DOCSLIB.ORG

Handbrakes & Hairpins Issue

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Handbrakes & Hairpins Issue HANDBRAKES &HAIRPINS 324 YOUR insight “into the world of RALLY!” ISSUE 324/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/ Tuthill Porsche goes WRC 08/ M-Sport facelifts Fiesta RS WRC E-mail us/ [email protected] 10/ Finland celebrates rallying this week Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, Cover Photograph: Eva Kovkova 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. OPENING 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. Marcus Gronholm readies for the Neste Oil Helsinki Rally Battle. Picture: Eva Kovkova. TUTHILL PORSCHE AND WRC? Tuthill is bringing back the “passion and excitement for the WRC with its own style, and Porsches. This is something exciting!” WORDS: H&H PHOTOS: JMS Photographic/Tuthill Porsche World famous Porsche 911 rally preparation expert, Tuthill Porsche, unveils its all-new Porsche 911 RGT rally car for FIA WRC competition. The fi rst test was carried out in full view of the public as course car on the 2014 Harry Flatters Rally in the UK. “Our aim with this project was to create a modern 911 rally car that is easy and fun to drive: a car that will appeal to all levels of driver ability,” said Richard Tuthill of Team Tuthill Porsche. “Led by our highly experienced project engineer, Graham Moore the team has done a magnifi cent job. We enjoyed an amazing fi rst day in the Porsche 997 RGT rally car. The car lands beautifully from jumps, is incredibly nimble through the narrow tight twisty stuff and hugely competent in the fast sections. It was born to rally! There is no doubt that it will be extremely competitive in the overall standings. “The primary purpose of this public test was to put some miles under our belts. This we achieved, also testing four different set-ups and two different tyre combinations on the day,” continued Tuthill. “I may be biased, but our latest rally 911 seemed the most popular car on the stages and in the service park. So many people offered their congratulations, describing our Porsche 911 RGT as a breath of fresh air. We hope that the MSA will fully recognise this category in due course, so we can see more cars of this class being used and enjoy some competition. In the meantime, roll on WRC Germany!” 06 H&H •• FORD FACELIFTS FIESTA WRC The front end of the Fiesta RS WRC is now even “more aggressive. It adds even more appeal to these might M-Sport machines.” WORDS: H&H Team Principal and M-Sport Managing Director, PHOTOS: M-Sport Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “We’ve been keen to see the new-look Ford Fiesta RS WRC on the stages for some time now and I am happy to announce that that time has come. M-Sport World Rally Team’s Ford Fiesta RS WRCs will be We continue to enjoy a strong working relationship with the sporting a new-look this week when Mikko Hirvonen and Elfyn Ford Motor Company and their technical support has been Evans power through the high-speed forests of the 64th Neste invaluable in the creation of our award-winning range of Ford Oil Rally Finland. As rallying’s spiritual home, there is perhaps Fiesta rally cars. This facelift strengthens the bond between no batter backdrop on which to debut the Fiesta’s long-awaited Ford and M-Sport and it’s great to see the Blue Oval’s latest facelift and the M-Sport crews will be looking to celebrate the and highly successful production model represented in our reveal with a similarly celebratory performance. top-specifi cation competition cars.” Based on the road-going Ford Fiesta ST – Ford’s Head of Ford Racing in Europe, Gerard Quinn, fastest-ever production Fiesta which combines contemporary said: “Ford and M-Sport continue to enjoy a strong working style with the Blue Oval’s state-of-the-art EcoBoost technology relationship and it’s great to see this captured in the new- – the new-look world rally car highlights the valued technical look Ford Fiesta RS WRC. The Ford Fiesta ST has received support which M-Sport continues to receive from the Ford considerable success and recognition since its launch last year. Motor Company; and what better way to commemorate It’s a pleasure to see that M-Sport’s collaboration with the that support than with a successful outing on one of the FIA Ford styling team has resulted in our latest production model World Rally Championship’s most anticipated and prestigious being represented alongside our state-of-the-art EcoBoost events? technology in the FIA World Rally Championship.” 