All out with nothing to loose
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Leon Botha
Whooopppeeeee!
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Normally contested in warm sunshine and renowned as one of the most popular rounds in the championship, the Australian Rally is notorious for its unforgiving, slippery, tree-lined gravel stages.
The event's loose surfaces demand absolute accuracy from the drivers, while the FIA's current WRC starting system mean that crews will be driving flat out from the outset in order to secure an advantageous running position for legs two and three and avoid 'road-sweeping' for those running further behind. The “road-sweeping” factor has so far not been taken very serious in South Africa. Competitors are rather more worried about the “dust-factor” and it is a popular belief that the dust gaps given, especially at nighttime, are normally not sufficient. This is very true during the last periods before traditional summer or winter rain, depending where you participate.
We South Africans believe that to be first on the road is like taking the kick-off in primary school rugby, after you opponent scored. You will rather fight to kick off, than defend the try they score against you!
The end of “night stages” in South Africa seems to be looming on the horizon, and pace-notes on every rally are a certainty, simply being delayed by the persons in charge.
Once we have the “pace note” problem sorted out, we will also realize that road sweeping is one of the most important factors in rallying. The fourth of fifth car on the road should simply be 2 to 3% quicker than the first and second cars on the road. Pine needles, ball bearing gravel, sand, and in some cases even mud get wiped off the surface, lines through corners are indicated, brake marks set, and especially dust at the entry to a corner, marks the direction in which a corner goes.
Back to Australia, the rally comprises of 24 stages and 389 competitive kilometres, the four-day event starts with a 2.2km blast around Langley Park in the centre of Perth, which is widely considered to be the best Super Special Stage of the season. Legs one and two will then be contested to the south and east of the host town, before the final day takes the competitors to the famous Sotico complex, south-east of the city, for some of the most spectacular jumps in the championship.
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Leon Botha
The restrictor? What restrictor?
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With four service parks for this event, teams will be based around Dwellingup for leg one and Chidlow for leg two, before moving to Sotico for the final day's action. An area at Langley Park will also be used for the service after each Super Special on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Rally HQ will be based at the Sheraton Hotel in Perth.
Although Peugeot Sport mathematically wrapped up both the manufacturers and drivers titles in New Zealand, the battle is still raging for second place in the driver’s championship and seven drivers remain within striking distance. Contenders include 555 Subaru World Rally drivers Tommi Mäkinen and Petter Solberg.
The 555 Subaru World Rally Team has entered two Subaru Impreza WRC2002's in the event, to be piloted by team regulars, Tommi Mäkinen and Petter Solberg. Both are nominated to score manufacturers points for the team.
Tommi has won in Australia twice before, and will be looking to improve on his third-place podium position scored in New Zealand earlier this month. Petter finished seventh last year, collecting valuable manufacturer points for Subaru.
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Leon Botha
Ok, now think carefully, did you remember to switch off the stove?
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This time around, both Subaru drivers should be in the right frame of mind, and we should see Subaru’s in between, or at least, all over the seemingly invincible Peugeots.
The Australian roads will level the playing field somewhat, although the smooth, albeit slippery road conditions, will still give the compact, go-kartish Peugeot with their incredible “nimbleness” and advantage.
The fact that Subaru does not even mention the development of at least a shorter version of the Impreza is surprising. It is actually amazing that these cars can still keep up with the Peugeot and Citroen attack.
555 Subaru World Rally Team Principal David Lapworth, did say that there will be a significant development on the 2003 car, but that sounds like pure addition of power which we all know could take you nowhere faster as reliability must become a problem at the level where these cars have to perform, just to stay in touch.
Be it as it may, Solberg proved that he is capable of staying there with the best, Makkinen, can also, someone needs to remind him sometimes though. If these two drivers can get themselves in early second and fourth positions, things could just go very wrong for the Peugeot team.
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Leon Botha
Are you sure you fixed that little problem I had in NZ?
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But then, do not forget a pissed off Colin McRae in any car, let alone a very potent Ford Focus, can also become a hell of a nuisance. Markko Martin has proven that he is young, quick, and willing to take on McRae.
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Leon Botha
Six or a nix!
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Sebastien Loeb will not be hanging around in the Citroen waiting to be overtaken, either. He would also dearly want to prove that experience or not, the team had enough power without Colin around.
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Leon Botha
I won't be appearing with Mitsubishi in 2003? Ag, shame man, they were great!
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Jani Paasonen managed to show the much more experienced Francois Delecour where the petrol pedal of a Mitsubishi is situated, and this team could also now eventually be driving at the pace they should have been long ago.
More news on the Rally Australia – coming your way this week.
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