The roads of New Zealand are like gravel-strewn rollercoasters: up and down and very fast! Every driver seems to love the place and people, so it's well worth the 24-hour trip. Developing a good rhythm is crucial to success in New Zealand, so that the car flows from corner to corner fluently. Although the rally takes place on the other side of the world, the scenery strongly resembles the countryside of Rally Great Britain. The weather can be distinctly Welsh as well, with rain a strong possibility in New Zealand's Autumn. Rally headquarters is in the Sky Tower in Auckland - New Zealand's tallest building. Auckland itself is the north island's largest city, and was until recently home to the prestigious Americas Cup yacht race.

PROPECIA RALLY NEW ZEALAND CONFIRMS GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Rally New Zealand has today clarified the issue of Government support for the event, or more specifically from Government funded organization Tourism New Zealand.

Hot on the heels of news that the West Australian State Government is to withdraw its support for the Australian round of the WRC in Perth, there has been media speculation as to the potential for a similar situation in New Zealand.

Propecia Rally NZ General Manager Gary Upson is quick to point out key differences in the two events.

"While we would all be most agreeable to more funding from government, we have a very good relationship with them, and are happy with the level of support they give."

Upson went on to clarify the issue of support from the Government funded Tourism New Zealand organization.

"Tourism New Zealand has been a supporter of the event for the last 5 years, both financially, and through bringing international media attention to the Rally, helping to secure television coverage, and being an active participant in our marketing committee, said Upson. "There is clearly an appreciation from them as to the value of the event in the coverage it generates to an international audience, and they have been a vital advocate for us with central government. 2005 is not the first time that Tourism New Zealand has supported us - I want to make that perfectly clear. Through their brand 100% Pure New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand has long been a part of Rally New Zealand and we hope will continue to be so for many years to come."

Upson went on to point out that Propecia Rally New Zealand does not rely as heavily on Government funding to run the event as do other WRC rounds. Strong commercial support from partners such as Propecia and Subaru ensure the continued success of the event.

RALLY COUNTDOWN BEGINS WITH SCREAMS OF DELIGHT

The countdown to Propecia Rally New Zealand began in earnest on Sunday with the traditional promo' day for rally sponsors, supporters and invited media.

Anyone doubting that they would get a real taste of what it is to hurtle around the roads of New Zealand at full throttle was quickly put in their place as car after rally car returned with grinning passengers after 6 minutes of speed through Maramarua Forest, south of Auckland.

One of the first away for a taste of rally action was Radio Sport breakfast show producer Matt Gunn and he was one of the first to put his name down for another. "I was a little nervous to begin with, said Gunn. "But I soon felt comfortable and enjoyed what was a fantastic thrill. I'm just glad I was with a professional driver though there is no way I could let the wife drive like that with me in the car! The thing that struck me was the noise, it was incredible, you really know you are in a rally car doing high speed."

Also on the invite list was former All Black number 8 Richard Turner, these days in his role with Rally NZ sponsor Copthorne and Millenium Hotels. "I have never been quiet for 5 ½ minutes before in my life, said Turner. I have never experienced anything like it, not even close. I couldn't believe how busy Andrew (Hawkeswood) was behind the wheel, he never stopped from the moment we took off to the moment we came to a stop."

Also in attendance was MP for West Coast/Tasman Damien O'Connor who extended his portfolio for the day to Minister for Racing (cars). "What an amazing opportunity, said O'Connor. "To see first hand how skilled the drivers are and how thorough the preparation of the cars is. I am amazed that the driver and/or car can last an event given the the work they are both put through. It has been a great day and well organized."

Radio Hauraki promotional winner Nikki-Jay Hunia got the thrill and the fright of her life when Marty Roestenburg put his Mitsubishi into the bank during a run. "Awesome, said Hunia despite the off. "Even hitting the bank I couldn't stop smiling all the way." As for Roestenburg, his explanation was typically honest. "I am terrible with a woman in the car, I can't help myself from showing off a little bit!"

Fans will have the chance to see the action up close and to '"feel the noise" themselves when Propecia Rally NZ gets underway from April 7 - 10.

I'm working on the OB

WRC NZ Teams Preview

Citroen



For its third visit to New Zealand, the team is in a less favourable position in the Manufacturers' standings than it has been in previous years…

"We are currently 5th, fifteen points behind the leader. They are the cold statistics, but it's a perfectly logical situation given the points-scoring system employed in the championship. You are bound to find yourself in a dangerous position when only one of your cars reaches the finish three times in a row. That's something we hadn't experienced since joining the championship full time. We have tried to calmly analyse our difficult start to the season with a view to understanding what happened. Given the differing nature of the incidents that have affected us, it could be tempting to pin it all on bad luck, but I am always wary of that approach. It can often be a bit of an easy way of absolving yourself…"

Until now, reliability has always been one of the Citroën team's hallmarks. Do you think the first three events of 2005 mark a watershed in this domain?

"Not at all. We didn't suffer any reliability-related problems in Monte Carlo, while in Sweden we were perhaps the first to pay the price of the new ruling that the same engine must cover two rallies. As far as Mexico is concerned, we have no logical explanation for why Seb's shock absorber mounting cracked. And when we replaced the radiator in François' car, the new part proved defective immediately. Reliability is a state of mind and a product of the way you work. On both these fronts, the team has maintained its customary standards. We are currently looking at reinforcing our component validation process..."

Are you pleased with your preparation for Rally New Zealand? And the usual question: what objective have you set the team?

"Every year, given that on-site testing is not allowed, we have to prepare for New Zealand from a distance which means there can be a significant difference between the terrain we test on and the stages themselves which are unique. That said, we now have a fairly precise idea of what is required to make the Xsara competitive on this event. We have incontestably made a big step forward. We will now have to see how our work compares with the progress made by our rivals. As far as the result we are aiming for is concerned, we need to finish in exactly the same positions we were holding during the first three events of the season before being affected by a variety of incidents; that is to say one car on the podium and the other inside the top-five…"

…to Sébastien Loeb…

The first three rounds of 2005 could have seen you finish on the podium each time, but it hasn't worked out that way. What is happening? What were the positive points of Mexico?

"I have the impression it's down to bad luck. The part that cracked in Mexico is a part we have used on numerous rallies, including on rough gravel. As far as outright performance goes, the picture is fairly satisfactory. In Sweden, I was able to match the pace of the leaders and my time on the first stage in Mexico was on a par with that of Petter [Solberg]. Our performance during the latter part of the event was the other positive side of Mexico. When Daniel and I crossed the finish line of the final stage and we were sure we had finished in 4th place, the joy we felt was comparable to that we usually feel when we win. We had come from such a long way back… I tell myself that the current run will come to an end. Our car has always been the most reliable of the pack and there is no reason why that should change…"

Are you still a big fan of Rally New Zealand, its stages, the country? What do you remember the most about last year's event?

"I am very fond of the countryside's wide open spaces, greenery and tranquillity. But there's no getting away from the fact that New Zealand is such a long way from home and I also recall last year's long road sections which were perhaps partly due to the 'Mille Pistes' recce system… The event's strong point is its stages, quite simply because stages like that don't exist anywhere else in the world. I love the fast flowing roads; there are hardly any straights and there is a nice rhythm to the way the corners flow into each other, especially with the celebrated camber changes. Setting the car up for the corners is a big pleasure but you still need to keep it tidy and not slide too much. There is also of course the famous top coating of loose gravel which can be a real handicap when you're amongst the first on the road…"

Indeed, this will be the first time you aren't first on the road on Day 1. Do you think that will help your chances? Is it possible to envisage victory?

