OMV Kronos Citroen WRT In The Hunt To Reduce The Gap To The Stobart World Rally Team
Oct 10, 2007
mcklein
The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team has set itself a definite target for the “Rallye de France - Tour de Corse”. The gap to the Stobart World Rally Team (Henning Solberg, Jari-Matti Latvala) in the manufacture ranking shall be reduced. Currently there is a difference of 18 points but after the 13th run to the FIA World Rally Championship one plans to be within striking distance.
Advantages on tarmac
The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is very confident for the run on the French isle. The have an absolute tarmac specialist, Francois Duval, within their ranks and Manfred Stohl has already won WRC-points in Corsica, as well. Not to forget his historic wins in group N (forerunner of the FIA Production Car-World Rally Championship) in a top field in 1998 and 2000. Therefore the OMV cracks have high hopes of reducing the gap to the Stobart WRT in the manufacture ranking. The more so since in Henning Solberg (Nor) and Jari-Matti Latvala (Fin) this team doesn’t dispose of tarmac specialists. Currently they are 18 points ahead. The plan is to reduce this number by half.
Duval in fighting spirit
Second place in Germany and fifth place in Spain have proven that Francois Duval must count among the top tarmac rally drivers in the world. Now the Belgian OMV driver wants to go one better and reach the podium in Corsica, as well. Duval: “In Spain, nothing more was possible. But in Corsica the pack will be reshuffled and we are very confident. The characteristics of this rally are completely different and these characteristics are to our advantage. ”
Manfred Stohl is forced to take a different approach in Corsica. He has to take care not to damage the Citroen Xsara WRC for already on Monday after the run in Corsica the car will be transported to Japan, where the Rally Japan will take place from October 26 to 28. Therefore the Austrian OMV driver will be a bit cautious: “Of course, this scenario is always in the back of your mind. But I will still go my usual speed. For it doesn’t make sense to just amble along the special stages. ”
Already EUR 104.430 in the OMV Move & Help account
Since this year’s season of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is under the sign of OMV Move & Help, EUR 20 will be donated to OMV Move & Help for each completed special stage kilometre. At the twelve WRC-runs completed so far, Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor, Daniel Carlsson/Denis Giraudet and recently in Germany and Spain also Francois Duval/Patrick Pivato have already taken in 104.430 Euro overall. In Corsica further 14.360 Euro are at stake since Manfred Stohl and Francois Duval will carry the colours of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team. Move & Help is the educational program by OMV for over 35.000 children and youths in cooperation with SOS Children’s Village, Caritas and UNICEF.
359 special stage kilometres on 16 special stages
The “Rallye de France - Tour de Corse“ will commence on Thursday (October 11) with a showstart at 19.00 in Ajaccio. Sixteen special stages with a length of 359,32 kilometres are scheduled from Friday to Sunday (October 12 to 14). The overall length measures exactly 1.117,20 kilometres. The finish line will be crossed on Sunday at 14.02 in Ajaccio at Place Foch.
This is Corsica
Area: 8.720 sq km; Population: approximately 250.000 inhabitants; Population density: 29 people per sq km; Corscia has been a part of France since 1798. The island consists of two departments: Haute-Corse and Cors-du-Sud with the main city of Ajaccio. Corsica’s coast length measures 992 kilometres. Ajaccio is most famous for being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Standings in the FIA World Rally Championship for drivers (after twelve of 16 runs): 1. Grönholm 96 points, 2. Loeb 90 points, 3. Hirvonen 74 points, 4. Sordo 39 points, 5. P. Solberg 34 points, 6. H. Solberg 28 points, 7. Atkinson 26 points, 8. Latvala 19 points, 9. Duval 12 points, 10. Gardemeister 10 points, 11. Stohl and Carlsson 9 points each, 11. Kopecky 8 points.
Standings in the FIA World Rally Championship for manufacturers (after twelve of 16 runs): 1. BP Ford WRT 170 points, 2. Citroen Total WRT 131 points, 3. Subaru WRT 64 points, 4. Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team 57 points, 5. OMV Citroen Kronos WRT 39 points, 6. Munchi’s Ford WRT 6 points.
