WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP   Supplier of High Performance Lamps and Wiper Blades to the Subaru World Rally Team The Subaru WRC ProDrive team are using the tried and tested PIAA WRC Competition High Intensity gas Discharge (HID) lamp system, and PIAA Silicone Wipers which have been used by the team since the Safari rally in 2002. These are the same products that are available to the general public through PIAA's dealer network.
The advantages of the silicone wipers have been well demonstrated when encountering standing water, and thick layers of dust. The unique silicone rubber enabled the driver's to leave the wipers on in dry conditions and the keep dust clear of the screen without the wear and noise normally assoicated with running wipers on a dry screen.

The story behind the Subaru Impreza's success is best told by the raw statistics: six World Rally Championship titles and 46 outright rally wins. The Impreza has been the defining car in Subaru's elevation from relative obscurity to a legend in world rallying. From its inception in 1993, the Impreza has provided a sensory assault on motorsport fans across the globe.

Subaru's blue and yellow livery is now as iconic as the flat-four engine note which trumpets the car's continued success. And for a great car, there have been great drivers: Ari Vatanen, Kenneth Eriksson, Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen, Tommi Mäkinen and the sadly-missed Richard Burns have all succeeded with the car down the years.

The 2008 Season features Subaru WRT drivers Petter Solberg, Chris Atkinson, and co-drivers Phil Mills and Stephane Prevot.

PRESS RELEASE: 27 April 2008

Jordan Rally – Day three

Atkinson makes it another podium after final twist in Jordan

Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot secured a podium finish on the final day of the Jordan Rally after another day of change amongst the front-runners. The only entry for the Subaru World Rally Team today, the duo snatched a step of the podium as those in front stumbled to make it three podiums in a row.

Only Atkinson restarted the final day this morning, as Petter was sidelined just before the close of day two. Holding fourth position from yesterday, an intense battle for position between the top three meant that anything was likely to happen, and Chris was there to pick up the pieces.

Surely enough, it was Ford’s Latvala who hit problems during stage 18, losing almost 50 seconds during the stage and carrying his handicap into the longest test of the rally, the River Jordan stage. Atkinson continued with his steady strategy, which was sufficient to take him into third position midway through the stage and his fourth podium from five rounds this season.

“Yet again Chris has shown his consistency to ensure another podium position and maintain third position in the Drivers’ Championship” said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “I’m sure Chris is now looking forward to getting his hands on the new car and being able to challenge at the front.”

It is the first time since the beginning of 2005 that any one driver has recorded three consecutive podiums for the Subaru World Rally Team, when Solberg and Mills secured their trio in Mexico, New Zealand and Sardinia.

With a comfortable gap behind him to fourth position, the Australian was able to complete the afternoon’s three stages at a consistent pace, taking no unnecessary risks to reach the finish. His result ensures Atkinson maintains his third place in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

“We scored good points again and it’s good for us and good for the team as it keeps us close to the guys at the front of the championship” said Chris Atkinson. “It was a difficult rally for us as almost from the start we were in the middle of nowhere with big gaps in front and behind of us. We managed to go along at our own pace, keeping it on the road.“We had some hard times when things weren’t going well but we managed to get through. It was a bit of misfortune for others, but lucky for us. Sometimes that’s just how it goes. We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we want to be more competitive on pace and pushing for wins, but four podiums from five rallies is a very consistent start for us so with that I’m happy.”

Sunday was the rally’s longest and most demanding day, pitting competitors against six stages including two gruelling runs of the longest stage of the rally, and indeed of the season so far. The aptly-named Jordan River stage twisted along the banks of the Jordan River for an intensely physical 41.5 kilometres.

Crews awoke to thunder, lightning and heavy rain, although this was short lived and the baking soon broke through the cloud cover and dried the stages. Nevertheless, the surface of today’s tests was looser than that of previous days and the roads were very slippery.

Final results
1. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 4h 02m 47.9s
2. Sordo / Marti Citroen C4 WRC +1m 15.7s (diff. to 1st)
3. Atkinson / Prévot Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +4m 59.5s
4. Solberg / Menkerud Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +7m 35.8s
5. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +10m 41.7s
6. Villagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +11m 22.2s
7. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +12m 15.6s
8. Galli / Bernacchini Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +12m 24.4s
9. Al Qassimi / Orr Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +19m 05.7s
10. Loeb / Elena Citroen C4 WRC +23m 38.1s

Next event
In just two weeks competitors will trade the deserts of Jordan for the roads of Sardinia for the sixth round of the World Rally Championship. The soft and almost sandy gravel stages of the island are incredibly loose and can cause the cars to wander under hard acceleration or braking as the surface beneath them shifts. In the lush Italian hills, temperatures can soar but routes can quickly become dampened by the ever-present chance of rain. The stages are very flowing, meaning it is vital that crews get into a good rhythm from the outset in order to attack fully.

