Network Q Rally of Great Britain
author: Leon Botha
After such an exciting year in rallying on almost all levels, it is sad to get to the end of the season. The Network Q Rally of Britain will be the last in the 2002 WRC series.
Looking back at the enormous support rallying enjoyed from the manufacturer involvement, right through to spectators, International media coverage, down to the smallest possible sponsor, one tends to ask: “What else can be added to this phenomenal sport?” It is so filled with excitement, it pumps pure adrenaline, it entertains more people than most other sport combined, it truly helps to design and build better cars, it generated billions of whatever currency you choose.
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Leon Botha
Master blaster!
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What will happen next year, what will the various manufacturers come up with? Can some one come up with an answer to the serious Peugeot “problem”? They do not only have the best cars on the circuit, they have the best combination of drivers able to put so much pressure on the competition, that they might just dominate the scene for another year.
Marcus Grönholm must be seen as the quickest, consistent driver in the world. Burns will at times come up with a flash of brilliant driving, but Marcus’ pace just seem too quick to pressurise him consistently without going off yourself.
The ‘excuse’ that Richard had to get used to the Peugeot, after his World Championship win in a Subaru, must now be something of the past. Drivers at that level should not take more than one or two rallies to get to grips with a different car. The amount of testing in between rallies is also so drastic that he should have been on pace with Marcus long ago. Not that he is not, he is, but he seems not to be able to be on Marcus’ case for long enough before something goes wrong for him, and that is going to be most drivers’ and teams problem.
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Leon Botha
Burns in snow!
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The Grönholm/Burns saga is an internal Peugeot “problem”, and will not offer the solution to any of the other teams. When they have a solution for Grönholm and Burns, they still need to get around Rovanpera, and then the quicksilver Panizzi. The question should actually be; “Where the hell do you start?”
Petter Solberg seems to have entered into a new dimension of speed and skill in the Subaru. He will now be able to keep up with the Peugeot speed, and it is also heartening that he managed to keep the car together in Australia. He should have finished New Zealand on the podium, bar a electrical fault right at the end. Ok, so that gives us one candidate able to drill the Peugeots, but I am afraid that is not going to be good enough?
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Leon Botha
Peter will have to keep it together better than this time around!
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Leon Botha
Sebastien - may just pull off a surprize or two, in 2003.
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So who else is there? If I say Sebastien Loeb, it will not only be unfair, but a bit silly not to mention Colin McRae at the same time. The latter seems to have a problem though? It just seem so, I am not sure, but he seems to have gone into “Navigator blaming mode”! It was actually sad to see that when he overshot in Aussie, he spend about five seconds glaring at poor ol’ Reed because he felt that Reed was too slow in reading the pace notes. Shit man, that corner was so clear I actually fell off the couch leaning to try and get the Ford around the corner on his behalf, while watching TV. A full change of scenery might do it for him, but I believe that the pressure which is getting to a number of drivers, has also caught up with poor old Colin.
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Leon Botha
Colin - will he get it together at Citroen?
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Tommi Mäkinen is also having a hell of a time. When he still manages to finish where he belongs, and make no mistake, he belongs on the podium, they disqualify him for a car that weighs 8kg too little. The fact that Petter Solberg is actually leading the Subaru onslaught may do it for this very proud man, and when he gets his act together there are not many drivers that will stay with him.
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Leon Botha
Tommi can fly - once he sets his mind to it.
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Subaru has already announced that their 2003 car will definitely be much closer to the Peugeot’s performance – let us just hope Peugeot does not announce that they discovered they had the firing order wrong way round, and that their cars should now be going a lot better!
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Leon Botha
Jani Paasonen has the better chance to fly the Mitsubishi flag!
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Paasonen is an up and coming driver, who seems to have the skill, speed and cajonies to get there, but his problem lies with the Mitsubishi that needs a lot of development. He did prove that given half a chance he will stay up there with the best.
Francois Delecour? Only a miracle will make him a threat, and he seems to be using up the miracles to stay alive!
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Leon Botha
Using up the miracles?
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Carlos Sainz, in the right car, driving for the right team, will always be a potential winner, but try as he will, it seems as though Ford is set to make life uncertain for him, and a few other people including themselves.
Martin must be given a chance as he is also a very quick and capable driver, but the lack of experience will, at least for the next season still be a factor.
So, what says you? Lets have a look at what happens in Britain where we will get an appetizer of the 2003 season. All the stops will be pulled, and we should be able to see who can stay with whom?
Britain is famed for its tough forest stages and changeable weather conditions. It is fast, slippery, unpredictable and renowned as one of the world's greatest motorsport challenges.
Widely believed to be Britain's largest sporting occasion (I like printing this), thousands of UK rally fans are expected to attend the event and brave the British fog and rain to see their favourite rally driver charging through the Welsh forests at stomach-churning speeds.
This year's event comprises 17 stages held over 390 competitive kilometres. Leg one will see crews travel 55 kilometres north-west of the central service park at Felindre to contest five stages before returning to Cardiff for the second Super Special. Leg two will then be held in the Brecon Beacons, north of Felindre, before concluding with a third and final Super Special in Cardiff. All four of Sunday's stages will take place east of Felindre.
With the manufacturer's title mathematically wrapped up by Peugeot and the driver's title already won by Marcus Gronholm, all eyes will be on the battle for second place in the driver's championship, which looks set to be a fight to the wire.
SUMMARY INTERVIEW
Although classified as a gravel event, the wet, muddy, cold and foggy conditions typically encountered during Rally GB present a special set of challenges to the 555 Subaru team - as Team Principal David Lapworth explained:
"Looking ahead to next weekend I think there are two factors that we'll be dealing with above all else. First of all there's the weather. If you were to look at the stages on a clear day in September you'd think they were perfect, they're smooth and challenging and in great condition. And there's really nothing wrong with them in November either. If the weather's good it wouldn't be a bad rally, it's just that when you add in mud, rain, fog and darkness there's a lot for drivers to contend with.
"Secondly there's competition we're anticipating this year. GB is an event that Colin, Marcus and Richard have all won in the past, and I'm expecting that once again Peugeot will put up some formidable opposition. But although I'm expecting it to be tough, with Petter, Tommi, Pirelli and the Impreza I believe we have every reason to be hopeful of a good result.
Traditionally for Subaru, Great Britain is one of our strongest events. The rally is all about grip and as we've shown in the past, the Impreza has excellent traction and low speed grip, it really does suit the conditions.
"We have some new Pirelli tyre compounds for this rally, which Tommi and Petter will be testing over the next few days. Early indications are positive, and after Petter's result in Australia, the whole team is in a buoyant mood. I suppose you could say this is our home event, It's like Peugeot and Monte Carlo - when the WRC travels there, we're on their home ground, well next week, when the championship travels to the forests, they'll be in Subaru territory."
Well there you have it, lets sit back, and enjoy!
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