HHandbrakesandbrakes airpins HHairpins g he world of rallyin & yyourour insightinsight intointo thet world of rallying IIssuessue 208208 • 0707 NovemberNovember 20112011 hhttp://wp.me/pkXcttp://wp.me/pkXc MMikkelsenikkelsen ttopsops IIRCRC iinn 22011011 SStarttart RampRamp Donate for “Movember” SServiceervice ParkPark Volkswagen tests the Polo R WRC PParcarc FermeFerme WRC Wales Rally GB preview ““II iimmenselymmensely eenjoyednjoyed bbeingeing iinvolvednvolved iinn tthehe ddevelopmentevelopment aandnd ttestingesting ooff tthehe nnewew PPoloolo R WWRCRC - aandnd tthehe pprivilegerivilege ooff ddrivingriving tthehe fi rrstst kkilometresilometres iiss a ggreatreat hhonour”onour” - ppageage ssixix The world’s only free dedicated rally eMagazine - every week! Contents IIssuessue 208208 • 0707 NovemberNovember 20112011 0044 STARTSTART RAMPRAMP 04 Start Ramp - News Shorts EEDITORIALDITORIAL INFORMATIONINFORMATION 05 R.I.P.: Spotti Woodhead Editor Evan Rothman 0066 SERVICESERVICE PARKPARK 06 Tentative steps for Carlos Sainz 08 WRC Academy makes the news 09 A chat with Ott Tanak Photojournalist Eva Kovkova 10 A season in review: Team Total in 2011 1122 PARCPARC FERMEFERME 12 IRC Rally Cyprus review 16 WRC Wales Rally GB preview Contributors Liga Stirna, Patrick Vermaak, RallyBuzz, Motorpics, Newspress. All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-11. 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. FOLLOW US! CCONTACTONTACT E-mail us [email protected] Call us +27 83 452 6892 Surf us http://wp.me/pkXc To receive your FREE weekly HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS eMagazine, or if you’d like to share this with a friend please send your e-mail address to [email protected]. HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS is not a SPAM e-mail: email addresses are added to the mailing list voluntarily. Sparco WTX J-5I Helmet Two outer shell sizes • Fibreglass shell • Snell - SA2010/FIA 8858 – 2010 approved • Fitted with intercom and anti-noise earphones • Adjustable microphone boom • Removable washable lining Now in stock Telephone +27 11 6708400 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.ats-motorsport.co.za Team News Event News Start Ramp Videos Breaking News The 2012 WRC Academy draft calendar part in the TRT with Škoda Rally Team Donate for has now been announced, so that the Italia this year, particularly because my future stars of the WRC can start their IRC programme has mostly been on Movember preparation for next season. While asphalt. The Škoda Fabia was perfect, some of the Class of 2011 will be back enabling me to push to the limit without more determined than ever to fi ght for making mistakes. There’s no time to the €500,000 scholarship up for grabs, rest though as now we head to Cyprus we will also be welcoming new talent for the fi nal round of the IRC this week. to take them on, on six events across It’s been tough to combine the TRT Europe. Once more the Ford Fiesta will events with the IRC programme but I be the weapon of choice and the rules really hope to have the chance to go and regulations will remain similar to rallying in Italy again next year.” 2011.” H&H Norwegian Mikkelsen triumphed on Rally Adriatico, Rally San Marino and the Azzano Rally. A clashing event forced him to miss Rally San Crispino, while a problem caused by the rough nature of the roads in Sardinia forced Words: Evan Rothman his retirement from the island’s Rally Mikkelsen wins Costa Smeralda when in front. H&H It is Movember, and Handbrakes & Hairpins is showing its support for on tar in Italy raising awareness for men’s health, more specifi cally prostate cancer Words: Staff Writer and other cancers that affect men. You can donate for the cause Skoda Rally Team Italia ace Andreas on this South African portal at: Mikkelsen has won the 2011 Trofeo http://za.movember.com/donate/, or Rally Terra after fi nishing third on Volkswagen one in your own country. H&H Rally Conca d’Oro, the sixth and fi nal round of the series in Sicily last trials new Polo weekend. Co-driven by Ola Floene, 22- year old Mikkelsen rounded out a hugely R WRC machine successful season at the wheel of his Words: Volkswagen Motorsport Draft 2012 Skoda Rally Team Italia Fabia S2000, which included winning three of the fi ve On the fi rst test day of testing the calendar for events he contested and scoring a total Volkswagen Polo R WRC, Dr Ulrich of 110 points. Hackenberg and Carlos Sainz, both Rally Conca d’Oro took place with co-driver Timo Gottschalk WRC Academy near Sicily’s capital Palermo with