This time though many of his rivals will be in the same position and following a confidence boosting third place finish last time out in Japan, Solberg is keen to try and get his first ever points finish on asphalt.
“Again I really don’t know what to expect of this rally as it is another new one for me. I have been told it can be a very difficult rally, very narrow, twisty and fast and if the weather is bad it can be extremely slippery. It is going to be a hard event but we have had some experience of tarmac this year which will help,” he noted.
“I will be looking to just get in the points here. We have been so close to the points on all the tarmac rallies this year so I will try my best for one in Ireland.
“The podium in Japan was another great moment and one in Ireland would be amazing but I don’t want to make mistakes as this rally could be in the WRC again so it will be important to complete the event for experience, hopefully inside the top-eight.”
Unlike Henning,
Jari-Matti Latvala and
Matthew Wilson though will have a bit of experience to draw on as they have both previously competed on Irish tarmac events. Wilson also won the Rally Ireland candidate event in 2005.
“I’m really looking forward to this event but I also know how tricky it can be,” added the Englishman. “There are a lot of unknowns here for everybody which is going to make things very interesting throughout the pack.
“When we won here in 2005 it was quite surprising because it was a mixed-surface event and we thought we would have the advantage on gravel and be behind on tarmac but after the opening, tarmac day we were over a minute ahead against some very quick Irish competitors.
“A couple of the stages are in the same area so for me it will help to have this prior knowledge of the roads and especially of the tricky surface. These final two events are essentially both home rallies for me and I can’t wait to have another go at Irish roads before heading back for the final round in Wales,” he summed-up.
Munchi’s Ford WRT:
[Luis-Perez Companc, car #11 and
Federico Villagra, car #12]
Not in action in Ireland.
The Munchi's Ford WRT will miss this coming weekend's Rally Ireland as the event is not part of their ten-event campaign.
The final event for Luis-Perez Companc and Federico Villagra will be the Rally GB.
Both drivers’ will head to the event in Wales though boosted by their form in Japan. The Munchi’s squad celebrated a breakthrough result there after getting both of its cars to the finish line in the top eight.
![Marcus Gronholm (FIN) / Timo Rautiainen (FIN) - BP Ford Focus WRC. Galway International Rally, February 3-4 2007. [Pic credit: Ford / worldrallypics.com]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/286908.jpg)
