Petter Solberg is aiming for a win at this weekend’s Rally of Turkey, a target that Subaru team principal David Lapworth thinks is definitely on the mark.
Petter Solberg is aiming for a win at this weekend’s Rally of Turkey, a target that Subaru team principal David Lapworth thinks is definitely on the mark.
The Subaru driver won back-to-back events in Sweden and Mexico and was leading the points race before being passed by Citroën’s Sebastien Loeb after the last event in Cyprus, where the Frenchman secured his third straight win. Solberg failed to score any points in Cyprus and, with Peugeot’s Markko Martin, is currently tied for second place in the championship.
Solberg experienced technical problems in the last rally and hopes a return to the form he enjoyed early in the season will put him back on the podium and secure vital points.
“We need some luck now and for things to work out well for us,” said Solberg. “We didn’t have such a good event in Cyprus, but Turkey is a rally that I like a lot. We had some problems there last year and were unlucky with the watersplash, but now I’m ready to fight back. It will be a tough event, but the team has been working really hard with the car since Cyprus. Now I’m ready to get back behind the wheel and start the event.”
Solberg’s rookie team-mate, Chris Atkinson, is preparing to up his pace even more on the Turkish gravel roads after a few disappointing rounds.
“I’m looking forward to this event and to getting out on the stages,” the young Australian said. “We’ve learned that we can drive the car at a safe pace on rough gravel roads and now I’d like to pick up the speed. I know the car can handle it, so it’s time for me to move things forward a little bit and that’s what I’ll be looking to do in Turkey.”
Lapworth, the team principal for Subaru’s WRC team said: “Chris learned a hell of a lot in Cyprus and that will be good for him. It’s difficult, no matter how talented you are, to look at a piece of rough road and know exactly how much the car can take.
”While a WRC car can take an unbelievable amount of punishment, they’re not indestructible. Judging that fine line is part of the skill and Chris is much better equipped to deal with that than he was a month ago.”
Lapworth added that Solberg going for a win at one of his favourite events was a realistic target.
“This is definitely an event that Petter can win,” said Lapworth. “The terrain suits his style of driving, it’s traditionally been good for Pirelli and we’ve got a good record on rough events.”