World Rally Championship returnee Alister McRae says his priority on Rally Sweden is to make Super 2000 points for Proton following his early bath on yesterday’s opening leg.
The reigning FIA Asia-Pacific Rally champion went off the road on the rally’s third stage, but returned today under Rally 2 regulations. He is running seventh in the category.
Eight years and two days since McRae last competed on the Swedish roads, the Scot admitted Rally Sweden could be just as frustrating as ever.
“We went off the road in a third-gear right-hander,” said McRae. “OK, we shouldn’t have gone off, but it was a bit frustrating when enough spectators arrived and just shoved the car back on the road in 30 seconds.”
Despite his mistake in the Satria-Neo S2000, McRae said he was loving his return to the world championship.
“It’s great to be back,” he said, “it really is. These are great roads. The priority for us now is to get to the finish and get some points for Proton. We’re getting a bit of understeer from the car, but that could be coming from me; when you’re not absolutely on top of the car and attacking and you try to feed the car into the corner a little bit – this can create more understeer.”
McRae’s team-mate P-G Andersson continues to lead the SWRC class with an advantage approaching two minutes in the sister Satria.
PHOTO: Marcel Stawiczny