REPORT: Solberg does perfect Italian job
Italy - Subaru - Petter Solberg - 03/10/2004 12:54:58
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Petter Solberg put in a perfect performance on the gravel roads of Sardinia to seal his fifth win of 2004 and his third victory in a row. Second for Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb, however, meant Solberg made little ground on the Frenchman in the title chase.

The reigning champion and his Subaru team dominated the new-look Supermag Rally Italia Sardinia, which has moved from the asphalt roads of Sanremo to the Mediterranean island for the first time this year. The Norwegian topped the timesheets on 13 of the 19 stages in a flawless drive that belied just how hazard-strewn the dusty stages were. Only five of the works cars made the end of the rally, while most drivers lost significant time with problems.

The only drivers to remain relatively unaffected were two of the sport’s youngest stars – in the shape of Solberg and Loeb – and one of its most experienced drivers, with Loeb’s Citroen team-mate Carlos Sainz adding yet further kudos to his reputation as a master of events which are new to the World Rally Championship calendar.

Behind the double world champion, Subaru privateer Andrea Navarra became the highest-finishing privateer of the year with fourth place, just ahead of Ford’s Francois Duval, who now is within striking distance in the points standings of Peugeot’s double world champion, Marcus Gronholm. The Finn struggled home seventh here, after turbo failure on Saturday’s second leg.

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Works Mitsubishi driver Gianluiggi Galli matched the team’s best performance of the year – sixth in Monte Carlo – but this time behind the wheel of a Group N car. Ford Focus privateer Antony Warmbold completed the points scorers in eighth place.

The list of retirements looked longer than the list of finishers at times. Works Skoda drivers Armin Schwarz and Toni Gardemeister were both eliminated from the rally (in Gardemeister’s case, twice) with battle damage, while Peugeot’s Harri Rovanpera and Subaru young gun Mikko Hirvonen both pulled out with gearbox failure. Ford’s Markko Martin followed Gronholm’s example by blowing his turbo on the final day, but the Estonian was unable to make it to the end of the rally and retired.

Solberg’s victory has done little to boost his hopes of retaining his title, however. As Loeb finished second, only two points behind his Norwegian rival, he now heads into the final three rallies of the season with a healthy 26-point lead. Only 30 points are up for grabs, and 20 of those are on Citroen and Loeb-suiting asphalt. It will take a combination of a miracle and some sterling drives from Solberg for him to stand a chance of winning a second crown, but, based on the last three weekends, are you brave enough to bet against it?