HANDBRAKES &HAIRPINS 321

YOUR insight “into the world of RALLY!”

ISSUE 321/CONTENTS EDITORIAL INFORMATION 01/ Cover Editor/ Evan Rothman 02/ ATS Photojournalist/ Eva Kovkova 03/ Editorial Information Contributors/ Liga Stirna, Kris Karnitiss 04/ Opening Shot CONTACT INFORMATION 05/ Goodwood Festival of Rally 08/ climbs the highs E-mail us/ [email protected] 11/ SANRC Rally preview Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 14/ ERC Geko Rally review Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc 16/ WRC in Italy and Poland All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 22/ Closing Shot 2007-13. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the editor. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information from sources and given to readers, the editor cannot accept responsibility for any inconvenience or damage that may arise therefrom. Each week we’ll be inviting YOU to select our Opening and Closing Shots. We’ll post up five images on our Facebook Page (facebook.com/handhmag) for you to choose. Here’s a beautiful shot from WRC Rally Italia d’Sardegna of jumping his M-Sport Fiesta RS WRC to another tidy result. OPENINGPicture: McKlein. SHOT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF RALLY The 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed attracts “motoring and motorsport fans from around the world. It must rank as the only mortorsport event 06 H&H •• where the world’s best racing and rally drivers vie to drive the oldest machine...” The Festival of Speed is a celebration of all that is magical about motorsport, and this year’s popular Forest Rally Stage attracted the legend that is nine-times World Rally Champioin Sebastien Loeb in his old CItroën DS3 WRC, in his 2014 WRC, and a plethora of spectacular rally machines from yesteryear... This is rally!

07 H&H ••• HIGGINSHIGGINS SSMASHESMASHES HIHISS RERECORDCORD Rally Team USA driver David Higgins is “King of “the Hill” at the 2014 Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb, breaking his own course record set in 2011 by over two seconds, while team-mate and returning former Rally America champion grabs second place just three seconds off the winner for a dream one-two for the team.”

09 H&H •• At the wheel of a Vermont SportsCar-prepared 2014 Subaru our old record staring us down. But Craig [Drew] was perfect Final Overall Classifi cation: Impreza WRX STI, David Higgins set a blistering new record on the notes and Subaru gave me a car that was perfect.” 01) D. Higgins/C. Drew WRX STI - 24m 51.3s time of 06min 09.09sec on New Hampshire’s sinuous 7.6 Higgins team-mate Travis Pastrana, driving an 02) T. Pastrana/C. Beavis mile Mt. Washington Auto Road. Higgins’ teammate Travis identically prepared Subaru, was able to bounce back from Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 01m 37.2s Pastrana, with co-driver Chrissie Beavis, made it a Subaru several setbacks at the event. On his second top-half run he 03) D. Van Way/A. Edwards one-two by fi nishing a close second overall just three seconds clipped a rock on an inside corner puncturing his tyre and Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 04m 14.2s behind Higgins’ new record. subsequently losing time to Higgins. Then on Sunday his fi rst 04) A. Comrie-Picard/O. Holter Higgins and Pastrana also fi nished one-two in the full-course run was slowed by a loss of boost pressure which Ford Fiesta ST + 04m 28.9s Rally America Championship portion of the event, which was subsequently fi xed by his team mechanics ahead of his 05) C. Steely/P. Osborn Ford Fiesta R1 + 04m 59.1s scored drivers based on their cumulative time across the second full course run. Pastrana’s fi nal run up the mountain 06) P. Karpidas/J. Hall four half-course practice runs and two full course runs. The was trouble free, but was just seconds off Higgins’ record Ford Fiesta R2 + 06m 39.4s victory, Higgins’ fourth this season, extends his lead in the pace. 07) J. Cassidy/D. Gretchell 2014 Rally America Championship where he is aiming for his “We knew it was going to be tough to catch David Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 06m 53.2s fourth consecutive Driver’s Title. here,” said Pastrana at the podium celebration. “It’s great for 08) R. Wilcox/J. Beliveau “It was a great event and we put in a big effort for the team to go one-two and lower the record again. It was a Subaru Impreza WRX STI + 06m 58.1s those few seconds,” explained Higgins. “There is so much close fi ght on that fi nal run, and our Subaru was just a blast 09) Erika Detota/M. Warren Subaru Impreza + 07m 42.8s history here and it’s great to be a part of it again for Subaru. to drive here.” 10) D. Kennedy/M. Kennedy This was a big challenge this weekend as we had Pastrana and Subaru Impreza + 08m 03.7s

10 H&H ••• PRIVATEERS RALLY FOR WINS The South African National Rally “Championship reaches half- way, but the action is only just beginning... What does it take to be at the top?”

