Latest Rally Quotes // 2009

Drivers' Quotes -

Day One...


S1


1 - Sebastian Loeb/Daniel Elena – Citroen C4

Very difficult stage, impossible to drive, not taking any chances.



5 – Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk – Focus WRC 08

Using winter tyres, delighted to be lying second after first stage.


18 – Gareth McHale/Brian Murphy – Ford Focus

Tyres seem too soft, very slippery.



S2


3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

Seb running at an incredible speed, I had no feeling now.


7 - Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot – Citroen C4

Broken windscreen, it was my fault, I didn’t fix the bonnet properly.


6 – Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud – Focus WRC 08

It is very bad, I had not much experience of roads like this.


5 – Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk – Focus WRC 08

We made a good tyre choice, it is fantastic, it is like a dream come true.


22 – Austin McHale/Dermot O’Gorman – Ford Focus

We have been using the wrong tyres, sometimes we do not have much grip. Had a rear left wheel puncture about 15 km into the stage, I hit nothing.



S4

7 - Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot – Citroen C4

Getting the rhythm back again.


3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

We are being just a little bit careful.



S6


3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

Stalled the car at a junction.


9 – Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr – Focus WRC 08

Had to tie the doors of the car to the roll cage, things getting worse.


22 – Austin McHale/Dermot O’Gorman – Ford Focus

Front left puncture about three miles from finish of the stage.



Day Two



S9


1 - Sebastian Loeb/Daniel Elena – Citroen C4

Everything is OK, aquaplaning in places, some black ice around, but no risk.


3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

A lot of water about, we also have water on the inside of the windscreen.


5 – Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk – Focus WRC 08

Windscreen misted up, saw nothing going into some corners.


11 – Sebastian Ogier/Julien Ingrassia – Citroen C4

Damaged the front of the car, lost the light pod, door flapping about.


18 – Gareth McHale/Brian Murphy – Ford Focus

Had to switch to manual gear change about five miles from the finish of stage.



S11

1 - Sebastian Loeb/Daniel Elena – Citroen C4

I have to stay concentrated, there is a lot of standing water on the road, I am driving my own pace.



5 – Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk – Focus WRC 08

I am cleaning the window using a sock with a stick inside it.



11 – Sebastian Ogier/Julien Ingrassia – Citroen C4

Co-driver has lost his voice, very difficult to hear the notes.


38 – Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek – Citroen C2

We went into the trees at high speed, car not running straight.


S12


1 - Sebastian Loeb/Daniel Elena – Citroen C4

Very tricky second time though, a lot of standing water, dropped a wheel
into the grass and then found some vibration.


2 - Dani Sordo/Marc Marti – Citroen C

Stalled the engine at the hairpin and dropped 10 seconds.



3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

Drove very steadily, did not want to lose rhythm, still managed to set fastest stage time.



S14

16 – Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin – Focus WRC 08

Problem with the wipers all through the stage, had to hold the switch on.


Stage 15 - Geevagh

Urmo Aava: "Road is very slippery, it is strange because it is starting to dry out, don't feel any grip, it is real scary."

Matthew Wilson: "Very slippery in places, on top it was frozen."


Stage 17 - Lough Gill

Sebastien Loeb: "It's good not to have to push on the limit - the most important thing is getting the points. I know rallies in the future like Norway will be difficult."

Mikko Hirvonen: "I was a little bit cautious in places. But if it was a big fight I could have been faster. If I can finish third and get six points it won't be a bad start to my season."

Henning Solberg: Fifth place is still a good result - I'm happy. I have a new saying which translates as 'I can't beat that Citroen even if I stand on my head,' the original Norwegian version is ruder!"

Matthew Wilson: "The conditions today are great - the sun is out and there are loads of spectators. I've always said we should come here in the summer!"




Service Flashes...

Service 2


6 – Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud – Focus WRC 08

Hit a stone on stage five, had a puncture, did not stop to fix it.



9 – Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr – Focus WRC 08

Hit a tree on stage four, beached the car, spectators helped to get it back on the road, dropped about one minute.



16 – Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin – Focus WRC 08

Hit the same rock as Henning, got puncture but did not stop.


20 – Aaron McHale/Killian Duffy – Ford Focus

Puncture of stage 6, drove 5 km on flat tyre.




Service 3


2 - Dani Sordo/Marc Marti – Citroen C4

Stage 11 was the worst stage so far in the rally for lying water.


3 - Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen – Focus WRC 08

The conditions on stage 11 were really on the limit of being acceptable. Prior to losing power steering on the stage we were competitive with Dani.



5 – Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk – Focus WRC 08

Only problem this morning was with the windscreen misting up. We also incurred a 10 minute penalty for not completing SS6 yesterday.


7 - Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot – Citroen C4

Delayed on stage 9 by Rautenbach’s accident and then by Ogier getting back on the road.



This site requires the Adobe Flash Player, which you can download from the .

Rally Ireland 2009 attracts 270,000 spectators

'The fans here have been brilliant' : Matthew Wilson

Discover Ireland Discover Ireland NorthWest
  1. 1. S. LOEB (F) 30 Pts
  2. 2. M. HIRVONEN (FIN) 22 Pts
  3. 3. D. SORDO (E) 17 Pts
  4. 4. H. SOLBERG (N) 10 Pts
  5. 5. P. SOLBERG 9 Pts
  6. 6. M. WILSON 8 Pts

For more info visit
WWW.WRC.COM

  1. 1. Citroen Total WRT 48 Pts
  2. 2. BP-Ford Abu Dhabi WRT 32 Pts
  3. 3. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford RT 22 Pts
  4. 4. Citreon Junior Rally Team 11 Pts
  5. 5. Munchi's Ford World Rally Team 3 Pts
  6. 6. TBC 0 Pts

For more info visit
WWW.WRC.COM