Rally-Driver.com: Wilks plays a safe bet on Rallye Monte Carlo

Wilks plays a safe bet on Rallye Monte Carlo
================================================================================
Elton Murphy on 22 January, 2010 12:49:00
 
Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks continued to place only safe bets on the
opening round of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Rallye Monte Carlo,
by making good tyre choices and driving without risk on the middle day of the
event.  Whilst others gambled and lost, Guy drove his Fabia S2000 faultlessly to
move from 10th to 7th by the end of the day.
Heavy overnight snow on the event’s most northerly stage (SS6) made tyre
choice for Leg 2 all the more difficult, as the two other stages on the loop
were mostly wet. Co-driven by Phil Pugh, Guy went out on snow tyres – and
returned to Valence for the mid-day service halt (and the halfway point in the
rally) having moved up to 8th position after an excellent run through SS7.
The three stages were repeated in the afternoon, and whilst conditions were
generally drier, there were patches of snow, ice and mud to ensure snow tyres
remained the safest option. After a good run, Guy finished the day in 7th, just
13.5 seconds behind Franz Wittmann.
Guy Wilks: “I’m pleased, because this was a typically tough Rallye Monte
Carlo day and we’ve had a very solid performance, made no mistakes and moved
up the leaderboard.
“Conditions have been very tricky.  Where Kris [Meeke] crashed this morning,
our ice note crew said that it was a sheet of black ice, and to drive as slowly
as I would in a supermarket car park.  They were right!
“We had a very good afternoon. However, 600 metres into the final stage, my
headset flew out of its net and landed under the clutch pedal. It was a bit of a
distraction and we lost about 15 seconds, but it’s a good day on the Rallye
Monte Carlo if that’s been your only problem.”
Leg 3 starts tomorrow in Valence at 06.30 and immediately heads south towards
Monaco, with an 18.8 mile (30.42km) stage en route. After arriving in Monte
Carlo, crews have a rest before they leave for the final four stages – which
include two runs over the famous Col de Turini.  After all 15 special stages
have been completed, the rally returns to Monte Carlo at 01.15 (Saturday 23
January).
Leg 2 results (after SS10)
1. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Ford  Fiesta S2000)…3hr 12min 44.0secs
2. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+47.7secs
3. Sébastien  Ogier /Julien Ingrassia (Peugeot 207 S2000)…1min 10.3secs
4. Nicolas Vouilloz/Benjamin  Veillas (Škoda Fabia S2000)…1min  34.3secs
5. Stéphane Sarrazin/Jacques-Julien Renucci (Peugeot  207 S2000)…6mins
06.0secs
6. Franz  Wittmann/Klaus Wicha (Peugeot 207 S2000)…6mins 53.8secs
7. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda  Fabia S2000)…7mins 07.3secs
Fans will also be able to follow  Guy’s progress on Twitter
(http://twitter.com/GuyWilks),  Facebook and www.guywilks.com.