Atko out to avenge Monte disaster
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011
Atko & Alister @ the 2011 Proton Motorsports Rally Team launch @ KL Motorshow
2011 has started in topsy-turvy fashion for Australia’s most successful rally driver but Chris Atkinson has bowed to fight hard this year after some positive development work over the summer break.
The opening round for Atko and the Proton Motorsports Rally Team was opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) series and his home-away-from-home event – and one of the most historic motor-races in the world – Rallye de Monte-Carlo.
Unfortunately for our man disaster struck just 700 meters into the opening Le Moulinon-Antraigue stage when a strong voltage surge damaged the main control box and killed all electronics in his Satria Neo S2000.
“We were less than a kilometre in and the car stopped,” he said.
“The engine had cut and there was nothing, no electrics at all. We couldn’t start the car.
“I tried to fix it, but there was nothing we could do. The team have looked at the data now and the problem was caused by a voltage surge which blew the control box.
“This has never happened to us before in testing or anything, it’s an absolute mystery – but when things don’t go your way, they really don’t go your way.”
It was worst-case scenario for Atko as well, with IRC rules stating NO superally [the regulation permitting crews to re-enter events on the following day].
This was a huge blow for Atko and the Proton Motorsports team who had been putting in the hour’s development and strength work over the summer break.
Recent, major engine changes by the team really strengthened the car too, which was prevalent in the 4-day test undertaken before the Monte-Carlo event by Atko and new European-event teammate PG Andersson.
“The frustration is that we had the engine working really well in the test, it was great… the performance is definitely coming,” he said.
“I’m just really disappointed for the fans and everyone involved in the team because the speed is here now and PG showed this on the first stage.
“I just want to bring on the next event and show everyone how far we have come with this car in such little time… It really is a great thing to drive now and if we can get the reliability completely sorted I know we will be constantly hogging the top step of podiums across the globe!”
It was a tough end to what, historically, has been an extremely successful event for Atko with top-6 finishes on his last four Monte-Carlo Rally outings when it ran as a round of the FIA World Rally Championship. This included a podium finish in 2008, which came down to a Monaco Port Super Special nail-biter with Belgian ace Francois Duval.
“It’s actually a really unusual feeling on especially at this event, this was the first time I’ve retired on the first stage of an event and been completely out of the rally,” he said
“I’m not a huge fan of superally, but I really would have been that day.”
Despite all this Atko has been keeping high-spirited and training hard after moving back to Monte-Carlo earlier in January. Just recently Atko and the family took a small holiday to Norway where Atko caught up with friend and cycling legend Thor Hushovd to do some serious training under the harsh Norwegian climate… Dedicated to the win is our Atko!
The next event for Atko and the Proton Motorsports Rally Team is the opening round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship – Malaysian Rally April 1-3.
