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15.05.2008
Conrad Rautenbach Shakedown review Rally d'Italia-Sardegna Shakedown report: Reigning FIA African Rally Champion Conrad Rautenbach's preparations for this year's sixth round of the World Rally Championship were hampered by illness in the week prior to the start. The Zimbabwean driver suffered from the symptoms of mumps, but had recovered in time to make the start of the recce on Tuesday. Rautenbach completed three runs at this morning's shakedown stage in preparation for the start of Rally d'Italia. The 3.75km shakedown stage was located in Monte Pinu, 10km away from the service park in Olbia. Following recent heavy rain in the area, the softened road surface cut up and became badly rutted. When Rautenbach's PH Sport-run Citroen C4 WRC suffered a broken steering arm, he and his British co-driver David Senior decided not to start the stage again – already happy with the set-up of the car. Working closely with the team, Rautenbach had softened the suspension on the C4 compared with the last round in Jordan, dialling the car into the twistier and more technical roads gravel roads of the Italian island. Much of this week's unseasonal rain fell during the recce for the event, which made making notes for the new stages on this year's Rally d'Italia more difficult than usual. Further rain is forecast for Saturday, but, for now, the focus of the event switches to the seaside resort of Porto Cervo, north of the rally's official base in Olbia. Rautenbach and the rest of the World Rally Championship field will cross the ceremonial start in the exclusive town to get this year's Rally d'Italia underway. Conrad Rautenbach quote: "I'm looking forward to the rally after the recce. The long stage, Monte Lerno, and the other ones we have done before are going to be great; the roads are really nice, wide and fast in places. The jump in this stage is going to be pretty special in the World Rally Car. It's incredible on the way up to the jump – all you can see is sky. I think we'll go steady for the first time, if you're 10km too fast over there, anything could happen. The stages which I haven't done before are going to be hard work in places. It looks like some of the roads are just goat tracks which the organisers have made a bit wider. They're really narrow and not so nice. "The shakedown stage this morning was rough by the time we stopped. When we hit one rut and broke the steering arm, I injured my wrist at the same time – but it'll be fine for tomorrow. I was actually pretty worried about things the week before I came away, it felt like I had mumps or something. I had no energy and was tired all of the time. I feel fine now and ready to get going on this event. I hope the weather stays sunny. I know there's talk of rain coming for day two, and it doesn't really matter because it's the same for everybody – but it would be nice to have consistent conditions. "Despite only doing three runs in the car at shakedown, I have a good feeling in the car. The confidence was pretty good this morning. I'm looking forward to that first stage tomorrow morning." -CR Press -
Author: maggy (admin2)
Last modified: Thursday, 15.05.2008 - 07:36 More reports from this category all copyright automobilsport.com.
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