Wilks focused on Russian finish

Wilks crashed out of last month's Ypres Rally, the first event in his Intercontinental Rally Challenge programme, but he is determined not to let the same thing happen again.

"Obviously, we want to be competitive, but this is going to be a different event, there are no Peugeots here," said Wilks, who contested last year's Rally Russia in a Honda and set class-leading times before retiring.

"But Skoda and Abarth are both starting and we want to run well with them, but the main objective is to finish the rally - there's no doubt about that.

"But, this is still a very new car. Okay, we set some good times and led the Pirelli Rally [round of the British Rally Championship] last time out on gravel, but we still need more time with the car under these kind of circumstances. Russia is going to give us that."

Wilks admitted he was looking forward to the event, adding: "I liked the stages last year. They were usually quite quick, but with some technical places and a few big rocks in the middle of the road. It's not going to be an easy rally."

The pace at last night's shakedown was set by Skoda Fabia S2000 drivers Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky.