"If you think ‘figures’, you will come to that conclusion for the moment, yes," said van Dalen, when asked if Dani would be a better bet. "But you also need to take into account that Dani drives the 2005 Xsara with electronic differentials. Sebastien has already noticed several times where those add to the performance. Dani is very talented but he still has a lot to learn and realised that in Argentina. After two outstanding results on asphalt, he experienced a difficult terrain with tricky weather and road conditions. Carlos Sainz has said when Dani clinched the JWRC title that he needed time to learn. That’s what we are doing by letting him drive with no pressure on his shoulders."
As for Pons he has faith he will come good, even if he has only scored 5 points in the drivers’ championship to date, whereas Sordo has managed 24.
"Xavier hasn’t been really fortunate so far but he won a stage in Argentina in front of Marcus Gronholm who encountered the same difficult road conditions as him. I’m convinced of the psychological impact of this performance," added van Dalen. "It will help Xevi to find the self-confidence he still lacks. He counts two participations in Sardinia and has also taken part in the pre-event tests. In a word, all the conditions are gathered for him to achieve a good result, important for him and for the team in the manufacturers’ championship."
BP Ford:
[Marcus Gronholm, car #3 and
Mikko Hirvonen, car #4.]
BP Ford team leader, Marcus Gronholm has promised to attack from the off this weekend. Furthermore after transmission problems robbed him off any chance of getting the victory in Argentina - and any chance of scoring points - he is now even more determined to take the maximum points’ haul, in a bid to close the point gap to
Sebastien Loeb. Indeed he thinks it will be critical to take the victory come the finish this Sunday.
![Rally Italia Sardinia winners Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena on the podium with Petter Solberg and Phil Mills [2nd] and Marcus Gronholm and Timo Rautiainen [3rd]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/143183.jpg)
