HANDBRAKES &HAIRPINS 318 YOUR insight “into the world of RALLY!” ISSUE 318/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/ WorldRX in Portugal review 09/ MERC Jordan Rally review E-mail us/ [email protected] 11/ RA Oregon Trail Rally review Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 14/ BRC Pirelli RBF Rally review Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc 18/ WRC Rally Argentina preview All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 19/ Silver Fern 2007-13. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing 20/ Closing Shot 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. #OPENINGSHOT The opening round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship saw Petter Solberg steal the show in his PSRX Citroën DS3 Supercar. Welcome back to the podium, Hollywood! Picture: WorldRX 04 H&H • #THEHOLLYWOODREPORT Norway’s Petter Solberg won the opening round of the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy at the World RX of Portugal fi nal at the wheel of his PSRX Citroen DS3 Supercar. It was a double podium for Ford Olsbergs MSE in the Team Championship with team-mates Andreas Bakkerud and Reinis Nitiss fi nishing second and third respectively. Words: H&H / Pictures: WorldRX 05 H&H • 06 H&H •• The event was sold out as glorious sunshine greeted fans fantastic to fi nally get this win. It’s like winning my fi rst ever Lydden.” and World RX drivers at the Montalegre circuit, located just rally again and I’m sure even my mum and dad are proud of Russia’s Sergej Zagumennov took the Super1600 fi ve miles from the Spanish border. Two heats were held me! I have to thank my wife (Pernilla) too and I have some of victory and summarised his victory in one sentence: “I always on Saturday for the Supercar, Super1600, TouringCar and the best mechanics, they are fantastic. Finally, I also want to have the pedal fl at down and that’s how Russians like to supporting RX Lites cars, which was followed by two further thank IMG – they do an incredible job. I’ve never seen anyone drive!” Second place was awarded to Nikita Misiulia, with Janis heats plus the semi-fi nals and fi nals on Sunday. promote a sport as well as they have done with rallycross. It’s Baumanis taking the third step of the podium. Saturday’s heats were dominated by Team Peugeot- amazing.” In the TouringCar category, Norway’s Torleif Lona took Hansen driver Timur Timerzyanov, but Sunday it was Solberg Bakkerud joined Solberg on the podium making it a the win in his Ford Fiesta followed by his fellow countryman who stole the limelight by winning both his heats plus the one-two for Norway. Elsewhere, former F1 World Champion Kjetil Larsen in the Skoda Fabia. Anders Braten was third in a semi-fi nals and the all-important fi nal. Jacques Villeneuve was unable to make the semi-fi nals after Ford Fiesta. “I am overwhelmed, today is like a dream,” explained a fuel pressure problem and puncture hindered his progress. The fi rst ever RX Lites Cup, a support category of an emotional Solberg who was joined in the six-car fi nal The French-Canadian concluded: “This weekend has been World RX, was won by Sebastien Eriksson with Kevin Eriksson alongside Bakkerud, Nitiss, Belgian driver Koen Pauwels, and like an appetiser and even though it hasn’t gone to plan, I’ve in third. Swedish Touring Car Champion Richard Goransson Volkswagen Marklund’s Topi Heikkinen and Anton Marklund. learned a lot. I’m very happy with the Albatec Racing team claimed the fi nal podium spot. “I have been fi ghting for a victory for a long time so it is and now we have more time to prepare for the next round at 07 H&H ••• Driver Points after Round One: Team Points after Round One: 01) Petter Solberg - 29 points 01) Ford Olsbergs MSE - 44 points 02) Reinis Nitiss - 24 points 02) Volkswagen Marklund - 39 points 03) Toomas ‘Topi’ Heikkinen - 21 points 03) PSRX - 38 points 04) Andreas Bakkerud - 20 points 04) Team Peugeot-Hansen - 33 points 05) Timur Timerzyanov - 19 points 05) Albatec Racing - 5 points 06) Anton Marklund - 18 points 06) Monster Energy World RX Team - 0 points =07) Koen Pauwels -14 points =07) Timmy Hansen - 14 points 09) Alex Hvaal - 9 points =10) Derek Tohill - 8 points =10) Ramona Karlsson - 8 points 08 H&H •••• #ALATTIYAHTAKESGOLD Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini stormed to an emphatic victory in the 2014 Jordan Rally, Round Three