Movistar Rally Catalunya FIA World Rally Championship, round 12/15
The event…
After two days and 12 thrilling stages, Conrad Rautenbach was engaged in one of the most entertaining battles on this week's Rally Catalunya. The reigning FIA African Rally Champion and Stobart Ford manufacturer driver Matthew Wilson were separated by just a handful of seconds was they fought for a top 10 position with one day of the World Rally Championship round to go.
Unfortunately for Conrad, his efforts to wrestle the position from his British rival came unstuck on the first stage on Sunday morning, when Rautenbach damaged the suspension on his Citroen C4 WRC and was forced into retirement.
Arriving in Salou for this 12th round of the World Rally Championship, Rautenbach was in a confident mood. He soon translated that confidence into rapid stage times, posting his first of many top-10 times on what is widely regarded to be one of the fastest and most demanding asphalt rallies in the world.
Such was his pace and consistent performance on the Salou-based event, Rautenbach was comfortably ahead of former Junior World Rally Champion and factory Subaru driver Brice Tirabassi. He also had the beating of both Munchi's Ford and Suzuki World Rally Team drivers over the first two days.
Conrad will have no time to dwell on his Spanish disappointment, with the recce for Tour de Corse – the next round of the WRC – starting in just two days.
The quick quote…
"What a great fight we were having with Matthew. The times were really coming. I was feeling good for the final day.. Now it's all about Corsica. I can't wait to get started – just as well I don't have to..."
Conrad's diary…
"I definitely felt more confident ahead of Rally Catalunya. Having the chance to do a rally (Corte Rally, Corsica) and the test in Spain ahead of the start was really useful. From the start in Catalunya, the car felt strong. The steps we made with the car in the run-up to the event were reflected in the fact that we only made one change to the set-up during the rally, switching to harder springs so we could really lean on the tyres more after the first Friday loop.
"We got the tyre pressures wrong for the long stage on Saturday morning, which meant the tyre overheated a bit about half way through. That was shame. Coming from Africa, I like the longer stages, they're more like the ones I was brought up on – but, in reality, even 38km is quite short by African standards! David [Senior, co-driver] and I were in a good groove on the event.
We were making the odd change to the notes, but nothing major. First thing this morning (Sunday), we were really having a go to beat Matthew. It was all working well when I went into a slow corner a bit too quick about halfway through. The car spun and I thought it would be okay. I thought we'd just bounce the back of the car off the barrier, but it pulled the front in and broke the lower arm on the front-right wheel. That was that.
We were out. It was disappointing, of course it was. But the thing I'm focused on in next week and Corsica. Corsica is one of my favourites – it's a bit more twisty, more technical and really cool. We go there on the back of more time in the car on asphalt and with a good bit of confidence on board. In Spain the times were coming, now I'm going to build on that and see what I can do over there."
- CR Media -
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