Italian driver regains form

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 33

Italian driver regains form

PA Auckland The Italian rally driver, Taillio Bettega, .has limited movement in his knees, but this has not prevented him from regaining a place in the elite of world rally drivers.

Bettega, aged 30, from Trento in northern Italy, was badly hurt in a crash during the Tour de Corse 12 months ago. He was off the road until the same rally this year when he resumed with steel plates in his legs — however his driving had not suffered — Bettega drove his Lancia Rallye to fourth place in the rally and then took fifth place in the Acropolis event in Greece three weeks ago.

In Auckland this week to prepare for the next leg in the world championship, the Sanyo Rally of New Zealand, which begins on June 25, Bettega said he was driving as quickly as ever. “My knees bend only so much," he said. “That Is not so good for walking but no trouble when I’m driving.” Lancia’s main hopes ride with the world champion, Walter Rohrl, who leads the drivers' championship by two points from the Audi driver, Hannu Mikkola.

Rohrl makes no secret of his intentions in the New Zealand event.

“It’s win or nothing for us,” he said. “When I finished third last year (in an Opel) it was with an underpowered car. “In 1980 with Fiat, we

just came to collect points. “This time I aim to win.” Rohrl praised the Lancia’s performance this year. “It is so strong and it should be suited by New Zealand roads. We won in Greece when we did not expect to do so well.” New Zealand special stages are more like the rough tarmac of Corsica, where the Lancias proved more enduring than their main rival, the Audi Quattro. \ Audi’s second driver, Michelle Mouton, has also arrived in New Zealand to tirepare for the Sanyo Rally, n last year’s rally a minor engine fault put her out on the first day but she still finished second in the drivers’ championship. This season she lies sixth, her misfortunes including a blown motor in Corsica and a first-stage roll in Greece.