For the first time the WRC participant Mads Ostberg is going to drive a group N car and before „Rally Talsi 2012” he did some testing together with „MML Sports” team to get to know the Mitsubishi Evo X Group N rally car better and make some adjustments. „Even though the group N Mitsubishi is slower and heavier then my Ford Fiesta RS WRC I am still surprised about the car and it is a big challenge for me to face the other champions who have a lot more experience with these cars. „MML Sports” is very good team and hopefully we can fight for the victory in Talsi”, said Mads Ostberg.

„MML Sports” Managing Director John Easton believes that Ostberg is competitive enough in the group N Mitsubishi and the tests where really important for Mads to get used to the car as well as the team.

„Rally Talsi” was the first rally for Vytautas Švedas more than ten years ago and back then the Lithuanian champion could not imagine that he could ever win the rally someday. This year Švedas will have to fight to keep the Champion’s cup in Lithuania as Andis Neikšāns, Latvian champion, was very close to a victory last year and gave it away only in the very last stage of the rally. „This time it is really difficult to predict anything because at least 5 crews can fight for the victory on my opinion”, said Andis Neikšāns.

After the interviews all the champions participated in a go-kart race and Mads Ostberg took the win in a very close battle with Andis Neikšāns.

The organizer of Rally Of Champions Raimonds Strokšs ir very pleased with all the work done so far and can’t wait until the race is about to start with the opening stage tomorrow at 15:30.

Further information about the event programme, stage maps, as well as the participants’ start list is available at www.rallytalsi.lv. Oskars Kaņeps-Kalniņš, "Rally Talsi 2012" Press Secretary. Foto: Go4speed.lv