by Rob Wilkins
Stobart Ford new boy
Gigi Galli has admitted that it is going to take time for him to get up to speed and adapt to the Focus RS WRC car.
Galli has had to make do with just taking in selected events in the
FIA World Rally Championship the last two years, and while he is delighted to have signed a deal to do a full season in 2008, he knows it will take a while to get use to his new stead.
"It is a good chance for us to work with the Stobart team. Just before Christmas I visited the M-Sport base in the UK and visited the beautiful factory. I met also the Stobart chief and it was very pleasant to spend some time with them," he told
Crash.net Radio.
"Now it is time to start [working properly] in the next week though. We will try and do some tests with the Focus RS WRC. For me it is completely new. I have never been in a Focus WRC car before.
"In the last two years I did just a few WRC events. I couldn't get a good rhythm and then I couldn't keep a good pace on the rallies. For this reason, in the first part of the year I will be, in agreement with the Stobart team, just a 'taxi driver'.
"I just need to get to understand and learn about the car, the cock-pit and get everything working well on the car. After that, when we feel confident with the car, we can try to do something more."
Pressed on his aims for the season overall, Galli added that he will be focusing on getting as many points as he can - both for the team and himself.
"We have to think about the championship and get points for the Stobart team. That is my main goal and what I will keep in mind," he continued. "I cannot also forget though ourselves and we - Giovanni [Bernacchini - my co-driver] and myself - will try to do our best to have fun with the Stobart team. That is it."
Asked if he feels under a lot of pressure, especially as he will be nominated to score manufacturers' points on every event, the ex-Mitsubishi man was pragmatic in his response.
