An opportunity to seize...
The Tour of Corsica could well mark a decisive turning point in the 2005
Junior World Rally Championship. To understand the importance of the French
round, a short summary of the situation is possibly necessary...
The JWRC innovated this year by introducing an eighth, non-European
qualifying round, namely Rally México. Although the number of events in
which registered competitors must compete is still seven, each driver had to
nominate the rally they intended to 'miss' before the start of the season.
Team Kronos Racing team-mates Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo chose not to go to
Mexico, while Conrad Rautenbach and the P. H. Sport team preferred to skip
the Monte Carlo. Meanwhile, Kris and Dani's main championship rivals Guy
Wilks and the outgoing champ Per-Gunnar Andersson decided not to include
Corsica.
This means that Kris and Dani -- who have contested one event less compared
with their direct rivals since Mexico -- will not only be able to draw level
in Corsica but they will also have a chance to pull clear at the top of the
provisional standings... To do that, and in the absence of Guy and 'Pigi',
they will need to try and finish ahead of the other top JWRC runners with a
view to scoring as many points as possible and reaching the final round in
Catalunya in a strong position.
Dani Sordo, who currently tops the standings thanks to a score of three wins
on both gravel (Sardinia, Finland) and asphalt (Germany), clearly has the
most trump cards in his hand. The Spaniard competed in the Tour of Corsica
in 2004, finishing 2nd in Group N, and recently demonstrated his taste for a
fight by clinching the 2005 Spanish title. His record in his eight-round
home series, currently the most competitive in Europe, is particularly
eloquent: three 2nd places and five wins, including three on the trot after
particularly closely-run scraps! The other plus point in his favour is the
fact that his co-driver is none other than Marc Marti who boasts five
previous Tour of Corsica starts, with four podium finishes to his name,
including once on the highest step...
Much less familiar with asphalt, Kris Meeke has no intention of giving up
without a fight. The young Ulsterman recently demonstrated his ability on
sealed surfaces in Germany before giving a glimpse of his ability to adapt
when he drove a World Rally Car on Wales Rally GB. Kris also took part in
recce for the last two Tours of Corsica and intends to give Dani the sort of
run for his money he gave him in the Deutschland Rally as well as doing all
he can to take Citroën and the C2 Super 1600 to another one-two finish.
That is obviously also the hope of Citroën Sport's Customer Competition team
which has prepared especially carefully for Corsica. "We spent four days
testing for Corsica and Catalunya near Tarragona," says Technical Manager
Alexis Avril. "Kris and Dani both drove two days each. The set-up we found
for Corsica is a very good base. They have a chance to pull clear. They must
absolutely put it to good use."
-citroen-
