Motor Sport News
Subaru both locally and globally has a great history in motorsport, from locally winning ten straight driver's championships and eight from ten Manufacturers' titles with Subaru Rally Team Australia to the international Subaru World Rally Team. Subaru Australia has also resently undertaken some selected circuit and tarmac events such as the Bathurst 12 hour, Buller hill climb & Targa events around Australia with great success so watch this this space over the coming year for more updates.
Steady Atkinson moves to sixth in Germany
17-Aug-2008
Subaru rally driver Chris Atkinson has moved up to sixth place at the end of day two of Rallye Deutschland, and with just 85 competitive kilometres remaining on Sunday, is set to add to his World Rally Championship points tally.
Sebasiten Loeb remains in the lead having won all but the final competitive stage of the rally. He is 40.3 seconds clear of Atkinson’s closest Championship rival, Dani Sordo.
Francois Duval is third, 1:44.3 seconds behind the leader with Mikko Hirvonen next, 3.9 seconds further back.
Petter Solberg is the first of the Subarus in fifth, two minutes 28.7 seconds off the pace. Despite trading times for most of the day with Solberg, Atkinson is a further one minute 3.6 seconds back after a puncture on the final stage cost him dearly.
The Australian started the day just 2.2 seconds ahead of Henning Solberg but is now one minute 1.3 seconds ahead of his team mate’s brother, who is seventh. This means Atkinson is in the middle of a big gap between his two closest competitors, both Solbergs.
If the placings remain the same tomorrow Sordo will move ahead of Atkinson on the WRC point’s table. A sixth place will secure the Gold Coast driver three points and take him to 40. Sordo’s second brings the rich reward of eight points and would move him to a total of 43.
“We moved into sixth which is a better points-scoring position, but we were fairly cautious across the day, particularly this morning” said Atkinson.
“We haven’t got on top of the tarmac setup yet though so we can’t push as hard as we were able last year.
“I’m sort of dropped to the middle of nowhere today as the gaps in front and behind are so big, so we’re now trying to fine-tune and do some work on areas of the car to try and speed up development.
“That will remain our focus on Sunday. Bring the car home and learn as much as we can to try and make sure we’re on the pace next time on tarmac.”
The final day in Germany has just five stages, although all will be a test for driver and car. The event will be brought to a conclusion with a four kilometre spectator stage western-German city of Trier which always draws thousands of avid fans.
Results after day two – Rallye Deutschland
1. Loeb / Elena, Citroen C4 WRC, 2h 32m 22.6s
2. Sordo / Marti, Citroen C4 WRC, +40.3s (diff. to 1st)
3. Duval / Pivato, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +1m 44.3s
4. Hirvonen / Lehtinen, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +1m 48.2s
5. Solberg / Mills, Subaru Impreza WRC2008, +2m 28.7s
6. Atkinson / Prévot, Subaru Impreza WRC2008, +3m 32.1s
7. Solberg / Menkerud, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +4m 33.4s
8. Aava / Sikk, Citroen C4 WRC, +4m 57.1s
9. Latvala / Anttila, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +4m 59.7s
10. Gardemeister / Tuominen, Suzuki SX4 WRC, +5m 43.7s
Sebasiten Loeb remains in the lead having won all but the final competitive stage of the rally. He is 40.3 seconds clear of Atkinson’s closest Championship rival, Dani Sordo.
Francois Duval is third, 1:44.3 seconds behind the leader with Mikko Hirvonen next, 3.9 seconds further back.
Petter Solberg is the first of the Subarus in fifth, two minutes 28.7 seconds off the pace. Despite trading times for most of the day with Solberg, Atkinson is a further one minute 3.6 seconds back after a puncture on the final stage cost him dearly.
The Australian started the day just 2.2 seconds ahead of Henning Solberg but is now one minute 1.3 seconds ahead of his team mate’s brother, who is seventh. This means Atkinson is in the middle of a big gap between his two closest competitors, both Solbergs.
If the placings remain the same tomorrow Sordo will move ahead of Atkinson on the WRC point’s table. A sixth place will secure the Gold Coast driver three points and take him to 40. Sordo’s second brings the rich reward of eight points and would move him to a total of 43.
“We moved into sixth which is a better points-scoring position, but we were fairly cautious across the day, particularly this morning” said Atkinson.
“We haven’t got on top of the tarmac setup yet though so we can’t push as hard as we were able last year.
“I’m sort of dropped to the middle of nowhere today as the gaps in front and behind are so big, so we’re now trying to fine-tune and do some work on areas of the car to try and speed up development.
“That will remain our focus on Sunday. Bring the car home and learn as much as we can to try and make sure we’re on the pace next time on tarmac.”
The final day in Germany has just five stages, although all will be a test for driver and car. The event will be brought to a conclusion with a four kilometre spectator stage western-German city of Trier which always draws thousands of avid fans.
Results after day two – Rallye Deutschland
1. Loeb / Elena, Citroen C4 WRC, 2h 32m 22.6s
2. Sordo / Marti, Citroen C4 WRC, +40.3s (diff. to 1st)
3. Duval / Pivato, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +1m 44.3s
4. Hirvonen / Lehtinen, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +1m 48.2s
5. Solberg / Mills, Subaru Impreza WRC2008, +2m 28.7s
6. Atkinson / Prévot, Subaru Impreza WRC2008, +3m 32.1s
7. Solberg / Menkerud, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +4m 33.4s
8. Aava / Sikk, Citroen C4 WRC, +4m 57.1s
9. Latvala / Anttila, Ford Focus RS WRC 07, +4m 59.7s
10. Gardemeister / Tuominen, Suzuki SX4 WRC, +5m 43.7s
