Shakedown – Atkinson and Subaru lead the debate
Subaru driver Chris Atkinson recorded the best time in the Shakedown, a preparation for the Swedish rally, the second round of the 2008 WRC season. The Australian, in a 2007 Impreza WRC, was only three-tenths ahead of the four-time world champion Sébastien Loeb and his C4 WRC on the slightly icy 1.8 km track. Petter […]
Subaru driver Chris Atkinson recorded the best time in the Shakedown, a preparation for the Swedish rally, the second round of the 2008 WRC season.
The Australian, in a 2007 Impreza WRC, was only three-tenths ahead of the four-time world champion Sébastien Loeb and his C4 WRC on the slightly icy 1.8 km track. Petter Solberg is also in second place with a tie. The gravel conditions seem to suit the Subaru.
Indeed, with exceptionally hot conditions in Karistad, the host city, most of the drivers decided to complete only three or four laps of the designated track.
« Even if the shakedown does not represent the stages that await us for the rest of the event, it will be very good training, » commented Atkinson. « There were some frozen sections so we were able to check how the car operates under these conditions and for now everything is working very well. »
The Ford Stobart line-up takes the 4th fastest time with Galli and Henning Solberg. They are ahead of another Ford Focus, the 2006 version this time, driven by the young 18-year-old Finn, Mikkelsen.
Sweden Rally – Top 10 – Shakedown
| Drivers | Teams | Time | |
| 1 | Atkinson | Subaru Impreza | 1:06.1 |
| 2 | P. Solberg | Subaru Impreza | 1:06.4 |
| 3 | Loeb | Citroen C4 | 1:06.4 |
| 4 | Galli | Ford Stobart 07 | 1:06.7 |
| 5 | H. Solberg | Ford Stobart 07 | 1:06.7 |
| 6 | Mikkelsen | Ford Focus 06 | 1:06.9 |
| 7 | Latvala | Ford Focus 08 | 1:07.0 |
| 8 | Hirvonen | Ford Focus 08 | 1:07.2 |
| 9 | Andersson | Suzuki SX4 | 1:07.3 |
| 10 | Gardemeister | Suzuki SX4 | 1:07.7 |
