With the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship brought to a close on Wales Rally GB, we take a look at what the past year brought for the Subaru World Rally Team.
Petter Solberg and co-driver Phil Mills finished fifth in the drivers' World Championship, one position higher than last year. Their best result of the year came in the form of second place in Portugal, the fifth event of the year. With a third place in Greece, Petter climbed the podium twice.
The Norwegian, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Rally Ireland, was the highest finisher and points-scorer for the team. He recorded 13 fastest stage times throughout the year, equal with team-mate Chris Atkinson.
Chris made a change of co-driver during the year, just before Rally Argentina at the beginning of May. Starting the year sitting alongside Glenn Macneall, Belgian Stephane Prevot assumed the passenger seat for the rest of the year. Having partnered Chris since the final WRC round of 2004, Glenn stepped down for personal reasons.
Chris ended his third year with the team in seventh position in the championship, three places higher than he finished in 2006. His highest placing of the year was fourth, where he finished on three separate occasions; Monte Carlo, Finland and New Zealand. After proving that he can run at the front and win stages, in September 2007 the 28-year-old Australian signed with the team until the end of the 2009 season, assuring him two more seasons aboard an Impreza.
Chris also celebrated his birthday on a rally weekend, in Wales during the season finale.
Xevi Pons and Xavier Amigo joined the Subaru World Rally Team with a third car halfway through the year. The Spanish duo competed on eight WRC rounds, debuting in Finland in early August. Quickly becoming familiar with his Impreza WRC2007, Xevi's highest points finish came on his debut run with sixth position overall.
Petter and Chris, as the two manufacturer points-scoring drivers, secured the Subaru World Rally Team third overall in the FIA championship for manufacturers.
In time for Monte Carlo at the start of the new season, an evolution of the current car will be launched. Following that, at a date to be announced in due course, an entirely new Impreza WRC contender will be unveiled, based on Subaru's new hatchback road car. It represents the most significant development of the car since the Impreza's first outing in 1993.