12 H&H •• double champion’s team... established on a test, I push it and see what else I can learn “We’re not under pressure this weekend, but rather and understand from the car. We then adjust the settings our rivals feel it I reckon,” said Mark Cronje. “Our year started to create new feelings and more speed in the car, and the off in the worst possible way, but we’ve not halted our mission stopwatch then tells us if its working.” to win the Championship again. In fact, it has driven has even Speed is relative, and these racing and rally drivers more. Mathematically we’re in with a chance, and while that will tell you. It is not the speed at which you travel that is is the case we’ll give it our all. The car’s fantastic, the team’s scary, but the speed when you’re out of control that is most motivated, my driving the best I’ve ever felt it to be,and Robin terrifying. When that happens in a stage, how does a driver [Houghton, co-driver] is peerless with his pacenotes. Its just react and even when a car suffers a mechanical malady a bit of Lady Luck we need and then we’ll be at the top once beyond your sphere of control? “I immediately move on from more.” it - there’s simply no time to consider or contemplate the The underdogs. That’s one word to describe this team consequences or reasons in a stage,” said Cronje. “A DNF is at the moment, and it is one that they wear comfortably. For not something easy for a driver to handle. I’ve learnt to put defending champions, they should be favourites for victory: it out of my mind as quick as possible - if you let it simmer in they have a formidable car in the M-Sport , your thoughts, that’s when you begin to doubt yourself and a track record that sees them one of the three most successful put more pressure onto your shoulders for the next event. crews in the long and proud South African rally history, and That’s really not good for your speed, simply put.” they’re a privateer outfi t too. They’ve worked magic since We begin to ask what is that feeling then that tells a their inception three years ago, and their rivals the factory driver the they’re making the right moves behind the steerign Volkswagen and squads have reacted by developing wheel, when Cronje explains: “When I set a great stage time, all-new rally cars. That is the powerful effect Mark Cronje, I have the same feeling as when I set a fl yer of a qualifying Robin Houghton and the M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 have lap in my circuit racing days: each apex is kissed, every had on South African . Three events into the 2014 millimetre of the track is used, and every kilowatt from the The mid-point of the 2014 South African National Rally season, and the picture is rather different in the eyes of the engine is extracted on the straights. That’s the feeling I aim Championship is crossed this weekend with the Volkswagen Volkswagen and Toyota camps. And this all makes Cronje and for in stages. Nothing less!” Rally, Round Four on the calendar. This year’s Championship his band of merry mechanics now the underdogs. Is the X-factor Cronje and Houghton? On Cronje’s is by no means a straight-cut affair, as four crews are running Is it Lady Luck that Cronje and Houghton need for fi nal run in this test, the answer is revealed. The service close at the top of the Drivers’ Championship log and the the remainder of 2014? We don’t think so. Last week this crew’s view of the test stage is obscured. But, a silence hangs reigning double champion Mark Cronje is looking to his title team undertook an exhaustive test to prepare for this event, over the make-shift service park as Cronje rolls out his Fiesta tally three on the trot. Cronje and Houghton spent many hours poring over their in- and climbs a gentle rise to the start of the test stage. All ears Fifteen stages and 180km of action over two days car footage from previous editions, and they’ve done their are listening intently to the singing Fiesta S2000 motor, and of competiton on fast yet technical forest gravel roads: the homework on the all-new stages for this year’s route, while smiles creep onto their faces when the exhaust barks when Volkswagen Rally runs around Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, their engineers have prepared a car that runs near-faultlessly. a higher gear is engaged. A day of this, in cold and drizzling for traditional forest rallying and this is also one of the most Lady Luck is not the element this team needs to return to conditions, yet the excitement is tangible. When Cronje and enjoyable events on the calendar for both crews and fans their winning ways. What they need is more special stages... Houghton return to their team box, everyone’s buzzing about alike. This year’s edition promises great action throughout the While their factory rivals are also investing this much the run. These are inspired people putting their every ounce fi eld, but all eyes will be on the massive battle set between time and energy into their rallying campaigns that picking a of energy into the next stage win. That must be the X-factor. Volkswagen, Toyota and Ford. rally winner is not as easy as it used to be in previous years Volkswagen has entered Raimund Baumschlager in even with problem-free runs from Cronje. It is that little bit their Polo S2000 alongside their three regular contenders for extra effort, that little bit of added motivation that seemingly their home event, while Toyota’s Yaris S2000 continues to adds a few magical horsepower to the car’s engine. It is this • Enjoy this action video from the test session here: gain in speed as their two drivers Leeroy Poulter and Hergen X-factor that puts them on a par with their factory rivals http://youtu.be/7m1TO_Rs47A. Fekken head the Championship standings. Ford’s Mark Cronje despite having scored less Championship points this season. has bounced back from two events where bad luck saw him Watching Cronje pitch and prance his Fiesta • Download the 2014 Volkswagen Rally’s free Spectator score only a handful number of points but he kept his eye on through a series of tight left-right fl icks, then race towards Guide here >>> http://bit.ly/1tq33CK. his goal and won Round Three seven weeks ago. Somewhat the horizon on a winding and narrow gravel track made for on the back foot, Cronje’s focused all his attention and energy a memorable afternoon’s education in dedication. This is a on swaying his rivals’ momentum of success his way for the driver fully in control of his machine. Total confi dence in his remainder of the season... car, total confi dence in his co-driver and total confi dence in his The proverbial cards are stacked against the fastest engineers; that is something earned and built over countless rally driver in South Africa. His rivals have taken full advantage such kilometres of testing and in red-hot competition. of his misfortune, yet he still feels the Championship is within “We don’t leave anything to chance,” commented his grasp. Handbrakes & Hairpins attended Cronje’s pre- Cronje. “What I do is make sure the car is dialed in and Volkswagen Rally test to understandthe inner workings of a responding exactly as I expect it to. Once that benchmark’s 13 H&H ••• proved just how quick he is on his home “rally, the Geko , by winning his record- setting ninth Ypres Rally last month.”

