GREAT BRITAIN (Nov. 17, 2002) - Spanish driver Daniel Sola has claimed the FIA World Junior Championship in the best possible style, by winning the category outright on the final round, the Rally of Great Britain. Sola and his co-driver Alex Romani reached the Cardiff podium this afternoon almost three minutes clear of their nearest rivals after three days of intense competition that slashed through the Junior WRC field to leave only six finishers.

Sola entered the event a single point behind Andrea Dallavilla in the championship standings, and only one of these two drivers would be able to lift the title. But that didn't stop their rivals from getting involved in the final battle. Briton Gwyndaf Evans claimed first blood at the opening superspecial in Cardiff on Thursday evening, then Janne Tuohino grabbed the initiative once the crews hit the forests on Friday morning.

That first day saw three changes of lead: Sola moved clear of Tuohino in SS3, but then a puncture in the very next stage handed the top spot back to the young Finn, who held it as far as the overnight halt. Dallavilla, meanwhile, had hit problems with two punctures on two separate stages.

Saturday started with the monster Resolfen stage - the longest of the rally - and its 57km were all that Sola required to take back the lead, after Tuohino had to stop and change a puncture. Indeed, the long distance proved a problem for many of the S1600-based Junior WRC crews; British hopefuls Niall McShea and Gwyndaf Evans each had to perform similar maintenance to Tuohino, while Dallavilla did the same and then discovered that he actually had two flat tyres.

By Sunday morning, then, Sola had already amassed a useful advantage and he kept a cool head as he threaded his Saxo through the worst of the conditions in the closing four stages to score his third Junior WRC win of the year in comfortable fashion. He and Romani had just shy of three minutes in hand over Ulsterman McShea by the finish, while Italian Giandomenico Basso lost time with a late puncture but still brought his Fiat Punto home in third to make it three different manufacturers on the podium. Fourth-placed Janne Tuohino was satisfied with his finish, meanwhile, since it guaranteed him third in the title race, behind Sola and Dallavilla. The Italian came home sixth and last of the Junior WRC finishers.

Sola said: "I'm really happy with this result. This has been a difficult event for me with some slippery conditions, and remember that I had not won on gravel before this rally. There were many problems for the Junior WRC drivers in the conditions but we have finished with a good advantage, so I'm pleased. Next year, I hope to maybe take a World Rally Car to three or four world championship rallies, or maybe try to learn more of the events with a Group N car."

Despite the unseasonably clear weather, the slippery and occasionally rough Welsh stages resulted in a high rate of attrition among the Junior WRC competitors. All three Suzuki Ignis entries crashed out on the opening morning, Kosti Katajamaki rolled his VW Polo out of contention, Sven Haaf's Opel refused to restart on the second day and Evans' MG succumbed to rear wheel hub failure in the closing stages.

Next year, the FIA Junior World Rally Championship will expand to seven events. The action starts again with the famous Monte Carlo Rally on January 22-26.

RESULTS

JUNIOR WRC LEADERS AFTER SS17:
1. Sola (E) Citroen 4h 03m 06.6
2. McShea (GB) Opel +2m 59.3
3. Basso (I) Fiat +3m 19.6
4. Tuohino (FIN) Citroen +4m 07.6
5. Valimaki (FIN) Citroen +5m 27.8
6. Dallavilla (I) Citroen +6m 20.2

FIA Junior World Rally Championship (after 6 of 6 rounds): Sola (E) 37,Dallavilla (I) 29, Tuohino (FIN) 15, Basso (I) 14, Caldani (I) 13, Duval (B) 12, McShea (GB) 6, Schelle (D) 5, Galli (I) 5, Feghali (RL) 4, Rowe (GB) 4, others.