The opening day of Rally Australia has been one of the toughest for a number of years according to several of the world championship’s leading drivers.
Overnight rain made for testing driving conditions this morning while further precipitation during the day turned the clay-based surfaces treacherous and caused several drivers to hit trouble, most notably the factory Citroen duo of Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier.
“The conditions have been so difficult and it has been very easy to make a mistake,” said Ogier, who spun into a tree and retired on the sixth stage of the event.
Ford’s rally leader Mikko Hirvonen said: “The conditions were hell and I’m just happy to be here tonight. This was one of the most difficult days I have had in my career.”
Petter Solberg, third overnight in his privateer Citroen, said: “I’ve never driven in conditions like this before, it has been unbelievable.”
Team Abu Dhabi’s Khalid Al Qassimi, who is sixth overall in his works-supported Fiesta, said: “I really had to adapt and drive very safely with plenty of caution.”
“It has been so slippery, really not what I expected,” said Brazil World Rally Team’s Daniel Oliveira, who retired after damaging his MINI John Cooper Works WRC’s radiator on Friday afternoon.
Production Car World Rally Championship leader Hayden Paddon said: “It has been unbelievably slippery and tricky today.”
Leading Australian driver Brendan Reeves said: “It’s been a very tough day, a real rollercoaster. I don’t think I’ve experienced conditions like this before.”
Although initial forecasts suggested Saturday’s four repeated stages would be held in dry conditions, rain has been falling around the tests located south of the event base in Coffs Harbour throughout today, to the extent the conditions could be worse than on day one.