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2005 WRC: RALLY GREAT BRITAIN

• Rally 12 of 16: Sept 16-18, 2005, Rally of Great Britain

• Petter Solberg: "I'm really looking forward to Rally GB. It's a very special rally for both me and the team as we have very good memories of the event. We have won the event many times - I won my first-ever rally there and then a year later the championship, so for sure I enjoy it very much. We seem to have a lot of support there too, no doubt partly because Phil is a local! This year will be different from other years though. The plan and objective is to win, but we have to be realistic. It has been a difficult season for us, and we have to hope that we have more success than we have had at other gravel events. That said, we will go out to try and win, and take whatever comes at us."
• Chris Atkinson: "This is my first Rally GB, and I think it will be tough. Like most events this year, it will be a learning experience, although I will be looking for a strong finish. I'm pleased with the speed we've shown in previous events, so there's every chance. There are some nice stages in the event, but it could get tricky if it rains. The team have a lot of knowledge about the event, and I've got some experience of rallying in similar conditions. In the Asia-Pacific series I did last year we had lots of muddy rallies, so that may help. Then again it may well be dry this year! It's going to be a hard rally, but we've got to aim for points."
• Stephane Sarrazin: "I haven't competed in this event before, but I hope to take a step forward in terms of performance. I have some good experience now on gravel after events such as Greece and Sardinia and I will be pushing hard to get a good finish. The entry list is very competitive so it will be hard for us, but I'm looking for a top eight or ten result at least. We did well in Germany, finishing in the top ten on most of the stages, so this will be the goal at this rally. I want to set some good times, which hopefully will be possible as the team has a lot of experience here. The test in Wales will be a good opportunity to find a good balance for the car and for me to learn a bit more of the conditions in Wales. I'm looking forward to my first time through the Welsh forests!"

• PEUGEOT WILL CONTINUE TO ATTACK IN CARDIFF!
  Of the five rounds still to come in 2005, Rally GB stands out as one of Peugeot's best chances to obtain a maximum points haul in its bid to retrieve the Manufacturers' title. It's also an event that Marcus Gronholm has already won, while Markko Martin has regularly produced top performances in the British classic.
• Peugeot Sport knew that the recent all-asphalt Rally Deutschland was not going to be easy. Only rain could perhaps have tipped the event in the 307 WRC pair's favour, but the three-day event was marked by bright sunshine from start to finish. Even so, Marcus Gronholm and Markko Martin put in yet another strong team result, with both drivers finishing in the points thanks to 3rd and 4th places for the Finn and the Estonian respectively. In Great Britain, the two drivers will have their sights set even higher still. As in Finland, where Marcus claimed the team's first victory of the season, they are keenly aware that the anticipated showdown in the challenging Welsh forests should provide them with a chance to showcase not only their own talent but also the potential of the 307 WRC.
• Wales Rally GB is the twelfth of the sixteen-round 2005 World Championship. After the trip to Cardiff, the calendar concludes with the last two loose surface outings of the year (Japan and Australia) and two asphalt rounds (Corsica and Spain). With a current score of 117 points to its name compared with 123 for Citroen and 72 for Ford, the only possible tactic for Peugeot in Wales is outright attack. In the Drivers' standings, the gaps are even bigger: the provisional championship leader Sebastien Loeb (93 points) profited from the Deutschland Rally to extend his advantage over his closest chaser Marcus Gronholm (61 points), while Petter Solberg and Markko Martin follow in 3rd and 4th places on 55 and 53 points respectively.
• One of world class rallying's most prestigious fixtures, Wales Rally GB -- formerly known as the RAC Rally -- continues to be one of the highlights of the season. For many years it was organised as the final round of the year and took place in November, but last year saw it move to a new September slot, a switch that could well have a big influence on the prevailing weather conditions.
• After finishing 2nd in 2000, Marcus Gronholm won the event outright in 2001 with the Peugeot 206 WRC but has since failed to reach the finish. The Finn is currently in top form, however, and has every intention of getting back into his winning ways. "I do like the Welsh stages," he says. "The conditions in some events can change significantly from one day or even one stage to the next, but the Rally GB stages rarely spring any surprises; they are practically always tough and extremely slippery. The event's new date could obviously change all that however. It is difficult to evaluate our chances right now of making up the gap in the Drivers' championship, but we know our car is very competitive on the loose and I have every intention of giving it my absolute best to try and win in Wales."
• Markko Martin has also competed on this event many times in the past. It is effectively here that his memorable scrap with Petter Solberg saw him produce one of his first top performances at world level. But despite being extremely quick over this type of terrain, the Estonian has met with little success in Wales since that epic clash. "Wales Rally GB is an event I really enjoy, but I have frequently encountered problems in the past, as in 2001 and 2003 when I retired because of mechanical trouble," he points out. "I didn't have much luck last year either. That said, the stages suit my driving style and I know I can be competitive over this type of terrain. My objective is to give it my very best and I sincerely believe I have a chance of going well this time round." Extremely consistent, Martin is the only driver to have come away from every round since the start of the season in the points. Yet despite finishing four times on the podium in 2005 (Sweden, Mexico, Cyprus and Finland), he has yet to finish on the highest step in Peugeot colours. But like his Finnish team-mate, he is conscious that victory is by no means out of the question in Cardiff.

