The Skoda Motorsport World Rally team has confirmed that Armin Schwarz has not been seriously injured following his 'big accident' on SS7 of the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo.
Reigning world champion, Sebastien Loeb has come out fighting on the opening day of the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo, the Citroen ace winning three out of the four tests to establish a comfortable 32.7 second lead.
The Skoda Motorsport World Rally team has admitted that they had 'hoped for better' on the opening round of the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship, the Rallye Monte Carlo, which started today.
The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports FIA World Rally Championship campaign for 2005 kicks off this week when team newcomers Harri Rovanpera and Risto Pietilainen join Gilles and Herve Panizzi for the start of Rallye Monte-Carlo, the traditional season-opening event.
Citroen arrive at the Rallye Monte Carlo this weekend, following a fantastic 2004, which saw them win both the constructors' and drivers' championships.
BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button describes a lap of Monte Carlo - site of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix... "The Monaco Grand Prix is a tough race. The circuit is really twisty and bumpy and it takes it toll, especially on your arms, because of all the tight turns.
Just as Natalie Barratt was getting comfortable in the driver's seat of the MG ZR S1600 in which she will contest this year's Junior World Rally Championship, a wheel coming off in one of Friday's stages meant that her rally ended early.
The all-new Peugeot 307 WRC has made a flying start to its world rally career by leading the Monte Carlo Rally throughout four stages of leg one, thanks to Marcus Gronholm.
SS6 - Rosans-L'Epine (31.81 kms): Loeb fastest through SS6; Loix second; Sainz third; Martin fourth; Solberg fifth; Gronholm sixth; Duval seventh; Katajamaki leads the JWRC category; Loeb leads the overall rally at the end of leg 1 by 18.3secs.
SS5 - Laborel-L'Aubergerie (20.18 kms): Gronholm fastest through SS5; Loeb second; Martin third; Duval fourth; Sainz fifth; Hirvonen sixth; Solberg seventh; Galli went off the road - retired; Aava leads the JWRC category; Gronholm leads the overall rally by 10secs.
Complete event timetable for the 72nd Rallye Monte Carlo - round one of sixteen in the 2004 FIA World Rally Championship. Wednesday 21 January: Scruteenering 18.00 - 24.00 Fontvieille - Monaco Thursday 22 January:
The 2004 World Rally Championship commences next week with the Monte Carlo Rally [January 23-25] and a host of driver changes, the addition of two extra rounds, as well as unprecedented changes to the regulations.