Go Fast Energy driver Matthew Wilson says Friday’s second stage was the hardest he’s tackled since he joined the World Rally Championship on a full-time basis on Rallye Monte-Carlo six years ago.
Wilson is in 13th overall starting the penultimate day of the event in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC he shares with co-driver Scott Martin.
Stage 12, the 24.13-kilometre Cimetiere de Vassieux-Col de Gaudissart test on Friday morning, was subjected to rain, ice and even snow, making it one of the toughest of the legendary rally.
“The second stage was probably the most difficult stage of my life! It was unbelievable,” said Wilson, who took more than two minutes longer than stage winner Mikko Hirvonen to complete the test after his tyre choice didn’t provide the level grip he craved. “About eight minutes before the stage started it rained and the mist came down. There was lots of ice on the stage, and for the last six or seven kilometres it was full ice with only some lines in-between. It really was incredible.
“We had a bit of an ‘off’ at the top of the hill and had to reverse which lost us maybe 20 seconds. Then again, looking at the bigger picture, to lose 20 seconds on this stage is not too much of a bad thing."
Stage 12 was also troublesome for Wilson’s Go Fast team-mate Henning Solberg, currently 14th overall.
“We damaged the rear right wheel,” said the Norwegian. “It was very slippery on a lot of corners up there, and we clipped the car at the last hairpin. It was my fault and for sure we lost a lot of time. We must have been stationary for about a minute. It was very bad luck.”