FASTFAST FREDDY SSTRIKESTRIKES AAGAINGAIN The nine-time Ypre Rally winner did not the lead the event in Meanwhile, the ERC Junior Championship produced a Production Car Cup honours for a second year running as the his usual dominant fashion from the get-go. Up until the start breath-taking fi nal-stage showdown between Andrea Crugnola Belgian driver fought back to secure a dominant win ahead of of the fi nal morning, it was Rally Academy’s Kevin and Stéphane Lefebvre who fi nished the event tied on time Hungary’s András Hadik (Subaru Impreza R4 STI) in a repeat Abbring that led by 24.8 seconds in his Peugeot 208T16 R5. following almost 300km of serious competition. Lefebvre of last season’s result. But, Loix saw his rival stricken on the side of the SS13, and took the victory due to the fact he was fastest in class on Kevin Demaerschalk underlined his reputation as all the Belgian needed to do was bring his Skoda Fabia S2000 the opening stage although it could have been a different one of Belgium’s rising star drivers by claiming a comfortable to the fi nish in a controlled manner. story when the bonnet of his R2 fl ew open at the ERC 2WD success. ERC Junior runners Stéphane Lefebvre and “It’s incredible and I think it will take a long time fi rst corner and he drove through the closing 27.56km stage Andrea Crugnola were second and third respectively. before someone else will do this,” said Loix. “I was really relying on co-driver Thomas Dubois’ pacenotes after his vision FIA ERC Geck Ypres Rally Final Classifi cation: missing the battle with Kevin [Abbring] because it was a was obscured. Impressive composure from the youngster! 01) F. Loix/J. Gitsels pleasure to fi ght for tenths of a second with Kevin and the In the race for the coveted ERC title, Esapekka Skoda Fabia S2000 - 02h 43m 13.7s other drivers rather than just controlling the fi nal six stages. Lappi continues to head in the standings despite 02) C. Cherain/A. Leyh But I’m very happy and the target is to come back to try to a car-wrecking crash on SS9. The Finn and co-driver Janne + 01m 09.9s win for a tenth time. Then it could be time to stop and give Ferm were taken to hospital for precautionary checks, but 03) S. Wiegand/F. Christian the young boys who pushed me a lot this weekend a chance were later given the all clear. Breen also retired after myriad Skoda Fabia S2000 + 02m 14.2s to win.” technical issues struck his Peugeot Rally Academy 208T16 R5. 04) H. Kobus/E. De Wild Abbring gained some consolation by landing the Lappi’s lead over Breen is now 33 points at the halfway point Ford Fiesta S2000 + 02m 32.5s 05) L. Rossetti/M. Chiarcossi prestigious Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy for his charging in the season. Skoda Fabia S2000 + 03m 44.5s display and tally of nine stage wins. Former S2000 world champion Xevi Pons retired his 06) D. Vanneste/E. Snaet It was a double fi rst for Belgium’s Cédric Cherain, Fiesta R5 in a ditch on SS9, while Pieter Tsjoen’s hopes of a + 05m 25.4s who scored his maiden ERC podium and his fi rst in Ypres in top ten fi nish ended in a ditch on SS16. Neil Simpson was 07) A. Lefevere/A. Vangheluwe second place in a Ford Fiesta R5, with Sepp Wiegand fi nishing in the top ten when he went off the road on SS14. Antonín Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X R4 + 06m 11.5s as the best Ypres rookie in third for Skoda Auto Deutschland. Tlusťák rolled into retirement on SS11, but Melissa Debackere 08) D. Duquesne/F. Cuvelier Hermen Kobus fi nished fourth with triple European champion battled to the fi nish in ninth amid fears an overheating engine Ford Fiesta R5 + 06m 53.2s 09) M. Debackere/C. Cokelaere taking fi fth after he battled back from a dramatic would force her exit. Jaroslav Orsák completed the top ten. Peugeot 207 S2000 + 06m 59.7s trip into a ditch on Day One, which was caused when he picked Not even a puncture could prevent Andy Lefevere 10) J. Orsak/D. Smiedler up a puncture striking a rock. (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X R4) from landing ERC Skoda Fabia S2000 + 09m 01.4s 15 H&H •• A TALE OF TWO WRC RALLIES The Rally Italia d’Sardegna and the LOTOS Rally “Poland showcased the extent of ’s stranglehold on the in 2014.”