09 H&H •• FINNISH FOREST FUN FOR WRC This is a perfect way to ease into the WRC’s “Neste Oil Rally FInland: smoking tyres, sideways drivers and champagne spray.” athlete, wrestled the 2014-spec car around the tight stage as fast as he could muscle it, and came within touching distance of the i20’s regular driver Thierry Neuville’s stage times. Gronholm’s driving is fi lled with cliches - as is this article - and his never-say-die approach won him evern more fans. If the WRC teams are scratching their heads in search for a seasoned rally driver for testing... Handbrakes & Hairpins soaked up the atmosphere in Helsinki, and can report that the Finns are every bit as crazy about this sport as South Americans are about their football. And, it is as well- respected and followed as football in any country with numerous articles splashed across the newspapers’ front pages. The attraction of greats such as Markku Alen, Tommi Makinen, Marcus “The Boss” Gronholm, and Juha Kankkunen, with the “junior” fi eld of Neuville, Sebastien Ogier, Ostberg, Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen and Juha Hanninen, this was always going to attract the media and fans alike. The media centre was abuzz with journalists from all corners of the world, and even Becs Williams and Julian Porter from Rally Radio were on the job in Helsinki. It was billed as a “Stars vs Legends” thriller, but the Finnish fans and early Rally Finland fans weren’t in any doubts as to the winner it seemed. Neste Oil, who sponsored this event and the upcoming WRC round, brought rallying to the masses in an exciting way. It was not the usual Super Special Stage foray staged for fans to get closer to the rally action, but the added dimension of the “Legends” hit the sweet spot for casual passersby and rally fans new and old. The hard-revving, handbraking and spinning stars in cars made the event WORDS: Evan Rothman so much more than even the event organisers imagined. PHOTOS: Eva Kovkova This recipe will most likely be adopted by other rallies soon, and with good reason: simply fantastic! The Neste Oil Helsinki Rally Battle held this past The course was but only 875 meters and run Saturday teased rally fans for this weekend’s exciting in a two-lap format for a 1650m sprint, yet the crowds Neste Oil Rally Finland, Round Eight of the 2014 World and drivers treated it like a Power Stage. Honour was at Rally Championship season. But, it was far more than stake, and national pride too. The “Legends” performed that. admirably in cars they’d never driven until that day, and Former World Rally Champions and the young to come within grasp of the WRC stars was enthralling guns of today battled out in current rally machinery for to watch unfold. Had it been a gravel stage, then we feel glory. They performed to the crowds too, with plenty the “Stars” would have enjoyed more of an advantage. sideways action, smoking tyres and stage times all However, “The Boss” is not one to underestimate ever... within tenths of seconds apart from one another for Overalls and cars now cleaned of champagne a closely fought battle. A great spectacle and a great stains, drivers focused on polishing their pacenotes and marketing excercise to sell tickets for the Rally Finland. engineers prepping their rally machines for the “Finnish And it is not as if this event needs any such tricks to fi ll Grand Prix” in the beautiful forests from Thursday its stages with spectators... to Sunday, the Neste Oil Helsinki Rally Battle now Mads Ostberg and his Citroën DS3 WRC were gets moved aside as the serious business of fi ghting victors on the day, by beating out Marcus Gronholm in for Championship honours once again takes centre an Hyundai i20 WRC borrowed from the Koreans and stage. An itinerary that sees the dramatic Ouninpohja Germans for the day. Gronholm, the ever-competitive stage left out for the 2014 edition, but stages such 12 H&H ••• as Mokiperra, Kakaristo and Leustu will still make this one of the most challenging and fastest rallies on the WRC calendar this year. With 26 stages of 360.82km of Finnish forest to fl y through, and that seemingly irrepressible form of the reigning World Rally Champions Sebastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, it would be a silly person who bets against this combination for success here.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Rally Italia Sardegna 2017 Entry List
    RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2017 ENTRY LIST NR. ENTRANT DRIVER / CO-DRIVER NAT. CAR CL/GR Priority Eligibility OGIER Sebastien FRA RC1 1 M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM FORD FIESTA WRC P1 Manufacturer INGRASSIA Julien FRA WRC TANAK Ott EST RC1 2 M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM FORD FIESTA WRC P1 Manufacturer JARVEOIA Martin EST WRC EVANS Elfin GBR RC1 3 M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM FORD FIESTA WRC P1 Manufacturer BARRITT Daniel GBR WRC PADDON Hayden NZL RC1 4 HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT HYUNDAI i20 COUPE WRC P1 Manufacturer MARSHALL Sebastian NZL WRC NEUVILLE Thierry BEL RC1 5 HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT HYUNDAI i20 COUPE WRC P1 Manufacturer GILSOUL Nicolas BEL WRC SORDO Dani ESP RC1 6 HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT HYUNDAI i20 COUPE WRC P1 Manufacturer MARTI Marc ESP WRC MEEKE Kris GBR RC1 7 CITROEN TOTAL ABU DHABI WRT CITROEN C3 WRC P1 Manufacturer NAGLE Paul IRL WRC BREEN Craig IRL RC1 8 CITROEN TOTAL ABU DHABI WRT CITROEN C3 WRC P1 Manufacturer MARTIN Scott GBR WRC MIKKELSEN Andreas NOR RC1 9 CITROEN TOTAL ABU DHABI WRT CITROEN C3 WRC P1 Manufacturer JAEGER-SYNNEVAAG Anders NOR WRC LATVALA Jari-Matti FIN RC1 10 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT TOYOTA YARIS WRC P1 Manufacturer ANTTILA Miikka FIN WRC HANNINEN Juho FIN RC1 11 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT TOYOTA YARIS WRC P1 Manufacturer LINDSTROM Kaj FIN WRC LAPPI Esapekka FIN RC1 12 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT TOYOTA YARIS WRC P1 Manufacturer FERM Janne FIN WRC OSTBERG Mads NOR RC1 14 M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM FORD FIESTA RS WRC P1 FLOENE Ola NOR WRC AL RAJHI Yazzed SAU RC1 20 YAZEED RACING FORD FIESTA RS WRC P1 WRC TROPHY ORR Michael GBR WRC PROKOP Martin
    [Show full text]
  • Rally of Great Britain Day Results
    RMS 16/09/12 16:44 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP RALLY OF GREAT BRITAIN ROUND: 10 OF 13 (13 - 16 SEPTEMBER) ITINERARY ENTRIES START LISTS QUALIFYING STAGE TIMES PENALTIES RETIREMENTS DAY RESULTS DAY RESULTS FINAL CLASSIFICATION Diff Driver Stage Total Pos No Nat Vehicle Class Penalties Fastest Eligibility Co-Driver Time Time (Prev) Jari-Matti LATVALA FIN **:**.* 1 3 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:03:40.3 3:03:40.3 C, M Miikka ANTTILA FIN **:**.* Sebastien LOEB FRA +27.8 2 1 CITROEN DS3 WRC WRC 3:04:08.1 3:04:08.1 C, M Daniel ELENA FRA +27.8 Petter SOLBERG NOR +28.7 3 4 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:04:09.0 3:04:09.0 C, M Chris PATTERSON GBR +0.9 Mads OSTBERG NOR +1:10.6 4 10 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:04:50.9 3:04:50.9 C, M Jonas ANDERSSON SWE +41.9 Mikko HIRVONEN FIN +1:29.5 5 2 CITROEN DS3 WRC WRC 3:05:09.8 3:05:09.8 C, M Jarmo LEHTINEN FIN +18.9 Evgeny NOVIKOV RUS +3:37.0 6 6 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:07:17.3 3:07:17.3 C, M Ilka MINOR AUT +2:07.5 Thierry NEUVILLE BEL +4:11.9 7 8 CITROEN DS3 WRC WRC 3:07:52.2 3:07:52.2 C, M Nicolas GILSOUL BEL +34.9 Matthew WILSON GBR +6:00.4 8 15 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:09:40.7 3:09:40.7 C Scott MARTIN GBR +1:48.5 Martin PROKOP CZE +6:58.9 9 21 FORD FIESTA RS WRC WRC 3:10:39.2 3:10:39.2 C Zdenek HRUZA CZE +58.5 Nasser AL-ATTIYAH QAT +9:32.1 10 7 CITROEN DS3 WRC WRC 3:13:12.4 3:13:12.4 C, M Giovanni BERNACCHINI ITA +2:33.2 Chris ATKINSON AUS +9:37.0 11 12 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS WRC WRC 3:13:17.3 3:13:17.3 C, M Stephane PREVOT BEL +4.9 Sebastien OGIER FRA +9:44.0 12 22 SKODA FABIA S2000 2 3:13:24.3 3:13:24.3 C Julien
    [Show full text]
  • Yearbook Four 2017 Our Fourth Hyundai Motorsport Yearbook Explores the Growth and Milestones of Our Company During Another Exciting Year
