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No peace on the day off – Transsyberia teams discuss tire question
Rally legend Rod Millen bends over a tire in front of the service truck. He turns the tire with both hands and looks over it carefully. “I am trying to learn from the problems of other drivers and I am studying the tire tread. “the American says. The surface is decorated with deep grooves. “You have to be very careful because of the sharp edged stones in Mongolia. “, explains Rod.
The grooves in the tread happened yesterday on the stretch behind the border. The segment was only 43.5 miles long, but long enough to put an end to some of the tires of the Porsche Cayenne Transsyberias. “We had no problems at all in Russia and yesterday we had to change two tires. “ says pilot Thomas Riethmueller. His fate was shared with team Italy 2. “One tire burst, and the other was slit open at the side“, adds pilot Biagio Capolupo, who actually works as Porsche manager in Milan. “We have no idea what caused this. “
“This happens when you brake to sharply, the wheels lock, and you encounter a sharp stone. “, explains Porsche team manager Juergen Kern and names driving mistakes as the main reason for yesterday’s losses. “I don’t see any problems. The tire subject is being played up by the driver’s camp. “, he says. It’s a fact that yesterday’s breakdowns are the number one topic of discussion amongst the drivers on this day off. Thomas Rietmueller is sure that „The team driving in a way that spares the material the most will win. “ Young Matt Garnham, who is driving the Transsyberia Rally with his father in a Toyota Landcruiser, says “Whoever is driving the most attentive will win.” Topic of discussion number 2 is ‘Navigation’. A huge map is spread out on the hood of one of the Cayennes. A Russian army map with all the details. Several drivers are hunched over the map and are talking enthusiastically. Everyone is pointing out his optimal route to the others. “Our big problem is navigation“, says Oliver Hille, driver of team Germany 2. “We have no experience with the GPS system, since we almost never use it. “ His hope lies in the road book, which roughly shows the stretch.
The second placed Jarek Sliwka and Andrzej Bryl are not thinking about tire issues and navigation on this day off. While lots of vehicles are jacked up in the midday heat, the Polish team shows no signs of wanting to work on their car. “We are two amateurs, and are now unexpectedly in second place after the first two special tests. We are simply happy“, says Jarek Sliwka. They prepared in Masuria and the Australian Outback, but see the main reason for their current success differently: “We drive with feeling and soul. Our strength comes from inside. “ |  |
