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Subaru’s Solberg In Tight Race For WRC Drivers’ Championship
Subaru’s Petter Solberg made an impressive comeback to finish fifth in the Rallye Catalunya, claiming four points in both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships. This keeps him within one point of Carlos Sainz and Sebastien Loeb, tied for top spot in the 2003 World Rally Championship for Drivers, with just one round remaining. The Spanish rally was won by Peugeot’s Gilles Panizzi, while Citroën’s Loeb finished second.
Solberg was in eleventh spot at the end of day one, after incurring a 50-second penalty for an unexpected service delay.
“A fantastic finish which, in the circumstances, could not have been better,” said David Lapworth, 555 Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “After the disappointment of Petter’s penalty on Friday, he has done a brilliant job and remains well in the frame for the title. It just shows that you can never give up. With our record in Wales, Petter has to be favourite now for the Drivers’ Championship.”
Solberg’s Subaru teammate, Tommi Mäkinen, moved up three places during the day to claim eighth place points.
With four drivers within striking distance of the drivers’ title, the 14th and final round of the 2003 World Rally Championship starts in two weeks. The Rally of Great Britain, famous for its tough stages and cold, wet conditions, starts on November 6th, near Cardiff, Wales.
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