Name three sports in which you could beat George Thomas: Rallying, running and a Geordie sport like necking bottles of brown ale in a brown ale drinking competition.
What have you learnt this season? I’ve learnt loads every day I’ve been rallying. I’ve genuinely learnt an awful lot. I thought I was going to come out pretty average having had three years off but the pace has been there. I’ve learnt that little mistakes can totally destroy a championship and being as precise as Sebastien Loeb isn’t easy, but if you can be, then a championship would be a lot easier to win. I’ve made a handful of mistakes that I can think of off the top of my head which have made my championship a lot harder; it could have been sewn up but for three miniscule mistakes. I’ve learnt that young drivers are quick but it’s not the be-all-and-end-all to be young. People keep going on about these young superstars – you’re over the hill when you get to 24 – but I think experience counts as well. I’ve learnt that although I might not be young I can still use the experience I’ve gained over the years to keep up with the young ones.
How’s the car been? The car’s been very good because we have our own team running it and they’ve really done well. We’ve had next to no mechanical dramas other than things that can’t be helped like when a rock broke a driveshaft on the last event. I’ve got a team of five or six lads who have really put a lot of work and effort into the car and have prepared what I think is probably one of the best Fiestas out there and it’s done us proud.
![George Thomas/Graham Hopewe [Pic credit: FSTUK / Ford]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/263451.jpg)
