HANDBRAKES &HAIRPINS 319 YOUR insight “into the world of RALLY!” ISSUE 319/CONTENTS EDITORIAL INFORMATION 01/ Cover Editor/ Evan Rothman 02/ ATS Photojournalist/ Eva Kovkova 03/ Editorial Information Contributors/ Liga Stirna, Kris Karnitiss 04/ Opening Shot CONTACT INFORMATION 05/ Climb to the Clouds 06/ Dani Sord, Hyundia and Goodwood FOS E-mail us/ [email protected] 07/ epay Silver Fern Rally Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 08/ WRC Rally Argentina review Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc 16/ ERC SATA Rally Azores preview All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 17/ 1st Race 2007-13. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing 18/ Closing Shot 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. #OPENINGSHOT Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle put on a very impressive performance in WRC’s Rally Argentina this past weekend to claim their second podium result of their season. This photo showcases the drama of our beloved sport so very well, we think. Picture: Citroën Racing 04 H&H • #CLIMBTOTHECLOUDS After a three-year hiatus, the popular Mt. Washington “Climb to the Clouds” returns next month for fantastic hillclimb action in the USA. Words: H&H / Picture: Subaru Rally Team USA. The legendary Mt. Washington “Climb to the Clouds” overall course record, will be three past Mt. Washington record special for Red Bull; former Belgian National Rally Champion Automobile Hillclimb’s entry list was revealed for the 27 - 29 holders. They include multiple rally champion and former Mt. David Sterycx who competes in the Rally America National June 2014 competition on the 7.6-mile Mt. Washington Auto Washington Hillclimb record holder Tim O’Neil who set a record Championship; 2009 Rally America 2-wheel-drive Champion Road. of 07min 45sec in 1990 driving a 300-horsepower Volkswagen Dillon Van Way; current and former New England Hillclimb The Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb was fi rst run Rally Golf; the 1992 and 1998 Mt. Washington Hillclimb record Association Champions Kevin Gale and Sherman Baumann. in 1904 as part of the famous Glidden Tour, and serves as holder and six-time Canadian National Rally Champion Frank The three-day motorsports event will consist of two one of North America’s oldest motorsports events. Following a Sprongl who drove Audi Quattros to both his Mt. Washington half-days of practice on Friday morning until noon and again 3-year hiatus, the 2014 edition will be a three-day motorsports titles and the current Mt. Washington Hillclimb record holder on Saturday morning until noon. Although spectators will not festival boasting an 80-car competition fi eld - the largest in and 5-time United States Rally Champion David Higgins who be allowed to view practice runs by the drivers and teams the event’s history - with some of the best race and rally beat the previous record of 06min 41.99sec set in 1998 by on Friday morning, they will be able to enjoy viewing from drivers from around the world competing for “King of the Canadian Frank Sprongl when he posted a blistering time of the base area of the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Saturday Hill” titles. The 2014 entry list includes three of the past 06min 11.54sec driving a 325-horsepower all-wheel-drive morning. fi ve living Mt. Washington Hillclimb record holders; the top 2011 Subaru WRX STI rally car in June 2011. On Sunday 29 June, the Mt. Washington Auto Road twenty teams from the Rally America National Championship; Other notable drivers include X Games legend, will be closed for the 110th anniversary of the “Climb to the a variety of high-horsepower, purpose-built hillclimb cars and extreme sports icon and 4-time Rally America National Clouds.” Visit http://www.climbtotheclouds.com for more a hand-picked vintage class fi lled with racecars steeped in Champion Travis Pastrana, who set an unoffi cial Mt. Washington information closer to the event. motorsports history. Hillclimb record of 06min 20.47sec driving a 2010 Subaru WRX Gunning for the overall victory, as well as a new STI rally car in September 2010 while recording a television 05 H&H • #KOREANSTOTHEFESTIVAL The Hyundai i20 World Rally Car will make its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 26 - 29 June with Spanish star Dani Sordo behind the wheel. Words: H&H / Picture: McKlein.de This year’s Festival of Speed theme is ‘Addicted to Winning’ Sordo, a factory driver in the World Championship be seen in