Tough day in the office

Targa Blog: Leg 3

Targa requires 100 per cent concentration -- not only to achieve the best times, but also to be able to make it to the end of the rally safely. Today Team Skoda Carsales gave less than our 100 per cent concentration -- and it showed. Our times weren't too bad, but we did them hard.

The hard parts of our Skoda Octavia RS-P didn't miss a beat, it was the soft parts inside the cabin that were the problem. Yours truly had a shocker behind the wheel: tentative, uncommitted and far from polished on most of today's eight stages. Sure, my partner in crime Justin Hunt in the left seat was also off his normally impressive pace, but even with Justin on-song I almost managed to turn left instead of right in one stage. Doh!

Whether it was the pace of the last couple of days catching up on us (or the last few weeks -- we had just five weeks to get our Targa campaign up and running) or a late night at the keyboard writing and trying to get videos cut and uploaded so you can view them on the site, we just weren't at our best today.

All forms of rallying involve teamwork but the margins in tarmac rallying are even tighter than on dirt. We touched 199km/h today in one stage (Mt Roland) and much of the time you spend at speeds well above the legal limit. We mightn't be right at the pointy end of the field but even at our pace there's little room for mistakes.

Some of it is pacenotes -- Justin's already alluded to that. Some of its lack of practice, some of its thinking about other things (like onboard video cameras et al)… They all have the same affect -- a less than optimum performance.

But tomorrow (Saturday) is another day -- and we intend to be back on the job.

In many ways, Leg Four is the most important day of the rally. With legendary stages like Cethana, Riana (back to its full 30km-plus length for the first time in years), Hellyer Gorge and Rosebery, it usually decides Targa. With a very strong possibility of rain, that's even more likely to happen this year.

The RS-P's running strong and on-song. We're learning the DSG gearbox's idiosyncrasies -- and should be fully adjusted to them by the end of day five. Seriously, our criticism is aimed at competition use -- not day-to-day. Think of this as extreme product evaluation.

The car's proved reasonably kind on tyres too. Under Targa's new rules we can use six tyres and we bolted on a new front set in preparation for Leg Four and Five. Even if the weather doesn't play ball (the west coast of Tassie isn't green by accident!) we should be in reasonable shape.

Today had some highlights -- Mt Roland stage saw the RS-P really lift its skirts and dispatch a couple of potentially faster cars in conditions that changed from sunshine to rain to sunshine in just over 26km. Get the Dunlops hot before the rain falls and it's amazing how much grip they have.

We also enjoyed High Plains and Paloona... Even after an average day in the Skoda's office there's plenty to look back on and enjoy.

At the end of Leg 3 we hold a provisional 28th place in the Modern category and are back at the head of the front-wheel drives. We're hopeful that position will improve when the day's final results are tallied. Provisional placings do not include times for the Mt Roland stage -- one of our best of the day.

Team Skoda followers will note we've been keeping an eye on the Showroom class -- in affect that's where the Octavia really 'lives'. On examination our cumulative time at the end of leg 3 would still have us in fifth place and the second front-wheel drive behind hotshot Victorian rally youngsters, Brendan Reeves and sister, Rhianon Smyth in Mazda's 3 MPS hottie. A pretty decent result so far if we say so ourselves...

From the left seat - Co-driver Justin Hunt:

Like Mike, I am really enjoying my time in the Skoda, it's a great car... And as the week goes on I am more impressed. Already, it's not far off a true rally-bred front-wheel drive performer.

What we have to remember is that we are achieving very respectable times. Especially when you have to take into account the fact that we are competing in a fairly standard albeit 'hot' wagon with not much more than a roll cage and safety gear.

Mike and I had our ups and downs today. Can't say I am enjoying the notes. As we have edited others' notes they are not consistent enough (Mike is normally incredibly consistent with his notes) and this is at times making me hesitant. As such Mike also hesitates, not an ideal result.

Little wonder we are both a touch flat as I write this. This is simply because we know we can do better and as Mike has already written, teamwork is so crucial. It might sound simple but for example if I hesitate in announcing a fast corner that travels over a blind crest, you can't expect the driver to be confident and hold the little rocket flat!

But let's not focus on a few specific aspects of the day (that is: the parts we were not happy with). Today we have travelled over 350km, including eight stages covering over 81 km of competitive section and finished further up the order, with not one mark on the car, nor anything required but general maintenance. All in all we did okay and our pace is more than respectable in comparison to a flotilla of very expensive racecars -- and all in our quick little Skoda wagon (which is already a crowd favourite).

I don't know how many times today I have been asked if the car is all-wheel drive! (MS: or where have your bikes gone). I am not sure if it's the times we are posting or the 'proper' tarmac rally performance look of the car but Mike and I are getting heaps of questions like what's under the hood!

Our Service Crew finally had the opportunity to spectate today and they told us the Skoda gets a good cheer at the spectator points -- of course I was busy reading... and waving!

I know we will bounce back tomorrow as the stages that are much more topographically natural and we always do better on them.

Quick dinner then bed! I am either not fit enough or I'm getting too old for this...

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