2003 Rally Sanremo

[freakray]

It's about time we had another rally, but this is going to be a busy month.

This should be one of the more interesting late season rallies, we have the experience of Panizzi against the youth of Loeb, the championship is within grasp for any one of several drivers and Hyundai will be conspicuous by their absence.

Gilles Panizzi has won the last 3 events in Sanremo and will be looking for a 4th consecutive, on the other hand Loeb is a phenom on tarmac and will be looking for both the win and maximum championship points.

We can't rule out those other top contenders though, will the new Focus hold up and get its first tarmac win, will Marcus manage to keep the car on the road AND not have the car break.
Will Carlos show the master class he's been displaying this year, once again disproving his critics?

Expect to see Burns pansy-footing around behind the leaders trying to collect maximum points for his 'championship' bid

The currect Championship Standings:
1. Burns 55 (without a win )
2. Sainz 48 (1 win)
3. Solberg 48 (2 wins)
4. Loeb 45 (2 wins)
5. Gronholm 38 (3 wins - but all the DNF's have cost him)
6. Martin 37 (2 wins)

[Guido]

Loeb wins with Carlos second.

[Focus2000]

It'll be a battle between Markko Martin and Sebastian Loeb for the honours, and the flying Focus of Martin will just take the win ... I hope!

I hope Sainz and Solberg both get good results, just to keep Burnsie on his toes as he saunters towards the title.

[gnasha]

Panazzi, he's playing at home as he know so much the event. But I'm sure loeb and Solberg will not be far behind. I just hope a french wins it because it's the only way to get reports at decent time on french TV. The only long one is at 1am the tuesday morning after the rally... in the night in the week... Those twits haven't got a clue init!

[ales]

Panizzi. He is the master of this rally, and after disapointmet (aka non-win) in Germany he has to win this one. Maybe he shouldn't drive on gravel - spolis his tarmac skills

[RallyRaider]

Sad to say I think Peugeot are going to be somewhat off the pace. While they concentrate on next years 307, the 206 has been almost abandoned in terms of true development and is falling behing the Ford, Subaru and Citroen.

Given Loeb's experience on tarmac I'd have to pick him as the favourite but watch out for Martin and Solberg too. Subaru have a few new tricks on their car as well as some better Pirellis.

Anybody know if Carlos Sainz is fit to drive? He apparently had on operation for kidney stones or something in the last couple of weeks - ouch!

[Focus2000]

Well, the first 2 stages are out of the way.

1 S LOEB 0.0
2 M GRÖNHOLM +16.0
3 F DUVAL +20.6
4 C SAINZ +27.1
5 M MÄRTIN +27.7
6 G PANIZZI +33.2
7 C MCRAE +35.1
8 P SOLBERG +44.5
9 T MÄKINEN +58.2
10 C ROBERT +1:03.7

Martin had a poor 1st stage, where leaves built up in the air ducts of his Focus and lead to overheating. I don't know if Burns has had problems or is just taking his cautious driving style to new extremes, but he's over a minute off the pace already.

[ales]

only two drivers to win a stage so far - Loeb and Martin. Seb is consistent, good job, while Markko seems to be on a roller-coaster - a win then 10 seconds lost, then the same again. Time-wise Loeb is runing away with it. Gilles isn't doing as well as I'd hoped OMG at Burnsie! Lost more than a minute on stage 6 and is 3.05.2 behind Loeb and out of the points. I'm not listening to the radio and I don't know what's going on with his car. Potentially could throw the championship wide open again as he's 10 points exactly in front of Loeb in the standings and Sainz is also driving well at the moment (not Solberg unfortunately).

[ales]

1. 18 Sébastien LOEB (F)
Citroen Xsara 1:30:15.7 0.0
2. 4 Markko MÄRTIN (EE)
Ford Focus RS WRC 3 1:30:48.1 +32.4
3. 1 Marcus GRÖNHOLM (FIN)
Peugeot 206 WRC 1:31:05.3 +49.6
4. 19 Carlos SAINZ (E)
Citroen Xsara 1:31:30.5 +1:14.8
5. 5 Francois DUVAL (B)
Ford Focus RS WRC 3 1:31:34.7 +1:19.0
6. 3 Gilles PANIZZI (F)
Peugeot 206 WRC 1:31:45.3 +1:29.6
7. 17 Colin MCRAE (GB)
Citroen Xsara 1:31:57.6 +1:41.9
8. 7 Petter SOLBERG (N)
Subaru Impreza WRC 03 1:32:19.5 +2:03.8
9. 8 Tommi MÄKINEN (FIN)
Subaru Impreza WRC 03 1:33:05.9 +2:50.2
10. 20 Philippe BUGALSKI (F)
Citroen Xsara 1:33:08.0 +2:52.3
11. 2 Richard BURNS (GB)
Peugeot 206 WRC 1:33:20.9 +3:05.2
12. 23 Cedric ROBERT (F)
Peugeot 206 WRC 1:33:29.5 +3:13.8
13. 22 Roman KRESTA (CZ)
Peugeot 206 WRC 1:34:47.8 +4:32.1
14. 14 Didier AURIOL (F)
Skoda Fabia WRC 1:35:28.2 +5:12.5

[Guido]

You're analysis pretty sums it all up Alex.

[ales]

Originally Posted by huudo

You're analysis pretty sums it all up Alex.

Oh what are you so happy about? I know, I know.

I should have said that Loeb is not only consistent, but consistently bloody fast! Very impressed with him and Citroen. I still can't believe the difference one year makes as far as Pug go.

[freakray]

I don't even feel sorry for Burns, the way he has been playing the points system it would be a certain justice if anyone caught up on him now or even overtook him for that matter.

I had a feeling Loeb would walk away with it, although I hoped Gilles would be a little more on top of things, especially when you look at his results on the black stuff last year.

[ales]

OMG! I agree with Raymond on every point in his last message!

[gnasha]

Agreed, never stands Burns anyway and I don't talk about his skills, I just can't stand him but don't know why.

[ales]

I don't mind Burns at all, and I certainly was cheering for him in 2001. But I do agree with Ray's point ( ) about this year.