Stohl aims for points

Stohl aims for pointsFrom Citroen Press [ 19/06/2005 ].
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The second place of the OMV World Rally Team in Cyprus has stirred up the rally scene – and boosted the self-confidence of the team. But they nevertheless stick to realistic goals: each WRC-point is a success. In order to create a basis for further successes Kronos-Racing has set up an additional test for the whole OMV Team with the Citroen Xsara for next Sunday in Greece.

“It would be ludicrous to believe that I could reach the top three at each rally from now on. In Cyprus everything just klicked into place. In Greece the technical advantage of the works teams will be more abvious once again“, says OMV driver Manfred Stohl,, assessing his chances realistically. The additional tests next Sunday shall nevertheless help furthering his chances to be competitive at the Acropolis Rally, as well. A place among the first eight to score WRC-points remains the professed goal.

Five rallies in a row

After a break during the Rally of Turkey the OMV duo Stohl/Minor now faces five rallies in a row. The exchange of the Rally of Corsica for the WRC-run in Finland had tactical reasons. Brigitte Mühlwisch, OMV Corporate Sponsoring: “Our goal is a place among the top ten in the drivers-WRC. At the moment we lie in seventh place with eleven points. In order to secure this position it is necessary to compete now. Each point counts – the earlier the better.“ Furthermore the OMV driver feels already at home on gravel – a surface that is predominant in Finland as opposed to Corsica (tarmac). The five rallies in a row are: Acropolis Rally of Greece (23rd – 26th of June), Rally Argentina (15th – 17th of July), Neste Rally Finland (5th – 7th of August), OMV ADAC Rallye (26th – 28th of August) and Wales Rally GB (16th – 18th of September).

New Co-driver, new car, new goals

Spaniard Xavier Pons will be joining the OMV World Rally Team for six rallies. Just before his first assignment in Greece the OMV driver exchanged his co-driver. His new partner is Carlos del Barrio. Together with Jesus Puras he was Spanish Rallychampion 2002 in the Citroen Xsara WRC and is therefore well acquainted with the current car. Del Barrio has more than his share of WRC-experience and will support Xavier Pons during all six runs. “I want to take this opportunity to thank Oriol Juliá for the professional teamwork during the last two years – and to wish him all the best for his next projects“, says Pons. Oriol Juliá will be competing in Greece as well – as co-driver of Daniel Sordo who lies in second intermediate place in the Junior WRC.

“It’s important to me to gain experience, therefore each race-kilometre counts. I absolutely want to reach the finish on Sunday in Lamia – to that end Marc van Dalen and the whole OMV Team support me professionally and I also can benefit from my teammate Manfred Stohl. I’m really looking forward to my first assignment in the Citroen Xsara WRC“, says the newcomer to the OMV World Rally Team.

350 special stage kilometres with 19 special stages

The Acropolis Rally of Greece will commence on Thursday (23rd of June) with a Super-Special-Stage in the Olympic Stadium of Athens at 18.00. 18 further special stages with a length of 349,57 kilometres are scheduled from Friday to Sunday (24th – 26th of June). The overall length measures exactly 1.065,57 kilometres. The finishing line will be crossed on Sunday (26th of June) at 14.25 in Lamia.

This is Greece

Area: 131.957 sq km; Population: 10.666.000 inhabitants; Population density: 82 people per sq km; Capital: Athens (3,1 mio. inhabitants); Greece was founded 2200 B.C. and became independent in 1829 (up until then Ottoman Empire). The temperatures in June average between 20 – 30 degrees. Humidity measures 47 % with an average of two rainy days.