WRC

Monte Carlo: OMV Kronos leg three mid-way update

Troubles with brakes continue on third leg * OMV Kronos Citroen WRT working hard to find a solution * Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor still not discouraged The troubles with the brakes continued for the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team on the ...

Edited: Jan 22, 2007, 4:58 AM

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Troubles with brakes continue on third leg

* OMV Kronos Citroen WRT working hard to find a solution

* Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor still not discouraged

The troubles with the brakes continued for the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team on the third day of the "Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo". Right at the beginning of the leg the same malfunction like on Thursday evening reappeared. After only a few kilometres into the first special stage the 34- year-old Austrian felt no restistance from the pedal. At the service the team is desperately trying to find an explanation. Until then all that is left for the OMV duo to do is to use the rally for testing. After eleven of 15 special stages Stohl/Minor lie in eleventh overall place. A top result is nowhere in sight.

One can't help it

The brake problems of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Teams are like a recurrent theme at the first run to the FIA World Rally Championship. Stohl had already complained about malfunctioning brakes on Thursday evening. Therefore the front disc brake calipers were exchanged. Following the spin on Friday one of these burned out. Thus the team had to fall back on the repaired parts from Thursday. But unfortunately the malfunction reappeared. On Saturday the braking effect faded once again and the OMV driver could only complete the stages with diminished speed. Stohl: "We can only try to look at the bright side. On the special stages we were able to complete without problems we were very fast already and got acquainted with the Citroen Xsara WRC quite well." Last year's WRC fourth-placed had already been in fifth overall place on Friday before a spin caused him to drop back to eleventh place. Since the brake problems couldn't be resolved on Saturday morning no improvement in the ranking was possible.

Working flat out

Kronos Racing is working flat out to find a solution to the problem. But during a rally the options are limited. "It is a technical problem, not one of the driver. Unfortunately we don't have very much time during a rally. I am convinced that the problems are caused by just a small part of the disc brake caliper. Now we only have to find this part. In any case, the car will be completely reassembled for the next rally. But the performance of Manfred and Ilka makes me very confident. We are on the right track ", explains Marc van Dalen, Team Principal of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team.

Superior Loeb

Sebastien Loeb (F/Citroen C4 WRC) remains the man to beat. The World Champion keeps his teammate Dani Sordo (E) and the rest of the field in check. Four special stages prior to the finish of the rally he lies almost 30 seconds ahead of the Spaniard and already 1:18,8 minutes ahead of last year's winner Marcus Gronholm (Fin/Ford Focus WRC).

64,36 kilometres still to go, then on to Monte Carlo

Three special stages with an overall length of 64,36 kilometres are still to be completed on Saturday afternoon. Following the 14th special stage (start of 1st car at 15.10) the teams will depart for Monte Carlo, a distance of 360 kilometres. There the final super stage will take place on Sunday (21.01.) at 09.00. It will partly be completed on the legendary Formula-I track. The presentation ceremony will be held at 15.00 in front of the palace.

-credit: owrt

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