Photos by: STi

After years competing on a variety of European championships with Mitsubishi Lancers, Stohl Racing recently acquired their first Subaru, a 2007 version spec C Impreza.
The team is running up-and-coming star Patrik Flodin in the car, and he will be out on all the remaining rounds of this year’s P-WRC. Acropolis is a tough event for any team, and during this year’s running of the Greek event,
GNJ had a chance to sit down with Stohl Racing Team Director Gunther Aschacher to find out more about how the new car is doing.

GroupN Journal: Gunther, thank you for taking the time to tell us about Stohl Racing’s recent acquisition, your first Subaru. First, can you tell us how this all came about?
Gunther Aschacher: "As we had been seen how performance of Subaru was excellent at P-WRC competition, we have decided to change cars at end of the last season. We liked the Subaru very much and through STI we had a chance to become a dealer - it’s something we’re very happy about. Actually I had been working at Subaru dealer in Switzerland when I was young, so it had been my dream to running Subaru at rally one day.”

GNJ You’re now one of STI’s ‘base teams’, supplying cars to customer entrants in Europe.
GA "Yes, that’s right. In Europe, there are four companies representing STI: Tommi Makinen Racing, Prodrive, Top Run - and ourselves. This season, we’re running three cars in Group N; two Mitsubishis and the Impreza we have for Patrik. We’ve had a bit of bad luck here in Greece; but for the next round in New Zealand, we’re expecting much better results.”
GNJ As a ‘base team’, you’ll be supplying and maintaining customer cars. Has this already started to happen, or is it part of your plans for next season?
GA "We are very lucky to be running the new Impreza. It’s a good chance for us. Presently we’re concentrating on our programme with Patrik, and expect to be expanding that for next year.”
GNJ Having experience running both the Lancer and the Impreza, what is the main difference you notice between the two?
GA "OK, the greatest difference is the engine. The engine in the Mitsubishi is stronger; but in terms of performance and handling, it’s clearly the Subaru that has the edge.”

GNJ Does that have anything to do with the lower centre of gravity with the boxer engine in the Impreza?
GA "Yes, exactly.”
GNJ In this first season as a base team for STI, what are the goals of Stohl Racing?
GA "We’re starting now to build our own cars. Our plan is to have a new Subaru prepared by us ready for the next round, New Zealand. We hope then to have another car ready for Ireland and Wales Rally GB.”
GNJ Moving along to next season, what will your goals be there?
GA "Our goals for 2008 are to have up to 10 customers. We also want to have two cars in the P-WRC. We’ll have to wait and see, but those are our goals.”

GNJ What would you tell an aspiring entrant to the P-WRC?
GA "The performance of the drivers here in the P-WRC is very high. While you can have drivers that have been very fast in their own national championships, sometimes they have no chance to go quickly in the Production championship. Even with our own driver Patrik Flodin, he won a stage on the first leg, but then rolled the car badly and that put him out.”
GNJ And your thoughts on Patrik?
GA "Although he’s young and still has a lot still to learn, he has had some very good performances. I think he’s a really, really good rally driver - and he’s got a bright future ahead of him. As well as contesting the remaining rounds of this year’s Production championship, we’re also going to test him in Austria. This will be between now and New Zealand and should better prepare us for the second half of the season.”