PRESS RELEASE: 30 March 2008

Day Three - Rally Argentina, 30 March 2008

Joy and heartbreak for SWRT in ruthless Argentine finale

Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot finished Rally Argentina in second position overall, making it three out of four podiums from the 2008 season. Team-mates Petter Solberg and Phil Mills were however dealt a cruel blow, being forced into retirement from second position with only two stages to go after complete electrical failure.

Following a fantastic performance that saw them climb to second position overall on Saturday’s stages, Solberg and Mills suffered the cruellest of fates as their Impreza WRC2007 rolled to a stop midway through the first stage of the morning as they lost all electrical power. The duo were denied what would have been their best result since Rally Portugal last year.

“I am desperately disappointed for Petter and Phil” said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “Petter is showing such renewed enthusiasm since we’ve got the car more to his liking, and despite this setback I’m feeling increasingly confident for the rest of the season. In Chris’ case, his maturity in these extraordinarily tough conditions has delivered him yet another excellent result.”

Solberg and Mills attempted roadside repairs to their stricken car but were unable to locate the source of the problem and rectify it within the time they had available, exceeding the stage time limit despite their best efforts. The crestfallen duo were unable to complete the final day of a rally on which they demonstrated a reinvigorated level of performance.

In the ensuing reshuffle of the overall standings, Atkinson and Prévot were promoted to second position overall. Fully aware of the hazards posed by the trickiest of the rally’s stages, the duo continued their measured and mature drive to bring their Impreza home on the middle step of the podium. The result means that Atkinson has had his best ever start to a WRC season, scoring an impressive three podium finishes from the first four events of the year.

“It’s been such a hard weekend it’s more of a relief to finish!” said Chris Atkinson. “Another podium is fantastic for us and for the team, there’s nothing that motivates the guys more than a great result at the end of all the hard work. The feeling in the car was just so much more consistent this weekend and it was easier to drive so I was able to push without making any big mistakes. It’s clear we’ve taken some good steps forward with the car this year and it’s sort of a surprise for me to be third in the championship at the moment. It’s a real shame about Petter as he was going very well and we should have had two cars on the podium, but it demonstrates that we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

Atkinson’s second place in Argentina moves him into third overall in the Drivers’ Championship, just three points behind second-placed Hirvonen (Ford). The Subaru World Rally Team emerge from South America in third position overall in the Manufacturers’ Championship, but as a result of the electrical problems lost a potential eight points that would have put them within just three of the lead.

The final day of competition provided a short but sharp sting in the tail to this gruelling event. Crews tackled only two full-length stages and a third and final running of the short spectator stage in the ground of the Cordoba Stadium that has proved so popular with fans this weekend. The day’s competitive distance was less than a third of that on Friday and Saturday at just over 40 kilometres.

A combination of high altitude and stages that rose steeply as they twisted and snaked their way up and back down the El Condor mountain, today’s tests were the hardest of the rally. Whilst engines struggled for power in the thin air, an equally treacherous layer of mud on the roads made the level of grip even more unpredictable and challenging.

Final results

1. Loeb / Elena Citroen C4 WRC 4h 05m 48.6s
2. Atkinson / Prevot Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +2m 33.2s (diff. to 1st)
3. Sordo / Marti Citroen C4 WRC +4m 04.7s
4. Rautenbach / Senior Citroen C4 WRC +20m 03.5s
5. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +25m 15.3s
6. Villlagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus RS WRC 07+27m 42.0s
7. Galli / Bernacchini Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +27m 51.8s
8. Aigner / Wicha Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +28m 59.3s
9. Beltran / Rojas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +30m 04.9s
10. Ketomaa / Teiskonen Subaru Impreza +31m 52.6s

Ret
Solberg / Mills Subaru Impreza WRC2007 SS19 elec. failure

Next event
The next challenge in the World Rally Championship lies in the Middle East. Rally Jordan is a brand new event for all teams, this being the first year in which Jordan has hosted a WRC event. Set on the banks of the Dead Sea, almost all of the hard-packed sandy routes run below sea level, to a lowest point of 408m below. Temperatures are expected to be upwards 35 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest rally to date this season, and much more suited to Pirelli’s hard compound gravel tyre. The rally consists of 21 stages totalling 351 competitive kilometres, and will bring a new challenge to crews as they will battle with the difficulty of judging distances in the vast expanses of desert they will encounter.