"Envisaging victory is easy! However, it will effectively be a relief not to be first on the road. Last year, after serving as 'road sweeper' throughout the first loop of stages and dropping 44 seconds, I knew I wouldn't be able to win. The second loop was identical and I only dropped a further 4 seconds. After Sunday's first group of stages, I was still 47s behind the leader who was battling hard to defend first place. The moral of the story is that practically all that deficit was lost running first on the road on the Friday. That said, the terrain could be different this time round; it could rain, etc. But it will be nice if we are in a position where we are challenging for top spot in New Zealand which is one of the few events that has resisted the team so far…"

…and to François Duval…

This is your fourth visit to New Zealand. What do you think of the country and its stages?

"The first thing is that it takes place so far away. The trip out there is so long! Otherwise, I find there's a certain similarity between Auckland and Perth. The flowing corners of Rally New Zealand's stages themselves make the event technically challenging and we are less hemmed in than we are in the Australian forests, so you benefit from better visibility. In 2003, I found myself acting as road-sweeper on the second day after hitting problems on Day 1. That was tough and is not a good memory. It's better to run further back… Last year, I was on the pace of Seb and Carlos before being caught out by the Whaanga Coast stone which caused me to drop a big chunk of time…"

Your first three rallies with the Xsara have seen you involved in the thick of the fight for a place on the podium but you haven't yet been able to conclude. How do you feel about this difference between your potential in performance terms and the final result?

"There is effectively a big difference between the two. The main thing is to understand exactly what happened each time. Mulling over it afterwards serves no purpose at all. There is already sufficient pressure on us for us not to expose ourselves to more. Like the whole team, I was naturally disappointed by my technical problem in Mexico. However, looking back at the first three events of the year, which took place on very different types of surface, Stéphane and I were on a good pace each time. There is no reason why that shouldn't be the case over the other types of surface that make up the championship and that's very encouraging!"

What sort of result will you be aiming for in New Zealand?

"My prime objective will be to build on my experience which is very important over this event's difficult, technically demanding stages. I will be pleased if I finish in the top-five, and delighted if I make it onto the podium. Honestly though, I don't think it will be possible to win in normal circumstances!"

Peugeot



Thanks to its record since the beginning of the season, including a double podium in Mexico, Peugeot is in a favourable situation as it prepares for Rally New Zealand. The French outfit effectively leads the Manufacturers' championship while its two drivers figure strongly in the Drivers' standings. Marcus Grönholm, three-times winner in Auckland with Peugeot, and Markko Märtin, who finished 3rd last year, both have high hopes for the fourth round of the 2005 championship.

Marcus Grönholm and his new team-mate Markko Märtin can be forgiven for the big smile they had on their face in Leon after their podium finish in Rally Mexico. The Finn, who was looking for a good result following his misadventure in Sweden, and the Estonian, who has been particularly consistent since the start of the year, have taken Peugeot to top spot in the chase for the Manufacturers' title. It's the first time the team has been in this position since the 2003 Rally Australia. From the three rounds of the championship organised so far this year (Monte Carlo, Sweden, Mexico), the 307 WRC has secured five points finishes from a possible six and has proved both reliable and competitive, as seen in Mexico where the team's Pirelli tyres were also strong on the loose; an encouraging sign, since ten of the thirteen remaining rounds will take place on gravel.

Rally New Zealand has regularly been happy hunting ground for Peugeot in the past. The fixture has also long been a favourite with the drivers because of its magnificent stages which, as in Sweden and Finland, place the accent on driver skill, although average speeds are lower and the roads are not quite so delicate.

It's the type of event in which Marcus Grönholm revels. In 2000, he took his first win in Auckland at third attempt driving the 206 before collecting two further wins with the same car in 2002 and 2003. Last year, driving the still fledgling 307 WRC, he was again involved in the thick of the fight for first place and was less than six seconds behind the winner when he lost ground following a roll.

The Finn hasn't forgotten that incident and is very much looking forward to this year's visit to the southern hemisphere event: "It's a rally I like very much. I can't wait to be back in New Zealand and I'm hoping for a good result. As in Mexico, my main objective will be to finish in the points but that doesn't rule out going for a win. In 2004, I finished 2nd when the 307 WRC was still very new. The situation is different this time."

Markko Märtin is another Rally New Zealand fan. He took part in the event for the first time in 2002 and scored his best result there (3rd, just seconds behind his current team-mate Marcus Grönholm) twelve months ago. His patience and consistency since joining Peugeot have taken him to 2nd place in the provisional Drivers' standings, just one point behind the leader. Increasingly confident in the 307 WRC, the Estonian also has a good chance of scoring a top result this time round.

Mitsubishi



The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports WRC team heads to the fourth round of the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship in New Zealand third in the series for manufacturers and buoyed by its third consecutive double-points haul in México just weeks ago. Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen once again lead the team’s assault, while team-mates "Gigi" Galli and Guido D’Amore make the long journey to the other side of the world to pilot the team’s second Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05. The event is also the second round of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship and has, as usual, drawn a host of national and international Mitsubishi crews.

The most southerly round of the FIA World Rally Championship, New Zealand is also one of the best-loved events on the calendar. The smooth dirt roads that wind through lush farming country are a drivers’ paradise. They present a searching test of skill, for they are often extremely quick and frequently slippery, yet few rallies offer the same sense of satisfaction and the non-punishing nature of the roads makes it possible to push lightly-modified production cars to the limit. The weather is also an uncertain factor: bright sunshine is quite likely in the southern autumn, but heavy rain is always a possibility in a route that never runs far from the coast.

"New Zealand is not a rough rally, but there’s always a question mark over the weather because it can be quite different if it’s good or bad", said Mario Fornaris, the team’s Technical Director. "The Lancer WRC05 will be the same specification as México and hopefully we will be able to confirm our reliability in New Zealand, along with a good driver line-up. Harri has a very good record there, good experience and in the past he’s always felt comfortable in this rally. For Gigi it is obviously something new and I think when you get this type of opportunity to go so far and take part in this type of rally, he has to capitalize on the opportunity. His target will be to finish, while for Harri it is an event where he can be very fast".

The 2005 Rally New Zealand marks Harri Rovanperä’s eighth visit to a country widely regarded as having the best rally roads in the world. While the Finn has retired on three occasions, it nevertheless also represents one of his most successful events with no fewer than two podium positions in the FIA World Rally Championship - third in 2001 and second in 2002 - as well as a victory in the World 2 Liter category in 1998. He also finished fifth last year.

"I don’t really know why New Zealand has been so good to me, but for sure it’s one of my best and certainly a favorite", said Harri, who has been relaxing in Lapland since Rally México. "The roads are very nice, it’s a quick event and the gravel is also nice; not bumpy or rough. It is quite a technical rally and not so easy because of the constantly changing camber on the road, but it works well for me. One thing that is very important though is to have a really good car and a lot of confidence in everything; then it all comes together".

