The Castrol / Daily Telegraph team has survived two days of challenging conditions in Rally Sweden to end the second leg of the event inside the top 50 overall.
On his debut in the event – the second of the World Rally Championship season – Tony Jardine battled to 46th overall and second in class at the end of the second leg after an event that saw the usual snow replaced by mud and gravel after unusually warm weather that led to much of the snow on the stages melting.
“Even though the snow has melted we will face a massive challenge as the conditions are a mix of mud, gravel, snow and ice,” he said. “With the fog mixed in for good measure it means we have to have our wits about us as the surfaces are changing the whole time.
“Franca worked very hard at writing up detailed pace notes and WRC regulations in the hotel every night after the recce. Her meticulous detail and timely calls have saved us from two big icy slides which could have taken us out of the event on Friday.”
Co-driver Franca Davenport, on her debut at WRC level, admitted that the challenge of competing on the international stage was a world away from the events she has done so far.
“This has been so much harder than the national rallies that I have done before,” he said. “Tony has been great – helping me to compete at a much higher standard.
“It has been really exhilarating, especially to be competing against the top rally drivers in the world.”
![Tony Jardine and Franca Davenport in action on Rally Sweden [Pic credit: Jardine International]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/405585.jpg)
