Q&A: Roman Vaskuj.

The Jolly Club's president, Roman Vaskuj, talks about his team's WRC debut on the Acropolis Rally, in an ex-Colin McRae Ford Focus driven by Roman Kresta, and their expectations for the future.

Q:Acropolis Rally is without a doubt regarded as one of the most demanding rally events from all 14 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. What are the rally's specifics and what are the event's greatest challenges that all the teams, cars and their crews must overcome?

Roman Vaskuj: "I do believe that apart from the Kenya's Safari Rally in Africa, the Acropolis Rally has traditionally been the most challenging gravel event of the entire WRC series. We must realise that in certain aspects, this is a very special event.

"For instance, the current reconnaissance system allowing crews to practice twice only to prepare their notes, puts young and un-experienced WRC newcomers at a great disadvantage and puts them under extreme pressure. This is especially true for new drivers with very little or no World or European Championship event experience. I was assured by several top team managers and drivers, that this will be the case.

"Let us also look at the characteristics of the Greek gravel stages. Their surface can change substantially after half an hour once several WRC cars have driven through. This obviously becomes a challenge for any WRC freshman who suddenly realized that the stages differed from how they were during the recce.

"This of course became a big handicap for Kresta and his co-driver who could not have imagined this to happen. On such events, it is absolutely vital to be able to foresee changes of the terrain characteristics on all special stages and that is why both the driver and co-driver need previous experience. The crew must first gather necessary experience, which then, with a dose of good luck, can lead to a good result.

"Characteristics of the special stages in Greece in relation to the car and its technologies pose another challenge. Large and unexpected variations of the air pressure as well as air temperatures create rather extreme demands on the car and the software used to operate the rally rockets."

Q:Gaining experience from each event is priceless. What additional knowledge and experience did your team gain during this year's Acropolis Rally?

Vaskuj: "I see that the biggest advantage and gain for our team came from the team's participation in this rally because we had access to some highly sophisticated data and information provided by the M-Sport management and engineers.

"Thanks to Ford M-Sport's director, Malcolm Wilson, and his personal interest and enthusiasm in the form of his truly invaluable assistance, our entire WRC program including Roman Kresta behind the wheel of the Focus WRC, gives us rather unusual and unique possibilities and opportunities for the program's further progress.

"In one week in the World Rally Championship in Greece, we gathered so much experience and knowledge about the Focus WRC that would normally take us a minimum of half a year to get otherwise.

"Ford M-sport's presence and assistance helped us realise further advancements on the car which we could not have accomplished under standard conditions. I would like to say that we have actually made 10 to 20 minor improvements on the Focus over the last week, and that is why I see our participation as being very useful. Even though we had to retire prematurely, I am convinced that it was a good investment."

Q: The preparation, tuning and rally maintenance of the Ford Focus WRC is of utmost importance and the biggest priority for all the team's mechanics and engineers on every event. How did this go in Greece on the most difficult gravel rally of the season?

Vaskuj: "We would like to believe that we have actually moved one year forward in terms of the car's suspension and electronics setups. I think we have actually got closer to what the Ford factory team has been using for some time.

"It is of great value to be in close contact with M-Sport. We are very pleased and honored to see Ford's works team management help us in many respects, as this is not the case normally. It is clear to us that its people are interested in our program and project.

"Clearly they do want us to be successful. Malcolm Wilson simply advised the team that we'd keep Kresta in the rally as well as in the future WRC events because it is the experience he needs most. I was assured that the Ford factory team will continue to help us in the future."

Q: Many World Rally Championship insiders, including the media community, as well as general public have once again been asking why you have decided to support this WRC project?

Vaskuj: "We became involved to assist the young and promising Roman Kresta with his further career development as a professional rally driver. We believe that it is absolutely vital for him and other drivers of his age to get such opportunities to contest at least selected rounds of the World Rally Championship.

"In Greece, my team and myself were under pressure from all round the world. Thanks to Ford M-Sport, our team communications as well as Enrico Bertone, who has been doing so much for the good of our program, Kresta has now become an international name, he is recognized as a young and talented World Rally Car driver in the highly esteemed World Rally Championship.

"All of the above mentioned entities or personalities help Kresta take up this unique chance to grow and improve. We carefully watch all current and future development within Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team and its WRC campaign and wish the team the best of luck on every rally it enters. At the same time, following the expected news of the FIA's new regulations that will allow each team to have three cars entered and able to score manufacturers' points, next year Skoda Motorsport could possibly have an Octavia WRC seat for the entire championship reserved for Kresta.

"Because we believe in this regulation, in our program for Kresta, as well as in the possibility that Kresta could get the works drive next year, we are prepared to provide him with our maximum assistance over the next few months. We then will be able to help some other young driver once Kresta is up in the works car.

"The final decision about his future involvement as a works pilot will be made in Mlada Boleslav. When there is the correct constellation of all vital elements and Kresta manages to record a respectable result, it can clearly be the best possible signal to Skoda Auto to opt for Kresta to drive the third works car and to use his skills and talent in the future.

"As I said a moment ago, if the FIA approves three scoring works cars, I would like to think that Kresta could very well drive one of the three. If it does not happen, we will be ready to prepare a high-quality WRC development program for the FIA WRC 2002 season. We really are ready to help him as much as we can."

Q: What is on the timetable for the next few months?

Vaskuj: "We have a very clear schedule. We are now prepared to test in Finland during the second half of July in preparation for the Rally Finland in August. One week prior to this test, Kresta is likely to recce with Skoda Motorsport in Africa before the Safari Rally in Kenya.

"Our plans for the latter half of this season are also quite clear. We now only wait to receive a final decision from Skoda Motorsport concerning Kresta's possible start in Italy and Great Britain with a third works Octavia WRC. We shall then be able to confirm his start with the Focus WRC in these classic rallies should he not be driving the Octavia there."