The 33 participants contesting the Transsyberia Rally have made it over the Altay mountains and are on the verge of crossing the border into Mongolia. The seventh leg, totalling 661 kilometres, began in Novosibirsk and wound through spectacular mountain ravines. In the evening the teams pitched their tents on the banks of a river near the town of Kosh Agach. As all teams reached the end of the stage within the target time, the classification remains unchanged from the previous day: Still leading the field are ex-European rally champion Armin Schwarz (Austria) and Oliver Hilger (Germany) in their 385 hp Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia with the starting number 10.
Particularly important on the way south-east was faultless navigation. Only through the stages in Mongolia will competitors race against the clock again. Those who exceed the specified ideal time or miss a control point will receive a time penalty.
“The leg today was again huge fun. With its adjustable air suspension and the active anti-roll bars the Cayenne doesn’t feel like an offroader on the winding country roads, but more like a sporty limousine,” enthused leader Armin Schwarz. “Today the landscape left me speechless. I’ve never seen anything like it,” reported the multiple Middle East rally champion Said Al-Hajri.
On the eighth leg from Kosh Agach to Olgy the teams will drive 197 kilometres, crossing over the border into Mongolia on the way. “I’m feeling optimistic that all cars will get through the border control. Should there be any delays in entering the country the rally schedule will not be jeopardized. We have planned a day-off in Olgy for the 11th of August,” says rally organizer Richard Schalber.
Overall standings after 7 of 15 legs:
1. Armin Schwarz/Oliver Hilger Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 1:08.52.92 hours
2. Jarek Sliwka/Andrzej Bryl Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 0:01.89 minutes behind
3. Carles Celma/Jörn Pugmeister Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 0:51.31 minutes behind
4. Rod Millen/Richard Kelsey Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 4:46.12 minutes behind
5. René Metge/Silvain Reisser Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 4:57.64 minutes behind
6. Biagio Capolupo/Angelo Lancelotti Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 5:32.97 minutes behind
7. Richard Meaden/Neil Hopkinson Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 6:09.42 minutes behind
8. Adel Abdulla/Norbert Lutteri Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 6:48.55 minutes behind
9. Pau Soer/Laia Peinado Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia 6:56.35 minutes behind
10. Simon Garnham/Matt Garnham Toyota Landcruiser 7:13.52 minutes behind