19/3/2009
Prodrive reveals Gronholm’s Impreza
The Prodrive Impreza WRC2008, which Marcus Gronholm will drive at the Rally of Portugal, has successfully completed its first shakedown.
Gronholm will drive the test car in Wales this week, before undertaking a full two day pre-event test in Spain next week. This means the two-time World Rally Champion will have three days to familiarise himself with the new car before starting his first World Rally Championship event in nearly 16 months.
The Prodrive Impreza WRC2008 is fundamentally the same car used by the Subaru World Rally Team last season. “We have only been able to make minor changes to the car because of homologation restrictions, with the most significant difference being the Ohlins dampers,” said Prodrive technical director, David Lapworth. “In a perfect world, Marcus would have had far more time behind the wheel, however, with his years of experience, I am absolutely confident he will very quickly find a rhythm in the Impreza.”
Gronholm’s participation in the Rally of Portugal has been made possible by the support of the Portuguese Tourist Board. The car has been entered under the Prodrive team name and it will be run out of the same service area as the Prodrive-supported Adapta World Rally Team.
25/3/2009
Gronholm ready for rally comeback
Marcus Gronholm is looking forward to his WRC comeback at Rally Portugal, following a successful pre-event test in his new Prodrive Impreza World Rally Car.
“I have the same feeling I had when I last drove competitively nearly 18 months ago,” said Gronholm. “The test was good, the car ran well and we made some improvements to the set up of the car. All I have to do now is to remember how to make my pace notes!”
Gronholm today finished a 200 km, two day test in Spain near the Portuguese border, in which he refined the set up of his car, finalising the differential and suspension settings he will use for next week’s shakedown. The car will now be transported to Faro, where Prodrive will rebuild it ready for the rally.
Prodrive will be running Gronholm alongside Mads Ostberg in the Adapta World Rally Team service area. Ostberg is also competing in a Prodrive Impreza WRC2008 at Rally Portugal. He shared today’s second day of testing with Marcus and has chosen a near identical set-up to the two-times word rally champion.
“We had a very good day of testing. I am really happy with the final set up we achieved and I have good confidence in the car,” said Ostberg.
In addition to Ostberg, Prodrive will also be supporting 2006 Production World Rally Champion, Nasser Al Attiyah, who is competing at Rally Portugal in the new Prodrive Impreza N2009 with the Barwa World Rally Team.