by Rob Wilkins


OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally team technical director, David Bozian has branded their 2006 season a 'success'.

Speaking at the Wales Rally GB, the final round in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship, David told Crash.net Radio that they were extremely pleased with the year, one in which they scored 88 points, took five podium finishes and were easily the top manufacturer two outfit, leagues ahead of Ford 'B' team, the Stobart VK squad and Red Bull Skoda. They also weren't too far off M1 team, Subaru either, who finished the season with just 18 more points on the board and having taken in four extra events.

"We have won the M2 championship, but that has never really been a big objective for us, because our goal was to compete with the M1 teams [Ford, Kronos Citroen and Subaru]," he explained. "I think we have succeeded. We did well against Subaru, especially as this year we contested only 12 WRC events in the manufacturers' championship and they did all 16. So, normally our position should be third.

"Overall it has been a very good one for us with five podiums, four for Manfred Stohl and one for Henning Solberg – and also one for Gigi Galli [who was entered in a Pirelli-backed 307 for three events by us]."

Asked about the performance of Stohl and Henning, it was clear, he was impressed with their form, especially as Manfred finished fourth in the drivers' championship.

"Yes we are very happy them," he replied. "Manfred has shown he is one of the best drivers in the world championship. We are happy also with Henning, who achieved his first WRC podium result in Turkey this year. We were pleased also with his first place [on the WRC candidate event] in Norway and with several other top five positions."

As for the Peugeot 307 WRC car, a car that has never been widely praised, Bozian Racing had no complaints: "The reliability has been very good this season. We have been the most reliable team in the WRC this year, with practically no problems during all of the events," he continued. "We are very proud of the reliability we have had this season in the WRC."

The French-based outfit now turns its attentions to 2007 and although its exact programme has still to be confirmed, it is certain they won't be getting too much time off over Christmas and the New Year.

"The break will be very short, because we will have to prepare for the Rallye Monte Carlo [which runs from January 19-21] very rapidly. I don't know if we will have some holidays it is a little bit sad to say - but we will be ready for 2007," he summed-up.