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Loeb Struggles In Shakedown For Rally New Zealand
Loeb struggles in shakedown for Rally New Zealand
Defending World Champion Sebastien Loeb may be under pressure after he was only 10th fastest in the shakedown test at Mystery Creek this morning ahead of Rally New Zealand that starts in Hamilton tonight.
Loeb (Citroen) trails arch-rival Marcus Gronholm (Ford) by eight points with five rallies remaining after the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship which is based in Hamilton, heading to the King Country, Waikato and Franklin Districts this weekend.
However the Frenchman could only muster the 10th fastest time in shakedown, nearly five seconds slower than Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala and his fellow Finnish teammate Gronholm this morning. While the shakedown is only an opportunity for the WRC drivers to ensure their cars are on song, it may be a pointer as Gronholm attacks the 18 stages on his favourite fast and flowing gravel roads in New Zealand.
Latvala managed a best of 2min 24.6s on the relatively rough surface for the test at Mystery Creek in the third of his five runs while Gronholm was only 3/10ths of a second slower in his second of three runs. Subaru’s Chris Atkinson (Australia) was third fastest with a best of 2:25.1s in the forth of six runs, ahead of teammate and 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg (Norway).
The fastest of the New Zealanders was Auckland’s Andrew Hawkeswood in his Mitsubishi Evo just ahead of Geraldine’s Hayden Paddon (Mitsubishi Evo 8) who had a busy time replacing a gearbox this week.
Rally New Zealand begins with the traditional Ceremonial Start in downtown Hamilton this evening.
The rally proper begins tomorrow with four stages in the Otorohanga and Waitomo region before returning for the Super Stage at Mystery Creek. Day Two involves five stages in the Franklin District and northern Waikato with a further Super Stage. The final day in Raglan with six special stages finishes with the Super Special Stage at the Rally Headquarters and Service Park at Mystery Creek.
ENDS
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