Foto: Marius Torgersrud/Rally Norway

End of stage comments: SS 16 Ringsaker 2

1. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroën C4)

“I made two small mistakes in that stages running a little bit wide in some places but is was quite hard because the grip was changing all of the time but I think my time is ok and the main thing is we are still leading.”

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

“I made some mistakes at the mid point of the stage. I found that the snow banks were quite soft so when I hit them I lost time. Although Seb is leading I don’t believe it’s all over yet.”

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

“I changed the springs at service and made them softer. This gave me more traction when I was braking. I wish I had run these settings all day because the car was so much better.”

2. Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Citroën C4)

“It was very hard in that stage, three times I was sideways but it was OK, my time was not bad.”

11. Petter Solberg/Phill Mills (Citroën Xsara)

“We had a bad misfire for the last two stages but now the gear box is leaking some oil and that is a big worry for me.”

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

“We spun backwards into snow banks and stalled the engine but still my time was quite good.”

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

“There is quite a bit of a loose snow on the top which made it tricky but I enjoyed the stage and it is good to be in a close battle with Petter.”

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

“The car feels quite good now. My plan for tomorrow is to set some good times because I didn’t do that today.”

8. Conrad Rautenbach/Daniel Barrit (Citroën C4)

Referring to the previous stage: “Even so we got all the snow out, the engine is not pulling right on the long straight so we are losing time.” 

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

“We lost the power steering in the first km and it takes up all of your energy. I am so frustrated.”

He punched his steering wheel in anger at the end of the stage.

7. Evgeny Novikov/Dale Moscatt (Citroën C4)

“We are still having problems with the gear box but I am trying to make the most of it and get  to the finish.”

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

 “My pace notes were too slow in some places and that made it more dangerous because I was not driving to the correct rhythm.”

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

”I drove through this stage at road speed this morning because of the problem with the engine so this was the first time I had driven at speed. Tomorrow maybe we can push, see how quickly our times can be.”

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

“I need to put the air intake on the roof because when it is at the front it keeps filling up with snow and again on this stage I had to stop to clear it out.”

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

“I had one little over shoot and had to reverse but it was a small mistake.”

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

“I was stuck in that stage for 20 minutes the first time so I was very cautious not to make the same mistake again.”

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

“I took it quite steady on that stage because I wanted to get to the finish of the day in the lead. The car has been perfect.”

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

“I was not very fast but the most important thing is to get the points for the championship.”

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

“It has been a good afternoon and that stage went fine.”

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

“I am just driving safely and carefully, trying to finish this rally.”

59. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (Subaru WRX Sti)

“We went straight on at one junction and had to reverse. I lost 10 seconds so it will be a big push tomorrow for the final podium place.”

45 Patrick Flodin/Göran Bergsten (Subaru Impreza WRX STi)

“I feel like I am back in business. My time was very good in that stage, it is just a shame I have been off twice.”

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

“That was a very good stage; I was only 2 seconds slower than Andreas who is really pushing. I have to drive safely to keep my podium.”

Published: 2009-02-14 21:07