Motorsport: 12 into 10 won't go

The dust flies for Sebastien Loeb near Paparoa yesterday. Picture / Reuters

When the world rally cars roar into action this morning north of Auckland, the leading drivers will resume their season-long game of musical chairs.

French manufacturers Citroen and Peugeot, major players in the sport for the past few seasons, have given notice that this will be their final year.

Hyundai will return in 2006, but next year there may well be 12 top drivers for 10 seats.

While Norwegian Petter Solberg, who leads the championship and will be first on the road today, seems secure at Subaru, reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb will have to find a replacement for Citroen and former champion Marcus Gronholm will be without a Peugeot for the first time in seven years.

Rally New Zealand, sponsored by Propecia, has arrived at a crucial time in their season and both will be looking for an improved showing after mixed fortunes so far.

Loeb made his usual fast start with his third victory in a row at Monte Carlo, where he seems to be in a class of his own on the tarmac mountain roads.

But the Citroen Xsara let him down in Sweden and Mexico, rallies he won last year.

"In Mexico it was part of the suspension that has never failed before," said Loeb. "But it happens.

"In Sweden we were second when we broke the engine. I hope we will be a bit more lucky here."

Is it difficult driving for a team in its final year?

"I try not to think of that. I want to concentrate on the rallies. But it will be important for me to find another job."

Fourth place last year was the Frenchman's best finish in New Zealand and he has never really been in contention for a win.

"I don't know why I was never very fast here. Maybe it was the car; maybe it was me. We lost time early last year when we were first and cleaning the roads, but afterwards it was not too bad."

Loeb starts fourth today, with Solberg, Markko Martin (Peugeot) and Ford's Toni Gardemeister ahead of him, so he should have no problem with the road surface.

Gronholm will start fifth and the tall Finn won this event in 2000, 2002 and 2003, going on to win the world title in the first two years.

He comes fresh from second behind Solberg in Mexico but trailing his team-mate Martin in the championship.

"With a clean run here it's looking pretty good," Gronholm said. "We rolled the car last year and still nearly won. The car was pretty young then and it's better now.

"As drivers we don't see any signs that this is the team's final year. For the moment everything is going like normal. They put in all the effort we need and it's okay.

"In the middle of the year we will have to see what we can find. Everything depends on how this year is going and what place I finish."

Solberg has downplayed his chances if the weather is dry on the first day and he has to sweep the roads, but Subaru have revamped the Impreza while Peugeot and Citroen have curtailed their development.

Martin, who switched from Ford to Peugeot, has proved a great acquisition for the team, ensuring that they lead the manufacturers' championship. His fellow Ford refugee, Francois Duval, has failed to win a point for Citroen, who languish in fifth place.

Ford have proved the surprise package. Written off at the start of the season, they are third in the standings and Gardemeister has delivered on the promise he showed here some years ago when he finished third in a Seat.

Any result will be an improvement on last year for Mitsubishi. The Japanese manufacturer was shattered when its two cars developed an electrical fault at the opening Manukau Superspecial and took no further part.

Skoda are back after missing the New Zealand round last year, but so far they have not made much of an impression and some of the privateer drivers will fancy their chances of picking up driver points.

A total of 17 less-developed cars in the world production car championship have entered for the second round of that contest.

Toshi Arai won the opening round in Sweden by a wide margin and will be hard to beat in his Subaru on roads where he has been a regular competitor.

Highest-seeded Kiwi is national champion Chris West in a Group N Subaru. The first two days are the opening round of the 2005 national championship and that will be his priority.

But he will also be keen to see off leading Australians Cody Crocker and Dean Herridge in similar cars.