by Rob Wilkins
TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH RICHARD TAYLOR: CLICK HERE
Subaru World Rally Team managing director Richard Taylor has said that while the team is getting closer to launching the new Impreza WRC, it still won't be seen on events for a 'little while yet'.
The Banbury-based outfit has had to make do with the 2007 spec car thus far this season and while
Petter Solberg and
Chris Atkinson haven't been able to challenge for wins, they have both been pretty competitive, with the latter notching up three podiums, including two runners-up spots on the last two rounds in Mexico and Argentina.
The big question is though, when will the new car makes it debut? - and while Finland has long been rumoured and would seem to make sense, as it comes following the summer break, running from August 1-3, Taylor maintains that no date has yet been set.
"We have not decided yet," he confirmed to
Crash.net Radio when asked about a likely launch date in the build up to the inaugural WRC round in Jordan this week. "We are obviously getting closer to it.
"Development is going very well so far - we are very pleased with where we have got to. Obviously we started testing a couple of months back now, back near Christmas time actually.
"So far everything is going very well and according to plan. Once we are comfortable we have got the performance and level of durability from testing that we have set to get us to the rallies then we will be making an announcement and bringing the car out.
"But not for a little while yet still."
Asked about the season to date, Taylor added that the team has been pleased with the results notched up by Solberg and Atkinson.
Indeed so far the outfit has 33 points on the board and while that puts them behind
Citroen and Ford in the manufacturers' championship, the deficit isn't huge, with the leaders Ford, only 11 points in front.
