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Subaru boss hails Atkinson

Subaru rally boss David Lapworth has tipped new signing Chris Atkinson as a potential successor to the team's world champion drivers Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg in the wake of his impressive performance in Sweden

The young Australian had never competed in a WR car or rallied on snow prior to the build-up to last week's event, but he rose from 22nd place (after visiting a ditch on SS1) to ninth before going off the road and losing 13 minutes on the final morning. Although Atkinson eventually finished an unrepresentative 19th, he had made his mark.

"He's like a Colin, Richard or Petter in the way he can get into a car and just drive it pretty close to the limits without being phased," said Lapworth. "Given that he hadn't driven a WRC before (last) Monday, and even then he only did 100km, what he did on the rally was very special.

"I kind of half-expected this, having seen him in the test and knowing his whole attitude and approach."

Atkinson admitted that he had gone into the rally intending to attack as well as learn.

"I didn't want to come here and just drive safely to the finish," he said. "I wanted to have a bit of a go and try to find the limits."

Subaru's third driver Stephane Sarrazin was slower than Atkinson for much of the rally and finished 13th. This was the former Formula 1 driver first ever loose surface event, and Lapworth said that he intended to help Sarrazin get more gravel experience before his next WRC appearance.

"We will probably get him out in a Group N car," said Lapworth. "It could be something like the Rally of Wales, or other British Rally Championship rounds, or it could be rounds of the French gravel championship."

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