    Yearbook Four 2017 Our fourth Hyundai Motorsport Yearbook explores the growth and milestones of our company during another exciting year. With new World Rally Championship (WRC) regulations, it was a challenging 12 months that provided some of the most thrilling competition of the modern era. Our new car, the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, was a winning package on every surface and kept audiences transfixed on a championship battle that went all the way to the penultimate round… In 2017, we also branched out with our Customer Racing initiatives and welcomed a new circuit racer to our car line- up. The i30 N TCR joined the New Generation i20 R5 rally offering as part of our expanding customer activities. All this, and much more, is explored within these covers. Turn the pages for a candid look through each month from Monte-Carlo to Australia and join us in reflecting on Hyundai Motorsport’s fourth year in the world’s toughest motorsport championship. Hyundai Motorsport Yearbook Edition Four 2017 1 2 3 4 Contents WRC’s new era 06 July Launch of the i20 Coupe WRC 10 WRC Rally Finland 66 January i30 N performance 70 WRC Rally Monte-Carlo 16 Eifel Rallye Festival 74 February August WRC Rally Sweden 20 WRC Rally Germany 76 March September WRC Rally Mexico 24 Andreas Mikkelsen 80 Rallye Sanremo 28 R5 title successes 82 Marketing & PR Conference 32 HMDP 84 April October WRC Rally France 36 WRC Rally Spain 86 A car for all seasons 40 WRC Rally GB 90 WRC Rally Argentina 46 November May WRC Rally Australia 94 WRC Rally Portugal 50 i30 N TCR 98 June December WRC Rally Italy 54 Season review 104 WRC Rally Poland 58 Timeline 106 Ypres Rally 62 Partners 110 Thank you 116 Copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH Publication: December 2017, All Rights Reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Press Information
    PRESS INFORMATION WORLD CHAMPION FORD REVEALS NEW LOOK FOR 2008 FOCUS RS WORLD RALLY CAR BIRMINGHAM , 11 January 2008 – Ford of Europe today revealed the exciting new look for its 2008 FIA World Rally Championship campaign as the team was unveiled at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham. The Focus RS World Rally Car, which powered Ford to the manufacturers' world title in both 2006 and 2007, sports a striking modern livery that took centre stage today at Europe's largest annual motorsport exhibition. It was also announced that the squad will be named the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team for 2008. The team's new driver line-up of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala were joined by Ford of Europe's new motorsport director, Mark Deans, and team director Malcolm Wilson as they revealed the Focus RS WRC's colour scheme for the first time. "The Focus RS WRC has a new, contemporary livery which blends perfectly with the outlook of the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team," explained Deans. "This is our first full season in partnership with BP and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and their importance to our WRC programme is reflected in the team's new name and their prominence on the car. "Of course, there is far more to a successful WRC campaign than the colour of the car and the name of the team. But in the few weeks since I took up my new role as motorsport director I have seen enough to convince me that we are again capable of being fully competitive in 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • The World's Only Free Dedicated Rally Emagazine
    HHandbrakesandbrakes &HHairpinsairpins IIssuessue 253253 • 1122 OOctoberctober • hhttp://wp.me/pkXcttp://wp.me/pkXc TThehe wworld’sorld’s onlyonly ffreeree ddedicatededicated rallyrally eeMagazineMagazine - eeveryvery wweek!eek! 119 Series Seats Hand built & designed for - • Increased driver safety • Enhanced driver feel • Reduced driver fatigue • Six point mounting method • HANS compatible • 6 point harness compatible • Air duct cooling • Fire retardant fabric cover • Composite or kevlar shell construction • FIA approved Used by reining PWRC Champion Hayden Paddon currently competing in SWRC Telephone +27 11 6708400 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.ats-motorsport.co.za Issue 253 • 12 October 2012 EDITORIAL INFORMATION Editor Evan Rothman CONTACT INFORMATION Favourite rally car? Audi Quattro S2 E-mail us [email protected] Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Østberg