Rally Poland win for Ogier
VW star takes a 50-point championship lead with latest victory
News in Brief: Lotos 71st Rally Poland
A selection of stories that are making the news in the WRC following 71st LOTOS Rally Poland:
Calm Mikkelsen: Andreas Mikkelsen remains relaxed about the prospect of claiming his maiden WRC victory after finishing second to Volkswagen team-mate Sébastien Ogier. Mikkelsen led and pushed Ogier hard for two days before mistakes on Saturday allowed his colleague to break clear.
“We’re getting closer and closer. The potential is there but, of course, there are things we need to improve. It takes time but hopefully a win isn’t too far away.
“I’m not stressing, it needs to come in its own time and when it feels right we can maybe push a bit more. At the moment we’re comfortable with the speed we’re doing,” he said.
Hyundai updates: Podium finisher Thierry Neuville has warned engine updates for the i20 WRC at this month’s Neste Oil Rally Finland won’t transform the car into an immediate winner.
The Korean manufacturer will introduce an evolution of the cylinder block and improved cooling after already carrying out work to redesign the wheel arches and front of the i20 WRC.
“I hope they bring us closer to the other teams. We’re not going to win straight away, we still need a few rallies to develop and do some more testing. But we’re going in the right way,” said the Belgian.
Positive Meeke: Citroen’s Kris Meeke took positives from a weekend in which a puncture cost a possible podium
“I think I’ve made a real step forward in terms of driving. I feel I’m more consistent and that I have the ability to go a little bit faster still,” he said.
Kruuda’s home outing: WRC 2 frontrunner Karl Kruuda will warm up for Neste Oil Rally Finland with a run on his home event in Estonia.
Kruuda badly damaged his Peugeot 208 T16 after rolling end-over-end three times. However, he hopes the car will be repaired in time for the July 17 - 19 rally so he does not have to revert to the Ford Fiesta S2000 he also drives.
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