to overtake the OMV World Rally Team on special stage 17. But his joy didn`t last long. Stohl reconquered fourth overall place already on SS 17 and on SS 18 the Mitsubishi works driver missed a junction – which cost him almost 35 seconds.

This should give Stohl/Minor some air to breathe on the final day. Stohl: “We are all driving at the limit. One small mistake and you`re out of the fight for top positions.“

103 SS-kilometres to go
There are still 103,32 tough special stage kilometres (6 SS) waiting for the rally cracks on Sunday. The finishing line should be crossed at about 14:45 local time in Perth. The top result in Australia would mean that the OMV World Rally Team would finish a rally as best private team for the eighth time this season. “We started out as best privateer in Monte Carlo this season – and that is the way we want to wrap up this year,” explains Kronos Racing Team Manager Marc van Dalen.


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