17 H&H •• The Italian island of Sardinia’s twisting stages could not be any further removed from the high-speed Masurian speed tests last weekend. Both played out on dry gravel and sandy roads Sebastien Ogier, and their R WRC dominated the top spot of the results pages. This gave the reigning World Rally Champion a 33- point lead over his team-mates in the Drivers’ Championship standings. This was Ogier’s fourth win in six events and his 20th overall, but it was nearly not to be. Only on Day Three’s fi nal stage did Ogier move into the lead when he forced his team-mate into a costly error... Ogier lead on the fi nal day to eventually take the victory with a margin of 01 minute and 23.1 seconds from Citroën Racing’s Mads Ostberg. Said Ogier: “I had a very tough beginning on this rally and had to put pressure on Jari [Matti Latvala]. Luckily that paid off.” The Fast Finn pushed his Polo R WRC to its limits on the fi nal in a bid to close some 21.3 seconds to Ostberg (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team). Latvala did close to 09 seconds off Ostberg, but the Norwegian and his French race weapon expertly managed their pace over the last day’s four stages (in which Latvala was quicker on three) and Ostberg showed his maturity to keep his cool. (Volkswagen Motorsport) ended the event in fourth place overall with a strong drive. He headed a gaggle of M-Sport Fiesta RS WRC fi nishers with Elfyn Evans (M-Sport World Rally Team) claiming fi fth place, (Jipocar Czech National Rally Team) in sixth, the ever-fun and fast (Adapta Motorsport), and with eighth place going to (RK M-Sport World Rally Team). Ninth place was won by Lorenzo Bertilli in his Ford Fiesta RRC, also claiming the WRC 2 category. Khalid Al- Qassimi placed tenth overall after struggling with his Citroën DS3 WRC for much of the rally. Taking his 33-point Championship lead to a 50-point cushion with six events remaining, Ogier scored the 17th overall victory for the Polo R WRC at the LOTOS , out of 20 rallies in total. The team result was completed with Andreas Mikkelsen in second place overall, and for the furth time this season the German team celebrated a one-two result. What’s more, the Volkswagen Motorsport squad is now 147 points ahead of their manufacturer rivals... Talk about dominance! This the fi fth gravel event of the season was truly a high speed test. Ogier clocked an eye-watering average speed of 118.5km/h, while Mikkelsen scored the fastest special stage time in the Polo R WRC with an average pace of 136.88 km/h over the 12.89km of Wieliczki 2. According to the car’s telemetry, Mikkelsen was a full throttle for 80.21 percent of this stage! Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1: “It’s just brilliant – this win was an important one in the world championship stakes! Julien and I had a perfect rally here in Poland. The stages were incredibly quick – and the huge numbers of fans along the way were simply brilliant. As a driver, you can enjoy 18 H&H ••• every single kilometre. On the fi nal day today, there were SS14... Evans and Ostberg both retired after hitting a big just 0.7 seconds behind fellow Finn and former team-mate some wonderful stretches again where I had to force myself rock that was hidden in the undergrowth. Evans damaged his Hirvonen. Sixth position went to Juho Hanninen (Hyundai not to go at full pelt. Because obviously we didn’t want to Ford Fiesta’s left-front suspension, while Ostberg damaged Shell World Rally Team) ahead of a recovering Meeke, while jeopardise our lead too much.” the roll cage of his DS3 WRC when it rolled. Latvala hit the New Zealand’s (Hyundai Shell World Rally Mikkelsen’s confi dence is on the rise, and with same rock and also sustained serious suspension damage. Team) capped another strong performance in his i20 WRC to that is his speed. The 25-year-old Norwegian had an eye The Finn managed to limp through the stage. Others to suffer claim eighth. Solberg and Prokop rounded out the top ten. on challenging Ogier for the rally’s win, but after losing his in SS14 were (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally The thrilling Neste Oil Rally takes place in brakes and a big spin on Day Two, he wisely settled into a Team), Henning Solberg (Adapta Motorsport) and local crowd two weeks, and a return to the spiritual home of rallying is steady rhythm to consolidate his second place overall. Will he favourite Kubica who all lost valuable time after picking up always a special treat for all involved in this Championship. hold back on the next rally, or challenge for top honours? punctures. It is unlikely that anyone can reel in and topple the The new kids on the block, Hyundai Shell World Rally Once the dust settled, the leaderboard started to dominant Volkswagen Motorsport crews, but this doesn’t Team, are enjoying a strong fi rst season back in the World take a meaningful shape as the crews headed towards the spell boredom... An intriguing intra-team battle is brewing: Rally Championship. Their i20 WRC was given its second fi nish. Mikkelsen’s confi dence is at a high, Ogier is driving faultlessly podium of the 2014 season thanks to ’s solid In a trying event for (M-Sport World and Latvala is looking to prove a point on home soil. The and safe third place result. Rally Team), he brought his Fiesta to the fi nish line in fourth - next six events will be dramatic: every point is now extremely Behind Neuville, the remaining places on the leader and was lucky to do so thanks to the misfortune of his rivals. valuable, with teams and drivers all to aware of the stakes on board were signifi cantly affected by the drama that was Latvala eventually dragged his Polo R WRC to fi fth place, the table.

