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Vidar Christensen's 2009 Rallye Monte Carlo Historique
Vidar Christensen and co-driver Svein Eirik Hansen signed up for the event in Vidar's 1973 1303S, starting in Oslo, their home country start point.
They had a very up and down event, with some great times and some bad problems that dropped them well down the order.
They arrived in Monaco for the start of the rally, but with problems with the new Weber carburettors. They were boiling the fuel, and on stage 2 they had to stop less than 2 minutes from the start.
Special Stage 1 - La Bollène - Peira Cava (11.895 km)
141st - 10.7s behind the stage winner
After Special Stage 2 - Tourette - Puget Theniers (31.571 km)
Stage - 251st - 2m 1.6s behind the stage winner
Overall - 220th - 2m 10.7s behind the leader
On stage 3, they had to stop once again for 10 minutes, and after this enforced halt Vidar removed the SuperTrapp silencer, which cooled the engine down around the carburettors. Unfortunately, that didn't solve all the fuelling problems as they still had issues on hairpin bends. which, being the Monte, meant big problems on a lot of stages!
After Special Stage 3 - Ventavon - Serres (20.238 km)
Stage - 288th - 17m 44s behind the stage winner
Overall - 273rd - 19m 52.8s behind the leader
Take off the 12000 point penalty, and they would've been a lot closer....
After Special Stage 4 - L'Epine - Rosans (30.638 km)
Stage - 64th - 11.8s behind the stage winner
Overall - 267th - 19m 58.4s behind the leader
After Special Stage 5 - La Cime du Mas - St Jean R. (24.484 km)
Stage - 12th - 7s behind the stage winner
Overall - 244th - 20m 2.6s behind the leader
After Special Stage 6 - St Pierreville - Antraigues (45.443 km)
Stage - 37th - 5.1s behind the stage winner
Overall - 238th - 20m 5.4s behind the leader
Special Stage 7 cancelled
After Special Stage 8 - St Bonnet - St Bonnet (24.175 km)
Stage - 103rd - 6. 8s behind the stage winner
Overall - 234th - 20m 11s behind the leader
After Special Stage 9 - Lamastre - Alboussière (18.840 km)
Stage - 12th - 2.4s behind the stage winner
Overall - 214th - 20m 13.4s behind the leader
After Special Stage 10 - St Nazaire - La Motte Chalençon (14.108 km)
Stage - 99th - 3.8s behind the stage winner
Overall - 225th - 20m 16.3s behind the leader
After Special Stage 11 - Col de Perty - Eygalayes (31.401 km)
Stage - 128th - 26.4s behind the stage winner
Overall - 214th - 20m 29.9s behind the leader
After Special Stage 12 - Entrevaux - St Pierre (27.920 km)
Stage - 141st - 14.6s behind the stage winner
Overall - 209th - 20m 37.1s behind the leader
After Special Stage 13 - Col de Braus - La Bollène (35.243 km)
Stage - 135th - 1m 13.2s behind the stage winner
Overall - 194th - 21m 40.5s behind the leader
After Special Stage 14 - Loda - Lucéram (19.580 km)
Stage - 113th - 25.7s behind the stage winner
Overall - 184th - 22m 21.1s behind the leader
After Special Stage 15 - Col de Braus - La Bollène (35.243 km)
Stage - 122nd - 1m 13.7s behind the stage winner
Overall - 172nd - 22m 58.4s behind the leader
After Special Stage 16 - Loda - Lucéram (19.580 km)
Stage - 92nd - 21s behind the stage winner
Overall - 170th - 23m 14.7s behind the leader
Vidar had tested the carburettors for 3000km without any problems, but testing and actual rallying are two very different beasts! The Webers were brand-new Brazilian made items, designed for Sand Buggies and with the intended aim of no over-fuelling in bends!
