HHandbrakesandbrakes &HHairpinsairpins IIssuessue 252252 • 0044 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 252 • 04 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. 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. Photojournalist Eva Kovkova FOLLOW US! Favourite rally car? Citroën C4 WRC Current favourite WRC driver? Mads Østberg Favourite WRC rally? Vodafone Rally de Portugal 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 in the rain or to melt from the heat during photo hunts for fl ying cars and smiling faces. Also is knowing as a press ice bear working for South Africa :) OOPENINGPENING SSHOTHOT TThehe ccountdownountdown ttoo tthehe aarrivalrrival ooff tthehe mmuch-anticipateduch-anticipated VVolkswagenolkswagen PPoloolo R WWRCRC iiss nnowow ddownown ttoo wweeks.eeks. TThehe wworldorld ooff mmotorsportotorsport wwaitsaits ttoo wwitnessitness tthehe ppaceace aandnd sspeedpeed ooff tthishis mmachineachine iinn ccompetition.ompetition. WWillill SSebastienebastien OOgiergier cclaimlaim vvictoryictory iinn tthehe ccar’sar’s fi rrstst ccompetitiveompetitive sseason?eason? PPicture:icture: VVolkswagenolkswagen MMotorsportotorsport START RAMP 07 WMSC and FIA rule for the future CONTENTS SERVICE PARK 11 BRC int’l Rally Yorkshire review 14 IRC Mabanol Sliven Rally review 16 SARC Polokwane Rally preview 17 WRC Rallye de France - Alsace preview PARC FERME 20 WRC Photographers: The Heroes START RAMP WWMMSSCC AANDND FFIA:IA: FFUTUREUTURE OOFF TTHEHE SSPORTPORT Words: Handbrakes & Hairpins Also decided was that WRC Teams competing in the and S2000). A specifi c cup for cars in the Group N category Pictures: WorldRallyPics, Citroën Racing 2013 WRC will now only need to contest ONE non-European will also form part of the FIA WRC-2 Championship, and titles event. WRC Teams will still need to nominate and take part for teams, drivers and co-drivers will be awarded to those The World Motor Sport Council met last week and in a minimum of seven events. who have scored the most points in six of the seven events resolved matters for the FIA. It was decided that The It went further to state: “To limit costs and in which they have taken part. The current Production Car Sportsman Media Group and Red Bull Media House encourage participation, from 2013 the use of the latest World Rally Championship will be replaced by the FIA WRC-3 will become the new global Promoter of the FIA World evolution of parts homologated by manufacturers will not Championship, including Group R cars with two-wheel drive Rally Championship (WRC) from 2013 and beyond. be mandatory for WRC cars entered by drivers not scoring (R3, R2 and R1). Titles for teams, drivers and co-drivers will According to the FIA’s press release, this role points in the Manufacturers’ Championship. This also applies be awarded to those who have scored the most points in fi ve requires that the “Promoter will be responsible for investing to all cars in the S2000 category with a 1.6L turbo engine.” of the six events in which they have taken part. To boot, the and developing the WRC with a view to increasing its profi le, Additionally, the structure of the support current FIA WRC Academy will be renamed the FIA Junior reputation and commercial value. In particular, the Promoter, championships has been revised to refl ect the interests WRC Championship. working in close collaboration with the FIA, will be focused and demands of the competitors. From 2013, the current Also discussed and decided for WRC is that, for on introducing live television and an innovative digital media Championship for S2000 cars will be replaced by the WRC-2 safety reasons and therefore with immediate effect, each strategy in the next years.” Championship including cars with four-wheel drive (R5, R4 crew that is entered with a WRC car is permitted to use a route note car on asphalt events. responsible for performance equity. The rest of the press release carried important information “The homologation period for certain cars has The 2013 FIA World Rally Championship calendar is in terms of the governing body’s aims to strengthen regional been extended to 31 December 2016, subject to safety confi rmed as follows: rallying championships: requirements, and the WMSC has confi rmed that Group T3 20 Jan - Rallye Monte Carlo “As part of the FIA’s commitment to strengthen the regional cars are permitted to participate in the Middle East Rally 10 Feb - Rally Sweden rally championships and implement a global strategy for the Championship, with the exception of the rally in Lebanon, the 10 Mar - Rally Mexico sport, the WMSC approved the principle of the appointment only asphalt rally in the series. 14 Apr - Rallye de Portugal of Eurosport Events Limited as the Promoter of the FIA “In the interests of safety, the specifi cation of 18” 05 May - Rally Argentina European Rally Championship from 2013 for a period of 10 Tarmac tyres used in regional rallies and in international 02 Jun - Acropolis Rally years. Eurosport Events’ commitment will ensure the series rally series will be modifi ed. From 2013, these tyres, which 23 Jun - Rally d’Italia is televised and promoted in all mediums. are closer in specifi cation to road tyres and the same as 04 Aug - Rally Finland “To encourage more competitors to participate, cars those used in the FIA World Rally Championship, will have TBC - Rallye Deutschland with national homologations will be permitted to take part in one tread pattern and will provide reduced grip in corners, 15 Sep - Rally Australia FIA African, Asia-Pacifi c, Middle East, NACAM and CODASUR allowing cars to slide more progressively.” H&H 06 Oct - Rallye de France Championship events. To address safety requirements, 27 Oct - Rally de España National Technical Regulations will be linked to the FIA’s 17 Nov - Rally of Great Britain Appendix J and the FIA Technical Department will be IINN FFOCUSOCUS MMarcoarco TTempestiniempestini aandnd hhisis SSubaruubaru IImprezampreza RR44 hhaveave pprovenroven ssensationalensational iinn tthehe IIRCRC iinn 22012,012, aadndn tthehe RR4-spec4-spec SSubaruubaru iiss ggainingaining iinn sspeedpeed aatt tthehe hhandsands ooff vvariousarious ddriversrivers iinn tthehe 22012.012. PPicture:icture: IIRCRC SSerieseries SERVICE PARK BBRCRC IINT’LNT’L RRALLYALLY YYORKSHIRE:ORKSHIRE: CCRONINRONIN WWINSINS TTITLEITLE FFOROR 22012012 Words: Handbrakes & Hairpins history of the BRC and one that epitomised the closeness halt before the overnight halt. Pictures: Jakob Ebrey Photography/Pirelli of the competition throughout the season, which has been Emerging from SS1 with a slender 0.1 second lead a hallmark of the two-wheel-drive only format that was were Cave/Parry, who reported a temporary visit to a ditch A dramatic end to a landmark season culminated in introduced this year. 6km into the stage. Just behind were Pryce/Williams, who Keith Cronin becoming MSA British Rally Champion This past weekend’s International Rally Yorkshire also spoke of a few heart-stopping moments as their car’s for the third time this past weekend, at the end of featured a four-way battle for the Championship. Cronin/ brake pedal intermittently went to the fl oor. the sixth and fi nal round, the International Rally Clarke were favourites, starting four points ahead of Cave/ Cronin/Clark also had a torrid time in SS1. After Yorkshire. By fi nishing in third place, he and co-driver Parry - who were yet to drop a round - and, with 50 percent traversing the water-splash near the start of the stage, their Marshall Clarke had achieved their goal of claiming the more points available for season fi