HANDBRAKES

HAIRPINS eek! & e - every w y eMagazin dedicated rall The world’sworld’s FIRST dedicated rally eMagazinehttp://wp.me/pkXc - every week! ptember 2013 • Issue 294 • 20 SeptemberSe 2013 • Ford Fiesta R2 for sale Technical Specification

Donor vehicle: Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sport, 5 door

Engine: 1.6 Zetec 16V – 1598cc – Ti-VCT; 4 cylinders in line; DOHC; 16 valves; alloy cylinder head and block; variable cam timing.

Power: 170 PS @ 7,500 rpm from 97 octane fuel

Torque: 182 Nm @ 5,700 rpm

Transmission: Five speed sequential gearbox developed by Sadev with plated limited slip differential and uprated driveshafts. ECU developed by Pi with flat shift feature with full throttle closed loop control shift.

Suspension: Reiger adjustable dampers with Eibach springs, spherical jointed top mounts front and rear. Front dampers adjustable for bump and rebound. Standard rear beam with uprated mounts. 2-bolt clamped front upright. Adaptor pin mounted in uprights with spherical bearing connecting the lower arm. Five stud hub.

Brakes: Gravel (front): 285 mm AP ventilated discs with four piston competition calipers.

Rear: 280 mm AP ventilated discs with single piston calipers, hydraulic handbrake.

Steering: Electric power-assisted steering.

Wheels: Gravel: OZ 6”x15” Gravel

Bodyshell: Welded T45 steel multipoint rollcage. Optimised seat position and integrated dash bar. Jacking points optional and seam welded.

Electronics: Bespoke instrument cluster by Visteon in the same style as the standard series cluster.

Dimensions: Length: 3953mm. Width: 1722mm. Height: 1481mm. Wheelbase: 2490mm. Weight: 1030kg.

Price: R 695 000 excluding 14% VAT

Various optional extras fitted, list available on request.

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS (PTY) LTD 30 Schoongezicht Road Bergbron 1709 Johannesburg South Africa Private Bag X26 Auckland Park 2006 South Africa TEL: +27 (0)11 670 8400 – FAX: +27 (0)11 673 5185 WEBSITE: www.fiestar2.co.za Your insight into the world of rally! INSIDE Issue 294 • 20 Sept 2013 EDITORIAL INFORMATION CONTACT INFORMATION THIS WEEK E-mail us [email protected] Call us +27 83 452 6892 05 • Chat with Jan Kopecky Surf us http://wp.me/pkXc 06 • ERC LOTOS Rally Poland review To receive your FREE weekly HANDBRAKES & 08 • WRC review HAIRPINS eMagazine, or if you’d like to share 11 • SARC Toyota Cape Dealer Rally review 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. Editor Evan Rothman

Favourite rally car? Audi Quattro S2 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Østberg Favourite WRC rally? WRC Rallye Deutschland All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & Favourite rally? Total Rally, South Africa HAIRPINS, 2007-12. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole Tweets too much about , loves nothing or in part without written permission from the editor. more than spectating on a forest rally, and has While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure aspirations of being the world’s greatest rally the accuracy of information from sources and given to journalist. He’s also oftentimes seen with a readers, the editor cannot accept responsibility for any camera in one hand and his mobile phone in the inconvenience or damage that may arise therefrom. other.

Photojournalist Eva Kovkova

Favourite rally car? Citroën C4 WRC Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Østberg Favourite WRC rally? Vodafone Favourite rally? White Nights Rally, Lahdenpohja, Russia

Likes to walk in the Swedish snow forests or on Portuguese dusty hills, likes to freeze, to get wet Handbrakes & Hairpins has created this rally-powered in the rain or to melt from the heat during photo wallpaper for the Apple iPhone 5. To download, simply hunts for fl ying cars and smiling faces. Also is save the image to your Camera Roll, or click on this link to known as a press ice bear working for South download: http://wp.me/apkXc-4xU. Africa :) OPENING SHOT The high-fl ying Belgian and his co-driver have notched up another fantastic performance in 2013... This pairing and their Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team wil make for a formidable combination in 2014. Picture: WorldRallyPics EVENT KOPECKY: “I’M STILL LEARNING!” Words by Liga Stirna • Picture by ERC Media