Team-mate Gigi Galli has only previously competed in New Zealand once and an accident in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Group N machinery last year brought the Italian’s charge to a premature halt. He and Guido D’Amore nevertheless put in a stunning performance on the first loose surface event of the 2005 season in Sweden - holding fourth in only their fifth event together in a world rally car - and will be looking to build on that experience to claim another impressive finish for Mitsubishi.

"For us, New Zealand is a very new rally and our experience is very very small", said Gigi. "I have already discussed our strategy with the team and everyone agrees that it is important to get to the finish, understand more and have the same philosophy we have had all season. Therefore, our goal will be to finish, look for some points for Mitsubishi, and move further ahead with the development of the dampers and active center diff. That is all, nothing else. I hope to enjoy the rally, but then I enjoy myself every time I sit in the car anyway…!"

Rally New Zealand is one of the classic gravel events in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar and a firm favorite with everyone who makes the long journey to the Southern Hemisphere. The fast and flowing roads that wind their way through spectacular farmland and forests on the North Island are universally agreed to be some of the best in the world and the emphasis is firmly on driver skill, as the smooth nature of the roads poses little demand on machinery. Many things are new this year, however; Rally HQ, the start and finish locations have moved, and this is also expected to be the only event in the series which does not comply with the recommended single-service area concept.

Subaru



Three weeks after winning the most recent round of the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship in Mexico, the Subaru World Rally Team are preparing to cross the globe for the fourth event of the 16-round series, Rally New Zealand. Commencing on Thursday 7 April with a ceremonial start in the host town of Auckland, the three-day event includes some of the best gravel stages in the Championship.

The Subaru World Rally Team will be entering two cars in New Zealand, to be driven by Petter Solberg (co-driven by Phil Mills) and Chris Atkinson (co-driven by Glenn MacNeall). Stéphane Sarrazin and co-driver Denis Giraudet will complete the recce to gain experience of the event.

Last year Petter won the rally after a thrilling final Leg duel with Marcus Gronholm. Fresh from his second consecutive WRC win of 2005 and his first with the new Subaru Impreza WRC2005, Petter will be seeking another podium finish on this event. His team-mate Chris Atkinson has previously contested the event, but only in a Group N class car. Making his third outing in a WRC car, the Australian will be aiming to gain experience of the gravel event and of his Subaru Impreza WRC2005.

Contested at low altitude amongst luscious green countryside, Rally New Zealand is renowned as a drivers' rally due to it's fast and flowing roller-coaster-like roads that feature heavily cambered corners. The smooth gravel surface places few mechanical pressures on cars and the emphasis is on driver performance, flat-out speed and unwavering levels of commitment.

Rally New Zealand requires nerves of steel and natural car control. The trick is to establish a strong rhythm early on and let the car 'flow' from corner to corner. However, drivers need to ensure they're not caught out by sections of loose gravel or by New Zealand's fickle weather, which in the autumn can change by the hour.

Petter Solberg: "The new car felt good in Mexico, not perfect, but very good. Throughout the event, the team worked hard to improve the set-up so I could get more feeling and, after the second day, I was much happier. There are still some improvements to be made ahead of New Zealand and we're always making lots of adjustments that can make a difference to the overall experience inside the car, so it's looking good. New Zealand will be a difficult rally for me due to running first on the road. I think I'll lose a bit of time on the first day as I sweep the loose gravel roads clean for those behind, but hopefully I'll be able to get it back on Leg two and three. Everything is possible so we'll just have to wait and see. It's a good rally and one that everyone's looking forward to."

Chris Atkinson: "I started to understand things a lot more about the car in Mexico and felt as though I was improving. I learned to be more patient and discovered that, it you drop back a little and don't push so hard, it's easier to stay on the clean line. You could see our development in the stage times and hopefully it'll be the same in New Zealand. There were some sections in Mexico that were similar to terrain that I'd contested on before, but many parts felt very new. In terms of the car, everything's feeling better and I'm more comfortable working with the team. All the changes that we made in Mexico seem to have gone in the right direction and the plan is to continue that in New Zealand. Glenn and I have been working pretty closely with Petter. We have quite a similar driving style and want the same things from the car, so it's good. I'm not setting myself any objectives in terms of finishing positions for New Zealand but, similar to the last two events, it's all about getting experience. I'd love to get a good finish and seeing the speed we had in Mexico hopefully that will come soon."

Subaru World Rally Team Principal, David Lapworth: "New Zealand is a fast rally. It's changed a lot over the years and ten years ago was regarded as one of the twistiest, slowest events of the year. However, as it's moved further north, the stages have become faster and more similar to those in Finland. It's always been an event that demands a precise driving style because of the nature of the stages. They have a hard base with lots of loose gravel, so a racing line develops as they clean. To be fast in New Zealand you have to be very accurate and stay on the clean part of the road.

It's a low altitude event, so engine power is at its best and there's a large emphasis on horsepower. In addition, as the event is pretty much as it looks, it's a driver's rally. There aren't too many surprises, so it really is about who can drive the best.

Running first on the road at this event is generally a disadvantage as the stages are covered with loose gravel, sand and dust. The first few cars through are unable to cut through the loose surface to the hard base underneath and they lose grip. However, as they wheel-spin and slide through corners they clean a driving line for those following. The difference between the first and eighth car on the road can be as much as a second per kilometre. The cleaning effect is normally quite pronounced in New Zealand and this year, following an Indian summer, it's likely to be even more so. However, rain can neutralise or even reverse the process. A little rain will bind the loose gravel and dust together and stop the road from cleaning so quickly, while a lot of rain can make the base more slippery for cars further down the field. As the surface is cleaned away, it leaves a slippery top section, which is actually slower. So as Petter's running first on the road, we're hoping for rain on the first day of the rally.

It's difficult to choose the right tyres for this event. If it's dry and you're running 15th on the road, you need a stable tyre with few cuts. However, as there's loose gravel off the driving line, cuts in the tyre will give confidence and make sure you don't lose too much grip if you go wide. If you're first on the road, you need an open tyre to deal with the loose gravel, but there are problems with that. An open tread pattern wears more and if there's 80km to complete on one set of tyres, it's not ideal. It also gives less stability and doesn't respond as sharply to the brakes as a more closed tread pattern would.

Looking to the drivers, from a Championship point of view we know we should be happy to come away from New Zealand with perhaps six points and the lead or something very close to the lead in the Drivers' Championship. On the other hand, we like to go to an event to win, so if we're lucky with the weather and we don't lose too much time on the first day, then no doubt Petter will change his strategy accordingly. Chris completed the event last year in a Group N car, so has some experience in New Zealand. It's limited compared to the top drivers however, so the underlying approach will be learning more about the rally, the tyres and the set-up of a World Rally Car rather than thinking about where he's going to finish."

Ford



Rally New Zealand (7 - 10 April) offers BP-Ford World Rally Team's drivers a taste of consistency for the first time this season after a highly varied start to the campaign. It is the second consecutive gravel round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the surface on which the bulk of the 16-event series is fought out and which takes competitors right through to late August before briefly switching to asphalt.

Vastly different conditions on the opening three rounds have provided a tough start to the 2005 season. Drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen and team-mates Roman Kresta and Jan Možný have faced asphalt, snow, ice and rock-hard gravel to date. But the all-round versatility of the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car has enabled the BP-Ford squad to claim a strong second in the manufacturers' championship while Gardemeister holds third in the drivers' standings.

