Delecour: Specialist chasing wider glory

Delecour is fast and controversial

Veteran Frenchman Francois Delecour is undoubtedly one of the best rally drivers in the world when the roads he is driving on are made of asphalt.

The volatile Frenchman, from whom controversy is rarely far away, has demonstrated that many times in the past, including this year, when he chased team-mate Gilles Panizzi all the way on the Coriscan and San Remo rallies. But that will not make him a major feature on the Rally GB.

Delecour is an accomplished driver wherever he goes, but it is only on asphalt that he has an advantage over the others. In Wales, the only asphalt he is likely to encounter is on the roads between the stages, which will be their usual muddy, icy, treacherous selves.

On loose surfaces like those, Delecour is good, but not an ace, and he is unlikely to be among the leading contenders in the last rally of the season.

Fortunately for team-mate Marcus Gronholm and Peugeot, they look like they will be able to win the two titles without worrying too much about keeping Richard Burns and Colin McRae out of positions where they will score large amounts of points.