Preview
4 February 2003
Sweden, The Season Starts In the Depth of Winter
Five Impreza makes the series entry
Competing for the strongest of production cars, the Production Car World Rally Championship (PCWRC) had finally started in Sweden.
Last year in PCWRC, Toshihiro Arai was the only challenger with Impreza where he won the final round in Australia. He was also ranked 4th in the series, proving his speed and ability. "Subaru Production Rally Team (SPRT)", Subaru's supporting program for PCWRC will support two drivers Toshihiro Arai and Possum Bourne. Former WRC Champion Stig Blomqvist (Sweden), Martin Rowe (UK), and Patrick Richard (Canada) last year's Canadian National Championship Champion also joined the league of Impreza drivers. As the opposite last year's PCWRC Champion, Karamjit Shingh (Malaysia /Proton), Junior WRC Champion Daniel Sola(Spain), Marco Ligato(Argentina) and Gustavo Trelles(Uruguay) are to name. Most of the drivers except for Shingh was absent on the first round in Sweden perhaps is because it is the only snow rally in the season. This could also be good news for Subaru to win their first victory here.
Toshihiro Arai went to UK since the end of January and continued his physical trainings to focus on the beginning of the season. He entered Sweden on the 1st of February, and performed some tests on the next day (2nd.) 200 km further up north of Karlstadt, he drove on the test course for half of the day. Arai said, "last year's car (GC8) were high stability, but 2002 model had much oversteer, and the I was busy steering. We did some set-ups during the official shakedown on the 5th, so the handling is much satisfactory. The overall performance is way above GC8. Last year, we came in 2nd, so I want to do well and win this year."
For Possum Bourne from New Zealand, it was his first challenge to the snow rally, which means his first time to wear stud tyres. He arrived in the middle of January to get used to the environment. On the private test, he had driven more than 300 km before this event. He spent a lot of time learning the grip and the high speed braking with stud tyres. He also learned from Blomqvist, the local hero on the same Impreza to master the technique of the cornering using the snow bank.
"The course is high speed, and the grip level do resemble New Zealand. The way the snow dust swirls is as same as the dust. But I have to be careful not to go in to the gravel without snow or ice or I will lose the studs. And it is also difficult to determine the line between the course and the course side. I have got used to the feeling of the stud tyres and beginning to enjoy the grip" said Bourne.
During the shakedown on 5th, Patrick Richard crashed with general public at the transport section. For once, his entry was at risk, but the team fixed the damaged rally car and made it for the scrutineering.
At the night of February 6th, Ceremonial Start was held at the center of Karlstadt, which announced the opening of PCWRC season of 2003.
|
 |