PRESS RELEASE: 2 March 2008

Rally Mexico – Day three

Atkinson excels with highest WRC career finish as SWRT continue strong season

Chris Atkinson and Stephane Prevot completed Rally Mexico in spectacular style, recording their highest ever finish together in a World Rally Championship event with a hard-fought second place. Meanwhile Petter Solberg and Phil Mills pushed hard to clinch the final Manufacturers’ Championship point, keeping the Subaru World Rally Team in second position in the overall standings.

Atkinson’s second podium in three rallies this season jumps him to fourth overall in the Drivers’ Championship, just six points shy of the top of the standings. It’s his best start to a WRC season, and firmly establishes the Australian as a contender for WRC victories. Solberg and Mills lie just behind in fifth in the Championship standings, as the team continue their strong start to 2008 with more solid points.

On a day when the avid local fans were out in force to support the late inclusion of this event into the WRc calendar, spectator numbers overwhelmed stage 18, the 22 kilometre Guanajuato test, and the decision was taken to abandon it. The longest of the day, its cancellation reduced the day’s competitive length by one third.

Team Quotes:

“Chris did a fantastic job and I firmly believe he can win an event before the end of the year” said Subaru World Rally Team Principal David Richards. “We’ve had a very encouraging start to the year and we’re putting ourselves in a very strong position for when we launch our new car, the WRC2008. Petter did a good job today, and from our performance here in Mexico it is clear to me that we have made some positive steps forward since Sweden, and will continue to do so as we look to Argentina in a few weeks time.”

Atkinson started the final day in second position with a comfortable buffer of over one minute behind him to third. As the Australian promised yesterday, he had a steady day to ensure he did enough to clinch his highest ever WRC finish without taking any unnecessary risks. Opting for two spare wheels as an added safety buffer along the rough and jagged gravel speed tests, the 28 year old was leaving nothing to chance, knowing how easy it is to fall foul of these conditions.

Despite the punishing routes, soaring temperatures and oxygen-thin air over the last three days, his Impreza WRC2007 suffered no significant problems. The Australian felt comfortable with the handling and balance of his car all weekend, and drove a solid rally to be awarded eight points for both himself and the team, the single largest haul of his World Rallying career.

“It’s a fantastic result, my best in the WRC!” said Chris Atkinson. “All the team, the guys on my car, Subaru all did a top job. It was good fun to beat Sebastien [Loeb] on the Superspecial at the end there! It’s a great start to the year for me and also for the team, and I hope we can keep building on this. We’re making good steps forward and the car felt really good this weekend. We did some work on the dampers after Sweden and that was a big help – they were good here in the heat which is always a tough test. Now we look to Argentina and to keep this performance going. The sooner I can win the better!”

Solberg and Mills restarted this morning under Superally regulations, and left the morning’s service fighting fit. On the day’s opening stage and with a car the team worked on fervently yesterday afternoon, Solberg felt happy with the balance of his Impreza WRC2007 and was able to push hard to post the second fastest stage time, almost three seconds clear of the rest of field.

Over the final day’s 38 kilometres of stages, Solberg and Mills fought hard to climb to 12th overall, displaying their characteristic grit and determination to the very end to keep the team in second position in the Manufacturers’ Championship and keep himself close enough to fight for a top spot in the Drivers’ Championship as the season develops.

“Today we were ok in the first stage, but with big gaps between everyone at the front people were backing off” said Petter Solberg. “We scored a Manufacturer point which is important, but other than that it’s been a frustratingweekend really. But we keep working and pushing, and Argentina will be better.”

The third day of Rally Mexico brought more of the weather crews had come to expect. Temperatures rose to 28 degrees Celsius by midday, and the dry roads yielded clouds of dust with every passing car. The modified route consisted of just three stages, ended with the final running of the immensely popular Nextel spectator Superspecial stage.

Final results

1. Loeb / Elena Citroen C4 WRC 3h 33m 29.9.s
2. Atkinson / Prevot Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +1m 06.1s (diff. to 1st)
3. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +1m 39.7s
4. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +3m 38.7s
5. Solberg / Menkerud Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +4m 57.9s
6. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +6m 28.9s
7. Villagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus RS WRC 07 +19m 03.0s
8. Trivino / Salom * Peugeot 206 WRC +21m 17.3s
9. Ogier / Ingrassia Citroen C2 S1600 +25m 24.9s
10. Molder / Miclotte Suzuki Swift S1600 +26m 56.8s
12. Solberg / Mills Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +30m 06.0s
* subject to appeal

Next event
The next challenge for the crews is Rally Argentina. Another classic round, this year the event returns to the month of March, having been run in May in recent times. Potentially, this means wetter and more unpredictable weather, and the risk that the many fjords will become engorged and the soft gravel roads will become rutted and waterlogged. Based in the town of Cordoba, the stages wind through the surrounding mountains and valleys. The altitude will again be a factor in performance on this tough event.