action in the UK until Britain’s round of the World and the Korean manufacturer, which re-entered the World since 2006, will demonstrate the turbo-charged Hyundai i20 Rally Championship, Rally GB, is held in November. Rally Championship this year with the Hyundai i20 WRC, has WRC twice on Goodwood’s iconic 1.16-mile Hillclimb on the Dani Sordo, Hyundai Motorsport driver, said: “I am already proved its credentials with a maiden podium fi nish on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Festival of Speed. delighted to be showcasing the Hyundai i20 WRC car to the Rally Mexico – only the car’s third event. He will also take to the loose surface of the Forest crowds for the fi rst time in the UK public at such an iconic Spanish driver Sordo, 31, whose addiction to winning Rally Stage – which will be run against the clock for the fi rst event in the motor sport calendar. As a driver, it’s great to was realised last year with a maiden WRC victory on Rallye time this year – for two runs on each day. Among his rivals be a part of a Festival that celebrates the great and the good Deutschland, has taken 36 World Championship podium during the Festival of Speed weekend will be former World in motor sport and which engages with so many fans from fi nishes during his career and secured the Junior World Rally Rally champions Sebastien Loeb and Bjorn Waldegard. across the globe.” Championship title in 2005. Following the Festival of Speed, the i20 WRC will not 06 H&H • THESOUTHRISES Jari-Matti Latvala and Miika Anttila showed their Volkswagen bosses their intent. Rising to the challenge, and breaking team-mate Sebastien Ogier’s stranglehold on the top step of the podium, this Finnish crew beat the Frenchmen at their own game in a straight fi ght. This is the WRC Rally Argentina 2014. Words: H&H / Pictures: Volkswagen Motorsport, Citroën Racing, M-Sport, Hyundai Motorsport. 08 H&H • From Latvala’s breakthrough 2014 performance this past picking his car up in the rocky and dangerous sections to get that severely limits his physical movements, he’s literally weekend, the World Rally Championship’s once again been through the rally unscathed. Had political matters not been a thrown himself into the deep end of the motorsport pool to made THAT bit more exciting. The fi ght for the overall Driver’s factor, we might have seen him charging harder - as that DS3 challenge himself in the most dangerous discipline possible. title isn’t as cut-and-dried, it seems. Well, that is if a certain WRC can take a tremendous amount of punishment. Ask Mr And, he has truly shown he has the mettle for this game with Finn has anything to do about it. Loeb. his strong result this past weekend. The Pole must have felt It has posed a number of quesions, and they were The Polo R WRCs were once again at the top of the terribly frustrated at his speed (and the lack thereof) when mostly answered too. Will we see a bare-knuckle fi ght between leaderboard, but Meeke spoilt what would have been a dream his instinct and racing brain told him to keep his right foot Volkswagen Motorsport’s two lead crews for the remainder of 1-2-3 for the VW squad. This Irishman impressed with his pinned, but he drove with his head and listend to every pace the season? Jost Capito, the team’s boss, has installed no mature and confi dent drive to third place for Citroën Racing. note to bring his Ford Fiesta RS WRC to the fi nish line without team orders, and is seemingly content for his boys to fi ght it Bouncing back from his confi dence konck of the last two problems for the fi rst time in 2014. That has undoubteldy out bar they don’t crash out. Is there a car and team stronger months, Meeke’s proven to himself that he can be an all-round taught Mr Kubica the need to temper pace in events, and than the Germans at present? By looking at the results, you’d polished driver we know he is. In those starkly contrasting to hold back a fraction in order to go the 100 percent of the be forgiven to think there aren’t. But, we feel you’d be wrong. conditions, in which many experienced WRC crews were route. Without a doubt, he will be on the WRC podium this The M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRCs might just have provided caught out, Meeke/Nagle were sensibly quick all weekend to season. the threat to the Volkswagen drivers, if Rally Gods had shown bring their car to the fi nal Parc Ferme in one piece and with Mikko Hirvonen’s big crash - in which he crashed into them favour in the diffi cult Argentine conditions.