Solberg: I tried everything

The works Imprezas were off the pace throughout the event. With just two weeks before the next asphalt rally in Corsica, the team will be hard pressed to find a solution to its problems, but Solberg is staying positive.

"It's been tough," he admitted. "I've done everything I can.

"Yesterday we made a wrong tyre choice and we lost a lot of time. We tried a few different settings because we were not close enough. We had to try something.

"It's not so bad, anyway I think we found some improvements at the end.

"Let's hope we can be ready for Corsica now and go for a podium."

Solberg's team-mate Stephane Sarrazin finished eighth.

"I'm happy to get the manufacturers' points but for me it is disappointing because it has been a very difficult rally," he said.

The happiest of the Subaru trio was Chris Atkinson, who took his 2005 specification Impreza to 11th despite a time consuming accident in leg two.

Spectators helped to get the Subaru back onto the road so that Atkinson could continue.

Having spent his formative years competing on gravel, Atkinson was very pleased with his personal progress during the all-asphalt Rally Catalunya.

"We're really happy with how it's gone this weekend," he said.

"How much I've improved on tarmac in the last year is incredible for me, and I'm really excited about future tarmac rallies now."