• Victory at last for Citroen?
• Wales Rally GB not only marks the return of the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship to gravel but it also stands out as the last round before the current series enters its fourth and final quarter. The Manufacturers' championship leaders Citroen have entered two Xsara WRCs for the British classic, for Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Francois Duval/Sven Smeets who together claimed an emphatic one- two result on the recent asphalt interlude in Germany...
• The French carmaker has twice finished Rally GB in 2nd spot: in 2003, when its efforts where essentially focused on (successfully) securing the Manufacturers title, and again in 2004 after leading until 10km from the chequered flag. This time round, the Versailles-Satory squad has prepared particularly carefully for the visit to Cardiff and will be out to finish one place higher, which would be its first success in the British event...
• Last year saw Britain's round switch from the traditional November date it had held since 1959 to a new mid-September slot. In the Brecon Beacons National Park, which stretches north of the imaginary line between Cardiff and Swansea, this is often a transitional moment of the year in weather terms. It's not yet winter and, in any case, the proximity of the sea all but eliminates the likelihood of snow and ice which used to be a hallmark of RAC Rallies of yesteryear. However, the region could either still be enjoying summer sunshine, or it could equally turn out to be autumn already, with weather changes possible during the weekend, or even during the same day!
• The stages themselves are practically identical to those employed twelve months ago and use the country's celebrated wide and generally well-maintained forest tracks. "The stages are fast," says Citroen Sport's Technical Manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon. "They are a bit like Finland, but without the jumps and with the odd rougher portion. In dry weather, the stony surface is very abrasive but if it rains it becomes covered in a top-coating of extraordinarily slippery mud. Temperatures can vary considerably too. The best tyre -- that is to say the most competitive tyre -- can extend from the softest available in the range to the hardest..."
• To cope with the different possible scenarios, one tactic is to select a broad spectrum of tyre types when nominating the drivers' individual quotas. The number of covers that can be registered is restricted to 70 however. Which means that if the drivers do make a wide choice, they will only have limited quantities of each type. On the other hand, if the conditions prove consistent, the ideal tyre will be the same from start to finish and the driver could well find himself short. Drivers faced exactly this sort of situation last year when omnipresent mud and low temperatures meant that the soft compound was the most competitive option over the three days...
• Another approach consists in having total confidence in the forecasters' predictions and selecting a large quantity of the tyre type suited to the anticipated conditions. With the weather being so unpredictable and changeable, this sort of gamble could well lead to the driver hitting the jackpot... or it could end in disaster. Such, in any case, is the conundrum faced by the teams right up to the tyre nomination 'deadline' on the afternoon of Monday September 12th.
• Questions to Guy Frequelin...
• With two asphalt rounds still to come, what is your analysis of Citroen's one-two result in Germany?
  "The faultless runs of both our drivers enabled us to pull quickly clear of the pack and push home our advantage to ultimately regain the lead in the Manufacturers' championship. The combination of the Xsara, our crews and our Michelin tyres showed our potential on asphalt and that's clearly a good pointer for the two asphalt rounds to come. That said, you can't automatically carry over the superb scenario we enjoyed in the Deutschland Rally to Corsica and Catalonia. The stages of the latter two events are different to those found in Germany and indeed differ between themselves. The weather may not prove as mild as it was in Germany either. Also, I wouldn't want to underestimate our rival's capacity to react. So, as usual, I would say I'm confident, but cautious!"
• Francois Duval was back to his true potential in Germany. Tactically that's very important...
  "I am really pleased for Francois. He feels comfortable on the German stages and he proved a match for Seb whose speed is no secret. That's very, very positive! Another positive point was the fact that Francois fully accepted to fall in line with team discipline even though he was doubtlessly keen to take his first world class win. We are also very appreciative of his efforts to communicate and integrate himself in the team. He is motivated and hungrier for information; in a word he is more professional. I am looking forward to seeing how well he performs over the opening stages in Wales. He will be on difficult terrain and I don't want him to take too many risks, but I hope he is able to give us good support."
• Each of the last two Wales Rally GBs has had a special flavour for Citroen. How do you see this year's event going for you?
  "In 2003, we were focused on securing the Manufacturers' title, while Seb was pipped at the post in 2004. After coming 2nd twice in a row, all we can wish for is that we are able to succeed at last in adding this event to the team's record. So, yes, we really want to win Wales Rally GB. Given how the car has progressed on the loose and given the strength of Michelin's tyres, we believe we have the potential to fight at the sharp end and challenge for victory again. At the same time, we also know that the way the event unfolds could depend in part on the suitability of our drivers' individual tyre quotas for the weather conditions which can be very unsettled in Wales at this time of year. Finally, we don't intend to lose sight of the fact either that our priority is to score as many points as possible..."
• ...to Sebastien Loeb...
• In the end, you really wanted to win your 'home' event -- the Deutschland Rally -- for the fourth time... More than you let on before the start...
  "The will to win is sufficient motivation whatever the rally. As I indicated, I started at a strong pace but at a pace at which I felt comfortable and which, given my knowledge of the Xsara, meant I could drive at the limit without overstepping it. The fact that Francois was so close didn't come as a surprise and we finished some long stages on the same second. His performance in Germany last year and his times during shakedown spoke for themselves. What I didn't know was where he stood in terms of his morale and he has reassured everyone on that front. It was a great pleasure to win this rally. As on the Monte Carlo and in Argentina, you feel the spectators urging you on. The ovation we were given by our fans at service was fantastic! Pleasing them only adds to our own pleasure. I am also delighted for the team that we succeeded in finishing first and second; it was a reward that their outstanding work deserves..."
• After last year's switch to a September date, are you still as big a fan of Wales Rally GB?
  "Last year, you could hardly tell the event had moved to September! OK, it wasn't so cold but the stages were as slippery as ever. Indeed, the pleasure of competing here comes from the fast, wide stages that allow you to use all the road, with no ruts that force everyone to follow the same line. The fact that there is such little grip also forces you to drive with a great deal of finesse. With a nicely balanced car like the Xsara, the stages are really fun. It's not easy to find the ideal speed, but they're such a pleasure. For me, the rally's only down side -- and I said this already last year -- is that you can lose it on the Monday before the start -- before you even set foot in a stage -- if you get your tyre quota wrong."
• Finishing 2nd again in 2004 was frustrating. Will you be out for revenge this year, and what sort of weather would you prefer?
  "Will I be out for revenge? Yes and no! It's true that victory has slipped through my fingers twice now, but both times the end result was positive for Citroen. But this time I do really want to win. As far as the weather goes, as I have already said, I enjoy it when the conditions are slippery. That's great fun. But previous rallies have shown that our Michelin tyres make an even bigger difference when the going is hot and when the stages become more abrasive second time through. So I would like the weather to be dry... with my tyre quota just right!"
• ...and to Francois Duval.
• Let's look back briefly at the Deutschland Rally...
  "Things generally go well for me on asphalt. I knew I could fulfil my mission which was to drive quickly, figure up with the front-runners and show I was a force to be reckoned with. It's been a while since I last enjoyed myself so much on an event and I drove at a quick pace from the start. It was a superb rally and Seb and I had a great fight until the moment we logically decided to focus on ensuring the excellent result we finally achieved. It was easier from that point on..."
• This will be your fifth Rally GB start. What do you think of this event?
  "You could be forgiven for thinking it was an easy rally but it is in fact very difficult. When it rains, as it often does, the stages are very slippery. Finding the ideal braking point can be delicate, and it only gets worse after the first cars have been through. If the going is dry, the stages are more abrasive. The weather can change quite quickly and calling the tyres right each time isn't easy..."
• How did testing go? What sort of result do you think you can achieve?
  "I spent a day testing in dry conditions. Everything went OK and I am happy with the set-up we found. I feel comfortable with the car, while Sven and I are now also totally in phase. I hope I will be able to push harder than in recent gravel events, for my own good and for the good of the team. I will be pleased if I can finish inside the top-five and I will base my pace on that of Markko [Martin]. He generally goes well on this type of event, so I mustn't make any mistakes..."

