WRC
Swedish Rally: OMV Kronos final summary
OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team successful in Sweden The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is very satisfied with the result of the "Uddeholm Swedish Rally". Fifth place by Daniel Carlsson/Denis Giraudet and seventh place by Manfred ...
Published: Feb 11, 2007, 11:20 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team successful in Sweden
The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is very satisfied with the result of the "Uddeholm Swedish Rally". Fifth place by Daniel Carlsson/Denis Giraudet and seventh place by Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor add up to seven points in the manufacture ranking of the FIA World Rally Championship. Both drivers also regarded this rally as perfect preparation for the WRC-run in Norway which will commence already next Thursday and is new on the agenda.
Carlsson is satisfied and relieved
Daniel Carlsson was under enormous pressure at the Sweden Rally. The local hero had been built up as a national hero by the public. Numerous reports that filled pages in the newspapers besides hardly any sports TV-coverage without a Carlsson-interview. Following his podium place last year one also wanted to see him among the top three this year. A difficult task, as the 30-year-old OMV driver was well aware. Carlsson: "We were only able to do barely 100 kilometres of testing prior to the rally. The Citroen Xsara WRC is a completely new car to us. That is why we lost a lot of time on the first day before finding the right rhythm. So now I am very satisfied with and also relieved by fifth place. And I am convinced that we will be able to do even better next week in Norway."
Mixed feelings for Stohl
Foremost, OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Teammate Manfred Stohl is mainly happy about seventh place and two points won. He nevertheless also knows that there will be a lot of work ahead for him with the Xsara. Stohl: "All components still do not fit. We have to get as competitive as last year in order to be able to fight for podium places. Which means, for instance, the brakes but also the right choice of tyres. Still, to score two points as non-Scandinavian and non-Loeb is a great thing. I hope that we will be able to repeat this in Norway since this rally will be under the same sign, as far as the favourites are concerned."
Van Dalen praises teamwork
Marc van Dalen, Team Principal of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team, was most impressed by the teamwork at the Sweden Rally. Van Dalen: "We've won seven points in the manufacture ranking and currently lie only one point behind the works team of Subaru. Daniel and Manfred performed a tactically faultless rally and used their options perfectly. Now we will have to tap our full potential."
Grönholm wins for the fifth time in Sweden
Ford works driver Marcus Grönholm clearly was the dominator of the Uddeholm Swedish Rally 2007. Following 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006 the Finn was victorious for the fifth time already. The only one to top that was Stig Blomqvist during the period from 1971 to 1984. Grönholm outdistanced World Champion Sebastien Loeb (Citroen C4 WRC) by 53,8 seconds, thereby securing his 26th career-victory by which he catches up with Carlos Sainz. Third man on the podium was Ford works teammate Mikko Hirvonen, who was able to leave Henning Solberg (Nor/Ford Focus WRC) in his wake following an exciting duel.
Credit: kronos
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Swedish Rally SS18 results
Next article Swedish Rally: Aimont Racing final summary
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Sébastien Loeb
Sebastien Loeb tests new Project Rally One 2027 WRC car
WRC
WRC
Rally Italy
Sebastien Loeb tests new Project Rally One 2027 WRC car
Sebastien Loeb to make traditional stage rallying return
WRC
WRC
Sebastien Loeb to make traditional stage rallying return
Sebastien Loeb after 13 Dakar punctures: Cars now extremely robust, tyres the weak link
Dakar
Dakar
Dakar
Sebastien Loeb after 13 Dakar punctures: Cars now extremely robust, tyres the weak link
More from
Citroën World Rally Team
Citroen reveals new-look 2025 WRC line-up
WRC
WRC
Rally Monte Carlo
Citroen reveals new-look 2025 WRC line-up
Ostberg gets full WRC2 season with Citroen
WRC
WRC
Ostberg gets full WRC2 season with Citroen
Citroen open to making WRC car available to privateers
WRC
WRC
Citroen open to making WRC car available to privateers
Latest news
Spy shots of 2027 NASCAR Ford Mustang testing at Charlotte, but what's different?
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
45 min
Spy shots of 2027 NASCAR Ford Mustang testing at Charlotte, but what's different?
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 1 h
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
Indy NXT
IndL Indy NXT 3 h
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 3 h
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe