BP ultimate Acropolis Rally 2008, after SS 13
Team’s best ever result within touching distance.
Aigner leads, Sousa third!
The Red Bull Rally Team had a simply sensational second day at the 55th BP ultimate Acropolis Rally! Having dropped down to 17th yesterday due to an early spin, Andreas Aigner (Aut) and Klaus Wicha (Ger) today battled their way back in their Mitsubishi EVO IX. After SS 9 the pair were already up to second place in the P-WRC competition and took over the lead in SS 11, going on to consolidate their advantage with a commanding 2 minute 10.3 second lead over Mirco Baldacci (RSM/Mitsubishi) at the end of the second day!
And there’s more. . .Bernardo Sousa (POR)/Jorge Cavalho (POR) moved up to a shock third place (2 minutes 33 seconds behind Aigner, just 22.7 seconds behind Baldacci). Both Red Bull Rally drivers are thus currently set to get on the podium which would be a momentous first!
Andreas Aigner: "That was a totally perfect day for us today. We definitely profited from Hanninen’s misfortune but we would have been in the top two in any case. That is just sensational after the accident yesterday. I knew what could happen today and as a result I am ecstatic that it all worked out like this. Now we need to do everything to make the result count tomorrow. That will be crucial for the world championship standings. We will need a lot of luck though. I have to thank the team as the car ran perfectly without the slightest problem!"
Bernardo Sousa: "Looking at the standings I still can’t quite believe it. It will be hard to keep third place. I won’t be fighting to the last to do that as I am just hoping to finish above all else."
Team boss Raimund Baumschlager: "An unbelievable success so far – just fantastic. Everything just worked out perfectly today. The drivers performed wonderfully just like the whole team. Both cars ran flawlessly which is not at all to be expected for such a tough rally. Tomorrow we have to concentrate on getting Andreas’s tactics correct."
The Acropolis Rally will draw to an end tomorrow with seven more special stages.
Aigner/Wicha’s end of day report: P-WRC/ Overall
SS 08: Aghii Theodori 1 32.16 km P 02/16
SS 09: Pissia 1 16.60 km P 02/17
SS 10: Aghia Triada 1 10.80 km P 03/15
SS 11: Aghii Theodori 2 32.16 km P 01/12
SS 12: Pissia 2 16.60 km P 02/12
SS 13: Aghia Triada 2 10.80 km P 04/12
Sousa/Cavalho’s end of day report: P-WRC/ Overall
SS 08: Aghii Theodori 1 32.16 km P 13/27
SS 09: Pissia 1 16.60 km P 09/24
SS 10: Aghia Triada 1 10.80 km P 09/22
SS 11: Aghii Theodori 2 32.16 km P 13/18
SS 12: Pissia 2 16.60 km P 03/14
SS 13: Aghia Triada 2 10.80 km P 05/14
- Thomas Blazek, Christian Kuda- also photos
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