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All rallies test the nerves, but few events are as much a test of pure courage as the Rally France, held on the island of Corsica just off the South Coast. As a previous winner, though, Colin has proved his mettle in France and he would love to take the win for Citroen at its home event. Narrow tarmac roads balance precariously on mountain sides and drivers take their lives in their hands on the roads of Corsica. Thankfully rally cars are safe these days, as numerous drivers have experienced big incidents in this event. Colin was left hanging upside down for half an hour after rolling out of the rally in 2000 until he was cut from the wreckage. In 2001 he crashed again, and was left with the daunting possibility of having his damaged little finger amputated after experiencing problems in later rallies. This time his car is perfect for the road event, though, and he will enter the island upon which Napolean was born determined to take a win for his French team. The roads that make up the rally are not like many other sealed-surface events, as dust covers the road and the dramatic four-wheel-drive machines tend to slide at high speeds as the drivers go after every tenth of a second. Abrasive roads hurt the tyres too, so grip tends to be a problem late on in stages. In the past 20 years only four drivers born outside of France has taken this rally and Colin is one of them. He won in both 1997 and 1998, and knows he has the machine to push for victory once again. It would be a perfect present for his team, and would do his World Championship cause no harm either! |