Czech driver Jan Kopecky might be 2013 European Q: But you might be the fi rst champion of the new- JK: “No, no, no! It was quite diffi cult. Last year it was fully Rally Champion, but he’s still learning and gaining look ERC? dry and not so many fast drivers at the start. We had to experience from different rallies, surfaces and JK: “Yes, it’s interesting and very good that IRC and ERC change setup, for the last long stage, and we were quite situations. And he does So with great enthusiasm. are now together in one event and here in Poland we saw fast to keep our position.” Liga Stirna met up with Kopecky at the ERC Rally that it is good challenge for everyone. And it’s nice also Poland on the weekend, and had a chat with him for H&H: that local drivers have a chance to win: they do not need a Q: What have you learned from this event? Q: May I congratulate you as a new European Champion? factory car, and still can win a rally!” JK: “That I still have many things where to improve on JK: “I don’t know; I was not counting. My mathematics gravel as in Czech Republic we don’t have a single gravel always has been quite bad, you know.” Q: Rally Poland was very specifi c. Have you seen and rally. Last year I did one gravel rally, this year: three. And, driven in conditions like that? I am learning!” H&H EVENT POLAND’S MUDDY TRECNCHES Words by H&H • Picture by ERC Media

Kajetan Kajetanowicz has claimed the new- And Kajetanowicz’s victory, which made him the Stratieva battled back from the time loss she endured generation ’s maiden victory in the FIA fi fth different winner in this year’s ERC to underline the when she got stuck nearing the fi nish of Saturday’s fi nal European Rally Championship (ERC) with his third serious competition ahead in the all-action championship, stage. Simone Tempestini top-scored for Napoca Rally win on LOTOS 70 Rally Poland this past weekend. earned him the prestigious Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Academy in the ERC Production Car Cup for Teams. Kajetanowicz, who wrapped up his fourth Polish Trophy, which was being awarded on the sixth anniversary However, it might have been a different story for title on Saturday’s opening leg, had only completed of the rallying legend’s passing. Kajetanowicz had Bryan Bouffi er’s not 200km of running in the M-Sport-built car prior to the Lithuanian champion Dominykas Butvilas clinched suffered a broken right-rear suspension damper on the gravel event. He had little trouble adapting to his new ERC Production Car Cup honours in his Mitsubishi Lancer fi nal day’s fi rst stage. With two more stages until service surroundings by going fastest on four stages alongside co- Evolution IX R4 with Radosław Raczkowski (Citroën DS3 in Mikołajki, Bouffi er was unable to prevent Kajetanowicz driver and fellow Pole Jarosław Baran. R3T) taking the spoils in the ERC 2WD Championship after from powering ahead. He settled for second, 23.3s behind “It’s one of the best days of my life,” said the 34- rising star Stéphane Lefebvre dropped out of the Class lead Kajetanowicz, with ERC title leader Jan Kopecký completing year-old Kajetanowicz. “We have the best team, car and on the penultimate stage when he broke his the podium in his Skoda Fabia S2000 after overcoming co-driver. The Polish title didn’t really matter this weekend; R2’s suspension striking a rock. a minor scare on Sunday morning when a propshaft bolt it was this rally that I wanted to win. I now have a big Molly Taylor secured the ERC Ladies’ Trophy worked loose. smile on my face because I am very happy. I just hope we laurels