by Rob WilkinsPetter Solberg's co-driver Phil Mills has confirmed that they will benefit from some modifications on the Subaru Impreza WRC 2006 during the second half of the season, which begins next month, with back-to-back events in Germany and Finland.
Although Mills and Solberg haven't had the best of seasons to date, with two runner-up spots their best results thus far, Mills is confident that they can get back on the top step of the podium.
"We have had some rotten luck [this year], even in Greece we were lying in second and quite comfortably so, and we had a road accident. Australia and Japan last year, both of those events we were leading too and something stupid happened - a kangaroo jumped out in front and we get the biggest rock in the world in front of us in Japan. We have had some rotten luck and I think it is about time that rotten luck changed and it is about time someone else had that rotten luck," he told
Crash.net Radio.
"We are competitive. We are there or there-abouts on gravel, tarmac is a little harder, but on gravel we are there and we just need to pull it all together. We have some improvements coming now, especially for Turkey and Cyprus, some modifications for the car for that and we really are looking forward to it. We go to every event with the attitude to win it - otherwise I wouldn't be there unless we were capable of winning. So I am really looking forward to the next few events."
As for what has been the problem thus far, Mills said that it wasn't just one problem, but a 'combination of lots of small things': "It is difficult to pinpoint any one particular area," he continued. "I hate using
Formula One as a comparison because there are very little comparisons, but if you look at Ferrari for instance, they dominated the thing for five years and then all of sudden last year they were tenth or whatever on the grid and couldn't do much about it. That gives you an idea of what can happen in motorsport.
"Even if you have the best team, with the best resources, sometimes it turns on its head and you don't get what you think you are going to get. So if we use that as a comparison, which we shouldn't do, but if we do, it gives you an idea of what can happen in motorsport and that is where we are at the minute - lots and lots of small things, but we are in the middle of putting them right."
Subaru sporting director, Luis Moya meanwhile predicted recently in a separate interview with
Crash.net Radio that Solberg and Mills could win at all the remaining events this year, with the exception of Germany. Mills agrees with that assessment.
"We know on tarmac it is hard work. Germany is very difficult and we just want to get through that event with a decent finish. But after that - in Finland, we have been very competitive there in the past; Japan we were leading last year when the rock came out; Cyprus and Turkey we have won those rallies before; even in Australia we were leading last year when the kangaroo came out; we have won in New Zealand in the past as well and obviously we have won Rally GB four times - so all the events coming we have won before and so we are very confident," he concluded.
"We have some small changes to the car, new tyres, lots and lots of things to look forward to and yes, certainly we are going to those events to win them - and win them with quite some conviction."