PRESS RELEASE: 11 February 2008

Swedish Rally, 8 - 10th February 2008

Solid points for SWRT after uncharacteristic Swedish Rally

The Subaru World Rally Team entry of Petter Solberg and Phil Mills finished the Swedish Rally in fourth overall after the final day of gravel-strewn forest roads. Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot continued to climb the rankings to collect an all-important Manufacturers’ championship point.

With both Impreza WRC2007s scoring points this weekend, the Subaru World Rally Team remains tied for second place in the overall Manufacturers’ Championship standings. Solberg is tied for fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, whilst Atkinson is just behind in sixth position after his haul of points on Rallye Monte Carlo.

Team quotes

“It’s been rather a strange Swedish Rally given the lack of snow but all things considered we’re able to come away with more Manufacturer points” said Team Principal David Richards. “We look forward to testing this week which will hopefully bring advantages in Mexico at the end of the month. Rally Mexico will bring a totally different set of challenges which have always suited Subaru in the past.”

The final day of the Swedish Rally brought the same conditions, albeit the temperature was slightly colder, and the routes were run on gravel from the very first speed test this morning. It was left badly rutted and muddy after the morning’s pass, and, as we saw yesterday, the second running in the afternoon was cancelled.

“We just drove today to finish the event and collect some more points, for us and the team. There was nothing special today and I’m pleased with fourth” said Petter Solberg. “Everyone at the front backed off today I think and we weren’t fighting for position so we didn’t take any risks. The stages were bad again today, and we pretty much ran them all on gravel. I felt the balance of the car in these conditions was better this morning than yesterday, but we had no reason to push today.”

Atkinson and Prévot continued their steady run since losing time on Friday to climb to 21st place overall, having gained 24 positions since the close of Friday’s stages. Finishing the final day’s five stages with some top four stage times, the Australian was left pleased with his progress but ruing Friday’s mistake.

“We really weren’t pushing today as we didn’t need to take any risks” said Chris Atkinson. “I’m disappointed we went off on Friday, but we’ve come back up through the field and still gained a Manufacturer point. The stages today were the same as yesterday, and we saw those at the front back off so there were no real fights for position. It’s been a difficult rally for us, but we take the point and now look to Mexico which will be a totally different event.”

Next event
In two weeks crews will travel to Mexico for the first proper gravel rally of the season and the first long-haul event of the year, 29 February – 2 March. Corona Rally Mexico will open with a ceremonial start in Guanajuato City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on Thursday 28 February. The flowing gravel roads will take crews up to an altitude of 2700m through the mountains of the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato, just outside the bustling city of León. There is also a Superspecial spectator stage that will be run three times within the Leon racetrack, and there will be no remote services on this event.

PRESS RELEASE: 1 February 2008

Rally Sweden, 8-10 February 2008

SWRT to come out fighting for the season’s only specialist snow rally

The Subaru World Rally Team heads to the long and winding forest routes of Rally Sweden ready to tackle the challenge of all-out sideways action as crews wrestle their machines across sheet ice. The only specialist snow rally of the year, it is one of the fastest and most competitive as WRC crews battle to prove their mettle on the only wholly ice-covered speed tests they will encounter all year.

Travelling to the city of Karlstad for the event that has honed the skills of so many past greats, it is clear to see how the conditions develop the flamboyant mastery of Scandinavians behind the wheel. Aboard his Subaru Impreza WRC2007, Petter Solberg is no exception. The Norwegian grew up driving cars on the tundra of his homeland and won here in 2005, finishing on the podium twice since joining the team.

There is a finite skill demonstrated on few other events of flicking the car into the long and twisting corners and ‘leaning’ against the snow banks, literally using them to guide the car through the icy corners. Rally Sweden is the first competitive outing for Pirelli’s Sottozero ice tyre. The skinny rubber is dotted with metal studs designed to bite through the ice into the harder-packed surface below, producing fantastic grip on the most treacherous of conditions.

This year the event is based in Karlstad, and opens with a spectator-friendly speed test on Thursday night around the city’s 1.9 kilometre horse trotting track. Conditions in Sweden traditionally have made for one of the most extreme events of the season, but this year teams and organisers alike are watching the weather with trepidation. While snow is predicted over the weekend, there is currently a lack of snow on the stages. With average temperatures just above freezing, it is somewhat uncharacteristic of a rally that can see conditions plummet to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

In addition to the roads being incredibly treacherous, they are also very fast and flowing. In fact, the wintry routes are amongst the fastest of the entire season. Demanding maximum confidence from crews in their vehicles, the event is a stern test of man and machine and huge gains can be made by those fully commitment and driving on the edge.

