GB preview
notes:
Part two

This is a summary of what the leading contenders have had to say in the build-up to the battle in Britain.

Petter Solberg World Rally Team
Petter Solberg (anxious to make up for his pain in Spain): “After my short drive in Spain, I’m so looking forward to drive here in Wales. We started with a few hours of testing [on Sunday] and everything looks very promising. The often muddy and slippery conditions in Wales suit me very well, and we have had many good results here in the past. My aim is to finish of the 2011 season on the podium.”

FERM Power Tools World Rally Team
Dennis Kuipers (Dutchman’s Fiesta gets a new look for Wales): “Wales has been a special place in my heart and unique design of the FERM car makes this edition even more special. The unpredictability of the rally is what makes Wales such a great rally. It is the combination of road and weather conditions. Rain, fog, snow, it can be very spooky in the forests. We want to finish the last rally of the season on a high, but this one is four days. The trick is to be ready for the challenges that come our way.”

Team Abu Dhabi
Evgeny Novikov (Khalid Al Qassimi’s stand-in gets a big break): “It’s a hugely exciting opportunity to step into Khalid’s Fiesta RS WRC for the final WRC rally of 2011. The Wales road surfaces can be very challenging in rain and fog, so I’m hoping for clear conditions and targeting a strong finish in support of my team-mates, who are competing for the drivers’ championship.”

Monster World Rally Team
Ken Block (hoping for better fortune after tough debut in 2010): “In all the years I was watching WRC on television I enjoyed watching Rally GB and the history there. Some of the classic stages I’ve driven are amazing and I really enjoyed my experience last year. The one down side is I don’t particularly enjoy driving in the mud. When the conditions vary I don’t have as much experience. It’s a little tougher but it’s just one more thing I need to work on and get better at.”

Van Merksteijn Motorsport
Peter van Merksteijn Jr (back in Britain after four-year gap): “It will be the second time in my career that I will take part on Rally GB. I took part in 2007 immediately after winning the Dutch Group N championship. Only two stages from 2007 are included this year so it will be a big task. We completed an extensive test last week and worked on the set-up and made a lot of progress.”

Brazil World Rally Team
Daniel Oliveira (anxious to finish maiden WRC campaign with a finish): “I’m really looking forward to this rally because it will be our last appearance this season and we want to finish it in the best way possible. We have undergone a thorough preparation for this particular round and earned more kilometres than expected in the pre-test in really tricky conditions. Our aim is to complete every stage and to try to give the BWRT more points for the manufacturers’ championship.”

MINI WRC Team
Dani Sordo (aiming for MINI’s first podium on gravel): “I like the rally a lot even though it is really difficult. It is usually wet and so the roads are very muddy. Even though I do remember some good weather, there is still the mud. There are a lot of new stages for me so it will be difficult to get the pace notes right, but this is something I shall work on with Carlos. The car should be okay there. We have done some testing which has been good, so I am happy going into the event.”

Kris Meeke (British hero hoping for strong end to the season): “Without a rally in Ireland, this is as near to a home event as it gets for me. I did my first ever rally in Wales and grew up doing British championships, so feel very much at home there as it is terrain I felt quite comfortable on. We have to keep our expectations in check, even though I am sure we will have a lot of local support. The good thing is we have a level playing field in Wales, as there are lots of new stages this year.”