IRC: Interwetten Racing Rally Islas Canarias leg 1 summary

Interwetten Racing Team lies in ninth overall place after three special stages of the "34th Rally Islas Canarias"

Franz Wittmann/Klaus Wicha can easily explain the gap on the top

Franz Wittmann and Klaus Wicha (Peugeot 207 S2000) lie in ninth overall place after three of 15 special stages of the "34th Rally Islas de Canarias". The gap on leader Kris Meeke (GB/Peugeot 207 S2000) amounts to 42 seconds. But there are only 7,7 seconds missing on a place within scoring ranks. Therefore the Interwetten Racing-duo is very confident for the remainder of the rally since Franz Wittmann knows the reasons why he currently loses about one second per kilometre on the top drivers.

Wittmann: "Unfortunately we haven't yet found the rhythm. We are driving a very clean line but we still lack the confidence to attack. But this should already change during the next stages. And it explains, adding to the difference between a works car and a private team, the time gap. But we will keep on fighting and improve step by step."

Rather incomprehnsible was a decision of the organisers on special stage 2. While the starting interval between Daniel Oliveira (Bra/Peugeot 207 S2000) and Wittmann on SS 1 and 3 had amounted to two minutes it only was one minute on SS 2 which leads over 24,85 kilometres. After about ten kilometres the Interwetten Racing-driver caught up with the Brazilian.

"That was really a bit strange. But Daniel behaved very fairly and tried to let us pass as fast as possible. But the course didn't allow for that for a while which surely cost us some time", explains Wittmann.

-source: interwetten-racing.com