MITSUBISHI

• ROVANPERA: "I like this rally and have good memories from the old times, when the weather made conditions so difficult and the rally was much longer; then, it was very interesting!. Now the event is much shorter and has the type of stages I really enjoy. Hopefully the weather will be good and, for the tires, as long as we have either dry or wet conditions, then the choices are quite clear. But, I think we have good Pirelli tires for this event anyway. Basically we will run the same car as Finland, with finalized settings from our recent test. I'm quite confident we can push hard in GB".
• GALLI: "For me, I will have the same attitude I had in Germany, nothing more, nothing less. It will be a case of being patient, learning, gaining experience and seeing how our pace compares. I think the stages are quite good, but for sure the rally is fast and I think quite difficult. I will do my best".

SKODA

• McRAE: "I'm eager to get back into competing again and to do so on my home event is something very special for both Nicky and myself. I'm looking forward to working with Skoda Motorsport and helping to push the development of the Fabia WRC 05 along in a positive way. I'm not really thinking much about a specific result but I'd like to think that, even having been out of the WRC for a while, I can still drive a car quickly enough to get well into the Top 10."
• SCHWARTZ: "Rally GB is special to me as it was where I made my WRC debut with Audi in 1988 and it has remained a favourite ever since."
• Rally GB:
  was traditionally the final event in the World Rally Championship until it moved from its November date to September last year. Despite predictions that the rally would be run in dry and dusty conditions with speeds threatening to reach similar levels to Finland, the weather proved just as difficult and the muddy conditions continued.
• After a ceremonial start by the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 1930 on the evening of Thursday September 15, the event heads into west Wales to its base at the Felindre Rally Centre near Swansea.
• The opening leg features six stages (three run twice each) to the north and east of Felindre, totaling 139.24kms.
• Saturday's action is to the north with six more stages (103.70kms) before the crews head to Cardiff for a one kilometre indoor superspecial at the Millennium Stadium.
• Sunday's final leg includes two runs over two of the event's longest stages, Resolfen and Margam (113.62kms). After an overall total of 357.56kms the rally finishes in the Welsh capital on Sunday afternoon

