Mixed drive for Fowden in Anglesey
BOB Fowden Motorsport had something of a mixed drive at the recent stage rally held at Anglesey Circuit in North Wales.
The Llanelli driver entered his ex-Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC, seeded at number one, on the event as a test session in preparation for a return to the Isle of Man and the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship on the Masterpixel Media Manx National Rally (May 10-11 May), a year after fire badly damaged his Comline Auto Parts/NGKbacked Subaru Impreza WRC S11 on the Isle of Man event.
Fowden, co-driven by his eldest son Paul, contested last Sunday’s Altratech SMC Stages at Anglesey Circuit as a shakedown for the Manx National, using the single-venue event to make further ride height,
steering and suspension set-up adjustments to the Impreza.
Pre-rally Fowden Snr said: “The weekend is something of a development experiment, and we will see how things work.
“If successful they may be an advantage for our next event, which will also be on fast tarmacadam.”
The Llanelli duo started well in Anglesey, holding joint fastest times on the opening two stages. Bob was pleased that his assessment of the suspension set-up, ride height, springs, rollbar and tyre choices were the right ones, and co-driver Paul also said that the car was 100% improved on last year at the Ynys Mon circuit.
Thus the entry proved useful, though on stage three the Impreza started to smoke badly and the car was retired for investigations to be made.
The problem proved to be a suspect oil seal on the brand new turbo recently fitted to the Subaru, which was surprisingly allowing oil to get into the cylinders and affecting the anti-lag sensor on the engine.
On return to the team base the turbo was removed and is now at Owen Developments in Kingston, Oxfordshire, the leading experts on the equipment, where it will be fully checked prior to re-installation ready for the Manx National.
ROGER GALE