Call us +27 83 452 6892 Favourite WRC rally? WRC Rallye Deutschland Surf us http://wp.me/pkXc Favourite rally? Total Rally, South Africa To receive your FREE weekly HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS Tweets too much about rallying, loves nothing eMagazine, or if you’d like to share this with a friend please more than spectating on a forest rally, and has send your e-mail address to [email protected]. aspirations of being the world’s greatest rally HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS is not a SPAM e-mail: email journalist. He’s also oftentimes seen with a addresses are added to the mailing list voluntarily. camera in his one hand and his mobile phone ringing in his pocket at the most inopportune ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION times. Contributors Liga Stirna, Patrick Vermaak, Motorpics, Newspress. All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-12.
    [Show full text]
  • CTWRT Mexique Preview
    Rally México (4 – 7 March 2010) – Preview The Citroën C4 WRCs out to conquer Mexico! After a snowy debut, the FIA World Rally Championship begins a series of five gravel rallies in Mexico. As always, the Citroën Total World Rally Team will start the event with a single ambition – victory! Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena who finished second in Sweden are aiming for a fourth win on the trot in Latin America. Dani Sordo and Marc Marti also want to shine in front of a crowd that will be rooting for them! The World Rally Championship, more than any other, guarantees a complete change of scenery in every country it visits. After the cold, the snow and the pine forests of Rally Sweden the entrants will find themselves confronted with the heat, the dust and the sombreros of Rally Mexico. The only event on the American continent, which is back on the calendar, has again gone out of its way to put on a really impressive show. “It’s a very pleasant rendezvous. You can really feel that the organisers work flat out to make this rally a big event and the spectators always give us a warm welcome. The start in the streets in the historic centre of Guanajuato is one of the highlights of the season,” exclaimed an enthusiastic Dani Sordo. After a year’s break, Sébastien Loeb is also delighted to be back racing in this rally: “I’ve competed in all the events since the rally became part of the WRC in 2004. The first couple of years didn’t attract a huge crowd.
    [Show full text]
  • Motorsport Information
    Motorsport Information FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Portugal Rally Portugal: Third win of the season for Volkswagen’s Ogier Wolfsburg (14 April 2013). Triumph on the Algarve, two Volkswagen drivers on the podium: Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia (F/F) have won the Rally Portugal ahead of Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën) and their Volkswagen team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN). Under the watchful eye of Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg (Member of the Board of Management for the Volkswagen brand), Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) completed a very good team performance for Volkswagen with sixth place on their competitive debut in the Polo R WRC. “It was great to be present at such a magnificent success,” said Dr. Hackenberg, who is responsible for technical development. “I was very impressed by the manner in which the team earned this success, and how delighted they were by it. It is just fantastic to see how well the entire team is working together. This provides great backing for our drivers, who did an extraordinary job.” The fine team performance at the fourth round of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) sees Volkswagen move to the top of the Manufacturers’ Championship. Sébastien Ogier also extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship, courtesy of his third win of the season. A test of technology: both man and machine pushed to the limit The second gravel rally of the season really put man and machine to the test. The conditions, with narrow, winding passages on rough, stony surfaces alternating with fast sections taken at full throttle, were the toughest encountered so far this season.
