Gronholm’s bad luck continues in shakedown

The Finn's Peugeot 206 clipped a tree stump, damaging the steering and suspension on its left-front corner. Grönholm elected not to try to drive the car out of the stage, and the shakedown had to be halted until the 206 was removed.

"It was just bad luck," said Grönholm. "I was maybe two centimetres too far towards the inside of the corner and we hit the stump. But it's better that it happened today, not Friday. Hopefully it's the last of my bad luck."

Like most of the top stars, Grönholm believes that the Rally of Portugal will be a stern test for cars and drivers. "The conditions on the recce were awful," he said. "The mud is very thick and in places, there are big ruts and the car just bellies out on them. When some of the stages are run for the second time, they'll be impossible. I really just want to finish and score some points here."

Grönholm could yet take an advantage from a remarkable piece of foresight from his Peugeot team. They nominated Michelin's mud tyre as one of their two choices, and the 206s will be the only factory cars to have that option at their disposal.