Subaru: Space age comes to rallying

Burns' driving matched the scenery in Argentina

It has been a year of ups and downs for Subaru, rallying's most consistent front-running team of the last few years.

Star driver Richard Burns started the season like a dream, winning the third event, the mercilessly tough Safari Rally, in the team's old car.

Then the team's high-tech new car, filled to the brim with electronic trickery, came out and he took victories on two of the next three events to take a comfortable lead in the championship.

Since then, though, things have not gone so well. There have been failures, not unexpected in a new car, and driving errors by Burns.

Both have cost valuable points, and a season in which Subaru should probably have set the pace is ending with Burns still needing to make up ground on series leader Marcus Gronholm. Too much ground, it would appear.

The new Subaru has been fast but unreliable

If anyone can do it, though, it is Burns and Subaru. The car has undoubted pace, but Subaru has a secret weapon beyond that.

The team is the only leading contender to use Pirelli tyres, which last season proved untouchable on the Rally GB.

Rival Michelin has been working hard on this crucial event, but many believe it will have to come up with something very special indeed if it Peugeot and Ford are to stop Burns running away with the event.

It looks unlikely, though, that that will be enough to stop Marcus Gronholm and Peugeot winning the two titles.