Subscription

Car Racing

Motorcycle Racing

Racing in Oz

Shop

2004 WRC: RALLY AUSTRALIA (PERTH)

LOEB WINS - RECORD 6TH WIN - 2004 FINALE

Sebastien Loeb equals record 6 wins in a season set by countryman Didier Auriol in 1992.

• LOEB (Rally winner, 2004 champion): "... Carlos (Sainz) said that he wanted to be greeted in Madrid with the news that we had won. Once again, you gave us a perfect car which meant we were able to make that happen. Thanks to everyone!"
• BEFORE RALLY:
• CARLOS SAINZ OUT: this was to be his final Rally before retirement. Unfortunately he is out with injury after an accident during recce on Tuesday. He is recovering and wearing a neck brace.
  SANIZ: "... The doctors strongly advised me not to drive considering another impact of the same kind could lead to serious consequences ... I didn't know that Catalonia would be my last rally. But I don't have any regrets because the party on the Sunday night was beautiful."
• MARKKO MARTIN: having won the last 2 rallies, he has a chance of overtaking Petter Solberg to finish as championship runner-up
• BIRTHDAYS FOR FORD DRIVERS: Martin is 29 years old on Wednesday (Nov 10); Duval is 24 next Thursday (Nov 18).

• 1 Sebastien Loeb Citroen Xsara
  "... Carlos (Sainz) said that he wanted to be greeted in Madrid with the news that we had won. Once again, you gave us a perfect car which meant we were able to make that happen. Thanks to everyone!"
  2Harri Rovanpera Peugeot 307 +1m 52s
  "... It's been a very good rally for us. The main thing is that the car has been very reliable, which has allowed us to push with confidence and fight at the front. We've had no problems at all on this rally, apart from a couple of small mistakes which cost us a little bit of time. Today was quite a tough day because of the high temperatures and tricky stages, but we just concentrated on keeping our position. After a difficult year, it is good to end on a positive note!"
  3 Francois Duval Ford Focus RS +3m 2
  "... It has been a very long and difficult rally but it's great to finish the year with a podium place. It was an unexpected result for us because we don't have much experience here. We set out with the aim of not taking any risks and that paid off"
  4 Mikko Hirvonen Subaru Impreza +5m 26
  5 Dean Herridge Subaru Impreza WRX +13m 17
  6 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRX +13m 19
  7 Alistair McRae Subaru Impreza WRX
  8 Xavier Pons Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
  9 Cody Crocker Subaru Impreza WRX
  10 Niall McShea Subaru Impreza WRX

GRONHOLM OUT - LOEB LEADS

1 Sebastien Loeb Citroen Xsara
'... I am really disappointed for Marcus (Gronholm)... It's very frustrating. I had hoped for a good, long fight, as exciting as my scrap with Petter Solberg last year..."
2Harri Rovanpera Peugeot 307 +1m 20
"... Everything is going very well so far. We had no problems at all apart from the off on the second stage which maybe cost us about 10 seconds. The car is feeling good and I am quite confident. We are second now and although the gap to the front is quite big there is still a long way to go and anything can happen. The important thing is that the car has been fast and reliable, which is a very good sign for the future."
3 Francois Duval Ford Focus RS +2m 30
'... My experience of this rally is not huge so third would be a really good result if we have no problems. I expected fifth or sixth before the start. And there were some new stages and new sections today so that meant my pace notes were new. They have worked well so I'm pleased about that,"
4 Mikko Hirvonen Subaru Impreza +4m 56
5 Anthony Warmbold Ford Focus RS +9m 31
6 Dean Herridge Subaru Impreza WRX
7 Alistair McRae Subaru Impreza WRX
8 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRX
9 Xavier Pons Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
10 Cody Crocker Subaru Impreza WRX
11 McShea 12 Arai 13 Ordynski 14 Baldacci 15 Nutahara
RETIREMENT:
Gronholm, SS10 - crashed out
"... We came into the corner with normal speed, but the ruts were much deeper than they had been yesterday, and the car started to slide on the sump guard. This put us into a 360-degree spin and we hit the front and the back of the car against a tree. I tried to start the engine, but after the impact there was something rubbing against the alternator belt, so the engine would not restart. Finally we managed to get it going again, but it was too late. It was a real pity as the speed and the reliability of the car has been perfect. We just needed a bit more ride height to get through that corner."

SOLBERG OUT - GRONHOLM LEADS

• 1Marcus Gronholm Peugeot 307
  2 Sebastien Loeb Citroen Xsara +21.4s
  3Harri Rovanpera Peugeot 307 +1m 6
  4 Francois Duval Ford Focus RS +1m 37
  5 Mikko Hirvonen Subaru Impreza +3m 21
  6 Anthony Warmbold Ford Focus RS +5m 43
  7 Alistair McRae Subaru Impreza WRX
  8 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRX
  9 Cody Crocker Subaru Impreza WRX
  10 Dean Herridge Subaru Impreza WRX
  11 Singh 12 Paasonen 13 Pons 14 McShea 15 Ordynski
  RETIREMENT:
  Solberg - crashed out (SS4)
  "... It's too bad, I didn't want to end the season like this, but that's just how it is sometimes. Before the incident on SS4 things had started well and I had a good feeling about the event, but we were pushing hard and after the impact there wasn't anything we could do. The damage was actually very little so it was good to get back out in time for the Super Special this evening. It was good to be driving again, it's a great atmosphere here in Australia there's so much support from the fans and I'm really pleased we've secured second in the Drivers' World Championship."
  Martin - SS2 - engine problem
  "...

• 1 Marcus Gronholm , Peugeot 307
  "... I'm quite optimistic about this rally. We have always gone well in Australia in the past ... The key to this rally for us will be reliability, but I think we have made some progress in this area. Whenever the car has stayed reliable, we have always been fast and so the target is to push for victory once more. There's not so much to say about the rally so far; shakedown this morning was wet and slippery so it was difficult to get a real feel for the car and I don't like the superspecial stage: it's very tight and incredibly easy to make a mistake."
• 2 Sebastien Loeb , Citroen Xsara
• 3 Harri Rovanpera , Peugeot 307
• 4 Petter Solberg , Subaru Impreza
• 5 Francois Duval , Ford Focus RS
• 6 Markko Martin , Ford Focus RS
• 7 Mikko Hirvonen , Subaru Impreza
• 8 Fumio Nutahara , Mitsubishi Lancer
• 9 Antony Warmbold , Ford Focus RS 2002
• 10 Juha Kangas , Mitsubishi Lancer

25 special stages;
Total competition distance 388.25km
Rally base: Perth
Super special: Gloucester Park

PRE RALLY:

QUOTES

• LOEB (CITROEN) championship leader: "... The fact that we have achieved our objectives takes some of the pressure off us ... Guy's (Citroen Director) decision to let as go as fast as possible has removed the little pressure that remained. Psychologically, it means you can switch to maximum attack and go for victory from the word go, without having other considerations at the back of your mind. Petter Solberg is the benchmark on gravel and it is hard to say if I could match him if I push harder. That said, it's not my style to enter a corner with two chances in three of going off. I will drive at the limit of what is reasonable and see how it goes."

• SAINZ (CITROEN), his final Rally before retirement: "... Yes, I want to win in Australia ... It will be much easier, given permission to go as fast as we want. When you have a free hand, you can take more risks and try to drive even faster. But it's still important to be at the finish. My objective will be to end the season and my career on the highest note possible!"

• SOLBERG (SUBARU) 2003 WORLD CHAMPION: "... This is really going to be a special rally I think and I'm glad to be getting back to gravel where everything works well. I feel I'm really ready to get out there again and do the best I can - I'm hungry for success. Getting second in the Championship will be like a victory for me and the team and will make me want more next year for sure. I think Markko will certainly be going for it in Australia, and Sebastien, as he has nothing to lose now. It will be one hell of a fight I can tell you! It's one of my favourite rallies, I won it last year and it would be great to repeat that this year. It would be a good way to end the year, so I'm going to go for it - but somehow I don't think I'll be the only one doing that!"

• MARTIN (FORD) : "... I have the chance to finish second in the championship and that would be my best position to date ... That's my aim and to finish second in both the drivers' and manufacturers' championships would represent a solid season. I don't have a good record on this event, but confidence is high in the team and I think we can make a good rally. Rally Australia is a very difficult event. The roads are mostly man-made and there's not really any flow to them from a driving perspective. The loose gravel makes them slippery on the first pass through the stages and I really can't afford to make mistakes. Speeds are high, the tracks are narrow in places and there are no ditches to land in if a driver does make an error. Instead there are often trees right on the edge of the road and a small mistake on the slippery stones can mean big trouble. "This rally is well-known for the jumps in Sotico on the final day. Unfortunately I don't know too much about them because, I have only reached the last leg once. They look incredibly spectacular from outside the car, but from the inside I just remember them as big jumps"

Advertising Enquiry