Rain hits Targa Tasmania

After three postcard-perfect Tasmanian autumn days, rain hit Targa with a vengeance in the afternoon making conditions hazardous. They say rain sorts the men from the boys and inside the Team Skoda carsales Octavia RS, driver Mike Sinclair and co-driver Bill Hayes were licking their lips.

Their Skoda is underpowered compared to some of the more exotic machinery at Targa this year but that's not a bad thing when the roads are slick. And the flowing nature of some stages meant Sinclair could keep up a high average speed and even pass more cautious crews that started ahead of them.

"We had a lot of fun today with some of my favourite stages like Cethana and Riana and Rinadeena," Sinclair said.

"It was pouring this afternoon and Mount Black was very slippery and a bit scary and so was Rosebery but we managed to catch some people and have some fun too.

"The Skoda is going really, really well; I think the car really starts to come into its own on the flowing stages like we had today; even in the rain it really trucks on through. I keep stressing it is basically a standard car, certainly under the bonnet.

"Tomorrow, Leg Five the last day, we just have to bring it home. Queenstown will be very tricky in the rain with stone walls on your left and drop-offs on your right that are so deep your clothes will be out of fashion before you hit the bottom."

Hayes also enjoyed the view from the co-driver's seat. Passing cars that start 30 seconds ahead of you in a rally is always enjoyable, he said.

"The rain just stopped as we got to the final service point in Strahan," Hayes winced.

"It's been an interesting day. We had a good run through Cethana, although we were a little conservative in a couple of spots and struggled for top speed. We top out at 206km/h in the mighty Skoda but the Lambos and GT-Rs are doing 270.

"It started out nice and dry in the morning but after lunch in Ulverstone the heavens opened up and we spent the last four stages in pouring rain and even had some fog.

"We weren't sure how we'd go in the front-wheel drive Skoda but Mike drove the wheels off it.

"We had great fun, especially in the last 33-km stage into Strahan and passed five cars including a four-wheel drive turbocharged Evo, which should have been lapping up the wet. We both got crossed the finish line with huge smiles on our faces."

Watch our Leg Four interview with driver Mike Sinclair.

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