Rallye Deutschland - 6-8 July 01

Posted: June 21, 2001 11:07 AM

he European Rally Championship event has been added to Wearden's experience-building programme, as the all-asphalt rally is being considered for inclusion in the 2002 FIA World Rally Championship - a series Wearden is aiming to contest in full.

In addition to London-based Slipstream, most of the manufacturers involved in this year's World Rally Championship are contesting the German event, with works entries from Peugeot, Ford, Citroen and Skoda also confirmed. Representatives from all the other manufacturers are likely to attend to gather data.

Wearden has always performed well on asphalt rallies. Victory on the 1999 Ulster Rally was Neil's first international rally win, while the 28-year old driver from Blackpool has also contested asphalt rallies in Italy, France and Belgium. This time the result will be of secondary importance, as Wearden and co-driver Trevor Agnew already have a set plan designed specifically to acquire maximum experience.

Wearden said: "Slipstream has been monitoring the situation regarding Rallye Deutschland for some time, and as it looks increasingly likely that it will be part of the FIA World Rally Championship next year it has entered me on the event to gain experience. I've never contested a rally in Germany before, and we're obviously doing as much research as we can to find out more detailed information on Rallye Deutschland. From what we know at the moment, the event appears pretty straightforward and not too specialised. Many of the stages are repeated, so that will enable us to try different things and compare our times over the same section of road.

"Having gained experience rallying a World Rally Car on gravel in Cyprus, driving the Peugeot 206WRC on asphalt for the first time will be a great learning experience," added Wearden. "I went to Catalunya and Corsica last year to watch the Peugeot in action, and it's a very good car on asphalt. I won't drive my 206WRC until the official shakedown on the eve of Rallye Deutschland, so we will approach the first part of the event as an extended test session. When we're happy with our performance, we aim to raise the pace and try to set some competitive times on maybe the final leg of the event. The aim is to complete as many stages as possible and gain experience in preparation for next year."

Angus Watt, Managing Director of Slipstream Sports Management, said: "Neil's programme this year is designed to give him World Rally Championship experience. As Rallye Deutschland is clearly being considered as a new round of the 2002 FIA World Rally Championship, it is a good event for Neil to contest. It will also give him valuable experience of driving a World Rally Car on asphalt, and fits in nicely between the gravel events in Cyprus in June and Rally Finland in August that were always in our programme."

The 2001 Rallye Deutschland starts from Trier on Friday 6 July. All 18 special stages take place on smooth asphalt roads around the towns of Trier, Baumholder and St. Wendel. The finish is in Trier on Sunday 8 July.