of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), which fi nished at the Dead Sea after 21 timed special stages this past weekend. Words: H&H / Pictures: MERC 10 H&H • The success was Al-Attiyah’s eighth in Jordan and his 53rd in MERC history. “We had a strategy and it worked,” said the delighted Qatari, who now has a 24-point lead in this year’s title race with three rounds remaining later in the year. “The fi rst couple of stages included some sections that had been used already and I was a little cautious because of the varying degree of grip, but I got into my rhythm after that. This is another tremendous win for our team. It is developing into a superb season now. I just need to keep the momentum going.” Bernacchini’s fourth Jordan Rally success marked his 24th regional rally victory and he duly equals Chris Patterson’s record as the joint second most successive co-driver of all time in the MERC behind Irishman Ronan Morgan. Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi/ Chris Patterson won four special stages in total and fi nished behind the fl ying Qatari. A rally-long battle between Abdullah Al-Qassimi and Marouf Abu Samra thrilled the fans. A one- minute time penalty for Al-Qassimi swung the pendulum in Abu Samra’s favour and the pair traded times, and third and fourth places, all rally. But Al-Qassimi hit back and snatched the fi nal podium place on the at the fi nish. Kuwaiti driver Salah bin Eidan was a close fi fth in his Ford Fiesta R5. The Jordanian duo of Husam Salem/Nancy Al-Majali dominated the competitive Group N category in their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII and reached the fi nish in a superb sixth overall. Ala’a Rasheed slotted into seventh place in a Ford Fiesta RRC and Ala’ Khalifeh claimed eighth overall. Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed Al-Mutawee and Stephen McAuley led the Junior and 2WD categories from start to fi nish in the fi rst of fi ve DS3 R3s, fi nishing ninth overall and 23 minutes ahead of rivals Saeed Bintowq/Allan Harryman to seal their third successive victory in the Abu Dhabi Racing-Citroën Middle East Trophy. Kuwaiti Group N driver Meshari Al-Thafi ri rounded off the top ten and continues to lead the championship’s showroom category. Final Overall Classifi cation: 01) N. Saleh Al-Attiyah/G. Bernacchini Ford Fiesta RRC – 03h 00m 53.2s 02) K. Al-Qassimi/C. Patterson Citroën DS3 RRC + 02m 02.2s 03) A. Al-Qassimi/C. Derousseaux Ford Fiesta RRC + 14m 33.5s 04) M. Abu Samra/N. Fanous Skoda Fabia S2000 15m 10.7s 05) S. Bin Eidan/A. Gelsomino Ford Fiesta R5 + 17m 26.7s 06) H. Salem/N. Al-Majali Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII + 26m 22.0s 07) A. Rasheed/J. Matar Ford Fiesta RRC + 27m 33.3s 08) A. Khalifeh/A. Al-Hmoud Ford Fiesta R5 + 28m 49.3s 09) M. Al-Mutawaa/S. McAuley Citroën DS3 R3 + 32m 07.2s 10) M. Al-Thefi ri/E. Juma Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 42m 09.3s 11 H&H •• #HIGGINSPOWERSTOFIRST Subaru Rally Team USA’s David Higgins and Craig Drew dramatically won the Oregon Trail Rally by overtaking team-mates Travis Pastrana and Chrissie Beavis on the event’s penultimate stage. The Oregon Trail Rally is the third round of the Rally America National Championship held in Portland and Hood River, Oregon. Words: H&H / Pictures: Rally America 11 H&H • Action sports icon Travis Pastrana immediately built a lead at had some fortune to get the lead, but Higgins chipped away at at Oregon. We made up two seconds per mile on the fi nal fi ve- Day One’s Portland International Raceway stages and held it. We learned so much here and we are a lot closer than we mile stage to close the 7-second gap to Dillon.” it through Day Two despite Higgins winning all but a single were the fi rst race. I can’t wait for the next round.” Super Production points leaders Nick Roberts and stage. Chicane barrier penalties played a large part in keeping FY Racing’s Adam Yeoman/Jordan Schulze fi nished Rhianon Gelsomino suffered a catastrophic car fi re on SS8. Higgins from overtaking Pastrana, and Higgins began the fi nal third overall for their third career podium and their second Fortunately, the drivers were treated by medical personnel day trailing by 39 seconds... podium this year. and released. The retirement will ultimately knock them out Higgins fi ercely drove to reduce Pastrana’s lead, The Super Production battle came down to the very of fi rst place in the standings.