for the fourth time this season despite completing “I did my best and really tried to push but it was can do some more rallies in this car.” the fi nal stage with a cracked suspension beam. Ekaterina not enough to catch Kajto who really deserved to win this race,” said Bouffi er, who was fastest on four stages. “Apart new co-driver Lara Vanneste. “This defi nitely was not the of his moment. However, he once again underlined his from a small technical problem it was a very nice race with result I was looking for but Lara has done a fantastic job so blistering pace by setting two fastest stage times. LOTOS very strong competition.” at least we’ve got some positives to take away,” he said. 70 Rally Poland marked the last of Kubica’s four planned Kopecký, meanwhile, conceded that running fi rst There was also frustration for Martin Kangur, who runs in the ERC this season although a fi nal appearance is on the road in the heavy mud and rain on Day One had dropped out of the top ten on the fi nal stage with broken still under consideration. H&H cost him time although he was more than satisfi ed with powersteering and a puncture. The 20-year-old from his seventh consecutive podium in this year’s ERC. “There Estonia had excelled with two fastest times in his Markko Final Overall Classifi cation: was defi nitely more grip with the sand below for the drivers Märtin Motorsport-run Fiesta R5 to become one of the 01) K. Kajetanowicz/J. Baran Ford Fiesta R5 - 01h 58m 40.6s behind,” said Kopecky. “Finishing third means more points youngest stage winners in the European championship. 02) B. Bouffi er/X. Panseri for the championship and that’s the most important thing.” He had to make do with 14th, one place behind Toshi Arai, Peugeot 207 S2000 + 23.3s Michał Kościuszko overcame early mechanical who scored more ERC Production Car Cup points in his 03) J. Kopecký/P. Dresler Skoda Fabia 2000 + 01m 28.4s woes to snatch fourth from compatriot Michał Sołowow Yokohama-equipped Impreza R4 STI. Kangur’s 04) M. Kościuszko/M. Szczepaniak on the fi nal stage when the latter suffered a puncture. misfortune handed Zbigniew Staniszewski eighth spot Ford Fiesta R5 + 02m 14.1s Kościuszko, in another Fiesta R5, had heroically driven the with young Russian Vasily Gryazin taking ninth and Maciej 05) K. Hołowczyc/Ł. Kurzeja Ford Fiesta RRC + 03m 15.5s entire rally with a fractured vertebra. With also Oleksowicz tenth. 06) M. Sołowow/S. Rozwadowski picking up a puncture on his Peugeot on the last stage, After completing Day One’s fi nal stage with Ford Fiesta RRC + 03m 17.4s Krzysztof Hołowczyc jumped from seventh to fi fth with the front-right wheel missing from his Citroën DS3 RRC 07) C. Breen/L. Vanneste Peugeot 207 S2000 + 03m 33.5s Sołowow taking sixth and Breen dropping to seventh. following contact with a rock on a high-speed right-hander, 08) Z. Staniszewski/P. Drahan It was a frustrating outing for Peugeot Rally Robert Kubica was unable to restart on Day Two after it Ford Fiesta S2000 + 03m 48.2s Academy driver Breen. The four-time podium fi nisher in was discovered that his car’s turbocharged engine had 09) V. Gryazin/D. Chumak Ford Fiesta S2000 + 04m 08.0s this year’s ERC admitted he was at a loss to explain why he ingested mud and had suffered terminal damage. The 10) M. Oleksowicz/M. Kuśnierz wasn’t able to run closer to the front of the fi eld alongside Formula One race winner was in second overall at the time Ford Fiesta S2000 + 04m 13.5s EVENT OGIER FALLS SHORT OF TITLE IN AUSTRALIA Words by H&H • Picture by Volkswagen Motorsport, Citroën Racing, WorldRallyPics

