19/1/09

Rautenbach upbeat after Rally Ireland warm up

Despite failing to finish his first rally in Ireland, Conrad Rautenbach remained upbeat after this weekend's Galway International Rally.

The 24-year-old Citroen Junior Team driver was tackling the Irish Championship round as a warm-up for the forthcoming World Rally Championship opener, Rally Ireland, which starts on 29 January.

Rautenbach crashed out on Sunday morning, having started from the number one spot - and run as high as second on his first event south of the border. Prior to this rally, Conrad's only Irish rallying experience was the 2006 Ulster Rally.

Through typically tricky Irish conditions on Saturday and Sunday, Conrad got to grips with both types of Pirelli tyre he will use on Rally Ireland. The event was also the first time Conrad and new co-driver Daniel Barritt had competed together. Rautenbach drove a Citroen Xsara WRC in Galway, but will use his regular Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC later this month.

"What a great event," said Conrad. "Okay, it's not the result we came looking for, but this event was always going to be about testing for me - and that's what I've done. From that perspective, it's been massively useful. It's made me look forward to Rally Ireland even more!"

Wet and wintry conditions this weekend enabled Rautenbach to test Pirelli’s nominated asphalt tyre - as well as the winter option.

“On Saturday morning is was okay, but then it rained quite hard in the afternoon,” he explained. “On Sunday morning there was a bit of ice around and then some more rain. I guess this is pretty much what we're going to get on Rally Ireland, so it was perfect for us. On the first day, we used the normal tyre, but then this morning (Sunday) we ran the winter tyre, which is the snow tyre without the studs. That worked really well. I was pleased with the way they went.”

Conrad’s rally came to a premature end on Sunday’s third stage when he locked his wheels under braking for a fourth gear right-hand corner and went straight ahead. “We damaged the front-left corner and couldn't carry on,” he explained. “It was pretty frustrating, but I came here and achieved a lot of what I wanted to achieve.”

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