2008 Rally New Zealand, final report
- Bernardo Sousa in P7 scores two PWRC points!
- Hänninen fifth – but Aigner stays on top in the PWRC
A successful final day of Rally New Zealand for Red Bull: Sébastien Loeb (FRA/Citroën C4) won ahead of his team mate Dani Sordo (ESP), while Bernardo Sousa (POR)/Jorge Cavalho (POR) – Mitsubishi EVO IX – improved by another position in the PWRC, eventually finishing seventh, thus claiming another two points for the Red Bull Rallye Team!
Victory in the PWRC went to the Czech Republic’s Martin Prokop, Juho Hänninen finished in fifth. Andreas Aigner therefore keeps his lead in the overall PWRC classification, but his advantage over the Finn has been reduced to just four points – with the latter being eligible to score at the next event in Japan, which the Red Bull Rallye Team will not enter!
Bernardo Sousa: "I’m very happy. P7 is really more than I expected here. The first battle has been fought, the second will soon follow on September the 8th – when I’m undergoing surgery on my shoulder in Salzburg. I hope that everything will go smoothly – so I can be back again in Wales."
Team boss Raimund Baumschlager: "Bernardo has done exactly what we had intended to do today, he once again kept a swift yet controlled pace – and was rewarded with two points. Based on his position, one can fathom what still would have been able for Andreas."
Daily log for Sousa/Cavalho: PWRC/overall
SS 14: Te Hutewai 1 11.23 km P 10/26
SS 15: Whaanga Coast 1 29.72 km P 08/22
SS 16: Te Hutewai 2 11.23 km P 08/22
SS 17: Whaanga Coast 2 29.72 km P 09/18
SS 18: Mystery Creek 3 03.14 km P 05/15
PWRC classification, New Zealand, final results after 18 stages:
P1 Martin Prokop (CZE) Mitsubishi EVO IX 4:13:07.9 hours
P2 Patrik Sandell (SWE) Mitsubishi EVO IX + 36.2 seconds
P3 Martin Rauam (EST) Mitsubishi EVO IX + 57.8 seconds
. . . . .
P5 Juho Hänninen (FIN) Mitsubishi EVO IX + 2:17.3 minutes
P7 Bernardo SOUSA (POR) Mitsubishi EVO IX + 6:52.4 minutes
- Thomas Blazek, Christian Kuda - also photo
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