The journey to New Zealand's North Island is the longest of the season for BP-Ford but the rally more than makes up for the seemingly endless hours spent in the air en route. The roads near the rally base of Auckland are widely regarded as the best in the championship. As smooth as a billiard table and gently winding through the lush, green countryside, they pose fewer mechanical demands than most gravel rallies and invite drivers to attack them.

Thirty-year-old Gardemeister has plenty of experience there and this will be his seventh start. He finished third in 1999 on his debut in a World Rally Car, a career-best result until claiming second in Monte Carlo in January on his maiden outing in his Castrol-branded Focus RS.

"The roads are fast and flowing and frequently the camber changes in corners which allows a driver to drift the car through bends more than on other rallies," said the Finn. "They can also be quite slippery if wet. This time of year is early autumn in New Zealand so the weather could be mixed, either dry and warm or showery.

"The last round in Mexico was my first on gravel in the Focus. The result wasn't as strong as I had hoped but the car felt good to drive and I learned a lot. I'm looking forward to driving it in New Zealand, which is a rally I really enjoy. It's quite like my home event in Finland, without the big jumps," he added.

Third place in the championship means Gardemeister will be third to start the opening leg. "When it's dry the roads have a lot of slippery loose gravel on the surface so it's better to start further back in the order, by which time the gravel has been swept away," he said. "Third isn't ideal but it's much better than first. The problem isn't so great in New Zealand as elsewhere. The rally is so fast and there aren't many tight corners, which is where a driver loses traction and grip on the loose stones."

Gardemeister has recovered from the heavy 'flu which affected him throughout Rally Mexico. "I've had a good couple of weeks in Finland since returning from Mexico. I've been running and walking to maintain my fitness and I feel much better now," he added.

In contrast to his team-mate's experience, Kresta has never competed in New Zealand before. However, lack of experience does not seem a handicap to the Czech driver, who ran as high as sixth overall in Mexico earlier this month before retiring his BP Ultimate-branded Focus RS.

"Every rally this season has been one of learning for me," said 28-year-old Kresta. "But despite this I scored driver points in both Monte Carlo and Sweden and was lying in the points in Mexico before retiring. I'm aiming for another points finish in New Zealand, but the most important aspect for me is to learn as much as I can about the event.

"I think the special stages will be fast and enjoyable to drive. I have been nominated here by Ford so it's important for me to aim for a good result to score manufacturer points. But I don't want to take any risks, especially early in the event, because it's also necessary for me to finish the rally to understand the nature of the roads and gain as much experience as I can," added Kresta.

Team News

* Antony Warmbold and Michael Orr aim to continue their progress after scoring a career-best seventh place in Mexico earlier this month. The German driver will be making his third appearance in New Zealand at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Focus RS. His best result was 19th last year. Argentines Luis Perez Companc and Jose Maria Volta will make their debut in a privately-run Focus RS. The Buenos Aires-based duo will also drive an M-Sport-prepared car on the first of a two-event programme, which ends with July's Rally Argentina.

* BP-Ford has nominated Michelin's Z pattern tyre for the event. Designed for a clear and hard surface, the Z tyre has a relatively compact tread pattern to ensure the maximum amount of rubber is in contact with the road for the best possible grip and traction. If the weather is wet or the roads have more loose gravel on them then expected, the team can cut the Z tyre to a ZA pattern. It is a more open tread, designed to penetrate the loose surface in search of firmer ground deeper down.

* Gardemeister celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday on a promotional tour in Australia. He was in Melbourne where he met V8 Supercar driver Jason Bright and visited the Australian's Castrol-backed Ford Performance Racing team. He then attended the Australian Rules Football clash between Carlton and Essendon at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground stadium, home of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Rally Route

The event follows broadly the same format as last year. After a ceremonial start on Thursday evening close to yachting's Americas Cup village in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, the opening two days' are based close to the Paparoa service park in the Northland region, almost 150km north. The second leg ends with two runs at the spectacular floodlit super special stage at Manukau, on the edge of Auckland. The final leg comprises the superb west coast tests near Raglan, 160km south of the city. It includes two passes over the classic Whaanga Coast test, which hugs the Tasman Sea coastline and is rated by many as the best stage in the entire championship. All stages are identical to 2004, with the exception of one new test on each of the opening two legs. There are 20 stages in all and drivers face 356km of competition in a route of 1128.48km.

Skoda



After debuting the new Fabia WRC 05 in Mexico the Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team remains outside Europe for round four of the World Rally Championship. Rally New Zealand (April 7-10) is the furthest event from the team’s Mladá Boleslav base in heart of Europe and for this second long-haul event of the season the team will be represented by Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha and Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula.

Rally New Zealand is one of the longest serving events in the current WRC calendar and is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The stages are generally regarded as being among the most enjoyable in the championship thanks to their flowing nature. Severely cambered roads allow drivers to really show their skills at high speed and the spectacular North Island scenery through which the event passes, especially on the final day, provides some of the most stunning visual images of the season.

Despite being the most experienced driver in the WRC, the fact that this event didn’t always count towards the full World Championship means that Armin Schwarz has only contested Rally New Zealand four times although he achieved a podium finish in 1994. The second Fabia WRC 05 will be driven by New Zealand debutant Janne Tuohino.

The Skoda Fabia WRC 05 has a revised aerodynamic package that should be ideally suited to the nature of the stages in New Zealand. So far this season the Fabia, both in its current specification and the one preceding it for the first two rounds, has shown significant improvements in pace but has so far been denied the overall result that the team is seeking.

Armin said: “New Zealand is a real drivers’ rally and it should suit our car’s handling. It’s quite a high-speed event and you need to balance confidence with caution. The quite severe camber of the roads means you can push hard but you mustn’t be over-confident, especially if the stages are dry as the loose gravel is very slippery. It is actually better if the surface is a little bit damp which is always possible at this time of year which is autumn in New Zealand as the grip is then much greater.”

Janne said: “Although this is my first time competing in New Zealand I made the recce there in 2003. At the time I said that I really wanted to compete on this rally as the roads are really beautiful, very fast and in some places quite like Finland. They can be quite slippery so our starting position on the road will be quite important each day.”

Head of the Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team, Martin Muehlmeier, said: “We have seen good performances so far this season but not the best results. In New Zealand we must try to get both cars to the finish without problems and at the same time get the level of performance and speed from the car that we have already shown is there. That way we will end the rally with the result we deserve.”

