Corsica - OMW Kronos Citroën WRT - Leg The OMV Kronos Citroën World Rally Team has finished the first day of the Rallye de France – Tour de Corse in fourth and twelfth place. Francois Duval/Patrick Pivato (Bel/Fra) impressively proved their forte on tarmac and lie only
behind Ford driver Marcus Grönholm and the Citroën works drivers Loeb and Sordo.
Francois Duval took up the 13th run of the FIA World Rally Championship in the same manner in which he had finished the twelfth less than one week ago. The Belgian driver immediately ascertained his place behind the works drivers of Ford and Citroën.
Following the retirement of Ford's Mikko Hirvonen he moved up to fourth place. Currently the runner-up of Rally Germany is only missing 39.9 seconds to make it onto the podium as he presently stands behind third-placed Daniel Sordo of the Citroën team.
Duval: "Unfortunately it is impossible to attack the first three. But we can still be satisfied with our performance."
Things didn't go according to plan for Manfred Stohl but the 35-year-old OMV driver showed figthing spirit and made the best of his situation.
Following a rather disappointing beginning his speed increased (except for SS 5) and he currently is about to move up into the top 10, of which only 7.9 seconds are missing.
Stohl: "I'm simply thinking too much. Of course, there is always that security-issue in the back of my mind. Since the Kronos Team has shown immense commitment to make this start possible I don't want to do too much damage since they'd get into problems concerning the rally in Japan otherwise."
Source OMV Kronos Citroën WRT