The route this year comprises five new stages, one of which has been resurrected from 2000. Drivers who learn these new routes fastest and perfect their tricky pace notes to avoid mistakes will gain a significant advantage. With three remote services in Sunne and Hagfors, crews will tackle 20 stages and just over 340 competitive kilometres before reaching the finish.

Entries
The Subaru World Rally Team have entered two Impreza WRC2007s for Rally Sweden. Petter Solberg / Phil Mills will drive car number five and Chris Atkinson / Stéphane Prévot will be in car number six. Petter has only missed one Rally Sweden since his WRC debut in 1998 whilst this will only be Chris’ fourth attempt, and his first alongside Stéphane.

Team quotes
David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal: “Despite being held on roads covered with snow and sheet ice, Sweden is one of the fastest events of the year and most certainly favours those drivers with experience of these conditions. Petter was brought up on these roads but for Chris it must be an extraordinary contrast from the Australian outback and yet I expect him to do extremely well and have every confidence that both our drivers will be well in the points again this weekend."

Paul Howarth, Subaru World Rally Team operations director: “We’ve seen the situation before that certain stages have had little snow until just before the start of the event, but what it needs is a real cold snap to give the routes a hard base of ice, else the stages will just get torn up. It’s generally an easy rally on the cars, but it’s physically demanding for the drivers as they need an aggressive approach on this type of surface. It’s very very fast and everyone will be fighting to take an early advantage. The snow banks are important as drivers use them through every corner and they also cover huge ditches at the sides of the road. Without the banks to guide the cars away from the ditches, costly mistakes will be easier to make.”

Driver quotes
Petter Solberg: “It’s the first snow rally this year and I’m looking forward to it. We need to drive very differently here, so it’s about who can adapt. There’s always a lot of fans there and it’s great to have their support. We’ve won here before but it’s so so tricky you never know what can happen. We’ll go there and drive our own rally, push as hard as we can, and see what happens. We can’t do any more than that, and I hope we can have another good finish. It’s about being fast but not making any mistakes.”

Chris Atkinson: “We’re approaching Sweden much the same way as we did Monte Carlo – we go there aiming for top five, top six results and try to be as consistent as possible. Rally Sweden is a specialist snow event and the driving style you need there is obviously totally different. Coming off tarmac we’ll have to adapt quickly to the snow and get up to speed as quickly as possible. In Monte you had to be neat and smooth, but Sweden is probably one of the most aggressive rallies of the year.”

Between the rallies
There is only a week between Rallye Monte Carlo and Rally Sweden, so the drivers have been using the time to relax a little, train and prepare for the snow. Petter and Chris live in Monaco so there was no need to travel home after the rally. Both drivers spent time with friends and family, and Chris celebrated on Sunday night with sportsman friends who watched the final day’s action from a yacht in Monaco’s famous harbour.

The Impreza WRC2007s returned from Monte Carlo on Monday and the pressure was immediately on for the crew to rebuild and re-prepare them in time for initial shakedown runs on Wednesday 30 January.

PRESS RELEASE: 27 January 2008

SWRT in a nail-biting climax to Rallye Monte Carlo

After four days, 19 stages and 362.39 competitive kilometres, Chris Atkinson triumphed in his momentous battle for third to start the season with a well-deserved podium. Petter Solberg achieved his best result on this event in fifth place overall, earning the Subaru World Rally Team second in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

The team started the day well with both Solberg and Atkinson achieving fastest split times as they climbed the notoriously challenging Col de Turini. As predicted, snow lined the side of the route and overnight patches of black ice made the conditions as tricky as always on arguably the most well-known stage in the WRC.

“This weekend has been a great result for us” said Manufacturer Principal Ichiro Kudoh. “It’s exactly what we expected from the team. Petter and Chris both drove extremely well on what is a very difficult rally, and we will use this great start to give us a boost for the rest of season. It’s very important not only for us but for the Subaru fans all over the world.”

Atkinson and Stephané Prévot started the day with a 20.1 second lead over Ford’s Francois Duval. In a fantastic display of commitment and determination reminiscent of Chris’ battle here last year, which also came down to the route around the Monaco harbour, both drivers took their fight to start the WRC season with a podium finish to the very last stage.

After the first passes of the morning’s stages, Atkinson remained ahead despite his lead being reduced to just four seconds. Nearing its nail-biting conclusion, he responded in firm fashion on the second running of the Col de Turini. In improved conditions, his hunger for his first podium since Rally Japan in 2006 saw him complete the stage 32 seconds faster than his first pass to stay ahead of Duval.