LEG 1 : Paparoa -Paparoa
Friday 8th April 2005 : 09.30 - 19.00
245 km
8 Special Stages (130 km)
SS 1 Parahi (25.3 km) : 09.53
SS 2 Batley 1 (19.3 km) : 10.46
SS 3 Waipu Gorge 1 (11.2 km) : 11.14
SS 4 Brooks 1 (16.1 km) : 11.37
SS 5 Batley 2 (19.3 km) : 13.33
SS 6 Waipu Gorge 2 (11.2 km) : 14.01
SS 7 Brooks 2 (16.1 km) : 14.24
SS 8 Millbrook (10.2 km) : 14.54
Service Park (A) - Paparoa : 12.40 (30')
Service Park (B) - Paparoa: 15.50 (45')

LEG 2 : Paparoa -Western Springs
Saturday 9th  April 2005 : 09.00 - 20.30
415 km
8 Special Stages (140  km)
SS 9 Wairere (18.9 km) : 09.23
SS 10 Cassidy 1 (15,8 km) : 10.01
SS 11 Bull 1 (31.8 km) : 10.24
SS 12 Waipu Caves (21.3 km) : 13.03
SS 13 Cassidy 2 (15.8 km) : 13.39
SS 14 Bull 2 (31.8 km) : 14.02
SS 15 Manukau Super 1 (2.1 km) : 19.30
SS 16 Manukau Super 2 (2.1 km) : 19.51
Service Park © - Paparoa : 09.00 (10')
Service Park (D) - Paparoa : 11.40 (30')
Service Park (E) - Paparoa : 14.50 (45')

LEG 3 : Western Springs - Auckland
Sunday 10th April 2005 : 06.30 - 15.30
468 km
4 Special Stages (87 km)
SS 17 Te Hutewai (11.1 km) : 09.03
SS 18 Whaanga Coast 1 (29.8 km) : 09.26
SS 19 Te Papatapu (16.6 km) : 11.03
SS 20 Whaanga Coast 2 (29.8 km) 11.36
Service Park (F) - Western Springs (10') : 06.35
Service Park (G) - Western Springs (20') : 14.17


Total distance 1128 km - 20 Special Stages (356 km)

Nice one I trust we'll hear any exclusives here first?

Only doing the first day...

Rally New Zealand, Positions after Leg One:

1.  S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen Xsara                      1hr 12min 01.1sec
2.  M Grönholm/T Rautiainen  FIN  Peugeot 307    1hr 12min 24.2sec
3.  F Duval/S Prévot B Citroen Xsara                    1hr 12min 27.8sec
4.  P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza                1hr 12min 32.8sec
5.  C Atkinson/G MacNeall AUS Subaru Impreza    1hr 12min 55.4sec
6.  T Gardemeister/J Honkanen FIN Ford Focus RS 1hr 13min 00.8sec
7.  M Märtin/M Park EE Peugeot 307                      1hr 13min 10.3sec
8.  M Stohl/I Minor A Citroen Xsara                      1hr 13min 48.3sec
9.  H Rovanperä/R Pietilainen FIN Mitsubishi Lancer 1hr 13min 54.2sec
10 G Galli/G D'Amore Mitsubishi Lancer                  1hr 14min 01.7sec


Rally New Zealand - News from Leg One

Championship leader Petter Solberg (Subaru) took an early lead which he held onto for three stages. But the Norwegian could shake off neither Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) nor Marcus Grönholm (Peugeot). The trio reached service midway through the day with Loeb heading Grönholm and Solberg but they were covered by just 0.8sec. Loeb was sensational through the afternoon tests. He was fastest on three of the four stages to open a 23.1sec advantage over Grönholm. Solberg could not hold off a charging François Duval (Citroen), who opted for the same tyres as Gardemeister (Ford), and ended the leg 5.0sec ahead. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) again impressed and he lies fifth after claiming a first fastest time in the WRC on the final stage. Gig Galli
(Mitsubishi) ran as high as sixth before alternator problems this afternoon dropped him to 10th. Janne Tuohino (Skoda) incurred a 50 second penalty after his team had to fit a replacement electronic control unit in the engine moments before the start. The Finn is 12th.

Citroen

An outstanding first day run has seen Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena emerge as early leaders of Rally New Zealand. Their team-mates François Duval and Stéphane Prévot follow in an excellent 3rd place, less than 4s behind Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautiainen, and there is a palpable feeling of satisfaction in the Citroën camp.

Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: Soon after the start of 'Batley 2', I felt my decision to run with a harder compound tyre was the right choice. That feeling was reinforced by my car's handling and I was really able to push through the three repeated stages which had cleaned up since the morning. That said, I didn't think I would be able to pull out such a big gap. There was a lot of surface gravel in the last stage of the day which hadn't yet been covered but the balance of my car enabled me to cope with that. The progress we have made here is due to a number of factors: I have more experience, I am able to adapt my driving to the terrain, to brake late and stay on the clean lines through the corners. And that's also possible because the car allows me to do it. It has improved on all fronts, as have our tyres. Those in the hunt for victory tomorrow will benefit from the same stage conditions. I will try not to make any mistakes and defend the gap I have pulled out."

Francois Duval / Stephane Prevot: "The final stage of the day was new for everyone, and my 11th position on the road here was an advantage. I am really pleased to be 3rd this evening on a rally that requires so much experience, especially since it is still possible to fine-tune the set- up of my Xsara. I'm not far behind Marcus [Grönholm] but that won't change my approach. I will keep to the same pace tomorrow without worrying about my stage times. As I have already said, I will be delighted if I can score the six points for Citroën and myself that go with 3rd place."

Subaru

Despite the disadvantage of running first on the road, Petter Solberg made the perfect start to Rally New Zealand today by setting the fastest time on the first stage of the event. An impressive and trouble-free performance from Petter through the rest of the Leg kept him in contention for the lead and he will start tomorrow's second day just 31 seconds off the top-spot, and with the benefit of a far more advantageous road position. Contesting only his third event in a WRC-class car, Petter's team-mate Chris Atkinson delivered another impressive, mature drive aboard his Subaru Impreza WRC2005. Clinching two WRC stage wins (the first of his career), the young Australian proved to be a fast learner as he ended the day in fifth place overall.

Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: "I'm very happy with what we've done today, we've made a really good start. In the morning we took a risk with a softer tyre and were very pleased with the performance. I didn't lose nearly as much time as I thought I would. In the afternoon we went for the same plan, with a softer tyre, only this time it was a mistake and, looking back, we should have taken a harder one. But generally, even though we could have done better, I'm still very happy. We've had absolutely no problems, the car is driving very well, giving lots of confidence, and considering we've been first through the stages all day, we're not too far off the lead. There's a long way to go yet and I'm still aiming for a good points finish."

Chris Atkinson/Glen Macneall: "We've had a good day today and of course it's encouraging to have collected a couple of stage wins too. The road position worked out well for us and after a cautious start I'm feeling much more confident on the gravel. I think we can continue at this pace, and keep on learning - we are not going after the guys at the front. I think we can make some more adjustments to the car and make it 100 per cent, but at this stage practice is going to make the most difference to my times. For us it is all about getting more experience over the next couple of days and hopefully getting a good result."

Ford

BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen ended today's opening leg of the Rally New Zealand in sixth. After a difficult morning on slippery roads, the Finns' performance was transformed by a new untried tyre construction and they set consistently fast times to climb the leaderboard in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.

Toni Gardemeister/Jakke Honkanen: "I had good grip on the first stage, which was quite humid and damp, but the next three tests were difficult. I couldn't find a good line because the roads were drier and there was a lot of loose gravel. I tried to push and stay on the line that the first two cars had created, but it wasn't easy because after only two cars there wasn't really a clean line to follow. The grip was fantastic this afternoon. We made an excellent tyre choice and pushed hard. Everything felt better and we set some good times. My brake pedal felt a little soft on stage seven but it wasn't a major problem. Tomorrow I will try to stay at the same rhythm and see if I can attack even harder.

