Michał Sołowow and Maciek Baran (Abarth Grande Punto S 2000) finished third in 32 ELPA Rally – the last but one round of the European Rally Championship. This year conditions in Halkidiki penisula were peculiar. Leg one was run on tarmac, the second on gravel.  After first day all crews had to change suspension and differential setup from the  asphalt one into the gravel one.

After first day the Fiat Cersanit Rally Team duo took 6-th position in overall classification. They suffered a little problem on the entering lap. – During the first stage the metal cover under the bottom of our car loosened and cut a tire. We lost some seconds on the stage and also got 10 seconds penalty because we lost some time on changing wheels – Michal Solowow reported. At the end of the day mechanics had full had with work. They had to replace the asphalt set-up into the gravel one. As regards Grande Punto S2000 the process is a bit complicated. It is need to change all suspension including sprigs and shock absorbers, front and rear axles, rear differential, breaks, breaking pomp and even steering shaft.

During the second day the Fiat Cersanit Rally Team two times running took second position just after the leader Volcan Isik (Grande Punto S2000). In the end Michal and Maciek overtook Krum Donchev from Bulgaria (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) and reached third place in the rally. They collected 9 points to the overall classification of the ERC.

Michał Solowow:  Stages on gravel were very long, fast with many tight bends and hidden stones. These were my first kilometers in Punto on gravel roads. We had had no tests before except about 20 kilometers made on road near Kielce in Poland in totally different conditions. That’s way I made up some suspension setup in my mind which was a mistake. I should have took advantage of the setup prepared by Fiat. Then we changed it into the similar Anton Alen had on the Orlen Rally in Poland. It worked much better. I’m not satisfied enough with the times but Punto performs excellent in tight slow and medium speed bends. The rally was extremely hard. Not only had I a cold and fever before the event but the dust was so huge that I couldn’t see the dashboard!

Maciek Baran: I’m all in dirt and dust so our Italian team is calling me „minore” because I look as a miner. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to stuff up the car properly. At the end we fell over road but without bad consequences. Punto performed superb. If it had been a N-gruop car we would certainly lost the suspension. I think it was the toughest rally in my career. I’m dirty, exhausted and have one wish – just to rest!  

It was the best result Michal and Maciek made in their fourth start in Greece.