Mercedes rally team says it’s disadvantaged

Press, 6 September 1980, Page 25

Mercedes rally team says it’s disadvantaged

Nelson Reporter

Disappointment that drivers in New Zealand for the Motogard Rally would not get an opportunity to traverse the route, was. expressed in Nelson this week by Mr 'Valter Buhl, assistant to tile Mercedes team leader, Mr Erich Waxemberger, For a variety of reasons i — not the least of which was that overseas drivers were put at a disadvantage by not. knowing the conditions under which they would be driving — Mr Buhl felt that the New Zealand organisers should have followed the practice used overseas of allowing drivers to traverse the route. He said he was not suggesting they be permitted to practise over the route, merely to driver over it to ascertain likely servicing spots and to pinpoint dangerous comers. It was as important for the drivers’ safety as that of the public to know where these dangerous areas might be. Mr Buhl, who has had experience in four interl national rallies overseas, said that in all other rallies other than that organised by the R.A.C., drivers got the opportunity, to view the course. He believed New Zealand contestants, under the present. ruling, would have a definite, advantage

over their overseas counter-! parts. <- J While in Canterbury the team had driven around the! Gebbies Pass area and .on! some tight comers there was ample evidence in the way of black tyre marks that one or more cars had practised around these corners, he said. I The Motogard Rally org a n i s e r , Mr Murray O'Donnell, when telephoned in Auckland, conceded that it was possible that New Zealand drivers might have! a slight advantage over their | overseas counterparts — but only in so far as local conditions were concerned. He acknowledged that, in overseas rallies drivers were permitted to traverse the routes. If it was permitted .in New Zealand the drivers

| would be making pace notes, land that was not permitted i here. He felt it would be | against public opinion .to allow the rally route to bs traversed before the event. The New Zealand event was similar to that of the R.A.C. rallies in that public roads and forest roads were used extensively, making conditions' '.the -same for everybody. .. . - ; The best interests of safety were riot always met by allowing competitors over [the route before the event, said Mr O’Donnell. “We say-not knowing , the route slows; them down because. they- don’t know where they are. going. It is safer to know where you are going, but it also promotes speed and that doesn’t make for safer driving.” .>•