Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017

Mexico City Hosts the 3rd Round of 2017 WRC

Live on Red Bull TV: Tavo Vildosola Reveals Untold Stories he FIA World Rally Championship roars into the heart of ries that can’t be heard anywhere else. As Rally Mexico is one of one of the world’s largest cities this weekend when the most challenging events of the year, Tavo begins his TMexico City hosts thrilling high-speed action. Huge reporting in the Mexican leather capital of Leon, but the stories crowds will pack the iconic Zócalo square to watch exciting won’t stop there. new-era World Rally Cars fight for tenths of a second at the It’s lucky that the city is well known for its boots (around opening two speed tests of Rally Guanajuato Mexico, the third 70% of all shoes in Mexico are made in Leon) because Tavo and round of the 2017 season. Mike are going to need a strong pair of soles during the rally The rally will build a 1.57km asphalt test in the square and weekend. Red Bull TV will send them off into the countryside to surrounding streets, an area more accustomed to receiving really uncover what Rally Mexico is all about bringing to life for foreign heads of state and hosting national celebrations than viewers at home the tolls that heat, dust, and gravel take on its echoing to the sound of new-specification World Rally Cars. It prey. With high altitudes and massive rock obstacles, it’s a rally will be driven twice by all the WRC’s star drivers, including that definitively proves who’s got the strongest car and biggest championship leader and 2016 rally winner Jari-Matti Latvala cojones. and four-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, to provide a Tavo doesn’t expect it to be tough to be behind the mic; full evening’s entertainment. he’s endured racing non-stop on stages that can be more than 1000 kilometres long, sometimes spending 23 hours or more in Introducing the man who every road in Mexico fears. Meet off- the truck (which is actually the size of a small house). road guru – and latest red Bull TV guest reporter – Tavo Vildosola “Some of the roads used for our Baja events are actually When it comes to chewing up the gravel roads of Mexico quite similar to those on the WRC, so I’ve got a good idea of and spitting them out, there’s nothing that Tavo Vildosola exactly what the guys are in for,” says Tavo, who comes from doesn’t know. An off-road racing expert, & the Mexicali area of Mexico, close to the US border, and started winner with Hollywood appeal, Tavo will bring his charm and driving when he was 11. good looks to the Rally Mexico Red Bull TV broadcast next “WRC is in many ways completely different than what I do, weekend. Alongside his commentary on dirt racing in the live but I have such a huge admiration for these drivers and I love broadcast event, he’ll also share with viewers untold stories that Red Bull TV gives fans who can’t be here the chance to from his experience as a Tinseltown stunt driver, most recently watch the action live. Off-road racing has been part of my life in Will Smith’s movie “Bright” releasing this summer. since I could walk, and now I’m going to use that experience to The 35-year-old enjoys an accomplished career at the very tell the viewers at home exactly what it feels like and make sure top of off-road racing in the USA and his native Mexico, armed they don’t miss any of the best surprises from the weekend.” with an 850-horsepower, V8-engined . This com- bination of Hollywood glamour and raw driving talent makes A word with Tavo Vildosola him the perfect partner for Red Bull TV presenter Mike Chen. How did you get into racing? As Red Bull TV guest reporter on the latest round of the “Well, in our area of Mexico there are many second or even World Rally Championship from 10-12 March, Tavo will tell sto- third generation racers, and I’m one of them. My dad was a Tavo Vildosola