Game Features   Richard Burns Bio 1 2 3 4   The Making Of   Music
		Richard Burns - Driver Profile part 4 Richard began his 2003 battle for the World Championship in strong contention. A third place in the second round in Sweden gave him his best result there which he consolidated with second position in Turkey – a new arrival to the series having achieved WRC status. A sublime race in New Zealand gave Richard his third successive podium finish and a six-point lead over his nearest contender, his team-mate Marcus Gronholm. He capitalised on this success in the fifth round in Argentina (third place) and subsequently at the Acropolis Rally (fourth place). The latter rally put his driving skills to the ultimate test, having to complete nine stages without a second gear (having already utilised the spare gearbox on a previous stage). Unfortunately, round seven in Cyprus was not so forgiving and Richard was forced to retire for the first time in the season through mechanical failure. Rallye Deutschland saw Richard win a well-deserved third place on a German circuit that is renowned for its unpredictability and despite his efforts being hampered by poor weather Richard maintained a four point lead in the overall Drivers’ Championship. In Finland, he earned third place on the podium and had looked close to leading with a display of fast yet controlled driving. Due to a broken wheel bearing he lost vital time in the final two stages. In August, it was announced that Richard had signed a two-year contract with Subaru and stated that he was “delighted to be returning to Subaru” with his co-driver, Robert Reid. The pair had previously enjoyed success with the team whom Richard had collected eight of his ten WRC victories plus the 2001 FIA Drivers' title. In Australia, Richard further consolidated his lead in the Drivers’ Championship by earning third place and taking him to fifty five points – seven points ahead of both Peter Solberg and Carlos Sainz who were both tied in second place. By the end of this tenth round, Richard had now led the Championship since the third round in Turkey and was proving to be a formidable and unyielding opponent. The three asphalt rallies in October, in Italy, Corsica and Spain proved challenging with the latter forcing the second retirement of the season. On reflection and looking back on a season of such superlative performance, it’s no wonder that Richard has received such respect within the upper echelons of the rallying fraternity. His ability to lead the World Championship for nine of the fourteen rounds is an indication of his driving prowess and consummate skill when we consider the personal challenge he now faces. Richard Burns 2003 Richard Burns 2003 Richard Burns 2003
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