“I enjoy both the DTM and rallying very much. For me, they're like golfing and tennis. Rallying for me is a diversion but as I have already proved with my various starts in the Rally Spain or Rally Sweden, I can be quite successful at it too,” he added. “I am hoping for stable weather conditions - either all wet or all dry. If it is that clear, it will obviously help me a lot to choose my tyres. The fast wide asphalt road sections in the Saarland should suit me best on day three. The vineyard lanes on the other hand are quite narrow and winding, and I'm not sure yet how well I will be able to handle them. I do not relate at all to the tank range at Baumholder and its 'Hinkelstein' kerbstones, I only know that you shouldn't get too close to them!”
Harri Rovanpera is due back in the #11 car on
Red Bull Skoda’s next outing in the WRC in Cyprus.
Junior WRC:
In the Junior WRC, 13 of the 21 drivers contesting the series have opted to compete in Germany - the most notable names who will
not be in action include
Suzuki Swift trio, Per-Gunnar Andersson, Guy Wilks and
Urmo Aava. Patrick Sandell, Jaan Molder, Jozef Beres, Andrea Cortinovis and Filippo Bordignon will also skip the event.
Sandell currently leads the Junior WRC championship with 26 points. Andersson is second, five behind, while Aava is third on 20.
Citroen Sport's customer competition manager, Yves Matton meanwhile reckons that they must win the Junior category this weekend, if they are to stand a chance of taking the Junior title.
"These visits to Germany and Finland in quick succession promise to be the turning point of the season," he predicted. "We showed the potential of the C2 Super 1600 in Germany last year and the car has already won in Catalunya and Corsica this year in the hands of Martin Prokop and Brice Tirabassi. Our drivers clearly have a chance to get back in the title fight and they must absolutely seize it. It's an event we've got to win - and I would like to hope that the winning C2 is not the only Citroen on the podium."
Kris Meeke will head the Citroen C2 runners, along with 2003 JWRC champion, Brice Tirabassi and Martin Prokop.
Meeke may not have competed in the JWRC since April, but he is far from rusty and has been busy in the interim testing in Sardinia, Germany and Finland and also competing in Poland: "We took six points in Spain, which was a good recovery, but from here on we have to be looking for big points,” said the Brit. “I’m feeling happy and confident going into Germany. I’m totally focused on that event. It’s a rally I really enjoy. I’ve got great memories from last season, when we had a massive battle with [my then C2 team-mate] Dani Sordo. There was six seconds between us going into the final couple of stages and we only lost out because of a puncture. When you’re in those kind of really intense fights there is nothing better."
