Sweden Rally Testing - February 2003
Swedish Rally Trip is the Ice-ing on the Cake
Rich and Mat McLachlan's 2003 rallying year could not have started better. Not only have network integration company Cogent agreed to sponsor the team during 2003, but also a fantastic training opportunity presented itself, this being a week in Sweden during the Swedish round of the World Rally Championship.
Following their progress last season, the team are very enthusiastic about their chances of continued success in 2003 season. However, with their promotion to the expert class of the 205 rally challenge, competition is going to be tougher than ever. With this in mind, when the opportunity arose to get in some pre season testing and training, the opportunity could not be missed especially when an ice covered lake in Sweden was beckoning!
After a 2 day journey, including an 18 hour ferry crossing, through steadily worsening conditions that finishing with 100 miles on ice covered roads in the dark, Rich and Mat and more than a dozen other 205 challenge rally drivers and service crew eventually reached the village of Rörbäcksnäs just over the Swedish-Norwegian border. The next day was spent fitting studded tyres, racing on the ice in go-karts, and preparing for the following days driving on the ice.
With 3 professional instructors on hand to give personal tuition, the next few days were spent driving on the ice lake, rallying down snow and ice covered roads, and attending the theoretical training sessions provided by the championship organisers. The learning opportunity was tremendous enabling drivers to experiment with different cornering lines and techniques such as left foot braking. The soft snow banks were the only obstacle when things went a bit wrong and 70mph crashes left the cars relatively unscathed.
During the week, more miles on the ice were completed than would be covered in maybe two or three years of rallying. With the surface posing the most difficult of conditions and temperatures reaching lows of -20ºC, the experience was invaluable. Rich said "I just can't wait to put it into competitive practise on the 1st round of the championship".
The week culminating in a single timed lap round the lake. This was a really telling exercise as all the drivers in attendance completed the two mile lap on sheet ice within 10 seconds of each other - and the group included last years winners and leading contenders. Mat said "I was pleased to see that Rich put in the 4th fastest time, despite taking it carefully compared to laps earlier in the day".
With the championship entry books full with two months still to go before the first event, the competition will undoubtedly by fierce once again, and the McLachlans are intending to be setting the pace.