Rally Australia

[freakray]

Did we forget it?

The first Super Special has been raced at Gloucester Park, the rally is officially under way

After the opening Super Special we have the following result:
1. Solberg/Mills
2. Sainz/Marti
3. Martin/Park
4. Makinen/Lindstrom
5. Burns/ Reid
6. Mcrae/ Ringer
7. Loeb/Elena
8. Rovanpera/Pietilainen
9. Duval/Prevot
10. Gronholm/Rautiainen
11. Hirvonen/Lehtinen
12. Loix/Smeets
13. Auriol/Giraudet
14. Gardemeister/Lukander
15. Schwarz/Hiemer

Not that those results mean too much since the stage was more an exhibition stage than competitive stage but what does everyone expect for the remainder of the weekend's competition?

[RallyRaider]

After building up a comfortable lead Marcus Gronholm went off the road and lost 17 minutes on SS8.

Loeb and Solberg are now fighting for the lead while Burns is sitting pretty in third.

[Marco_Wrc]

Every time (this year) I think Grönholm will finish in first place he encounters problems

Nice to see Solberg driving in the top three, I hope he can keep up the pace.

[ales]

The 03 Focus is surprisingly off the pace, and i'm very disapointed that Marcus is pretty much out of the picture. Burns is looking pretty good for that championship.

[z33guy]

i guess marcus doesnt really want that title this year
Sounds like exciting action, the ford needs to find some speed tho.

[Marco_Wrc]

It's not my style to watch the results before seeing the action on tv. O well, might be good for a change.

Loeb leads after day 1, with Petter in second place at 3,9 seconds.

1. S LOEB 1:23:52.4
2. P SOLBERG +3.9
3. R BURNS +39.1
4. T MÄKINEN +1:00.2
5. M MÄRTIN +1:05.0
6. C SAINZ +1:12.6
7. C MCRAE +1:25.0
8. H ROVANPERÄ +1:52.9

Bit off-topic, I think Burns is in a good position to win the championship this year (in other words, he's likely to win the championship). I'd like to see Subaru next year with NO 1. on their car

[ales]

Marrko Martin excluded from the rally!

Because they put a rock in the car to weigh the tyre down ... OK...

Markko Martin has been thrown out of the Telstra Rally Australia for a technical infringement.

The stewards' decision related to a rock carried inside Martin's Ford Focus yesterday that did not comply with the sport's regulations regarding ballast, which must be fixed and placed on the floor of the cockpit.

The ratchet mechanism holding the spare wheel in place failed on Saturday afternoon's special stages and Martin used a rock to help wedge the Michelin tyre in place.

The scrutineers identified the rock when the crew arrived at service and an official report was lodged. Following the stewards' findings, the team accepted the exclusion and did not appeal.

"Obviously I am extremely disappointed for Markko, Michael Park and the whole team," said team boss Malcolm Wilson. "It is a blow to our world championship hopes but a decision that we have accepted without appeal.

"Markko and Michael acted on the spur of the moment in an effort to retain the spare wheel which was not properly secured. It is an unfortunate situation but we must all more forward and concentrate on the next round of the championship in Italy next month."

(Link)

[RallyRaider]

All right the lunatics are truly running the asylum.

Last year the Aussie marshals screwed over Tommi Makinen, year before that McRae and this year they've done it to Martin. Time to can the Rally Oz if this is the way it is run. What happened to the spirit of improvisation where crews and drivers used their wits and whatever could be scrounged to get their car to the finish? I wonder if the intellectual giants who excluded Martin would have excluded Hannu Mikkola when he had his codriver perch at the back of the car to balance a lost wheel. That is unsecured ballast too!

As an Australian I must apologise to the rest of you for the idiotic actions of my countrymen.

[RallyRaider]

As if I wasn't already annoyed enough by the Martin business, now I find that the local TV channel isn't even covering the rally today. Traditionally the Oz Rally is the only event we get same day coverage. Oh well, what do you expect from the mainstream media...

Looks like being a corker of a finish too. Solberg and Loeb are virtually inseparable in the lead. They both deserve to win in my book.

[freakray]

That doesn't make any sense whatsoever, if the tyre had been left unsecured, it could have been construed an insecure ballast too, or something equally absurd, but because they used a bit of brain power and improvisation to keep the tyre in place they are disqualified.

You have to wonder where they find the marshalls for these events

[RallyRaider]

It went down to the final stage and Petter Solberg took his second win of the season. Very well deserved. Loeb was in it all the way but was off the pace on the last stage, don't know what happened.

As usual Burns cruised home in 3rd. Loix took his first point of the year in 8th. Peugoet have to be worried about Harri Rovanpera's pace, he was even slower than Burns. Citroen now move level with Peugeot in the Constructors Championship.

Given that we now have three tarmac rallies in a row you'd have to consider Loeb a strong chance for the title. Although he'd probably need Burns to have some problems to do it.

[Ralli]

I was there. IT WAS AWESOME....

[ales]

The last two stages went really really bad for Loeb. But congrats to Petter - a well deserved win!

[freakray]

Originally Posted by ales

The last two stages went really really bad for Loeb. But congrats to Petter - a well deserved win!

True, but if it wasn't for Petter being able to stay with Loeb throughout the rest of the rally, he would not have been there to take the win on the last stages.
Somewhat oppurtunistic, but considering how well they both drove for the 3 days, either one deserved the win, it came down to who made the first mistakes or had the bad luck first, in this case it was Loeb.

Good job to Petter though.

[z33guy]

nice battle, to bad it wasnt alittle closer at the end. But im happy with the results.