Wales Rally GB 16 - 19 September 2004Part of the exhilarating World Rally Championship
Reigning world champion, Petter Solberg and Welsh co-driver Phil Mills were a cut above the rest at this weekend’s Acropolis Rally, in Greece. Overcoming a few setbacks in the final stages, the Norwegian went on to take his second win of the season, narrowing Sebastien Loeb’s Championship lead. With only five more rallies to go before Wales Rally GB, spectators and competitors alike will be preparing themselves for a nail-biting battle for the Championship title.
The Acropolis Rally is one of the toughest on the World Rally Championship, featuring rough, twisty boulder strewn mountain stages. Solberg set the pace for the first two days of the rally, winning five stages in a row. Going into the final stages, Solberg had a lead of over a minute. Brake failure and a 30 second penalty for a lack of mud flaps set the Norwegian back and he started the final stages with just a 30 second lead, but it was enough to give Solberg the edge and once again he showed the other drivers how it’s done, sailing home to victory.
After bitter disappointment in Mexico and Cyprus, the Subaru camp will be brimming with confidence as the teams head to Turkey. Meanwhile, there was a Titanic struggle for second place between Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb and Harri Ravonpera. Right until the closing stages, Loeb fought to take the number two spot, keen to secure his Championship lead and take the precious eight points.
Marcus Gronholm suffered another blow to his championship chances when he hit a rock. He is now trailing fourth, a full 19 points behind leader, Loeb. Markko Martin also came home without any points after a crash early on in the rally.
Claire Parker, Sporting Manager, Rally GB Ltd comments, “The gods were smiling on Petter Solberg this weekend and he put in a fantastic drive for Subaru. If he stays on form and the car maintains its reliability, he stands a real chance of challenging Loeb’s lead, retaining the Championship crown and making it a hatrick of consecutive wins on British soil.
“Wales Rally GB is edging ever closer and the competition is getting fierce. Spectators will be flocking to Wales this September to see if Solberg can repeat last year’s outstanding performance and cheer on home talent, Phil Mills. The tension is mounting and spectators are already booking their place at the heart of the action in the forest stages of Wales Rally GB.”
Advance bookings for Wales Rally GB tickets can be made by calling the telephone hotline 0870 060 1764 or via the Internet at walesrallygb.com, making it easier than ever to guarantee a place at this fantastic event. Accommodation can be booked through Official Travel Partner, Kuoni by going to kuoni-rally.com or calling 020 7534 9810.
