It feels good to be in bed but I must say Katarzyna behaves way over expectations. I imagined doing 80-90 km/h tops and writhing in pain from back ache due to piss poor seats. Nope, the car easily does 120 km/h and the seats are really comfy.

The mechanics had 5 spare engines and one spare car to start with, they have now used them all. Now it’s a matter of ingenuity and makeshift solutions. Knowing we’d be going to Poland, driving a Polish car 1400 kms in a rally across Europe we brought with us the necessary tools to handle it: a flashlight, duct tape, screwdrivers (one flat one Phillips), pliers, polygrip and steel wire. Today we used it all. Perfect.

I may have jinxed us yesterday when saying Katarzyna was in tip top shape. Well she was, and is, except for that litte mishap with the engine oil cap.  Our makeshift one did its job and we made it to Malmö just 10-15 minutes after most teams, but not last, despite us doing a mere 90km/h with two stops to check everything was OK with the engine. That means tomorrow when the mechanics wake up, we’re going to pester them for a new cap and some fresh winter tyres. Then we’ll show those other teams whose car can handle it. We know we’ve got the straight line speed as we have left everyone behind us once we’ve tried. After my quietest Saturday in months, it’s time for some shuteye before the real challenge starts.

We have definitely underestimated som teams desire to take home the trophy. When someone can do 291 kms in 3 hours in a Fiat 126p, with a petrol stop in between, then clearly there is only one mode good enough and that is the pedal through the metal. Optimising the Maluch to reach speeds of 130 km/h is possible, the question is whether the engine can take it. We now have proof that it can, on shorter stints.

Tomorrow Sunday is the last leg to Stockholm. This journey will be 50 percent longer than the other two legs and it’s 604 kms flat out on motorways. No breaks but petrols stops, no ferry to take the heat off the engine and no construction work to get the speed down. The winner will be the one that reaches the final destination in Stockholm before anyone else despite accumulated points on earlier legs. Like I have stated before, it’ll come down to whose engine is the most solid.