After a fairly straightforward run in this year’s FIA Frenchman Sebastien Ogier claimed his sixth braved plenty of dust to see the world’s best rally drivers - (WRC), it seems that victory of the 2013 WRC season, but fell short by a single however, when it came to Ogier’s rally, it was done but not Volkswagen Motorsport and Sebastien Ogier are point from clinching the Drivers’ title after a dramatic fi nal dusted. fi nding it tricky to nail down the Championship early. stage of Coates Hire Rally Australia. An ironic twist sank Ogier’s anticipated title It is inevitable that the Frenchman and his German Ogier was in control from the start on Thursday celebrations. A fi nal-stage puncture for Mikko Hirvonen, team will triumph, but after last month’s ADAC night last week, winning 19 of the 22 stages in his who had been running second in his Abu Dhabi Citroën Rallye Deutschland in which Ogier and Volkswagen Volkswagen Polo R WRC to win by 01min 32.1sec when World Rally Team DS3 WRC, allowed Ogier’s nearest were in a position to claim the title on their home crews returned to the coastal city of Coffs Harbour on championship rival Thierry Neuville (Qatar M-Sport World event, they have now been thwarted by a single Sunday afternoon. Rally Team) into the runner-up spot. point in Australia. The 22nd Rally Australia attracted big crowds who The extra points for Neuville, allied to two bonus points for taking second in the Power Stage, meant “The most important thing is that we did another drove in the middle of the road all the time and I can’t Ogier fell just short of the title after four days of gravel perfect rally and we thought it was OK for the title, but it understand how we got a puncture,” said the Finn. competition covering 352.36km around the Coffs Coast of can’t be written down yet. When you do a perfect job like He lost almost a minute and that was enough to New South Wales. that, you expect to get it but it’s going to happen soon,” allow the ever-consistent Neuville through to second for “The team told me at the fi nish line that I warned Ogier. a fi fth consecutive podium in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC. He had missed the title by one point because Mikko had a Hirvonen enjoyed one of his best performances of fi nished 30.0sec ahead of Hirvonen in third after a trouble- problem. I tried my best,” said 29-year-old Ogier, who was the season in his Citroën DS3 WRC until his left rear tyre free event. congratulated at the end of the stage by his father, mother punctured midway through the 29.44km-long Power Stage. Jari-Matti Latvala fi nished fourth in the second and sister. “I have absolutely no idea what happened. I Volkswagen Polo R WRC, the Finn recovering from a lacklustre start to fi ght back up the leader board. He, too, Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team in his Ford Fiesta RS Final Overall Classifi cation: lost a minute with left front tyre issues in the fi nal stage, WRC, the Russian settling for a clear run after a series of 01) S. Ogier/J. Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC - 03h 19m 55.0s but it didn’t cost any places. accidents in 2013. 02) T. Neuville/N. Gilsoul Fifth was Mads Ostberg for the Qatar M-Sport Australian Coffs Harbour resident Nathan Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 01m 32.1s World Rally Team in his Fiesta RS WRC. The Norwegian Quinn delighted home fans with eighth overall in a MINI 03) M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen Citroën DS3 WRC + 02m 02.1s was unhappy with his pace notes early in the rally and lost Countryman John Cooper Works WRC to score his fi rst 04) J-M. Latvala/M. Anttila more time on Day Three when he spun into a ditch, but WRC points. The top ten was completed by Khalid Al Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 02m 57.4s he managed to fi nish 20.4sec ahead of fellow countryman Qassimi’s Abu Dhabi Citroën DS3 WRC and WRC2 category 05) M. Ostberg/J. Andersson Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 03m 17.2s in the fi nal Volkswagen Motorsport Polo winner Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari in a Ford Fiesta RRC. 06) A. Mikkelsen/P. Nagle R WRC. There was more disappointment for in Volkswagen Polo R WRC + 03m 37.6s Mikkelsen led a WRC round for the fi rst time after his bid to regain a seat in the WRC for 2014. Having rolled 07) E. Novikov/I. Minor Ford Fiesta RS WRC + 07m 31.2s Thursday night’s curtain-raising tests. He fell back during out of fourth position on Day Three, Citroën’s mechanics 08) N. Quinn/G. Macneall the fi rst full day of competition after an overshoot and worked for 02hr 50min to repair his DS3 WRC to allow him MINI Countryman John Cooper Works WRC + 13m 10.2s refused to become drawn into a battle with Ostberg for to restart the rally under Rally2 regulations on Day Four. 09) K. Al Qassimi/S. Martin Citroën DS3 WRC + 15m 17.6s fi fth on the fi nal day of competition. However, he retired again after destroying his car’s right 10) A. Al-Kuwari/K. Duffy A subdued took seventh for the rear suspension late in the fi nal test. H&H Ford Fiesta RRC + 17m 27.7s EVENT CRONJE’S DOMINANCE CONTINUES Words by H&H • Pictures by Evan Rothman

