Sect. 5, Marigat: Solberg fastest
Subarau ace Petter Solberg set the fastest time on Section 5 of the Safari Rally in sole remaining works Impreza WRC and took the fight to event leader Tommi Makinen by taking just over thirty seconds out of the Mitsubishi ace's lead
Solberg completed the 124.48km Marigat Section, the longest in the entire World Rally Championship, in just five seconds over an hour. Harri Rovanpera finished second to the Norwegian in the only Peugeot still in the event, 26 seconds behind.
Only 26 cars passed over the ramps for the start of Leg Two due to yesterday (Friday's) high rate of attrition, which included the retirements of Brits Richard Burns and Colin McRae. Carlos Sainz was soon to go the same way as his Ford team mate and was forced to retire with engine trouble halway through the Marigat test.
With Sainz, who was second to Makinen, out of the running, Rovanpera and Solberg each move up a place into second and third overall. However, the pair have their work cut out if they are to catch the four-time world champion. Rovanpera lies 5 minutes adrift of the Finn and Solberg almost seven.
The problems were not just limited to the Sainz's Ford, as Francois Delecour, in the third Focus WRC, also ran into trouble with a broken rear driveshaft costing him six minutes. Despite the lost time, however, the Frenchamn managed to limp home and set the sixth fastest time, but dropped one place overall and currently lies fifth.
Delecour's misfortune allowed Section 1 winner Armin Schwarz to move up into fourth place on the leaderboard. The German set the fourth fastest time in Section 5, just ahead of Skoda team mate Bruno Thiry, who lies sixth overall.
For Sect. 5 Marigat results click here.
For full live timings table click here.
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