MICHELIN

• The Michelin Z BTO rises to the challenge of the Welsh forests
• After the recent brief foray onto asphalt in Germany which saw Loeb and Michelin collect their eighth win of the season, the World Rally Championship contenders return to gravel for Wales Rally GB, formerly known as the RAC Rally. The twelfth round of the season also marks the return to the limelight of the Michelin Z BTO tyre which took a record-breaking six straight wins out of the box following its launch in April's Rally New Zealand . Pipped to the post last year by a mere 6 seconds in the forests of South Wales, Sebastien Loeb (Citroen - Michelin) will out for revenge this time round, while Colin McRae makes his return to world class rallying in Skoda- Michelin colours.
• At the end of the day, what does it matter if it is known as the RAC Rally or Wales Rally GB? If it comes at the end of the championship in November or takes place in September? If it strikes as far afield as Yorkshire and Scotland or sticks to Wales? The fact is that Britain's round of the championship will always be an event apart in the world of rallying, with muddy tracks in deep forests, with fog in the valleys or on higher land and omnipresent flasks of hot tea to keep the enthusiastic fans warm. This is a rally where bravery and self sacrifice really count; a rally which all drivers dream of winning one day-- even in bright sunshine !
• Michelin's most recent Rally GB success dates back to 2001 when the two-times World Champion Marcus Gronholm and his Michelin-shod Peugeot 206 WRC enabled the Peugeot- Michelin team to secure its second world title at the end of an intense, season-long duel with Ford. "Last year's result was frustrating for us. But although we didn't win, we don't believe we entirely lost either," says Michelin Competition's Rallies ManagerAime Chatard. "Loeb and Solberg were engaged in a thrilling battle throughout the three days and victory only swung in the Norwegian's favour at the very, very end-- and in a way that has yet to be explained technically."
• Another fierce fight is to be expected this year between a Gronholm who is hungry for victory, a Solberg who would love to equal Hannu Mikkola's record of four RACRally wins and a Loeb who has the Drivers' title in his sights and on whomCitroen is counting in its bid to defend its Manufacturers' crown . Not to mention Toni Gardemeister (Ford- Michelin) who has prepared particularly thoroughly for the British round thanks to an intensive test programme which lasted right up to the last minute. "In a way, Rally GB is the gravel equivalent to the recent Deutschland Rally. It is possible to find big differences in temperature and the stages feature a wide variety of surface types, from cold mud to packed, dry terrain which can be hard wearing on tyres," points out Aime Chatard. "Once again, the exact make up of the drivers' individual quotas registered before the start and the task of re-cutting the tread patterns by hand at service parks once the event has begun promise to be decisive."
• Winner out of the box when it was launched on last April's Rally New Zealand, the Michelin Z BTO (Braking & Traction Optimisation) went on to take a total of six victories in a row thanks to Sebastien Loeb and his Citroen Xsara WRC. After its inaugural success in the southern hemisphere, the association of Loeb, the Michelin BTO and Citroen went on to triumph in the four Mediterranean rounds (Sardinia, Cyprus, Turkey and Greece) before adding a sixth consecutive win in Argentina in July to break the previous record held by Didier Auriol since 1992. The latter event was held in the clutches of the southern hemisphere winter, and the combination of the soft compound and the very soft compound Michelin Z BTO (Z8 and Z8-) contributed to Loeb's victory overGronholm and Solberg in a straight fight. This weekend in the Welsh forests, the same two versions of the BTO make up the bulk of the choice of Michelin's driver-partners whose ranks include Colin McRae.
• The youngest World Champion in rallying history has effectively chosen his home round to make his come-back at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia WRC-Michelin after an absence of nearly two years during which time he competed in rally-raids with Nissan-BFGoodrich and in the Le Mans 24 Hours (3rd in the LM GTS category driving a Ferrari-Michelin). "I am really amazed by the new Michelin Z BTO," admitted the Scot after a three-day test session in Scotland. "I was able to do back to back tests with the former generation tyre in both wet and dry conditions. The Z BTO was systematically quicker and more consistent. I can't wait to use it on an event." Colin McRae will team up with the former RAC Rally winner Armin Schwarz (1996, Toyota-Michelin) who recently announced his decision to retire from the WRC at the end of 2005 and who will be looking to conclude his career on a high note.

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