The duo entered the final Superspecial around the glamorous Grand Prix circuit that skirts the harbour separated by just 1.1 seconds. Atkinson and Duval recorded exactly the same stage time, which was also the fastest of the field, to finish the first event of the year just 1.1 seconds apart after nearly four hours of competition.

“To finish third is fantastic for me and the team” enthused an overjoyed and relieved Chris Atkinson. “The pressure today was huge, we just had to drive flat out and do everything we could to stay ahead. Duval is such a fast guy, and I always knew today would be really tough going up against him. I lost a few seconds in SS18 with a half spin, and after that I was just going for it. The same thing happened last year when I was fighting for position going into the final stage, but this year is so much more important as I was fighting for a podium. I’m so happy for the team – all the guys have done such a great job and we deserved this. It’s a fantastic start to the year and we’ll celebrate tonight for sure!”

Solberg and Phil Mills delivered a solid and determined performance to achieve their highest finish on Rallye Monte Carlo, demonstrating their strong pace throughout the day. Pushing hard in the difficult conditions, they had no problems on a rally that has historically raised difficulties for them and crossed the finish line on the harbour front fifth. Taking advantage of the improved grip for the second passes, the pair consistently finished within the top six to retain a comfortable fifth position overall, helping the Subaru World Rally Team into second in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

“Today has been good for us and the team for sure” said a satisfied Petter Solberg. “Fifth is good, and it’s my highest finish on this rally. We have some good points which are important to us and we have a lot of fastest splits today, which is very good. This weekend was difficult with all the ice and the slippery surface, but it’s a good rally. There are a lot of fans, especially in Monaco for the Superspecial, and it’s a great atmosphere. I’m happy for Chris in third, and that as well is of course good for the team. We’ve made a good start to the season and we must keep pushing for more good results.”

The cars were transported from Valence to the principality last night as teams started the four hour journey as soon as day three had been completed. Forty crews restarted the final day of Rallye Monte Carlo, starting with an early morning recce of the Monaco Superspecial, before departing for the initial remote service in the town of Gilette, 45 kilometres to the north of Monaco.

Final results
1. Loeb / Elena Citroen C4 3h 39m 17.0s
2. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC07 +2m 34.4s (diff. to 1st)
3. Atkinson / Prévot Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +2m 58.6s
4. Duval / Chevailler Ford Focus RS WRC07 +2m 59.7s
5. Solberg / Mills Subaru Impreza WRC2007 +4m 40.9s
6. Galli / Bernacchini Ford Focus RS WRC07 +8m 46.5s
7. Cuoq / Janvier Peugeot 307 WRC +10m 24.8s
8. Andersson / Andersson Suzuki SX4 +11m 19.5s
9. Solberg / Menkerud Ford Focus RS WRC07 +12m 43.6s
10. Wilson / Orr Ford Focus RS WRC07 +14m 00.1s

Next event
In just two weeks crews head to the city of Karlstad for Rally Sweden, where this year the service park will be located permanently located. The rally consists of 20 stages, most familiar from previous years, over a total of 342 competitive kilometres. The event kicks off with a Superspecial stage inside the Karlstad trotting track. Repeated Friday night, it is the only stage that the crews will tackle after nightfall. There are two remote services in the region of Hadfors, 100km north of Karlstad. Like Monte Carlo, it’s another specialist event, always having been run in the snow. Weather predictions this year however throw the chances of a white rally into doubt however, raising questions as to the condition of the stages.

18 January 2008

Rallye Monte Carlo, 24-27 January 2008

SWRT out to seize opportunities in Monte Carlo

Rallye Monte Carlo heralds the return of the World Rally Championship with one of the most unpredictable events of the year. In its 76th running, this four day rally is a notoriously tricky combination of snow, ice and demanding routes which often produces some surprise results.

Crews will leave the service park in Valence, near the river Rhône in south-east France, for three of the four days of competition until the finish of Saturday’s stages, at which point the WRC contingent will decamp to a second service park location in Monaco, opposite the Automobile Club de Monaco headquarters.

The asphalt roads twist and flow through the breathtaking but notoriously tricky mountain stages of the region. A welcome inclusion of the Alpes Maritimes region on Sunday will see crews tackle the spectacular Col de Turini and finish the rally with a high-speed blast around the harbour section of the famed Monaco Grand Prix circuit.

The 365 kilometres of competition starts on Thursday evening with two night stages. There is no gentle start to the year: the opening stage is just shy of being the longest of the event at over 28 kilometres.

The weather in January in Monte Carlo will be typically cold, and this year the rally has been scheduled one week later in an attempt to ensure the snow that the rally just missed last season. In the first rally in which the teams will use the Pirelli championship control tyre, there will be three options: the DS soft slick tyre, the snow WX tyre without metal studs, and the WX tyre with studs that provide extra traction on icy sections.

