"In Sardinia we have set some quite good times. I had the feeling I was improving and we’ve achieved a better result than we expected," he stated. "Being on the podium in Sardinia and knowing there were all these drivers there was a great result. For Greece we have to try to continue our good performance even if I know it’s a very demanding rally on the cars and on the tyres."
Former Ford works driver,
Toni Gardemeister meanwhile returns after having last been in action way back in January at the season opening, Rallye Monte Carlo. He will again be in an Astra Racing-run car, although he will now use a
Citroen Xsara WRC, as opposed to a Peugeot 307. The Finn tested the car for the first time last week in France and was pleased with how it went.
"I'm impressed by the potential of the car," he said. "I have immediately got a very good feeling thanks to its fantastic handling and the suspension, which allowed me to push hard and go flat out where it was very rough."
Astra team manager, Luca Pregliasco meanwhile was also pleased: "The Xsara seems easy to drive and Toni found the limit on his first run," he added. "It's a very good car and its proven reliability is important to help us to achieve a good result. This year the stages [in Greece] are new for all drivers and Toni's experience will play an important role in helping him to manage the stages of one of the most difficult rallies in the WRC."
Other entrants at the wheel of a WRC car include: Alex Bengue (Peugeot 307 WRC), Jan Kopecky (Czech RT Skoda Fabia WRC),
Francois Duval (First Skoda Fabia WRC), Jussi Valimaki (Mitsubishi Lancer WRC) and Martin Prokop (Skoda Fabia WRC).
There will be a strong presence from local drivers too, with over 40 Greeks set to take part, Aris Vovos the most noticeable and likely to figure the most prominently in his
Subaru Impreza S11 WRC.
Schedule:
The rally has undergone a complete facelift. Following the phenomenal success of last year's super special stage at Athens' Olympic Stadium, organisers have based the entire event there. The stadium will again host the opening action on Thursday evening with live television and an expected 60,000 capacity crowd, with a repeat of the 2.80km test bringing the rally to a close on Sunday afternoon.
