Norway : ShakedownIt was a case of routine running for the rally drivers this morning as they took part in the shakedown runs ahead of the Rally Norway. Clear blue skies and a temperature of minus two degrees Celsius made for idea conditions as they kicked off the shakedown
at 08.00 CET this morning in Nydal, Hamar.
Sebastien Loeb led the way in his Citroen C4 setting a best time of 2:00.7 on his fifth run. In fact, Loeb's second run was actually the second fastest shakedown time, but taking the best times from the four or five runs most competitors made, it was Jari-Matti Latvala who set the second best time in his Stobart M-Sport Ford Focus, 1.3 seconds adrift of Loeb's best time.
Loeb explained that the conditions were tricky due to the narrow nature of the shakedown stage but was nonetheless happy with the performance of the C4. “Our main goal is to keep ahead in the championship,” said Loeb.
Citroen Sport boss Guy Frequelin explained that while this is the second straight snow rally, it is very different from Sweden in that the twisty and tight nature of the stages require more of a compromise in terms of set-up and that with Loeb first on the stage in the morning, he is likely to be penalised more as he clears the snow than he was last Friday where the studs were able to find grip on the ice.
Marcus Gronholm was third fastest overall in his BP Ford Focus WRC setting his best time on his second run of the morning.
Gronholm of course is chasing his second victory in a week and aiming to take the championship lead from Loeb. Christian Loriaux of the Ford WRC squad said how the team has modified the suspension on the WRC 2006 to accommodate the bumps
Toni Gardemeister was fourth fastest in his Mitsubishi Lancer WR05 ahead of Gigi Galli in his Citroen Xsara WRC.
Mikko Hirvonen, third last Sunday in Sweden, was fourth fastest in the second BP Ford Focus while Petter Solberg took the honours of being the fastest Norwegian on home soil today with the seventh fastest time in his Subaru Impreza WRC 2006 just ahead of team-mate Chris Atkinson.
The OMV Kronos Citroen Xsara duo of Manfred Stohl and Daniel Carlsson proved closely matched as they recorded the ninth and tenth fastest times respectively ahead of the Stobart Focus of Henning Solberg and the second Citroen of Dani Sordo.
Daniel Carlsson's co-driver, Denis Giraudet, explained how this shakedown was particular useful for the rest of the rally weekend. “The shakedown was representative as the first part represents 20 to 30 percent of the special stages, while the second part (of the shakedown) accounts for the remaining 70 percent of the test.”
Rally Norway shakedown times
1 Loeb – Elena Citroën C4 WRC 2'00"7
2 Latvala – Antilla Ford Focus WRC 2'01"6
3 Grönholm – Rautiainen Ford Focus WRC 2'02"3
- Gardemeister – Honkanen Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 2'02"3
5 Galli – Bernacchini Citroën Xsara WRC 2'02"6
6 Hirvonen – Lethinen Ford Focus WRC 2'02"8
7 P.Solberg – Mills Subaru Impreza WRC 2'02"9
- Atkinson – MacNeall Subaru Impreza WRC 2'02"9
9 Stohl – Minor Citroën Xsara WRC 2'03"6
- Carlsson – Giraudet Citroën Xsara WRC 2'03"6
- H.Solberg – Menkerud Ford Focus WRC 2'03"6
12 Sordo – Marti Citroën C4 WRC 2'03"7
13 Hanninen – Markkula Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 2'04"2
14 Wilks – Pugh Ford Focus WRC 2'05"0
15 Mikkelsen – Fløene Ford Focus WRC 2'06"0
16 Dalsjø – Løvhøiden Subaru Impreza WRC 2'06"7
17 Schie – Bergsten Ford Focus WRC 2'06"8
18 Pons – Amigo Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 2'06"9
19 Wilson – Orr Ford Focus WRC 2'07"7
20 Linnerud – Engen Peugeot 206 WRC 2'10"1
21 Kopecky – Schovanek Skoda Fabia WRC 2'10"3
22 Østberg – Unnerud Subaru Impreza WRC 2'11"0
Earl ALEXANDER © CAPSIS International
