[Speaking in the mid-day service] “Well it has been an interesting morning but I’m happy to be back in service without any problems. The first stage today was extremely difficult with the fog, there was also a lot of mud on the stage but this wasn’t a problem if you could see it. The grip was slightly inconsistent on the first two stages, but the on last two conditions dried up quite a lot which made it more enjoyable and our times were much better.”
Jari-Matti Latvala [BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT]:
"I've been happy with my speed, I just need to get rid of my mistakes. Tomorrow's stages are faster and wider and I hope it stays dry. If not, then at least I've learned today how to drive when it's wet and slippery and conditions are tricky."
[Speaking in the mid-day service] "I didn't enjoy the first stage and didn't feel comfortable going into the next test. About 1km after the start [in SS2] I came to a flat left corner that tightened and I hit the bank. That bounced the car across the road and I rolled off the track at the next right corner. The car landed with Miikka's side up against a small tree. Spectators helped us move the car off the tree and rolled it back onto its wheels before finding a small road that led back to the stage. The damage wasn't big, just a cracked windscreen and some body damage."
Conrad Rautenbach [PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC]:
"Those first two stages this morning were just incredible! Particularly in the first one, going up to the top of the mountain, the fog was terrible – I couldn’t see a thing. The rain wasn’t such a big problem. The biggest thing was that you simply couldn’t see where you were going. That didn’t help the confidence at all. As I’d said yesterday, I was worried about the tyre not working so well, and there wasn’t much grip around. The lower temperatures were another factor here as well. It was a tough, tough morning.
