LIMASSOL, Cyprus, 23 June 2003 — Subaru’s Petter Solberg won the Cyprus Rally yesterday to close in on the world championship leaders.
The Norwegian, who secured his second career victory, won five of the day’s six special stages with the sixth going to Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who is one point off the lead in the world championship after finishing fifth.
Solberg, who finished four minutes and 14 seconds ahead of Finn Harri Rovanpera in a Peugeot, climbed to fourth in the championship standings, eight points behind leader Richard Burns. “I need a few more wins under my belt to challenge for this year’s title, but I’ll certainly be trying,” Solberg told the official WRC website after the seventh race, and midway point, of the championship.
Briton Burns was one of a string of second-day casualties, retiring in his Peugeot on Saturday with engine failure.
Defending world champion Marcus Gronholm of Finland, who led in his Peugeot after the first day but also pulled out on Saturday when he broke his propshaft, remains third one point above Solberg.
Frenchman Sebastien Loeb finished the race in third, 4:16.8 behind, as Citroen became the only factory team to complete the race with more than one car.
“Citroen getting all three of its cars home is a remarkable achievement and one that bodes well for the future, as this was the toughest rally of the year,” former world champion Sainz said. His British teammate Colin McRae was fourth, about 30 seconds behind Loeb, and just short of a minute in front of Sainz.
Rovanpera began the day just 25 seconds behind Solberg, whose only previous victory was in Britain last year.
But the Finn’s challenge faltered over the closing three specials after he broke his driveshaft. “The second round of stages today were the most difficult stages of my career,” said Rovanpera, who like Solberg was chasing his second championship victory. Subaru boss David Lapworth was impressed with his team’s performance in rough conditions similar to those in Africa.
