Sweden’s sister rally, Rally Norway, has begun today. Being only 200km away from Sweden, it’s the first time the World Rally Championship holds an event in Norway, which is also Petter Solberg’s birthplace. It’s an important rally for the Subaru World Rally team, because it will be their last time driving the Subaru WRC06. Next month in Mexico, they will unveil the new Subaru WRC07, which should help the team greatly for the upcoming rallies. As for Rally Norway, you can expect more snow, ice and cold temperatures. Whereas Sweden was all about speed, the route in Norway is significantly tighter and more twisting.
Petter Solberg in action at shakedown (credit: SWRT)Petter Solberg:
“It’s going to be a very special event for me. Already things are building up ahead of the rally, there have been lots of press interviews in the last two days and people I know are arriving here for the event. I won’t really have a home advantage because I have never seen these stages before. It is completely new for me, as it is for all the other drivers. It felt positive to lead in Sweden and Chris showed in Sweden that when the stages are covered in lots of snow and ice we can set fastest stage times. So we need those conditions and have to hope there is not too much gravel showing through when we use the stages for the second time. It’s going to be incredible to see all the fans supporting me and the team. It’s difficult to say much about how I will feel about it until I get out on the stages, but I’m looking forward to it so much.”
Chris Atkinson:
“I have some idea what to expect because we did the recce for Rally Norway last year, although many of the stages we drove have been reversed this time. I think it is going to be a pretty exciting rally, because the stages were great last year, although a lot more technical than those in Sweden. There was a lot of snow and ice and some of the snow banks lining the stages were as much as two metres high, so it was like driving through a tunnel. We were quite happy with our pace in Sweden against some drivers who have a lot more experience of that event. In Norway everyone should be on the same level in terms of knowledge of the stages. Our approach to this rally will be the same as in Sweden: we’ll start steadily and gradually build our pace. Hopefully we’ll get the fifth or sixth place we should have had there.”
Source: SWRT
The Swedish Rally didn’t go so well for the Subaru World Rally Team. After Leg 1, Petter Solberg had established his place in the top 3 while Chris Atkinson was just outside the top 8. During Leg 2 however, Petter’s car got stuck in a snowy ditch. With the help of a group of 20 spectators, he managed to push the Impreza back on the road, undamaged, but he lost about 14 minutes. The Subaru team decided to retire Solberg to preserve the car’s engine and transmission for Rally Norway next week.
Petter Solberg on Leg 2. Image and driver’s quotes from SWRT.During Leg 3, Chris Atkinson set the fastest time on Special Stage 16, moving to 5th position overall. Sadly, he damaged the rear left corner of his Subaru WRC two stages later on SS18. Because of the damage to his car, he took a drop from 5th position to 8th overall.
Chris Atkinson:
“The mistake on SS18 was disappointing, especially for the team, because we were on course to bring home three more championship points. But we’ve been encouraged by our pace here this weekend, we chose the right strategy of making a cautious start and what happened was just one those unfortunate things. Now it is important for us to look ahead to Rally Norway and try to get the best result we can there.”
Petter Solberg:
“I’m very disappointed about what has happened, and I’m really sorry to the supporters who were out on the stages for us. It was good to be fighting back near the top and I’d have liked to have carried that fight on tomorrow, but unfortunately losing 14 minutes meant there was no chance. So, we have to look forward, and that means preparing for Norway. It’s my home rally and I’m going to try my best to get a much better result.”
While trying to find out more information about the new Subaru WRC 2007 car, which will be driven by the Subaru World Rally Team for the first time at Rally Mexico in March, I stumbled upon pictures of the Subaru team testing out a new Subaru Impreza WRC car.
Could this be the new Subaru WRC 2007? According to these pictures, the new Subaru WRC07 car is not a hatchback. The car being tested is a sedan, just like the actual 2007 Subaru WRX production car. Oh well, here I was, hoping we’d have a glimpse at an actual hatchback Impreza before April.
