Wilson battles illness in seventh

The Cumbrian's co-driver Scott Martin admitted he'd never seen Wilson put on a more battling and defiant display than on today's Kemer-based round of the World Rally Championship.

"It's been really hard work," said Wilson. "I'm so bunged up, I can hardly breathe at the end of the stages. It's a bit of a nightmare, but the times are okay - which is the main thing."

The team doctor is unable to offer Wilson much help between stages. He is being prescribed nurofen for his headache, but with so many of the other remedies on the sport's banned list of drugs the only other help he's getting is from eucalyptus oil.

"Matt doing really well," said Martin. "He's coping exceptionally with his condition. I hear the occasional cough in the stage as he's trying to catch his breath, but that's all."