The Propecia Rally New Zealand didn't exactly go according to plan for the OMV World Rally Team with the Citroen Xsara WRC, but valuable experiences were gained nevertheless.
After 20 special stages the 32-year-old Viennese finished the fourth WRC round in ninth overall place. Not too bad when one takes into consideration that no top works-team had to retire. Now it is time to analyse the rally, for the main goal remains to score constantly, meaning to reach a place among the top eight.
The OMV Team Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor had meant to attack the Mitsubishis of Harri Rovanpera (Fin) and Gianluigi Galli (Ita) in front of them on the final day of the New Zealand Rally. I wasn't meant to be. Stohl still is at a loss as to where the fault really lay: “We had a good rally. There were some minor mistakes, of course, but that happened to everyone – with the possible exception of Sebastian Loeb who drove in his own league.”
The OMV driver admits that the slip on the second day and a spin on the 13th and 20th special stage each did cost some time but this didn't have much influence on the outcome of the rally. The planned attack on day three was also hampered by balance troubles of the car. Stohl: “We have yet to find out what caused this.”
A premiere on gravel that gives hope
It was, after Stohl's sixth place in Monte Carlo, not only just the second assignment of the OMV World Rally Team with the Citroen Xsara but also the premiere on gravel surface. Stohl: “All in all I'm content. It was a performance that gives hope. We were able to try out several car-set-ups. And slowly I'm starting to see eye to eye with the Xsara.” That, despite a satisfying performance, no WRC point could be scored is also due to the fact that this year's New Zealand Rally didn't see many retirements. Especially the drivers of the top works-teams all crossed the finishing line.
In the WRC intermediate ranking now in tenth place
Since Citroen-driver Francois Duval scored for the first time at the fourth rally (4th place) the OMV World Rally Team fell back from ninth to tenth place in the WC intermediate ranking. This place nevertheless allows for a good start position at the next FIA WRC round in Sardinia (April, 29th – May, 1st) where the teeam hopes to score once more. But competitors don't sleep. Especially those from the own ranks for the OMV World Rally Team will deploy a second Citroen Xsara WRC with driver Juuso Pykälistö (Fin) for the first time in Sardinia.


Tags: omv, new-zeeland, manfred, stohl, citroen, xsara,