    [Show full text]
  • 2008 Repco Rally New Zealand Entry List (Subject to FIA Approval) No
    2008 Repco Rally New Zealand Entry List (Subject to FIA Approval) No. Driver Co-Driver Team Car Group FIA Class Priority 1 Sebastien Loeb (F) Daniel Elena (MC) Citroen Total World Rally Citroen C4 A8 1 M Team 2 Dani Sordo (E) Marc Marti (E) Citroen Total World Rally Citroen C4 A8 1 M Team 3 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN) BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 M Rally Team 4 Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) Miikka Anttila (FIN) BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 M Rally Team 5 Petter Solberg (N) Philip Mills (GB) Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC A8 1 M 2008 6 Chris Atkinson (AUS) Stephane Prevot (B) Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC A8 1 M 2008 7 Gigi Galli (I) Giovanni Bernacchini (I) Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 MT Rally Team 8 Matthew Wilson (GB) Scott Martin (GB) Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 MT Rally Team 9 Federico Villagra (RA) Jorge Perez Companc (RA) Munchi's Ford World Rally Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 MT Team 10 Henning Solberg (N) Cato Menkerud (N) Munchi's Ford World Rally Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8 1 MT Team 11 Toni Gardemeister (FIN) Tomi Tuominen (FIN) Suzuki World Rally Team Suzuki SX4 A8 1 M 12 Per-Gunnar Andersson (S) Jonas Andersson (S) Suzuki World Rally Team Suzuki SX4 A8 1 M 14 Urmo Aava (EE) Kuldar Sikk (EE) World Rally Team Estonia Citroen C4 A8 2 15 Conrad Rautenbach (ZW) David Senior (GB) Conrad Rautenbach Citroen C4 A8 2 31 Toshi Arai (J) Glenn Macneall (AUS) Subaru Team Arai Subaru Impreza WRX STI N4 3 P 32 Mirco Baldacci (RSM)
    [Show full text]
  • Rally Sweden Hello. So, Snow. Except This Time the Story's About The
    The Loudon-clear guide to… Rally Sweden Hello. So, snow. Except this time the story’s about the snow’s Swedish no- snow. It’s a huge shame that the recent warm weather has conspired to take the edge off what has to be one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the season: World Rally Cars dancing on ice. The World Rally Championship is full of stop-you-in-your-tracks moments and the sight of a World Rally Car on the lock-stops – front corner nibbling a snowbank at the apex while the opposite corner leans on a wall and fires powder 15 feet in the air – is right up there. Right up there. But it’s not to be this time. The warm weather has forced a complete rethink of the route and even blizzard conditions for the rest of the week wouldn’t be enough to deliver the perfect winter rally. Recipe for perfect winter roads: heavy (like heavy, heavy) snow, semi-melt, deep-freeze, light snow shower. The semi-melt puts moisture into the road and snow base which, when frozen hard, provides a rock-solid ice base for the studded tyres to dig into. The freeze will also pack the snowbanks really hard, allowing the guys to go a gear higher through some corners. We’re missing a couple of elements of that recipe this week! This week will be about staying out of trouble and keeping as many studs in place as possible. That in itself provides an intriguing event, however. Let’s see who can drive smart as well as super-quick in these compromised and challenging conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 MEDIA GUIDE Rallye Deutschland August 16 - 19, 2018
    2018 MEDIA GUIDE Rallye Deutschland August 16 - 19, 2018 ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Rallye Deutschland August 16 - 19, 2018 HYUNDAI’S HELLO Welcome to Rallye Deutschland, Hyundai Motorsport’s home event, which takes place during a very exciting time for the WRC with both title battles finely balanced. Although last month’s Rally Finland didn’t produce the ultimate result for our team, Hayden finished just outside the podium places after a strong drive. Thierry and Nicolas continue to lead the Drivers’ championship with an advantage of 21 points, while the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team heads the Manufacturers’ championship by 26 points so there’s plenty of reason to be positive. I must also congratulate our HMDP crew of Jari and Antti for recording their first WRC2 podium of the year with second in that class. Rallye Deutschland is the first tarmac event on the calendar since Tour de Corse in April. Since then we’ve worked on improving the suspension, especially the dampers, and centre differential mapping with two aims in mind: to achieve more grip for the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC and find a better balance. This follows feedback from our drivers during Corsica where they reported being hampered by understeer. Our three drivers for Germany – Thierry, Dani and Andreas – have all sampled the changes during development testing and they also got the opportunity to finalise their set-ups during the recent pre-event test, which took place over five days so we could experience the vineyard roads and those within the Baumholder military range, which are very specific to this rally.
