Inside Rally

Fords Petter Solberg and Co-Driver Chris Patterson went fastest on this mornings qualiyfing and gets to pick first on his road position.

Photo:D.Darrall

The Norwegian said at the end of the 6km stage, “It’s good to be first, very important in fact,” said Solberg. “The car works well and we should be strong for this rally. I feel confident and think I will start further down [the order]. Even when it’s raining it dries very quick when it stops. The best choice is to start further back for sure.”

At lunch time in service, the drivers selected the order in which they will start the stages on day 1.

Photo:D.Darrall

1st on road will be Nobre

2. Olivera

3.Araujo

4.Al-Attiyah

5.Propkop

6.Tanak

7.Ostberg

8.Neuville

9.Hirvonen

10.Novikov

11.Loeb

12.Latvala

13.Solberg

Stage 1 of the rally, the 25km Kineta stage starts this evening at 18:28

Fords Petter Solberg has set the fastest time in The 6km Qualifying Stage, meaning that the Norwegian will get 1st choice of Road order back at Service. Latvala was 2nd fastest. Mikko Hirvonen was fastest on practice sessions but a half spin on Qualiy dropped him 5th.

Times
1, Solberg
2. Latvala
3. Loeb
4. Novikov
5. Hirvonen
6. Neuville
7. Ostberg
8. Tanak
9. Prokop
10. Al-Attiyah
11. Araujo

Raikkonen returned to Formula One for the 2012 season following a two-year stint in the WRC where he scored a best finish of fifth in Turkey in 2010 and recorded a fastest stage time in Germany in the same season.

In an interview with Motorsport News in the United Kingdom today, Raikkonen said: “I knew [rallying] was tough as I’d done some before but it’s different at the highest level. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Of course, I wanted to do better. But I’m not finished. I want to go back, whether for my career or after I don’t know.

“I’d like to do Rally Finland this season as it fits with the calendar but you’ll have to ask the team if it fits in my contract. Formula One and rallying are two completely different sports. In rallying everything is different. Okay, you have the pace notes but you don’t know for sure what’s around the next corner.”

Photo: D.Darrall

Raikkonen’s former WRC rivals will be in action on the Acropolis Rally in Greece this week (24-27 May).

Source: WRC.com

WRC Greece kick starts on Thursday, with the Qualifying stage, then the openening ceromony in Athens, followed by the first stage of the rally in the evening.

Photo:D.Darrall