HHandbrakesandbrakes airpins HHairpins g he world of rallyin & yyourour insightinsight intointo thet world of rallying IIssuessue 218218 • 3131 JanuaryJanuary 20122012 hhttp://wp.me/pkXcttp://wp.me/pkXc PPERFECTERFECT SSTARTTART TTOO 22012012 FFOROR HHIGGINSIGGINS AANDND SSUBARUUBARU IINN RRALLYALLY AAMERICAMERICA TThehe world’sworld’s onlyonly freefree dedicateddedicated rallyrally eMagazineeMagazine - everyevery week!week! IIssuessue 218218 • 3131 JanuaryJanuary 20122012 EEDITORIALDITORIAL INFORMATIONINFORMATION Editor Evan Rothman Favourite rally car? Audi Quattro S2 Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Ostberg Favourite WRC rally? WRC Rallye Deutschland Favourite rally? Total Rally, South Africa Tweets too much about rallying, loves nothing more than spectating on a forest rally, and has aspirations of being the world’s greatest rally In 2012, we will bring YOU: journalist. He’s also oftentimes seen with a camera in his one hand and his mobile phone more opinions ringing in his pocket at the most inopportune times. more photographs more competitions more videos as you ASKED for in 2011! Photojournalist Eva Kovkova Favourite rally car? Citroën C4 WRC AADMINISTRATIVEDMINISTRATIVE INFORMATIONINFORMATION Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Østberg Contributors Liga Stirna, Patrick Vermaak, Motorpics, Favourite WRC rally? Vodafone Rally de Portugal Newspress. Favourite rally? White Nights Rally, Lahdenpohja, Russia All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & Likes to walk in the Swedish snow forests or on HAIRPINS, 2007-12. This publication is fully protected by Portuguese dusty hills, likes to freeze, to get wet copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part in the rain or to melt from the heat during photo without written permission from the editor. While reasonable hunts for fl ying cars and smiling faces. 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START RAMP 07 YouTube and Rallying 08 IRC 2012 readies for Mikkelsen 09 Ford’s blonde stars CONTENTS SERVICE PARK 11 Sebastien Loeb in 2012 PARC FERME 15 Sno*Drift Rally 2012 OPENING SSHOTHOT WWithith 6060 daysdays remainingremaining toto thethe startstart ofof thethe 20122012 SouthSouth AfricanAfrican RRallyally Championship,Championship, thethe buzzbuzz surroundingsurrounding thisthis seriesseries isis ggrowingrowing asas thethe FIAFIA andand thethe WorldWorld RRalyaly ChampionshipChampionship showshow iinterestnterest iinn hostinghosting a worldworld rally.rally. PPictureicture byby EEvanvan RRothman.othman. START RAMP YOUTUBE AND RALLYING: RRELIVEELIVE TTHEHE RRALLYEALLYE MONTE-CARLOMONTE-CARLO Words: Evan Rothman Video #1: http://youtu.be/puXllWOn67E Video #3: http://youtu.be/ul3IbVLo_0g Picture: WorldRallyPics The WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo produced its fair share of thrills and spills. The ever-changing weather conditions, the ever-changing surface conditions and the varying levels of traction for the tyres when all mated with the driving skill, the aggression from the racers and team orders made this a memorabel rally for fans of the World Rally Video #2: http://youtu.be/ajRGo2nseGU Video #4: http://youtu.be/iCP0KJnjcA0 Championship. For those who want more action from the WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo, these videos capture the action superbly, and will give you goosebumps! H&H IRC 2012 READIES FOR MIKKELSEN: WWILLILL HHEE WWININ SSATAATA RRALLYALLY AAZORES?ZORES? Words: Handbrakes & Hairpins for being the youngest driver to win a times, teaching him the rally driving Picture: IRC Series British national rally, score FIA World skills that took him to the WRC Drivers’ Rally Championship points and set a Championship titles in 2000 and 2002. Reigning Intercontinental Rally fastest stage time on a WRC event. In Mikkelsen took everything on board and Challenge champion Andreas 2012 he celebrates his 23rd birthday, there is a marked contrast in his driving Mikkelsen says he’s desperate to but he’s already driving rally cars for style during this period. win SATA Rallye Acores next month seven years. In addition to becoming IRC after coming close to success on the The young Norwegian has a champion in 2011, he also won the event last season. broad background in sport. He competed Italian Gravel Championship (Trofeo The Skoda UK Motorsport in all disciplines in skiing and was a Rally Terra) after winning the Rally star was embroiled in a tight battle for member of the Norwegian national Adriatico, Rally San Marino and the victory