Roman Kresta/Jan Mozny: Withdrew after shakedown accident

Peugeot

Three drivers broke away from the pack at the first opportunity: the same trio that have set the pace all year. Sebastien Loeb, Marcus Gronholm and Petter Solberg traded seconds all day. After the first loop of four stages, totalling 72 competitive kilometres, they were covered by just eight tenths of a second. Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm ended the day 2nd, less than half a minute behind leader Sebastien Loeb. Team mate Markko Martin is lying 7th after chossing too soft a tyre.

Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: "I was reasonably pleased after the first loop of stages, knowing that I had made a tyre choice that was a bit too hard. Unfortunately, we had the opposite problem in the afternoon, and chose tyres that were too soft. We struggled to find traction, so it was a frustrating afternoon. Generally speaking, it was quite a messy day where we made life difficult for ourselves. However, we end the leg just 20 seconds off the lead and we have had no problems with the car. I've always had a good feeling with the roads here, so we can still challenge for the lead.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the event."

Markko Martin/Michael Park: "Since the last rally in Mexico and our recent tests I've had a better feeling with the car. This morning started off OK, but like Marcus I chose tyres that were too soft for the afternoon's stages and I struggled a bit. This is the sort of rally where you have to make everything absolutely perfect in order to get a good rhythm and I am not at that point yet. There are a few adjustments I would like to make to the car and hopefully that will help us climb up the order over the remaining two days."

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports WRC team suffered a difficult opening leg in Rally New Zealand, uncharacteristic technical problems dropping "Gigi" Galli/Guido D'Amore down the leaderboard from sixth to 10th, while team-mates Harri Rovanperä/Risto Pietiläinen are just one position ahead in ninth in the second Lancer WRC05.

Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietiläinen: "Okay, today has gone quite well but our times are not so fantastic. This morning our tires were too hard and this afternoon they were too soft... The car has been way too sideways so we will have to try to find a solution for this. In the fifth stage my drink bottle came out of its holder and I had to drive the whole stage with it rolling around in the foot-well; this wasn't so great either. Hopefully tomorrow we can do something better."

Gigi Galli/Guido D'Amore: "Today has been incredible, I feel completely finished! The clutch broke at the end of the first stage and we struggled at the start and finish of each stage, having to push and jump start the car at times. We also had a moment in the third stage when there was a huge stone in the road and I just didn't know where to go or what to do! I knew it would break the wheel so I had to drive completely over it; the car flew in the air and we hit a whole line of posts along the side of the road."

Skoda

Armin Schwarz and Janne Tuohino hold 11th and 12th places respectively after the opening day of Rally New Zealand, the fourth round of the 2005 World Rally Championship. After a trouble-free shakedown for the Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team, today began with frustration for Janne. As he prepared to leave service there was a problem with the electronic connection to the throttle of the Fabia WRC 05 that forced a change of engine ECU and cost him a 50 seconds penalty for being late out of service. Over today's eight stages the Fabia WRC 05 set top 10 times on every stage; Janne finishing in the top group on six occasions (including sixth on SS4 and fifth on SS8) and Armin on five.

Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula: "I reversed out of the service bay quite normally but as soon as I selected first gear there was no throttle. I had to put it out of my mind quickly and concentrate on driving cleanly. This is my first Rally New Zealand so I've been trying to drive with some safety in mind and just get quicker step by step. I tried wider tyres this afternoon but I preferred the handling of the narrow ones so I will probably use those for the rest of the event."

Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha: "I had a launch control problem on the second stage but otherwise everything is fine. There is a lot of loose gravel outside the clean lines and if you get onto it you lose a lot of grip immediately. The stages are really good here and this afternoon when they were cleaner it was possible to push with a lot more confidence and my times were closer to the leading cars."

Rally New Zealand, Positions after Leg Two:

1.  S Loeb/D Elena F Citroen Xsara                        2hr 33min 36.4sec
2.  M Grönholm/T Rautiainen FIN Peugeot 307        2hr 34min 28.3sec
3.  P Solberg/P Mills N Subaru Impreza                  2hr 34min 35.1sec
4.  F Duval/S Prévot B Citroen Xsara                      2hr 34min 56.4sec
5.  T Gardemeister/J Honkanen FIN Ford Focus RS  2hr 35min 58.4sec
6.  M Märtin/M Park EE Peugeot 307                        2hr 36min 08.3sec
7.  C Atkinson/G MacNeall AUS Subaru Impreza      2hr 36min 35.2sec
8.  G Galli/G D'Amore I Mitsubishi Lancer                2hr 38min 08.8sec
9.  H Rovanperä/R Pietilainen FIN Mitsubishi Lancer  2hr 38min 23.0sec
10  M Stohl/I Minor A Citroen Xsara                        2hr 38min 24.7sec
__________________________________________________________________

Rally New Zealand - News from Leg Two

Overnight leader Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) extended his advantage with fastest time on the first two stages.  The Frenchman then controlled his pace before adding a stunning win in the 31.73km Bull test where he was fastest by almost 17 seconds.  He leads by 51.9sec.  Marcus Grönholm
(Peugeot) and Petter Solberg (Subaru) enjoyed a thrilling battle for second.  The Finn held a narrow advantage initially before Solberg moved ahead, only for Grönholm to regain second during the afternoon loop. They are split by just 6.8sec tonight.  François Duval (Citroen) could not match their pace and he is fourth.  Chris Atkinson (Subaru) was unable to hold onto the Gardemeister / Märtin battle this afternoon but has a comfortable advantage over Gigi Galli (Mitsubishi).  Galli spun on stage 13, and both the Italian and team-mate Harri Rovanperä lost time in the next test when the rubber on their tyres pulled away from the rim.

The final day is based around the classic west coast stages near Raglan, 160km south of Auckland.  After leaving the city at 06.30, drivers will tackle two loops of two speed tests, covering 87.29km, before returning to Auckland for the finish ceremony at 15.30.  Both loops contain the famous Whaanga Coast test, which hugs the Tasman Sea coastline and is rated by many as the best stage in the entire championship.

Citroen

Take 2.! To the delight of everyone in the Citroën team, the story of Rally New Zealand's second leg was practically identical to that of Day 1, with Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and their Xsara more or less level pegging with their direct rivals during the morning's loop before pulling clear in the second to extend their lead over their immediate chasers to around the minute mark.

Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: After posting fastest times through 'Wairere' (SS9) and 'Cassidy 1' (SS10), Sébastien was forced to settle for the third best time - 4.5s down - in 'Bull 1'. "I had something of a moment a third of the way into this stage," related the Citroën driver. "I braked too late for a fourth-gear right-hander and I went wide, with the rear trailing in the ditch. So as not to send the car into a spin, I kept my foot hard to the floor and opposite-locked but the backlash as I pulled clear of the ditch sent me into the opposite side ditch. After another visit to the left-hand ditch, I finally managed to get the car back in line.. Then I slowed it down a little until the end of the stage." By the end of the morning, the French crew had pulled a further 0.5s clear of Petter Solberg and a further 10.8s clear of Marcus Grönholm.

Francois Duval / Stephane Prevot: Consistently 3rd or 4th in terms of stage times, François Duval's only problem concerned his brakes in 'Bull 2'. "I began to lose the brakes 10 km from the finish and I did the last 8 km with the pedal to the floor." This technical problem was the day's only upset for Guy Fréquelin: "Where I was watching, halfway into the day, François was up on Marcus and Petter and he still bagged the third best time. We know that François asks a lot of his brakes. The very high quality pads used on his car are also the pads that wear out the quickest. We need to solve this problem and go further down the road of adapting the car to his driving style in order to enable him to attack freely."

Subaru

Petter Solberg scored three stage wins and moved up from fourth to third position on Rally New Zealand today. Despite having to use tyres that weren't ideally suited to the dry and hot conditions, the Norwegian pushed hard to reach the top-three and is on course to achieve his objective of a podium finish tomorrow. Chris Atkinson continued to learn aboard his Subaru Impreza WRC2005, setting some impressive split times and experimenting with his car's set-up and tyres. On only his third event in a WRC-class car, Chris holds overnight seventh place.

Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: It's almost they same as yesterday - the first time through we're fastest, and the second time we're struggling. It seems the other teams have an advantage on the repeated stages, they have a different tyre and it's working well. I tried my best to change my driving style to cut down the wear, but it's very difficult to do anything. Tomorrow will be a very interesting day. Marcus and I will have a good fight in the morning I think, but in the afternoon, unless we get some rain, I think we will struggle. Of course I want to win every rally I start, but I can honestly say that I will be happy to finish third tomorrow!

Chris Atkinson/Glen Macneall: It's been another useful day and we've learned a lot about the new car and this event. Like Petter we had a few problems with tyre wear on the later stages, but overall the set-up changes we've made have taken us in the right direction. In terms of pace, I'm happy with the speed that we had today, we weren't pushing hard or taking risks and were able to experiment with a few different settings. We're not chasing World Championships yet, just the experience.

Ford

BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen ended today's second leg of the Rally New Zealand in fifth place after a tremendous three-car battle through the lush North Island countryside. The Finns fought for every tenth of a second in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, aided by Michelin's newly developed tyres which were again perfectly suited to the conditions in the warm afternoon temperatures.

Toni Gardemeister/Jakke Honkanen: "We enjoyed a better morning than yesterday," he said.  "All the stages were new to me.  I've driven the first two in the opposite direction, but none of them this way around. The opening stage was quite damp, in fact there was almost mud in places.  The others were quite dry but there was a lot of loose gravel on the road towards the end of stage 11 and it was slippery.  We pushed hard on all three tests and I lost a little time when I slid wide at a corner on the opening stage.  It was very humid and inside the car it felt like I was sitting in a sauna."

Roman Kresta/Jan Mozny: Withdrew after shakedown accident

Peugeot

Some overnight rain made tyre choice difficult for the second leg, which consisted of two loops of three stages (two of which were repeated in the afternoon). The first stage was still very damp, but conditions then remained entirely dry throughout the leg. Both drivers made differing tyre choices but they were happy with their selections. After a tough fight, Gronholm lost his second place to Solberg.

Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: "It's clear that we are not going to win this rally, and while I never like finishing second that is the best we can do here now. Today has been OK but the problem is simply that Sebastien is quicker than us and there is nothing more we can do about it. For the last loop of stages I tried some new tyres that were the best choice we have made throughout the whole rally. Now it is a question of just driving to the finish and trying to keep Petter behind. That will not be easy - he has been very quick and I have a big fight on my hands. Still, I like that!"

Markko Martin/Michael Park: "Today has not been a perfect day, but we have not had any problems with the car and we have learnt a lot. I'm still not entirely confident with the handling, but it is still very early days for me. I've already thought of a couple of things I would like to change for the future. I've also been getting to grips with the range of Pirelli tyres today - we've tried a lot of different things. Conditions on this rally have been quite difficult; it's certainly not the easiest event to be learning new things on. Tomorrow I will just keep on going at a pace I feel comfortable with: there's no point in taking big risks just for a fifth place."

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports WRC team remains on course to score points for the fourth consecutive event in the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship. While the team has suffered some technical set-backs over the last two days, "Gigi" Galli is nevertheless in the provisional points in eighth, with team-mate Harri Rovanperä ninth in the second Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05

Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietiläinen: "This morning there was a tire vibration; sometimes it was quite strong and other times not", said Harri. "It disturbed my concentration a bit; it was like seeing four roads at the same time! Then this afternoon, about 20 kilometers into SS14, the rear left tire seemed to burst and we had to finish the stage with a completely flat and destroyed tire".

Gigi Galli/Guido D'Amore: I'm not really that happy at the end of the day, but I tried my best", said Gigi. "Our tire problem was disappointing this afternoon and we were not in a position to show any real pace, but tomorrow is another day and we will continue to try our best over the long stages".

Skoda

Armin Schwarz and Janne Tuohino finished the second day of Rally New Zealand in 11th and 12th places respectively. The two Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team drivers were seeded at the head of the field for today's leg and suffered dramatically from this poor start position although both drivers still managed top 10 times. Overnight rain did little to help the road conditions as any humidity quickly burned off on a morning of high ambient temperatures, a major disadvantage to cars running at the head of the field on treacherously loose gravel.

Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula: "I couldn't do anything with this road position today - it was so very slippery and every time I accelerated the car would slide everywhere. My only real problem this morning came on SS11 when I got really hot inside the car and discovered that the roof vent had worked shut. Saunas are fine for Finns but not like this! We fitted the hardest compound Michelin tyres for this afternoon's stages and that was the right choice. "

Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha: "This morning's first stage was quite damp but after that the loose gravel was much worse than yesterday and we could only try to keep the car on what little clean road there was. On SS9 I hit three big turkeys that ran across the road while I was flat in sixth gear and I was worried that the impact may have damaged the radiator but we reached service and everything was OK."

Final Rally New Zealand Positions:

1 LOEB/ELENA                      CITROEN TOTAL                                    3:34:51.6
2 GRÖNHOLM/RAUTIAINEN    MARLBORO PEUGEOT TOTAL                  +00:49.8
3 SOLBERG/MILLS                SUBARU WORLD RALLY TEAM                 +01:08.7
4 DUVAL/PREVOT                 CITROEN TOTAL                                    +02:06.3
5 MARTIN/PARK                   MARLBORO PEUGEOT TOTAL                   +03:09.1
6 GARDEMEISTER/HONKANEN  BP FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM               +03:16.3
7 ATKINSON/McNEAL             SUBARU WORLD RALLY TEAM                  +04:37.2
8 GALLI/DAMORE                MITSUBISHI MOTORS MOTOR SPORTS       +06:50.5
9 STOHL/MINOR                  Citroën Xsara WRC                                   +08:15.5
10 SCHWARZ/WICHA            SKODA MOTORSPORT                             +10:18.0
__________________________________________________________________

Rally New Zealand - Final News

Overnight leader Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) cruised through the final day to claim his second victory of the season and climb to second in the championship.  He signed off with fastest time on the final stage and his winning margin was 49.8sec.  There was no battle for second as Petter Solberg (Subaru) refused to risk a solid points haul in pursuit of Marcus Grönholm (Peugeot).  The Finn ended 18.9sec ahead and Solberg maintained his one point lead at the head of the championship.  Fourth earned François Duval (Citroen) his first points of the season while fifth for Markko Märtin (Peugeot) means he joins Gardemeister (6th) as the only drivers to score on every round this season.  Eighth for Gigi Galli (Mitsubishi) earned his team the final manufacturers' point.  Janne Tuohino (Skoda) became the first manufacturer retirement when the Finn stopped after the opening stage with a blown turbo.  He was followed by Harri Rovanperä (Mitsubishi) who stopped on the liaison section after the final stage with no tread left on his tyres.

