07 Oct 12

MINI team hoping
for rain gains

The Prodrive WRC Team is hoping overnight rain will spice up the action when Rallye de France Alsace concludes with six stages today.

Lead driver Dani Sordo is in a close battle for fourth place with Mads Ostberg and Thierry Neuville at the wheel of his MINI John Cooper Works WRC.

Rain fell overnight and further showers are forecast during the final day of the FIA World Rally Championship counter.

“Our aim is to take fourth,” said team boss Dave Wilcock. “We know our car is good in low grip conditions and with rain forecast, it could really spice things up, particularly as everyone in the top six will be fighting for position.”

Spaniard Sordo, who finished second in France in a Prodrive MINI last season, said: “It will be a difficult to get on the podium now, so we will just try and push hard and if it rains then maybe it will be closer. We need to improve the car to win rallies. Yesterday was frustrating but that is life.”

Sordo trails fourth-placed Mads Ostberg by 4.1s. His margin over Thierry Neuville in sixth is 3.9s. Sunday’s route consists of six stages over a distance of 61.54 kilometres with the action getting underway at 09:23hrs local time.