British rally champion Renault Dealer Rallying aims to end its season on a high with Formula 2 division victory - possibly even a one-two result - on the final round of the world championship, the Network Q Rally.

Martin Rowe (above), of Banbury, who clinched the drivers' title for the team - one of three crowns achieved in 1998 - believes the task is well within reach.

He is not, however, underestimating the opposition or the treacherous conditions the event can throw up.

"We are up against some extremely good drivers in very quick and reliable machinery, particularly the teams from Hyundai, Nissan, SEAT, Vauxhall and VW.

"But I am 100 per cent confident the Maxi Megane, as it has proved in this year's British series, is the car to have," said the 27-year-old. He added: "Team work will prove critical on the event. In particular, tyre choice could influence the outcome.

"The first day's route is a mixture of gravel and asphalt stages so it will be important to choose the right tyres to cope with both types of surfaces.

"The second and third days are more consistent - they are all on gravel and mud in the Welsh forests. But it will still be important to pick the optimum tyre compound as every split second will count - it will be that close!"

Rowe also has one of the best navigators in the business to guide him through the rally's torturous route - 42-year-old Derek Ringer, not only a past winner of the event but also a former world and now three-times British co-driving champion.

Rowe added: "Being champion actually relieves the pressure. My aim now is to win F2 on a world round. I think our home event is where it can happen and I'd be disappointed to be outside the top 15 overall."

The Maxi Megane has already proved a potential world beater in the hands of Rowe's team-mate, Tapio Laukkanen, who lives in Eynsham.

He led the F2 division in Finland before retiring. Laukkanen, partnered by 29-year-old Finnish co-driving champion Kaj Lindstrom, believes recent pre-event testing will make the Maxi Meganes difficult to beat.

"Our test went extremely well," said Laukkanen, 29. "We were able to experiment with a number of set-ups and different tyre compounds to suit the tough conditions we know we are going to face, so are well prepared for what lies ahead."

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