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| Championship Standings |
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2003 Championship
After 14 of 14 Rounds |
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| Drivers Points |
| 1 |
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Petter Solberg |
72 |
| 2 |
 |
Sebastian Loeb |
71 |
| 3 |
 |
Carlos Sainz |
63 |
| 4 |
 |
Richard Burns |
58 |
| 5 |
 |
Markko Martin |
49 |
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Full Details... |
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| Manufacturers Points |
| 1 |
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Citroen |
160 |
| 2 |
 |
Peugeot |
145 |
| 3 |
 |
Subaru |
109 |
| 4 |
 |
Ford |
93 |
| 5 |
 |
Hyundai |
12 |
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Full Details... |
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2003|NEWS
UDDEHOLM SWEDISH RALLY |
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FROM SWEDEN TO TURKEY – FROM SUB-ZERO TO SUB-TROPICAL
Manufacturer: Skoda
Press Release Type: Post Event ReleaseThe current World Rally Championship brings the Skoda Motorsport Team and its drivers to four continents and 14 different countries of the world. One of the most charming aspects of this wide spread is the variety of scenery, climate and road conditions. And the Swedish Rally is unique in that it has become the last true winter rally, with the majority of roads frozen to solid ice, often covered with snow.
Michelin brought two types of tyres to Sweden, one for snow with an asymmetrical pattern and another type developed specifically for pure ice. Both tyre types carry about 380 studs per tyre, and these give tremendous grip, even on solid ice. The choice of tyre type was made easy with only two available, but still the Skoda Motorsport Team made all the right decisions. Said Petr Kohoutek, Director of Skoda Motorsport: “Finding the right tyre is crucial, since there is quite a difference between the two. But we did the right thing, our drivers were always equipped to their liking.”
The studs that go in the tyre resemble a bolt without thread but with a small pointed tip and they are surrounded by a lot of secrecy. Even the type of metal is not openly discussed by the tyre manufacturers, obviously anxious to keep their advantage to themselves. Since Michelin have won 22 out of the last 24 Swedish Rallies, it is fair to state that they do have something to be careful with!
But it is not only the snow and ice that provide hazards to the drivers. Some have difficulty “reading” the road well and try to combat poor visibility with yellow colored glasses. In the foggy conditions of the last morning, several drivers complained of the visibility, but this did not hamper Toni Gardemeister nor his teammate Didier Auriol. Said the cool Finn: “The visibility is really bad, but that’s the same for everybody. We will manage.” Tony was as good as his word since he brought home another manufactures point for Skoda Motorsport and of course one for himself as a driver.
Although the days of steamed up windshields and ineffective heating are well behind us, the drivers do come out of their cars shivering, seeking shelter in the tents and motor homes that the teams have in use. Didier Auriol nestled snugly next to the heating outlet of the Skoda Motorsport tent, leaving only at the very last moment. “With the window open for the time controls and so forth, you can easily catch a cold,” mused the 1994 World Rally Champion. “And we can only drive in our regular overalls, anything else gives us less freedom of movement.”
But the discomforts of the drivers may appear minor if compared to the daily routine of the mechanics, who work in temperatures that dropped as low as minus 18 degrees centigrade on the first day of the rally. Of course they could still rush to the temporary toilets when in dire need, since here in Sweden, these had individual heaters fitted.
The next round of the World Rally Championship will take place on the Turkish coast near Antalya, from 28 February until 2 March 2003, where different types of weather conditions are expected. Kohoutek is optimistic about the next rally, saying: “We will be testing for Turkey next week and that should give us ample preparation. Since this is a new rally for all of us, we have more of an equal chance. It will be interesting to see how we compare with our colleagues when nobody has any experience to fall back upon.”  Click here for a printable version of this news Item
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