World Rally News

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.

Ford's Colin McRae has scored his third win in succession in this year's FIA World Rally Championship after a dramatic finish to the seventh round, the Acropolis Rally.

The Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart crew of Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki returned to Itea this afternoon fourth overall at the end of the 48th Acropolis Rally.

SS8 - Karoutes I (18.89 kms): Delecour fastest through SS8; Burns second; Makinen and Rovanpera joint third; Sainz fifth; Alister McRae seventh; Colin McRae eighth; Panizzi had a slow puncture in SS7; Pozzo leads Group N by 16.1 seconds; Colin McRae leads overall rally by 24.2 seconds.

Skoda crews Armin Schwarz/Manfred Hiemer and Bruno Thiry/Stephane Prevot have successfully navigated their Octavia World Rally Cars through the second leg of the car-breaking 48th Acropolis Rally.

After the car breaking Cyprus Rally, the world championship series continues with the equally punishing stages of nearby Greece this Friday, home of the celebrated Acropolis Rally.

With little chance of a rest following last week's Cyprus Rally, teams are already gearing up for the seventh round of the World Rally Championship - the Acropolis Rally of Greece - which starts from Athens on Thursday.

Czech-based rally team Jolly Club will test its Ford Focus WRC on gravel roads in Chateau de Lastours, the well-known testing venue in southern France, prior to heading for the Acropolis Rally with Roman Kresta.

SS 10 - Assinou - Spilia 1 (15.65 km): Sainz fastest through SS10; Colin McRae second; Delecour third; Arai fourth; Burns fifth; Gronholm sixth; Alister McRae eighth; Auriol retired after the stage with an overheating problem; Schwarz given a 50 second penalty; Trelles leads Group N; Burns

SS5 - Prastio - Pachna (11.06kms): Delecour fastest through SS5; Burns second; Colin McRae third; Loix fourth; Auriol fifth; Sainz sixth; Gronholm seventh; Alister McRae given a 20 second penalty; Trelles leads Group N; Gronholm leads overall rally but now by only 00.4 secs from Burns.

Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets lead the Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart assault in the Rally of Cyprus, the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The preparation of a World Rally Car is one of several homework tasks every professional rally team must approach thoroughly, especially if it wants to be successful, and the Czech Republic's Jolly Club team is no different.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart is at full strength for the Rally of Cyprus, with all three drivers pleased with their car setup on yesterday's recce, as they head into Friday's first leg.

For Peugeot, the Cyprus Rally marks an important step in the 2001 World Championship; the French team will run the latest specification of last year's championship-winning 206 WRC for the first time.

The Jolly Club's president, Roman Vaskuj, talks about the upcoming Acropolis Rally, round seven of the 2001 FIA World Rally Championship, where the Jolly Club prepared Ford Focus WRC will commence its world rally campaign with Roman Kresta behind the wheel.

Round six of the 2001 World Rally Championship takes place next week, when teams travel to the warmth of the Mediterranean for the Cyprus Rally.

The Ford Martini team begins the toughest segment of the FIA World Rally Championship with confidence, after victory in Argentina earlier this month for Colin McRae and another podium placing for the ever-consistent Carlos Sainz.

Dr Jens Pohlmann, the senior Skoda Auto executive who was badly injured when knocked down by an out-of-control emergency vehicle during the recent FIA Rally of Argentina, underwent Pelvis surgery this morning (Tuesday) in Cordoba's Hospital de Urgencias.

Hyundai Castrol World Rally Team crews Alister McRae and David Senior and Kenneth Eriksson and Staffan Parmander put in a solid performance on the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, with Alister McRae bringing his Accent WRC to the finish in ninth position.

A major accident at mid-day yesterday has seriously injured a senior member of Skoda Auto a.s. and forced both Skoda Octavias out of the Rally of Argentina, round five of this year's FIA World Rally Championship.

Dr Jens Pohlmann remains in intensive care in Cordoba's Hospital de Urgencias following yesterday's horrific accident during the Rally of Argentina. The 54 year-old German, Skoda Auto's Engineering Director with responsibility for motor sport, was struck by an out-of-control emergency vehicle.

Colin McRae kick-started his bid for the FIA World Rally Championship by winning the fifth round of this year's series, the Rally Argentina, which finished in Cordoba this afternoon.

Colin McRae and Nicky Grist destroyed the opposition during yesterday's opening leg of the Rally Argentina to open a comfortable lead in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.

Both Skoda WRC cars have been withdrawn from the Argentine Rally after being hit by a fire truck in the service area. Skoda's Engineering director Dr Jens Pohlmann was hit by the fire engine and has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries.