Photo: Marius Torgersrud/Rally Norway

End of stage comments from SS12 Ringsaker 1

Feb. 14, 2009

1. Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroën C4)

“My hands are shaking; I was pushing to the limits from the start to the end. I was driving really fast. I made no big mistakes and I am very happy with my drive. The conditions are very good, there is good grip and being first on the road is not a problem because it was possible to push as hard as I wanted. This afternoon will be more difficult because of the lines of the last cars so I have tried to do my best this morning.”

3. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Ford Focus RS WRC 08)

“I don’t think the road position made a big difference. He was just a little faster than me. I have made no mistakes and could not have gone faster.”

4. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Antilla (Ford Focus RS WRC 08)

“I have gone as quickly as I can but they are both faster than me so I have to clap my hands to them. I am not sure if they can keep their pace all day because I saw some of their marks on the snow banks and it looks that they were taking big risks.”

2. Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroën C4)

“I stalled at the start of the stage and it is difficult to get the feeling back after that but it was ok.”

11. Petter Solberg/Phill Mills (Citroën Xsara)

“We have a problem with the throttle because when I lift off the engine still goes and that gave me some scary moments. I don’t know if it is the throttle pedal or an electrical problem.”

19. P-G Andersson/Jonas Andersson (Skoda Fabia WRC)

“I have no clutch and I have also lost two rear bumpers. I am a bit worried now.”

6. Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud (Ford Focus RS WRC 08)

“There was nothing wrong with my performance in that stage, the others are just too fast for me.”

16. Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin (Ford Focus RS WRC 08)

“We lost a bit of time at the start by not being on it early enough. Also my brake pedal is quite hard and the brakes weren’t biting and that gave me no confidence in the fast sections.”

12. Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (Citroën C4)’

He arrived at the TC with the engine not running and he and his co driver had to push the car down the hill. They did not stop to give any comment but there is a report that they had the car started on the main road. There is an other report saying that they are having an alternator problem.

5. Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk (Ford Focus RS WRC 08)

“There is no problem with the car but I do not have a good feeling. I think maybe the pace notes are not quite right.”

8. Conrad Rautenbach/Daniel Barrit (Citroën C4)

“We put new brake discs on this morning and we don’t seem to have any front brakes anymore.”

18. Mads Ostberg/Ole Kristian Unnerud (Subaru Impreza WRC 2008)

“The car is getting better and I actually had some fun on that stage.”

7. Evgeny Novikov/Dale Moscatt (Citroën C4)

“On the previous stage I had a problem with the gear box and I still have that problem now. I am losing a lot of time.”

20. Anders Grondal/Maria Andersson  (Subaru Impreza WRC)

 “I made some changes to the suspensions before the stage by making it softer and that gave me a lot more confidence on that stage.”

23 Peter Van Merksteijn/Erwin Mombaerts (Ford Focus RS WRC 07)

“I had to stop to clear the snow from the engine because on the first stage we lost the bumper.”

22. Peter jr. Van Merksteijn/Eddy Chevaillier (Ford Focus RS WRC 06)

“We went wide on a corner and got slowed down by a snow bank but it wasn’t a big problem.”

21. Eamonn Boland/MJ Morrisseey (Subaru WRX STi)

“I got stuck in a snow bank for more than 10 minutes. I lost a lot of time and I’d better go.”

46. Patrik Sandell/Emil Axelsson (Skoda Fabia Super 2000)

“I was taking it too easy this morning but now I have to push a bit more to find the good rhythm.  I really love this stage because it was fast, tricky, and through big jumps.”

47. Armindo Araujo/Miguel Ramalho (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

“The dust from the snow is not so bad but I lost some time behind car 21.”

31. Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

“I have a problem with the differential; I am losing a lot of time in the slow corners because I have no traction. It might be something with the electrics and we have to check at service.”

40. Andis Neiksans/Peteris Dzirkals (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

“We lost 20 seconds behind car 21 but there is no other problem with the car.”

59. Andres Mikkelsen/Ola Floene /Subaru WRX STi)

”I was behind car 21 for 6 km and I couldn’t see a thing until he let me past.”

49. Eyvind Brynildsen/Denis Giraudet (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

“I lost 20 seconds when car 45 stopped. I don’t know where I can finish on this rally because Sandell is so fast and the super 2000 is incredible.”

44. Jromir Tarabus/Daniel Trunkat (Fiat Grande Punto S2000)

“I damaged the gear box when I spun on the previous stage so I am losing a lot of time.”

Published: 2009-02-14 13:36