A few hours before the start…
Just before the autograph session on the Grote Markt in Ypres, a few top drivers discussed their approach at thepress conference held in the media room.
Adrian Fourmaux: “The roads have changed considerably due to this week’s rainfall; The normally slippery lanes in the Westhoek may have become even more ‘tricky’. A mistake can be punished immediately. Still, I’m looking forward to starting after Stéphane Lefebvre this afternoon. With our Ford Fiesta, we mainly hope to score points for the British Championship, where I am leading.
Stéphane Lefebvre: “For me this is a real home rally. Since I was little I came to see the Ypres rally every year. This rally has a special place in my heart. In the coming days many family, friends and acquaintances will visit. Last year I had a lot more rhythm, because the rallies followed each other very quickly. Now I am only on my third rally with the Citroën C3. Taking the best time in Qualifying means that I have to open the road today. We will see if this causes any problems.”
James Williams: “My Qualifying didn’t go as expected as I got a 10 second penalty from a jump start. With that I have to be satisfied with a perhaps insignificant 21st place on the road. We remain positive, however, and certainly hope to learn a lot from guys like Stéphane and Adrian. I’m ready for my first rally with the Ford Fiesta Rally2. Given that we can drop two results for the British Rally Championship, it can still go either way for me. So we have to score well here in Ypres. This is a rally that definitely appeals to me.”
Davy Vanneste: “After qualifying, we certainly have a good feeling and a lot of confidence in the Volkswagen Polo Gti. We made a mistake on the last run, which might have allowed us to get a little closer to Chris Ingram. Although I am satisfied with the 9th place on the road. I think this is my 20th participation in Ypres, and every year we really look forward to this rally. Getting the podium is certainly an objective, although we remain very down to earth and know that this will not be that easy.”