19 H&H •••• WRC Rally Italia d’Sardegna Final Results: 01) S. Ogier/J. Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC - 04h 02m 37.8s 02) M. Ostberg/J. Andersson Citroën DS3 WRC + 01m 23.1s 03) J-M. Latvala/M. Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 01m 32.8s 04) A. Mikkelsen/O. Floene Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 02m 39.2s 05) E. Evans/D. Barritt M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 04m 41.8s 06) M. Prokop/J. Tomanek M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 06m 05.3s 07) H. Solberg/I. Minor-Petrasko M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 07m 15.8s 08) R. Kubica/M. Szczepaniak M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 12m 19.0s 09) L. Bertelli/M. Dotta M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC + 15m 22.1s 10) K. Al-Qassimi/C. Patterson Citroën DS3 WRC + 16m 49.3s

WRC LOTOS Rally Poland Final Results: 01) S. Ogier/J. Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC - 02h 34m 02.0s 02) A. Mikkelsen/O. Floene Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 01m 07.7s 03) T. Neuville/N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 WRC + 02m 13.5s 04) M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 02m 32.4s 05) J-M. Latvala/M. Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 02m 33.1s 06) J. Hanninen/T. Tuominen Hyundai i20 WRC + 02m 49.9s 07) K. Meeke/P. Nagle Citroën DS3 WRC + 04m 27.9s 08) H. Paddon/J. Kennard Hyundai i20 WRC + 04m 32.1s 09) H. Solberg/I. Minor-Petrasko M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 04m 59.0s 10) M. Prokop/J. Tomanek M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 06m 11.3s 20 H&H ••••• 21 H&H •••••• CLOSING SHOT Each week we’ll be inviting YOU to select our Opening and Closing Shots. We’ll post up five images on our Facebook Page (facebook.com/handhmag) for you to choose. This is Thierry Neuville in action on the WRC’s LOTOS Rally Poland last weekend. Picture: McKlein.