CONRAD RAUTENBACH GIVES SUBARU 11TH AFRICAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AND RALLY CHICKS CLAIM PODIUM FINISH
22 year old Zimbabwean Conrad Rautenbach and co-driver Peter Marsh dominated the 2007 Dunlop Zimbabwe Rally Challenge to claim the 2007 FIA African Rally Championship. Needing just three points to become the youngest ever ARC title holder, Rautenbach led the 17 stage, 284 racing kilometer event from stage one.
The Jardine Lloyd Thompson-backed Subaru Impreza N10 ran like clockwork the whole weekend, giving the youngster his third consecutive win on home soil and fifth straight win in the tough African rally series.
“I’m speechless. It is such a fantastic feeling to win the African Championship. Competition has been really tough this year but to win it at home is amazing! The car was brilliant and full credit to the organising team, they did a fantastic job in pretty difficult circumstances!” Conrad said on www.conradrautenbach.com.
For Subaru, it is their 11th title on the continent – the last four years in succession and more titles than any other manufacturer since the African series started in 1982.
Second overall and assured of the runner-up spot in the 2007 series was former double champion Muna Singh and David Sihoka in their Sunvic/Madison Insurance Subaru Impreza N10, some seven minutes behind the winner.
Subaru’s Rally Chicks, Lola and Megan Verlaque equaled their best performance in the ARC by taking the final podium step after a trouble free rally. The Bosch/Team Total-supported sisters started their maiden African season with a hard-fought podium in Tanzania back in February and this latest result augers well for the final round in Zambia in August.
“It was a fantastic rally for us. I drove a little too conservatively in the forests because I saw so many cars coming out with dented fenders and other bits hanging off. I knew if we hit something we wouldn’t have enough time to fix it”, Lola explained.
“The car was fantastic. We fitted a new centre diff so I spent a lot of time playing with settings. This is the sort of result we should have had all year”, she enthused.
“We go into the final round in Zambia next month 3rd in the African Championship. There are quite a few people with their noses out of joint. I think we’ve ruffled quite a few feathers this year”, Lola laughed.
“Third in the championship will be good for us, especially as this is our first year in the series. It’s been a fantastic experience; we’ve been to some amazing countries and seen some wonderful parts of the continent we wouldn’t have seen in normal circumstances”, Lola said.
The Zambia International Rally takes places from 17-19 August. “Unfortunately, Zambia clashes with the Osram Rally so we will have to miss the local event”.