Citroen

A perfectly paced run during Leg 3 ensured victory for Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and Citroën at the finish ceremony of the 2005 Rally New Zealand in Waitemata Plaza in Auckland's harbour district. The Franco-Monegasque pair's second win of the season takes them to 2nd place in the provisional Drivers' Championship standings. An equally well judged final day performance from François Duval and Stéphane Prévot secured 4th place at the flag for the Belgian pair who secured their first points of the year, while Citroën moves into 2nd place in the Manufacturer's championship to conclude in style a highly successful trip for Guy Fréquelin and his team to the other side of the planet.

Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: "It's very nice to win here in New Zealand after our frustrating outings in Sweden and Mexico. It shows that we were simply down on luck on those two rallies. I am particularly pleased with this weekend's result because we won in a straight fight with Marcus [Grönholm] and Petter [Solberg]. Also, winning on this terrain - which tended to be a little difficult for us in previous years - is a positive sign on two accounts. First of all, it proves that the Xsara continues to progress and, secondly, the fact that we are now competitive on fast gravel means we can hope for a top result in Finland."

Francois Duval / Stephane Prevot: "My target was always to finish inside the top five. I needed to score my first points with the team and I couldn't have taken more risks than I took. It was only my second outing on gravel with the Xsara and I succeeded in being consistent. I am really very happy with this result."

Subaru

After scoring a third consecutive WRC podium finish today, Petter Solberg maintains his lead of the 2005 FIA Drivers' Championship. Delivering a measured and strategic drive aboard his Subaru Impreza WRC2005, the Norwegian kept out of trouble to ensure a solid points finish. His team-mate Chris Atkinson demonstrated strong potential over the weekend. Setting a string of competitive split times on only his third event in a WRC-class car, the 25-year- old more than achieved his development objectives. He finished in seventh place to claim FIA Championship points for both himself and the team.

Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: "I'm very happy actually. My plan for this rally was third or fourth place and we've come away with some good points and the lead of the championship. We knew it would be difficult right from the start. In fact we did okay but later on, on the hard and dry roads, we were far away. But that's how it is sometimes, I didn't want to lose those six points, so took it steady and went for the best possible finish. I'm feeling very positive about the championship now. For sure we have some work to do, but overall the feeling is good. I'm very happy with the new car and with 12 more rallies to go, things are looking very interesting."

Chris Atkinson/Glen Macneall: "It's good to get to the finish, but it would have been nice to get a better result. It's a bit of a shame that we lost some of the pace we had earlier in the rally. The plan was to build up the speed, but in fact we've ended up doing pretty much the opposite. We've certainly learned a lot about the set-up of the car though. Some things worked well, others not so well. The last two stages actually felt pretty good, I was much more comfortable with the handling, but at that point there was no reason to push too hard. Overall I'm pretty happy. We did some good times this weekend, and that's encouraging, the pace is there, but I need more time in the car to go fast all the time."

Ford

BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen finished sixth on the Rally New Zealand today to extend the Blue Oval's scoring record in the FIA World Rally Championship to an unprecedented 48 consecutive events.  The Finns are one of only two pairings to score points on all four rounds this year in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car and lie fourth in the drivers' standings with the first quarter of the season completed. Gardemeister and Honkanen were edged out of fifth place on the final speed test of the three-day rally when Markko Märtin, with whom they had battled over tenths of a second since Friday's opening kilometres, moved ahead.

Toni Gardemeister/Jakke Honkanen: "The morning started well.  I was quicker than Märtin on the first stage.  On the next I was nervous about the condition of the tyres so I drove carefully at the beginning.  The final 10km were twisty and narrow so I tried to keep the Focus on the clean line in the road which had been created by the cars ahead.  It was still pretty slippery so I drove as smoothly as possible. I chose harder compound tyres for the final stages but because there were no new tyres left in our allocation, I had to use ones with an older construction.  The grip wasn't quite as good as the new version.  I tried my hardest, but I couldn't keep Markko behind me.  A points result is always good but I'm disappointed not to finish fifth.  I would have been much happier if I could have finished in front of him."

Roman Kresta/Jan Mozny: Withdrew after shakedown accident

Peugeot

Peugeot has underlined its excellent start to the season in New Zealand by once more bringing two cars home to the finish. Marcus Gronholm takes his second consecutive runner-up position, while Markko Martin finishes fifth after an exciting battle with Ford driver Toni Gardemeister. Peugeot has therefore reinforced its position leading the constructors' championship, 12 points ahead of Citroen and 15 points ahead of Subaru.

Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: "Before the rally started I thought I could win, but this turned out not to be possible: the combination of Sebastien and Citroen was too fast to catch. In any case, I am reasonably happy to finish second. I had a big fight with Petter, but I was quite confident I could keep him behind me. I am happy with the reliability of the car; we have had two good finishes in a row and that gives me a lot of confidence. I am a little bit disappointed not to take the win, but generally speaking I am satisfied with our performance."

Markko Martin/Michael Park: "I have made a big step in understanding how to drive the 307 WRC on this rally, but I think I discovered it a bit late. I tried changing my driving style during the last afternoon of the rally and it seemed to work well: I was able to pass Toni Gardemeister and take fifth. I need to left foot brake a bit more, but this is quite a different driving style to what I am used to. The final result could have been better, but it's more important that I understand the 307 WRC and our new Pirelli tyres as best as I can, so this rally has been an extremely useful experience."

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports WRC crew of "Gigi" Galli and Guido D'Amore finished in the points in their second outing in Rally New Zealand, the fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Italian Lancer WRC05 duo finished eighth and claimed a driver and  manufacturer points finish for the second time this season - Mitsubishi's fourth consecutive points-scoring finish in 2005. Team-mates Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen completed the final stage but were then withdrawn by the team on the road section back to Auckland with tyre problems.

Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietiläinen: Retired on final road section (Tyre problems)

Gigi Galli/Guido D'Amore: "Our goal was to get to the finish and be in the points, so I think we did our job well. We had some technical problems in the first leg and then today we drove these stages for the first time; they are very twisty and complicated but we didn't have any problems. Personally I have to feel very satisfied with our own performance."

Skoda

Armin Schwarz ended the Rally of New Zealand in 10th place but team mate Janne Tuohino was denied a finish on his first visit to the event when the Skoda Fabia WRC 05 suffered a damaged turbo on the first stage of the final day. Janne limped through the stage but retired from the event before SS18 to prevent further engine damage. Janne's retirement ended a frustrating rally for the Finn who had begun with a 50 seconds penalty when an ECU failure delayed his departure from first service to the opening stage and denied him the chance of a points finish on his first finish to New Zealand.

Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula: "We lost power on the start line of the first stage and there was smoke in the car so we knew it was a turbo problem. I drove carefully to reach the finish with the windows open so we could breathe. I think that I could have had a good result if it had been trouble-free but losing 50 seconds at the start made it very difficult to challenge yesterday because road position is so important."

Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha: "This morning I deliberately made the wrong choice of softer compound tyres because I wanted to compare their performance with the ones Janne was using. After Janne stopped I decided not to push as there were big time gaps ahead and behind me."