Crash.net:
What’s happening with Xavier Pons, will he be back with the team at any point this season, because originally he was meant to be doing all the events?
RT:
We would very much like to see Xavier in a car with us again and he is interested in the possibility. I think realistically if it happens it will be for the second half of the season or sometime in the second half of the season. But we are still in touch with him and both of us are trying to find a good way forward together.
Crash.net:
What was the problem?
RT:
There were a number of issues for both sides and we just decided not to carry on with the original plan. But we still maintain a very, very good relationship and are hopeful that we will be able to get together again before the end of the season.
Crash.net:
What have you made of the competition - Ford,
Citroen and Suzuki?
RT:
We were asked at the beginning of the year what we thought might be different this season and I think the biggest thing we felt was that it would be a lot more even. We felt that the championship would be a lot more open and you would see a lot more different winners. I think that has proved to be the case so far [to a degree]. The manufacturers’ championship is pretty close. It would have been even closer too if we hadn’t had our electrical problem in Argentina - but that is history now. The competition is good and it is nice to see that the championship is closer. For
Suzuki it has obviously been a difficult start to the year. But I am sure they are working very hard. The car has shown some good pace and when they can get some more reliability, which comes from more event experience, I am sure they will be up there as well.
Crash.net:
What do you want to see
Subaru achieve by the end of the season?
RT:
Win some rallies.
Crash.net:
How do you see the sport developing in the future?
RT:
I think that the new regulations we are working to now will be an effective way to bring more manufacturers’ back in. It would be nice to see six or seven manufacturers’ in the championship and hopefully the way the technical regulations are evolving will help to encourage that.