The team’s driver lineup remains unchanged; Petter Solberg will commence his tenth season alongside co-driver Phil Mills in one of the most established pairings in the WRC. Rallye Monte Carlo will be the duo’s 122nd rally on the world stage together.

In the second Impreza will be Chris Atkinson and co-driver Stéphane Prévot, who started together in Argentina last season. Spanish duo Xevi Pons and Xavier Amigo are missing from the entry list however, their negotiations with the team still ongoing.

Entries
The Subaru World Rally Team have entered two Impreza WRC2007s for Rallye Monte Carlo. Petter Solberg / Phil Mills will drive car number five and Chris Atkinson/ Stéphane Prévot will be in car number six. Petter and Phil have competed on these roads seven times. Chris, on his second visit, had his best finish of fourth overall in 2007 courtesy of three stage wins.

Team quotes
David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal: “Monte Carlo Rally has often turned out to be a lottery, where the weather has thrown up some opportunistic and historic victories, and if we can snatch those chances, who knows? I wouldn’t be at all surprised if either of our drivers climbed the podium. It’s one of those events where anything can happen.”

Paul Howarth, Subaru World Rally Team operations director: “Monte Carlo is an event that is all about tyres. This year there will be a lot of snow and stages run in the dark, so consistency and optimizing the grip level on the changeable asphalt will be crucial to a good result. There are a lot of competitive drivers this season all bidding for top spots, so it will be a measure of pushing for pace without throwing it away in the opening round.”

Driver quotes
Petter Solberg: “It is important to get into a rhythm straight away and settle into a pace you feel comfortable with. With no anti-deflation mousse you can’t take risks in the stages as a puncture could finish your rally. There will be a lot of snow I think and Monte is always tricky anyway so it won’t be easy, that’s for sure. It will be about who can make the most of their tyres and adapt to the conditions fastest, but if someone manages something special with them people will follow quickly.”

Chris Atkinson: “It’s going to be an interesting event for sure. It’s raining here in Monaco so I’m sure it’s snowing in the stages already. I’ve never done this event with a lot of snow so it’s new for me. Both times I’ve run this rally we’ve had good results, but I don’t underestimate how much of a challenge it is. Although the tyre choices aren’t wide because we only have one slick and a winter tyre, it’s going to be important when we choose to take each one, and we have to watch out for punctures. I’m definitely looking forward to starting the season again now though.”

Between the rallies
For the Subaru World Rally Team drivers, the off-season was filled with a mixture of testing and media commitments, time with family and friends and preparations for this season. In early January, Petter and Chris took part in an asphalt tyre test near Lyon, France in preparation for Monte Carlo, followed shortly followed by two days in Sweden.

January also saw the return of Estonian Markko Martin to the Subaru World Rally Team in the role of official test driver. Martin, who won the Bettega Memorial Rally aboard a works-supplied and run WRC2007 in December 2007, will commence testing before the end of the month.

PRESS RELEASE: 4 Jaunary 2008

Martin signs as test driver for the Subaru World Rally Team

Markko Martin has signed as the official test driver for the Subaru World Rally Team, as the team steps up its testing programme in preparation for the launch of its all-new Impreza World Rally Car.

The 32 year old Estonian, who won the Bettega Memorial Rally at the end of last year driving an SWRT entered Subaru Impreza WRC2007, has an agreement that will see him responsible for the ongoing testing and development of Subaru’s new WRC contender throughout 2008.

Martin’s first WRC event with the Subaru World Rally Team was Rally Australia in 2000, where he sat alongside co-driver Michael Park. The duo contested nine events with the team in 2001, with a best finish of fifth on Rally Finland. Martin has a wealth of experience on which to draw, having competed on the world stage for Subaru and several other top teams, and is excited about his return to a major role in the WRC with Subaru.

Markko Martin commented: “For me it’s a great challenge that I am really looking forward to. Having been with the team before, it’s a privilege to come back and be able to help. I’m sure the team has changed a lot since 2001, but the colour is still the same!

“It is crucial for me to understand what the car needs to be, and to find the common language with the engineers. The trickiest bit is that before I was used to setting the car up for myself, but now I also have to remember that the car has to work for other drivers. I think that my own preference is quite neutral though so I hope it will more or less work for everybody.

“For sure there is pressure in this role. It’s clear that the new car has to be competitive, and I feel now a part of the team that has to perform. But that’s what I’m here for, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

SWRT Managing Director, Richard Taylor, added: “As a winner of five WRC events and having gained competitive experience in a wide range of World Rally Cars we are delighted to welcome Markko back to the Subaru World Rally Team and are confident that he will play a key role in the successful launch of the 2008 Impreza in a few months time. We look forward to working with Markko again and hope that this will be the beginning of a long term relationship.”

