Skoda pleased by Safari tests

The Octavia WRC will make its second visit to the African plains this year, and Thiry concentrated on evaluating tweaks to suspension and testing the car's strength in rough conditions. He reportedly notched up more than 200 miles without significant problems. The only real glitch is said to have occurred in the car's uprights, but Skoda is confident it can be cured prior to the July event.

"We want to be far more aggressive this year than last," said Thiry. "It was our prime objective to see just how hard we could push and the car was just brilliant. Without wanting to sound too optimistic, I was incredibly impressed."

Thiry jarred bones in his neck during the test and he visited an osteopath on his return to Belgium earlier this week. The injury is said to only require mild treatment.

Skoda will send Armin Schwarz back to Africa in late June to test revisions made on Thiry's findings. After scoring manufacturers' points there last year, the Mlada Boleslav team is hopeful that strength alone will compensate for the Octavia's relative lack of power on the world championship's last remaining test of raw endurance.