Cardiff, Nov 05: Peugeot team boss Corrado Provera told the official www.wrc.com website that Richard Burns, who leaves the team to return to Subaru next season after failing to win a rally in two seasons with the French manufacturer, had been given a scan. "We are sure there is nothing really important (wrong with) him, but according to what the doctors told us it really is impossible for him to enter the rally," he said. "It is a very sad situation for him and for all of us. It is a pity for the end of his co-operation with us. We were sure he would have done something extraordinary on his home rally. Unfortunately he will not be doing it." The British rally starts in Cardiff with a superspecial on Thursday night and Burns, world champion with Subaru in 2001, would have been one of four drivers fighting for the championship.
His absence left a three-way battle with Citroen's French driver Sebastien Loeb and Spanish team mate Carlos Sainz a point clear of Subaru's Norwegian Petter Solberg.


Citroen are five points clear of Peugeot in the manufacturers' championship. Belgian Freddy Loix is replacing Burns for the rally before joining Peugeot next year.


Bureau Report