Tyre choice was critical in the variable conditions and Jennings admitted that the next loop of three stages was difficult: "I didn't need to look at the stage times to know we took the wrong tyre," he shrugged, "I was having to brake really early for all the high speed approaches and to cap it all the paddle gear-change stopped working." The manual stick is still fitted to the Impreza so he was able to manage, but it is set up for a left-hand drive car making it difficult to use easily. "The stick is only a back-up as the paddle change is very reliable," he explained, "It was fixed in service by re-booting the programme with the laptop. All too technical for me but the guys from Prodrive sorted it in seconds."
Stages eleven and twelve saw the weather improve slightly and the correct choice of Kumho tyre allowed the crew to push. They posted another third and fourth fastest times, maintaining the fourth place they inherited when Chris Meek dropped time with a puncture. Tyre choice continued to be difficult as rain was reported on the final loop of three stages. The service area, however, was dry and sunny so Jennings chose an intermediate saying: "The cut Kumhos will work even when it's drying, you've just got to know when to ease off a bit if they start to get too hot."
His nerve was to be tested for a different reason on stage thirteen though, when he passed second placed Peader Hurson stranded at the side of the stage. "I couldn't believe it," he said, "Peader had gone off on a slippery section and was stuck off the road. I had to concentrate all my efforts not to make any silly mistakes. There was no way we could have caught Eamonn (Boland) for third and I wouldn't have wished problems on the guys in front, but that's rallying."
