Proton Satria S2000 MEM

[Mirek]

Looks like Atkinson had a problem on the first stage (off road?) but has been running fine since then.

Some electronics failed in SS1. Car was immobilised for 18 minutes.

[RICARDO75]

Atkinson testing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8lolP1at5w

[Sulland]

Have Atko or McRae commented on their liking of the car ?

[RS]

The Malaysian Rally has finished and unfortunately Alister McRae retired at the start of SS11 due to engine failure resulting from damage to the radiator sustained after a jump.

Atkinson finished 4th in the APRC classification but good that he got a lot of miles under his belt with the Proton.

[hantu]

Have Atko or McRae commented on their liking of the car ?

Atko interview on APRC tv
http://www.aprc.tv/newsPage.php?Atki...PRC-return-296

-I can’t tell you how good it is to be back in a rally car again! And what a rally car! The Satria is amazing, a real driver’s car. I hadn’t done much testing before the start of the event and I’d been away from racing for a year and a half, so it was fantastic to get to shakedown and get through some corners. -

-The good thing about the Satria is that you really have to work at it to get the best out of it, which is fantastic, but maybe not quite so fantastic when it’s so hot and humid in the car! -

====================
Alister Q&A on Autosport

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83166

"
: Absolutely. Like I said, this event didn't suit us – and the Group N cars were running with the bigger [33mm] restrictor on the turbos, so they had more power than ever and we were still able to run faster than them. On top of that, I'd never done this event before, so I wasn't really too sure how we would go.

Yes, I am pleased with everything. Okay, it's disappointing not to come away with the win, but coming away knowing that we have the pace to win the championship, leading the rally, setting fastest times and being right in the fight is the next best thing. I have to say, I really felt pretty confident that this one was in the bag, I thought we'd got it – the perfect start for Proton and the boys on the home event. But it wasn't to be."

[RICARDO75]

After SS1:
Alister McRae 3rd
Chris Atkinson: 6th

[RS]

Looks like MEM still have some work to do with the Satria. Both drivers retired after 5 stages of Rally Hokkaido, and they weren't that fast either.

Drivers of the calibre of Atkinson and McRae shouldn't be behind those traditional N4 drivers.

Hope they have a good pre-Ypres test as I really like the car and it's great to see another make involved in IRC.

[It's JM]

Now that I look at some of these S2000 cars. Will these cars (including the Satria) move forward with a plan to develop their cars further and enter the WRC in 2011?

[RS]

Does anybody know what the "R3" in "Proton R3 Rally Team" means?

[Mirek]

Satria R3 is Proton's stock hot-hatch. So it's marketing name for the team
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_Satria_R3