    [Show full text]
  • Rally Sweden February 11 - 14, 2016
    2016 Rally Sweden February 11 - 14, 2016 ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rally Sweden February 11 - 14, 2016 2016 HYUNDAI’S HELLO Welcome to Rally Sweden, round two of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship and another new challenge for Hyundai Motorsport. Rally Sweden will be the second event for the New Generation i20 WRC and a second different surface. We have tested on snow back in December and again last week with the new car and it’s gone well with no major issues. The drivers have been happy too; they’ve found good set-ups for the differential and the dampers so I think they are all quite confident. Thierry finished second in Sweden last year in the 2015 car but the drivers say that the New Generation i20 WRC feels even better. The car is a bit longer so it should be more stable on fast sections of road like you get in Sweden. We believe we have gained a bit of traction too, which is important on a low-grip surface like snow. In Sweden the car runs on gravel specification but there are specific details you can prepare for this event. You don’t want to get too much snow in the car because it adds extra weight so you have to make sure it is well sealed, inside the wheel arches and underneath the car. Also, because of the cold temperatures we don’t have to cool down the car as much as usual so we’ll use a different radiator.
    [Show full text]
  • Motorsport Information 04
    Motorsport Information 04 2014 FIA World Rally Championship calendar Date Country Event Surface 14/01–19/01/2014 Rally Monte Carlo Asphalt/snow 05/02–08/02/2014 Rally Sweden Ice & snow 06/03–09/03/2014 Rally Mexico Gravel 03/04–06/04/2014 Rally Portugal Gravel 08/05–11/05/2014 Rally Argentina Gravel 05/06–08/06/2014 Rally Italy Gravel 26/06–29/06/2014 Rally Poland Gravel 31/07–03/08/2014 Rally Finland Gravel 22/08–24/08/2014 Rally Germany Asphalt 12/09–14/09/2014 Rally Australia Gravel 03/10–05/10/2014 Rally France Asphalt 24/10–26/10/2014 Rally Spain Gravel/asphalt 14/11–16/11/2014 Rally Great Britain Gravel Content 03 Pocket Facts 10/2014 Content FIA World Rally Championship Rally Australia – Preview 04 Volkswagen Polo R WRC – Technology 06 Volkswagen Polo R WRC – Technical specifications 08 Volkswagen Team – #1 Sébastien Ogier 10 Julien Ingrassia 11 Volkswagen Team – #2 Jari-Matti Latvala 12 Miikka Anttila 13 Volkswagen Team – #9 Andreas Mikkelsen 14 Ola Fløene 15 Volkswagen Team – Who’s who 16 Statistics 18 Rally Australia Rally information 20 Rally history 22 Rally map 24 Rally schedule 26 Rally entrants 28 Volkswagen Motorsport and Volkswagen brand Engagements 30 RALLY THE WORLD campaign 32 Useful links 33 Volkswagen Polo R WRC production car 34 Partners 36 Notes 37 Useful addresses 46 As per 29/08/2014 04 Preview Match point number two: Volkswagen targets World Championship title Volkswagen heads to the Rally Australia with “match point” number two in the race for the Manufacturers’ title in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
    [Show full text]