PRESS RELEASE: 3 December 2007

Wales Rally GB - Final Leg

Starters - 98 of the original 108 crews left the service park to start the final day.
Route - The final day’s two stages were the longest of the event; Brechfa at 28.89km and Trawscoed at 28.24km. Both winding gravel routes ran through the heavily wooded Brechfa forest, and were the muddiest of the rally. The crews completed the event with a finish ceremony in Cardiff.
Weather - The day started with heavy rain and high winds, which continued into the afternoon. The temperature ranged from eight to 12 degrees Celsius.

Subaru World Rally Team summary

The Subaru World Rally Team ended a consistent weekend with the Impreza of Petter Solberg and Phil Mills finishing in fourth place on the Welsh co-driver’s home event. Team-mates Chris Atkinson / Stephane Prevot and Xevi Pons / Xavier Amigo both finished inside the top ten.

The final day of Wales Rally GB and also of the 2007 WRC season was the toughest of the rally, and amongst the most treacherous of the year. The heaviest rain of the weekend soaked the stages, turning the routes into deep muddy tracks. Coupled with the foreboding skies, the conditions demanded absolute focus from the crews just to stay on the road.

Petter Solberg had a solid opening stage, before suffering some handling difficulties on the second after running over a rock in the middle of the road. After losing time to Sordo (Citroen) just behind in fifth, he started the afternoon third fastest to ensure he stayed ahead. He and Phil Mills finish the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship fifth overall.

Atkinson struggled in the morning loop, dropping almost 23 seconds to slip behind rally-long rival Wilson (Ford) into seventh. Unhappy with the balance of his Impreza on the morning loop, his pace improved after a setup change during service. He and co-driver Stephane Prevot climbed one place in the championship standings to finish the season seventh overall in the drivers’ contest.

Xevi Pons completed the morning’s stages suffering from a fogged windscreen, but persevered with a solid drive to complete the first loop of the event’s toughest stages with reduced visibility. With a comfortable cushion over Ostberg (Subaru) from leg two, Pons and Xavier Amigo retained their position of ninth overall.

Team Quotes

Subaru World Rally Team Managing Director, Richard Taylor: “It’s good for the team to have retaken third place in the Manufacturers’ Championship this weekend, and to have finished with all three cars in the top ten. Overall it’s been a difficult year for the team but we are very positive that the development of our new car that will appear during 2008 will once again deliver the results that Subaru supporters and our drivers have come to expect.”

Car number 7 Petter Solberg: “We came here to do the best we could and the team have been working so hard to get back on top again. We thought we could do better here than we have, but we have to push forward for next year now. We have taken back third overall in the manufacturer championship which is so important, and I thank the team for all their effort this year. Now we have a small break before Monte Carlo, but we are doing lots of testing and I am looking forward to coming back strongly for some better results in the new season. It’s very important for Subaru that we are getting back on track. I really want to get back on top again too.”

Car number 8 Chris Atkinson: “Of the three times I’ve attempted Rally GB this has been the most frustrating. As a driver I can honestly say I’ve tried my best, but for a number of different reasons that hasn’t been enough to get decent stage times. We have experienced a variety of small issues but the main hurdle has been the inconsistent handling of the car. This morning we tried a set-up which worked well on Friday, but for some reason today it didn’t work at all. We have a lot of questions to answer in the off-season and a lot of testing planned to enable us to turn things around. We want to be fighting for wins again, for Subaru and the fans as well.”

Car number 17 Xevi Pons: “It was very muddy and more slippery than yesterday, and this afternoon was harder as there were more ruts. We had a small moment when we overshot a tight junction and hit a bank but fortunately the car wasn’t badly damaged and we were able to carry on. It has been a difficult weekend which is a shame as it is a rally I like and was hoping to go well on. Yes, we finished in the top ten but I am disappointed we couldn’t be higher.”

Leg three fastest stage timesSS14 Brechfa 1 (28.89km) Latvala / Anttila 16m 14.2s
SS15 Trawscoed 1 (28.24km) Latvala / Anttila 16m 39.7s
SS16 Brechfa 2 (28.89km) Latvala / Anttila 16m 11.6s
S17 Trawscoed 2 (28.24km) Latvala / Anttila 16m 51.0s

Next event

Wales Rally GB heralded the finale of the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, so the next event will be Monte Carlo, which opens the 2008 season on 24 – 27 January. During the off-season the team has a busy testing schedule for both the current and future WRC Imprezas.