It was fi ve wins from six starts for defending South Adverse weather wreaked havoc on the already this weekend’s event played out in the favour of this team, African Rally Champions Mark Cronje and Robin muddy and slippery stages in the farmlands outside of they would have celebrated a one-two result. Team-mates Houghton (Ford Dealer Team Fiesta S2000) this past Cape Town, but the composed nature of his drive saw him Leeroy Poulter/Elvene Coetzee shadowed Gemmell and weekend, winning the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally by reach the fi nish with not only an unscathed car but also a Cronje all through the fi rst seven stages of the event, the narrowest of margins possible. Round Six of the stronger lead in the Drivers’ points standings too. and it was on SS8 that this pairing launched an attack for 2013 South African National Rally Championship was Second overall were Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn the lead. They grabbed the front, but it was shortlived as a hotly contested event, with three four different Second, just 01.8 sec behind after the ten special stages a rare engine problem with the all-new Yaris S2000 saw leaders over the two days and 175km of action in had been completed. The Castrol Team Toyota Yaris S2000 Poulter not complete the event’s penultimate stage, SS9, the Malmesbury region of the Western Cape. crew ran a close and intense battle with Cronje, and had and thereby retire from the event and the rally battle. Two spins in SS8 for Cronje and one for Gemmell, one that should not have happened after the rally ended. their favourite rally crews. The action kicked off on Friday the Toyota driver entered the fi nal stage 8sec ahead of However, we’re glad to claim the important points and we morning and concluded on Saturday evening, with a Cronje. At the fi nish line, Cronje was pipped by 7.2sec. A head to the next rally with a view on the Championship.” number of cars succumbing to the demanding route and 10sec jumpstart penalty on SS5, Day One’s fi nal stage, Gemmell said: “It is the cruel side of the sport to adverse weather conditions. was rescinded at the end of the event, thereby handing win and then have it taken away because of a technicality A distant third overall behind the winners the rally’s win to Cronje. that didn’t affect us, but that is how it sometimes goes. were former champions Hergen Fekken/Pierre Arries The Toyota Yaris S2000’s fi rst national rally It was a crazy rally out there, and those roads were very (Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo S2000), who recorded victory was taken away on its sponsored event, but Toyota slippery and tricky. We’ve got the Yaris going very well their best result of their luckless season to date. Fourth Motorsport has appealed the results. At the same token, now, and we’ll keep pushing those Fords.” overall and winners of the S2000 Challenge for earlier it was not a manner in which the sport’s most shining The stages are traditionally fast in this part of the specifi cation four-wheel drive cars were local favourites ambassador would have wanted to claim victory of any Western Cape, and this year’s stages were no exception. Jean-Pierre Damseaux and co-driver Hilton Auffray in their event. Driving on their rev limiters in top gear down kilometres- Team TOTAL Toyota Auris S2000. This S2000 Challenge “This is not the way a rally should be declared, long straights, over jumps and through sweeping bends pairing has fi nished strongly throughout 2013, and despite and I feel for Toyota and Johnny [Gemmell],” said Cronje. into watersplashes, the crews were committed to gaining a DNF on Round Four they are currently third in the points “If the penalty was not legitimate, then it would not any advantage over their rivals. The event was staged overall and fi rst in the S2000 Challenge. have been successfully overturned. It is the timing of the around Malmesbury, Moorreesburg and Brackenfell, where Defending S2000 Challenge title holders Gugu decision that has left an imprint on this rally win, and hundreds of fans braved the cold and rain to cheer on Zulu/Carl Peskin were fi fth in their Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo Vivo S2000, ahead of the Imperial Toyota Yaris Toyota Etios R2) and defending Two Wheel Drive Champion Final Overall Classifi cation: 01) M. Cronje/R. Houghton S2000 of Giniel de Villiers/Greg Godrich, Leeroy Poulter/ Craig Trott and co-driver Janine Lourens (Team TOTAL Ford Fiesta S2000 - 01h 37m 55.6s Elvéne Coetzee (in the second Castrol Toyota Yaris S2000) Toyota RunX S1600). 02) J. Gemmell/C. Swan and Henk Lategan/Barry White (Volkswagen Sasolracing Championship leaders Matthew Vacy-Lyle/Schalk Toyota Yaris S2000 + 01.8s 03) H. Fekken/P. Arries Polo S2000). Making up the rest of the top ten were the van Heerden (Fragram Tools Toyota RunX S1600) were Volkswagen Polo S2000 + 03m 57.7s fi rst of the S1600 two-wheel drive cars of Thilo Himmel classifi ed eighth inthe S1600 Class after completing the 04) J-P. Damseaux/H. Auffray and Armand du Toit (Toyota Etios R2) and Clint Weston/ event under Super Rally rules after retiring in SS2 on Day Toyota Auris S2000 + 04m 42.2s 05) G. Zulu/C. Peskin Christoff Snyders (Reef Tankers Citroen C2R2 Max). One with mechanical problems. Volkswagen Polo Vivo S2000 + 06m 31.0s The S1600 two-wheel drive Class saw a The next round of the championship is the 06) G. De Villiers/G. Godrich triumphant return to form of early season championship Polokwane Rally in Limpopo Province on 18 - 19 October Toyota Yaris S2000 + 07m 42.7s 07) L. Poulter/E. Coetzee H&H leaders, Namibian Thilo Himmel and codriver Armand du next month. Toyota Yaris S2000 + 09m 19.6s Toit. A gripping battle with chief rivals Weston/Snyders 08) H. Lategan/B. White resulted in their winning nine of the ten stages between Volkswagen Polo S2000 + 10m 20.6s 09) T. Himmel/A. Du Toit them, with fi ve going to Himmel and four to Weston. Toyota Etios R2 + 15m 26.2s Third in their best result of the season were 10) C. Weston/C. Snyders Lourens van Rensburg/Jason Plumbley (7 Films Ford Fiesta Citroën C2R2 Max + 17m 09.0s R2) ahead of Chris Coertse/Robbie Coetzee (Electrothread CLOSING SHOT

This is Africa. This is South Africa, after all. Picture: Evan Rothman