6 juillet 2016
Michaël Burri continues to learn about top-level rallying in Poland
Michaël Burri and Anderson Levratti finished eighth in the WRC 3 at the PZM 73rd Rally Poland, the second round of Renault Sport Rally Team’s programme for this season. Despite being held up by mechanical issues, the Swiss crew nonetheless showed signs of progress in the Clio R3T and compared with their category rivals.
After the uneven, rough gravel stages of Rally de Portugal, the Renault Sport Rally Team programme took Clio R3T to Poland. Contested on very fast roads, this demanding event is not dissimilar to Finland in that it calls for plenty of guts and determination. Michaël Burri and Anderson Levratti showed strong pace at this rally but suffered mechanical problems related to the upgraded Clio R3T shock absorbers. Although they had to rejoin under Rally2 rules, the Renault Sport crew managed to make it to the end of Rally Poland, finishing eighth in their category.
"We feel increasingly comfortable in the Clio R3T," reported the winner of the 2015 Clio R3T European Trophy. "As the feeling in the car is better, we managed to go for it a bit more. We’re pleased with the set-up we managed to find, as well as the benefits of the upgrades introduced in Poland. We just need to find that little something to help us to move up a level in terms of performance."
For Michaël Burri, the environment developed by the Renault Sport Rally Team can only help him to progress towards the very top level of rallying. "We are working in an environment in which we are getting our bearings," he confirmed. "The team has helped me a lot to feel comfortable in the Clio R3T. There’s plenty of confidence in the team, which means we can all boost each other. I have moved on from the elation at winning my title in the Clio R3T European Trophy ; I’m now here to do my very best, to improve the car and produce the best times possible."
"There are many things we can be pleased about," confirmed Sylvain Alanore, Team Manager, Renault Sport Rally Team. "Michaël’s level of performance is constantly improving. As well as showing greater consistency throughout Rally Poland, he managed to reduce the gap between himself and the leading WRC 3 drivers. Of course, it’s a shame about the shock absorber problem, which prevented us from finishing higher up the standings. But the Clio R3T upgrades have delivered real comfort for the crew and we’re sure they will bear fruit in due course."
