Carlos Sainz is not that sure that the powerful Peugeot team have the edge over the opposition for the 2003 World Rally Championship opener at the Monte Carlo Rally this weekend. He does however see the 206 WRC being the pace setter when the season kicks off.

Sainz believes Peugeot has an advantage at the beginning of the season and says it will be possible to catch up in the second half of the year. "I hope it is possible to achieve wins this year, but you don't know until you drive the car in competition," he said. "My main objective is to help build up the team together with Colin McRae and Sebastien Loeb. We have to try and fight with Peugeot from the start, but I think our team has the resources to do that."

Sainz, who followed former Subaru and Ford team-mate McRae to Citroen for 2003, will have to also get to know not only his new co-driver and partner Luiz Moya again, but a new car as well.

Teammate McRae feels that he?s already getting into the groove with the works Xsara. The 1995 world champion has never won on the icy roads of the Principality, but if last year's event is anything to go by his Xsara should be among the leaders.

Third member of the Citroen Team, Sebastien Loeb, won the previous Monte on the road but was dropped back to second spot after incurring penalties for servicing irregularities. With this in the back of his mind the Frenchman has something to prove this weekend. McRae goes as far as tipping Loeb as a potential winner at Monte.

Who else does McRae think are potential winners? "Marcus [Gronholm] for sure, Richard [Burns], Petter [Solberg] definitely, and I think even Markko [Martin], and Francois Duval could be very good. Gilles Panizzi has a chance as well."

World Champion Gronholm is highly considered by MacRae but is cagey by ruling himself out as season-opener victor. He has not enjoyed the greatest success at the Principality over the years, but he's hoping to start his title defence with a podium finish in this year's event. "I don't have enough experience of the place [to win]," said Gronholm, "but I think it's possible to finish in the top three ? that will be my target. We'll have to see though ? it's impossible to make any predictions about Monte Carlo."

It seems that tarmac events are his least favoured event on the calendar, mainly because of the inclement Alpine winter weather. "The conditions are unpredictable all the time, so you never know what you're going to get," he said. "Also you have to make your tyre choice two to three hours in advance, so it's easy to end up with something that's completely unsuitable. I think there is a big element of lottery about Monte Carlo ? you have to be lucky. It's not all about driving skill.?

New Skoda driver Didier is enthusiastic about his new challenge. The 1994 World Champion is making his big comeback this year driving for Skoda, having tested his new Octavia over more than two hundred kilometres.

?I can't wait!? said Didier. ?We've done a lot of testing in the Czech Republic, in France and in Sweden, and it is now time to take what we've learned during these tests and put it to good use in a racing environment. I feel I fit right in with the other members of the team??

Didier is fully aware that Team Skoda doesn't have the same budget as the top-tier teams. But his car does have some distinct features, which Didier hopes will allow him to shine. ?The car is easy to drive and has real potential. Of course, unleashing its potential won't happen overnight, but everyone in the team is willing to put in long hours in order to reach our objectives. I am certain we will achieve them. My team mates' enthusiasm for rallying combined with the fact that we're always on the lookout for new ideas has made us achieve real progress already.?

An unusual feature of the Monte Carlo Rally this year is the long-term contract signed by Puma with the WRC promoters ISC to become the official supplier of apparel and footwear to the World Rally Championship. The first product, bearing the logos of PUMA, WRC and Inmarsat, will be worn at the Rally of Turkey at the end of next month.

As the official apparel and footwear supplier, PUMA is providing everything from winter jackets and outdoor boots to mechanic suits and team shirts and has already secured a partnership with a leading works team for the 2003 rally season.

Recognising the growing importance and popularity of the FIA World Rally Championship Puma sees a close relationship and co-operation with the people that make the WRC happen. "Motorsports are demanding performance sports, and nowhere is this more evident than in the WRC ? and we expect to find great inspiration in the motorsport discipline that plays host to, 'the world's most talented drivers'".

For those who?re interested the bookies have Gilles Panizzi in the Peugeot as favourite ? expect to get around 3-1 or 4-1 for the Frenchman taking victory. And if the event is as dry as it was last year, then Panizzi in the Peugeot looks a pretty safe bet.

However the Peugeots have had rotten luck on the Monte and if the weather throws up a few surprises, there could be other more attractive bets to capture the imagination.

Citroen was really the only car to catch Peugeot on asphalt last season ? Monte Carlo aside ? and although Seb Loeb is around 4-1 to win the rally, his teammate could provide better returns. Colin McRae is 14-1 to win the rally but Carlos Sainz at 22-1 is pretty good value.

But for a self-induced mistake, Subaru's Petter Solberg could have won the Monte last year and the Norwegian is 6-1 to actually do the job. His teammate Tommi Makinen is gunning for a fifth consecutive Monte win and you'll get around 5-1 for the Finn doing the business again this time around.

And for the championship? You'll not get great odds on the top two Peugeot drivers, with Tommi at 25-1 to win the 2003 drivers title and Carlos at a generous 40-1. The new scoring system for 2003 ? where the top eight finishers score points ? could reward Carlos's well-known consistency and that may well prove to be a worthwhile flutter.