Straightline posted pictures of the next-generation 2008 Impreza. In the article, they also mention that:
The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI will be a hatchback, just like the 2007 Subaru WRC rally car.
Does this mean the 2007 Subaru Impreza WRC rally car will also be a hatchback? The Subaru World Rally team is supposed to be driving the new 2007 WRC car in Mexico this March. If this is true (I doubt it), we’ll probably have a glimpse of the new 2008 WRX there.
The Subaru World Rally Team is heading to Sweden for the second event of the 2007 World Rally Championship. The Swedish Rally starts on February 8th and is one of the most challenging event of the season: ice, snow and very high speeds make for some extreme driving conditions. The temperature can get as low as -25C (-13F).
Petter Solberg at the Swedish Rally in 2006 (from SWRT)Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson will both be driving the 2006 Impreza WRC car. Last year was Chris’ first rally with the SWRT and he managed to finish 11th, while Petter had some starter problems and his car stalled at the start line of SS18.
Here’s what Petter Solberg have to say:
“It’s great to be back on snow again for the next two rallies. Last year we did not have much luck in Sweden, but the year before I won here, so I have some good memories. It was good for the team to have both cars in the points in Monte Carlo last month. I think we can do the same on this rally, but we will have to wait and see exactly what result we are capable of, because there are a lot of good drivers out there. The car is improving all the time, but I will know a lot more after I drive the car during our pre-event test this weekend.â€
Chris Atkinson:
“Despite the great result on Rallye Monte Carlo, I’m keeping my expectations quite cautious ahead of the two snow rallies. We aimed for top six in Monte Carlo and things went our way, so we’re aiming for the top five or six for these next two events in Sweden and Norway. If we come away with some more points, I’ll be happy. In 2005 Sweden was my first ever rally with the Subaru World Rally Team and I’ve got fond memories. It’s such a fun event.â€
Let’s wish them good luck and hope for some points!
Source: PaddockTalk
In front of thousands of people, the Subaru World Rally Team put on a good show at the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally. Chris Atkinson was one place short of a podium and finished fourth, while Petter Solberg finished 6th, matching is own personal best time in this rally.
Chris Atkinson:
To be fighting like this on asphalt is so encouraging for the team. It was fantastic to do it in front of so many people and in this setting. I was just trying to be quick and neat rather than spectacular. I think this is one of the best rallies we’ve ever had.
Petter Solberg:
It was good fun, really good fun, the stage was very impressive and I really hope the people here enjoyed watching it as much as we did driving!
The team performed very well on asphalt with their new BFGoodrich tyres, and they are looking forward to their next stop, Sweden. Wait until they get their hands on the new 2007 Subaru WRC car in March, they’ll be unstoppable!
Via: Monte Carlo Rally: Subaru final summary
The Rallye Monte Carlo challenge is taking place this week-end.
The team starts the year with an unchanged driver line-up, with Petter Solberg/Phil Mills and Chris Atkinson/Glenn Macneall at the wheel of the Subaru Impreza WRCs. One aspect of the team that has changed is the tyre supplier, because a new deal has been forged with BFGoodrich for 2007.
It is the 75th running of Rallye Monte Carlo and to commemorate the anniversary the organisers have revised the route to include some classic special stages which have not been used for many years. For the first time the rally is based in Valence, near the river Rhône in south-east France, and most of the asphalt stages will take place on roads in the mountainous Ardeche and Vercors regions, which hosted some of the most famous Monte Carlo stages in the past.
Sadly, the Subaru team won’t be able to drive the new 2007 Impreza until the Mexico event, which is the fourth event of the season.
Via: Subaru World Rally Team – Rallye Monte Carlo 2007 preview
Petter Solberg thinks the new 2007 Subaru WRC and the switch from Pirelli to BFGoodrich tyres will make the Subaru World Rally Team much more competitive than last season.
He says:
“I’m sure that with all the hard work everyone has been putting in back at base and the new car that we will be able to start to fight for the championship again this year.”
Via: Solberg predicts title challenge
