WRC: Petter out to prove point with new Impreza.

[Rory Phoulorie]

Petter Solberg has said that he wants to 'prove' that Subaru are back in the fight next weekend, when the FIA World Rally Championship heads to Portugal.

Solberg shone last time out in Mexico and was leading on merit until he had to retire near the end of day one. Despite that though, it was still a pretty promising debut for the new 2007 spec Impreza and the Norwegian firmly believes that things have now turned around for the Banbury-based concern, after a truly miserable 2006. Indeed he wants to show they can challenge Citroen and Ford for the top places.

�It is very important for the whole team that we are back again and that is the main thing. So, I hope we can show a very good performance in Portugal and just prove that we can do well there,� he told Crash.net Radio.

�I am going over to England to try and fine-tune it before the event and we have some new parts that we want to try. So, from that point of view I hope we can get an even better balance. I hope I will be able to win.�

Asked about the Impreza WRC2007 and what makes it better, he said that it is just �easier everywhere' and in �every type of condition'.

�We are still working on the balance and the chassis of the car, but still the main basic things are right and that makes things much easier to drive,� he explained. �It is then much more fun for me and I can do a better performance.

�We have gone back to basics - that is the main thing, good weight distribution, better traction, much, much less under-steer and so obviously big, big change. This is what we need to go quick.�

Despite his optimism though, Petter has already lost considerable ground in the battle for the 2007 drivers' title. Indeed while he has notched up just 8 points thus far, Marcus Gronholm and Sebastien Loeb, who are first and second in the standings, are into double figures, the former with four times as many points. So what is a realistic goal now?

�Well obviously we have to try not to panic, since we lost a lot of points in Mexico,� he summed-up. �There is a gap of 24 points up there to the leader but you can lose a rally very quickly. If I can win some rallies soon and a couple of the guys retire we will be back in it again.

�Then, hopefully I can tell you we will fight for the championship later this year. We will take it rally by rally, step by step and then take a real look at everything halfway through the season. Hopefully then we can give it a big shot for the championship.�

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