Palomo: I need to stay focused

Palomo claimed his first win and leapfrogged Laurent Pellier - winner in the Canaries and in Poland - when his Opel Corsa rival rolled out of contention on the opening day.

The Rallye Team Spain youngster now tops the standings by five points with three rounds remaining. There’s a lot at stake, with an FIA Junior WRC prize drive on offer for the eventual champion - but Palomo is adamant he doesn’t want to lose focus. 

“I am really happy at the moment,” he said. “This win is really important for our championship and the points situation, especially after Pellier had some bad luck. 

“Liepāja is a really fast rally, and it’s really difficult to come here because there is nothing similar in Spain. At home, it’s quite similar to Fafe and Portugal, but coming here is like a different world.

“Of course, it’s a really amazing result for us, but now I need to stay focused. The rest of the season is coming fast and I want to keep working hard,” he added. 

Finnish youngster Toni Herranen was Palomo’s nearest challenger for most of the rally and finished just 14.5sec back from the Liepāja lead in a Ford Fiesta Rally4. 

The pair will face off again at Rally di Roma Capitale later this month (22 - 24 July) as the series switches back to asphalt. 

“Toni is a hard rival,” admitted Palomo. “He was very, very fast in Poland and Latvia, so I say congratulations to him. He made things very difficult for me and now I am looking forward to driving against him in Rome. 

“I prefer gravel, but I am going to work hard. I think I can make a good rally in Rome and I am aiming for the same result as Liepāja."