with factory Skoda driver Juho junior alpine skiing team at the age of Azzano Rally in a Skoda Rally Team Italia Hanninen until he was instructed to 12. In 2003 and 2004, he competed Fabia S2000. hold position in second place in order in motocross, also representing the SATA Rallye Acores forms to secure a one-two fi nish for the Czech national junior team. Round One of the 13-event IRC season manufacturer. A knee injury curtailed a in 2012. It takes place from 23 - 25 “I’m really motivated to win this promising ski career, and at 16-years old February on the island of Sao Miguel. H&H rally,” said Mikkelsen. “Of course it will Andreas turned his attention to rallying. be a great start to the year and great Too young to complete, he dedicated his for Skoda UK if I do, but after last year time to learning the art of making and I would really like to win this special using pace notes with his co-driver Ola event. It’s one of my favourite rallies Fløene and begin rally driver training in with a really good atmosphere and 2005 – at the wheel of the Focus WRC! amazing stages.” During 2008, Marcus Grönholm Mikkelsen holds the records drove, and sat next to, Mikkelsen many FORD’S BLONDE STARS: SOLBERG AND NOVIKOV SHINE Words: Handbrakes & Hairpins 2003 World Rally Champion, and the diminutive Russian, but his video clip Picture: WorldRallyPics result is that the Norwegian was handed from the 2009 WRC Rally Finland nearly a suspended six-event ban and a €1,400 fl ipping his car over a jump recorded The WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo 2012 fi ne. hundreds of views. was something of a revelation for Of course, this did not deter the Novikov had just turned 17 Ford and their WRC campaign. ace from sweeping to a strong podium when he made his name in rallying, In this tricky and techhnical test, position in Monte Carlo, nor will it slow in a Subaru Impreza on the 2008 Ford’s crews were not only on the him down in stages. Fans will need to Russia Rally, competing against the podium, but were setting the pace... assist Solberg in curbing his enthusiam Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s (IRC) Speed in rallying is a must for between stages, however. stars. success. Controlled speed is the secret: His counterpart in a Ford Fiesta Now at 21, he’s completed there are times to throw caution to the RS WRC machine, Evgeny Novikov, 24 WRC starts. With the experienced wind, and times to know when to lift off also displayed the same speed and Frenchman Denis Giraudet his co-driver, for that half a second longer. Ask Petter aggression at Round One of the 13-event Novikov seems to have turned a new Solberg (Ford World Rally Team) about series, but he was able to contain his leaf in his mature approach to the sport: speeding, seeing as he collects speeding speed for the timed sections... “I learnt so much during the week. The tickets. As on the opening round of Novikov fi nished the WRC event stages were very varied and diffi cult to the WRC in 2011 in Sweden, Solberg fi fth overall, his fi rst fi nish on this unique learn, but there were really fantastic. was pulled over by the traffi c police for and iconic rally. To boot, he scored a And the atmosphere in the Col du Turini doing 106km/h in a 50km/h zone. The bonus point for his Power Stage effort. and Lucéram tests was amazing!” H&H Gendarmes were quick to penalise the Little is known about the SERVICE PARK SSEBASTIENEBASTIEN LLOEBOEB IINN 22012:012: AAIMINGIMING TTOO MMAKEAKE IITT NNINEINE Words: Evan Rothman Q: Win number 68 of your career the Power Stage also means your Pictures: Citroën Racing and your sixth win on Rallye Monte- season got off to the best possible Carlo. How did it feel to be back start... Interviewing an eight-times World competing there? SL: “It couldn’t be better. Great start Rally Champion is not something to SL: “For sure it is a pleasure for me to to take 28 points. There were nearly no take lightly. Having won 68 rallies, be back in Monte Carlo, but for different mistakes, a little mistake with the tyre most recently the WRC Rallye reasons. First, this is the most specifi c choice at the start, but there was some Monte-Carlo, the Frenchman is man rally of the year; it’s a rally which is in very good help from the team in the most in demand by PR agencies, France and it’s the home rally of my choices we made. [It was a] good drive journalists, his family, sponsors and co-driver. We won this rally a lot of and great atmosphere. Yes, it’s great to legions of fans. He was also recently times and one more time now.