the at their side, drove about 100km crews completing nine special stages on the 2.8km tarmac circuit. An revealed totalling 100.5 competitive kilometres. initial functional test was followed Words: http://www.wrc.com Mikkelsen won the fi rst seven stages by tuning and set-up work on the to build a lead of 01m 34.7sec before engine and the suspension, all of The draft calendar of the 2012 the onset of a small electrical problem which was performed without any FIA WRC Academy Cup has been dropped him back to sixth position. problems. released today and will feature six Undeterred, he fought back on “I immensely enjoy being European rounds of the 2012 WRC the fi nal stage to fi nish an impressive involved in the development and Calendar. third overall and clinch the title. His testing of the new Polo R WRC – and The events the WRC Academy efforts also handed Škoda Italia the having the privilege of driving the fi rst Class of 2012 will contest are: runner-up spot in the manufacturers’ kilometres is naturally a great honour,” Rally de Portugal (29 March - 1 April) standings. says Carlos Sainz. “The car is still in an Acropolis Rally (25 - 27 May) “First and foremost I wish to early stage but already feels very good. Rally Finland (2 - 5 August) congratulate Andreas, Ola and all the For the whole team, whether engineers, Rallye Deutschland (24 - 26 August) team for achieving such a great result,” mechanics or drivers, it’s very important Rallye de France (4 - 7 October) said Pierfrancesco Zanchi, team principal to get to know the fi rst real car as early Rally de España (1 - 4 November) of Škoda Rally Team Italia. “Becoming as possible and to test and continue to the new Italian Gravel champion is develop it.” Four events from the 2011 season the best reward we could receive for In parallel to the tests with the return for 2012 alongside two new all the hard work and energy we’ve Polo R WRC Volkswagen is continuing rallies: Acropolis Rally and Rally de invested during the season. We won its trial runs in the World Rally España. From this week, competitors three out of fi ve rallies, which proves Championship. Next week the German interested in the 2012 WRC Academy how competitive we are on gravel. Sepp Wiegand with Dakar winner can register their interest by emailing Andreas and Ola adapted themselves Timo Gottschalk as co-driver and the [email protected]. quickly to unfamiliar events, the team Dutchman Kevin Abbring with co-driver As the battle to win this year’s worked hard, the car always rose to the Lara Vanneste will be competing in the €500,000 scholarship still rages heading occasion. We had a very competitive Great Britain Rally in Wales (10–13 into the fi nal round at Wales Rally GB, package and we managed to make the November). At the fourth WRC test WRC Academy Principal Marc de Jong most out of it.” run this year the Volkswagen factory anticipates a showstopping fi nale to one Mikkelsen, a member of the team is again fi elding two Fabia cars season as we look ahead to the next: FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence of the Group’s Škoda brand in order to “The heat is rising as the crews prepare Academy, added: “I’m really happy to evaluate talents and gather valuable for Wales Rally GB. However, while this have won the TRT title and I’d like to experiences with the team at this year’s competition reaches its climax, thank Ola and all of the team for their famous gravel rally. we are now also looking ahead to the fantastic support and for having made it Click this link to watch the second season of the WRC Academy. possible. I’ve very much enjoyed taking video: http://bit.ly/tT9GyH H&H Issue 208 • 07 November 2011 • Page 05 R.I.P.: Spotti Woodhead Words: Evan Rothman the Star SCC Rally Championship titles in 1981 Pictures: Motorpics and 1982 as a driver. Since hanging up his rally overalls and Passionate, enthusiastic and wonderfully helmet, he turned his attention to the Total insightful: Spotti Woodhead was a rallying Economy Run, competing most years since the encyclopaedia and an institution in this event’s inception in 1977. He claimed numerous sport. outright wins and class victories, most recently On Saturday, Woodhead passed away, in the 2008 edition. leaving his wife Giselle and many friends. I met the man on numerous occassions, Woodhead has been a true personality and shared news and snippets with him over in South African motorsport since the 1960s, and e-mail. His knowledge was limitless. competed as a driver and navigator. He was a Spotti Woodhead, rest in peace.