News round-up: McRae’s failure was a ‘freak’

McRae's engine failed after its electronic control system sent the wrong message to it, causing it to overheat with little warning to the driver. The Scot is still to break his duck in the 2001 drivers' standings after three events.

Peugeot is planning to put at least 3000 gruelling test kilometres on the evolution version of its double world title-winning 206 WRC before it makes its debut on June's Cyprus Rally.

Test driver Andrea Aghini has already carried out running in Greece, and the team is planning a trip to Kenya, along with a return to Greece, during April. The car's weakness until now has been its fragility on the WRC's rougher gravel events - last year world champion Marcus Gronholm retired in Cyprus, Greece and Kenya - but Peugeot believes the evolution will address this.

Project chief Francois-Xavier Delfosse said: "The new 206 is not a revolution, but it's quite a lot better than the existing car. I think we will be well-prepared by the time it is ready to rally."

Norwegian hotshoe Petter Solberg has got the nod from Subaru to be the second of its manufacturers' points-scoring drivers on the upcoming Catalunya Rally. Solberg joins team-leader Richard Burns as one of the team's two nominated drivers for the third event in a row, despite fellow Subaru junior Markko Martin having more experience of the Spanish asphalt. Team principal David Lapworth said: "I think Petter will go well in Spain. It's a difficult choice, and there's no favouritism involved."