Solberg vows to win in Oz
Petter Solberg has vowed to end his 2004 season with a victory after two asphalt events that have netted him distant fifth place finishes
Solberg and the Subaru team struggled to find grip from the Pirelli tyres on the sealed-surface. The 2003 champion's inability to find consistency allowed Ford's Markko Martin, the winner in Corsica and this weekend's Catalunya Rally, to close to within three points in the battle for second in the championship.
But the last event on the calendar, in Australia in two weeks time, provides a return to the gravel surface that has proved a happy hunting ground for Solberg this year. The Norweigen plans to make the most of it.
"It's been a difficult weekend," Solberg said of his Catalunya Rally. "We got back in one piece, with some points and gathered some useful data, that's the main thing, but of course I know that we have the potential to do so much better. Now though it's time to re-focus on the next event.
"We won Australia before, we've dominated the last few gravel rallies and I'm hungry for another rally win."
Subaru boss David Lapworth admitted that the team went to Spain with a view to testing 2005 parts and finding solutions to the Impreza's lack of asphalt grip.
"With the championship decided on the previous round, our focus has naturally switched to next year," he said. "The plan coming here was to gain as much data as possible for our 2005 development programme. The drivers have done a very professional job and helped us to gather a lot of information. Australia however will be a different story. There's no doubt we want to end the season on a high.
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