It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a year for Mark Pedder. At the start of the year he announced he’d run Australia’s first ‘Maxi’ rally car, then it was delayed and he had to start the opening Round of the season in a borrowed Volkswagen Polo Super 2000, which ended in retirement.
Then when the ‘Maxi’ car finally arrived for Round two it was beset with electrical dramas that kept unexpectedly cutting the engine, and that continued through Rounds three and four.
Finally by the season ending Round five at the recent Scouts Rally SA the Peugeot 208 ‘Maxi’ was finally on song, only for Mark and co-driver Dale Moscatt to suffer the insult of running out of fuel just before the penultimate stage.
“Look it has been a frustrating year, but we probably should have anticipated that debuting a new car, the first of its type in the world, that we would have some problems. We never expected the number of problems we had though,” stated Mark.
Despite the litany of dramas Pedder remained upbeat and positive throughout, continually pointing out that despite the issues that car still had massive prospects once the bugs could be ironed out.
“The thing that keeps bringing me back though, as frustrating as it has been at times this year, is just the incredible potential I see in the car,” said Mark. “If we had have started the year with the car like we’ve finally got it this weekend, with the power and the handling, we’d be so much further advanced.”
So with the Peugeot now firing on all cylinders Pedder says he ends the year feeling extremely confident that he has a Championship challenging car, but is also mindful that the team still has a lot of work ahead of them before Round 1 next year.
“The plan between the last Round in 2015, and the first Round in 2016, is really to use the five to six months to really get on top of the car. To give it ten days worth of really good testing, and to start the first event next year off on the best foot,” Mark explained.
“The plan is obviously to get the car right and come out and give the Championship a crack. I’m not getting any younger, next year might be my last year of rallying, so I have no excuses.”
One aspect of the year that Pedder said he’s laughed at was the belief that his ‘Maxi’ car would leave his 4WD rivals in the far distance. “Any talk about this thing being a weapon and no one having the slightest chance of getting near us is pretty wishful thinking. We’re quick, but not as quick as everyone maybe thought we’d be.”
“You’ve got to remember we’re competing against the unrestricted cars, and they are as fast as anything, so any rally with big long straights we’re always going to be at a disadvantage. I’d even say a really good driver in a much older PRC car will still beat the majority of the field.”
“The (Maxi) cars are going to be fast, especially in the rough stuff with the suspension travel, but being a 1.6 litre with a 34 millimetre restrictor we’re always going to be at a power disadvantage, and we try to make it up in other spots.”
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