Team MRF driver Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) will look to build on a good start to his season, when he gets behind the wheel for the FIA APRC (Round 2) International Rally of Queensland here on Saturday.
Gill, who won the opening APRC round at Whangarei (New Zealand) last month, appeared relaxed at the ceremonial start on Friday. He is driving the Skoda Fabia R5 — a car which is used in FIA World Rally Championship 2 events.
“Our R5 is lightning fast. It is the most technologically advanced car in the field now,” Gill said. The 34-year-old was fastest in the unofficial test session around a short course at the Nambour Showgrounds, clocking a time of 1:10.5s.
Testing conditionsLike all good rallies, the stages on offer test multiple aspects of man and machine. The tarmac runs allow the drivers to put pedal to metal, while the forest areas demand caution.
“We touch an average speed of 100 kmph on tarmac, and drop to an average of 75 kmph in the forest. The nature of one stage can be the exact opposite of another,” he said. The many uphill and downhill stretches also pose a unique challenge.
Fabian Kreim, his teammate, has more realistic expectations. “This will be my first time here. It is important to survive and finish,” the German said.
The 23-year-old, who finished second in New Zealand, trails Gill (38 points) by seven points in the Drivers’ Championship.
Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) came in second in the test session. New Zealand’s Mike Young, driving a production-class Subaru Impreza, was third-fastest.
The teams will navigate 16 Super Special stages (around 240 kilometeres) over the next two days.
( Ashwin Achal is in Australia at the invitation of MRF Ltd. )
