Safety first for Meeke

Despite a second podium of the season at Rally Argentina earlier this month, Citroen’s Kris Meeke will approach June’s Rally Italia Sardegna with the same safety first approach.

Meeke finished third in South America in his DS3 World Rally Car after taking the position during a savage opening leg and protecting it with a cautious drive through the final two days.

Having crashed in previous rounds in Mexico and Portugal and not having competed in Argentina in the WRC, an error-free drive to increase his experience was essential and Meeke will use the same tactics in Sardinia.

“Even though I know Sardinia a little bit from past experiences, I still need to approach it in the same way I did in Argentina. I need to drive the same and where the position is at the finish, it is. I have to build a bit of momentum before I get full confidence," Meeke told wrc.com.

“We earned our podium by being clean. The speed was good enough on Friday to put me in that position and then protect it from there, but we’re still quite a bit away from the front-running pace of Ogier and Latvala. We’re only five events into my first full season so we can’t expect everything overnight,” he said.

Meeke has started in Sardinia on four occasions, but only once in a World Rally Car in 2001 when he retired his Mini John Cooper.

“I’ve probably driven most of the roads before but some are in different directions, some stages are in reverse and there are a couple I’ve never done before, so I’ll start with a blank pace note book.

“One result in Argentina doesn’t necessarily put you in the mindset to go chasing a result. You can never go and chase a result, you have to get the experience first and let the speed happen,” he added.

Sure to stay in his door pocket is a small plastic lucky horseshoe he was given before Argentina.

“It did the trick for Argentina so we’ll leave it there and see how long it goes. I’m not a big one for superstition, but when people support me and are good enough to give you a token for good luck, you might as well take it with you,” added Meeke.