Inside Rally

The Junior WRC Championship is supporting the FIA’s drive to make motor sport more sustainable by switching from petrol to biofuel.

From the Acropolis Rally of Greece onwards, the Ford Fiesta R2s used in the series will be powered by GEM Fuel, a blended fuel containing regular gasoline, bio-ethanol and bio-methanol.

The FIA claims the new fuel – the result of a partnership between BioMCN, Abengoa, Methanex, Eurol and the Methanol Institute – reduces greenhouse gases by more than 50% compared to regular petrol.

M-Sport, which supplies the Fiestas to the championship, was involved in an evaluation of the fuel in 2012, when an extensive dyno test comparing the performance and consumption of three fuels – including GEM Fuel – was performed at its Cumbrian base.

Jarmo Mahonen, FIA Rally Director, said: “The FIA has a strategy to develop solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of mobility in general and motor sport in particular, and this supports our drive for more sustainable motor sport.”

The Rally of Greece, round two of the Junior WRC Championship, gets underway on Friday 31 May.

NEWS FROM WALES RALLY GB

Exciting plans for this year’s new-look Wales Rally GB, the UK’s season-ending round of the FIA World Rally Championship, have been announced today in Llandudno.

The move to a new base in North Wales was confirmed last month; now further details have been provided of a challenging new competitive route, the return of spectator stages aimed at delivering a full day’s top class family entertainment plus a more affordable and flexible ticketing structure.

NEW BASE; NEW ROUTE; NEW CHALLENGES; NEW APPEAL …

From its new base in Deeside, Flintshire, the 2013 Wales Rally GB will be won or lost over 24 competitive stages, more than half of which are either totally new or haven’t been featured in the World Championship since the Nineties. Adding to the challenge and spectacle, the opening three timed sections on Thursday evening will take place in darkness and some classic Welsh forest stages in Snowdonia will be reintroduced.

Making the event more attractive to the wider audience now within easy visiting distance of the rally, both Saturday’s and Sunday’s schedule will include a family-oriented ‘spectator stage’ designed to bring the breath-taking action closer to the public. Details of these two very accessible venues will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Providing a fitting finale not just to Wales Rally GB but also to the entire 2013 FIA World Rally Championship, the event will reach its climax with a blast around the Great Orme early on Sunday afternoon.

Sweet Lamb on Friday and the weekend’s two spectator stages will be designated RallyFest Stages providing day-long family entertainment for all ages. As well as seeing the WRC stars and cars in action twice, RallyFest Stages will include a big screen, catering village, public address commentary, special displays, a Rally Dome, on-stage shows as well as other attractions.

A completely revised ticketing offer has been revealed – the result of extensive customer research:

Adult admittance to individual forest stages reduced to £15* (from £20 in 2012).
Day Passes re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33*.
Extension of the ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme to provide those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 24 stages for just £1*.
Children aged 8 and under admitted free.
Individual tickets for the RallyFest Stages priced at £25* with significant discounts available for families. The price for two adults and two children is £42* with an extra £1* for each additional child.
These remaining tickets will go on sale on Friday 7 June.

It was also announced that two shorter National Rallies would run alongside Wales Rally GB, offering amateur competitors the chance to compete on the same stages and use the same Service Park as the World Championship contenders, and that there will be a special deal for UK crews keen to enter the main international event.

* Terms and conditions apply to all ticket prices.

The new logo of CROATIA RALLY 2013 has been approved; the tenth round of the 2013 European Rally Championship will take place from September 26th to 28th in Croatia with its headquarter based in Poreč, one of the most beautiful place on the Adriatic coast. The city has tourist infrastructures that run along the 37km of coastline and offer more than 95,000 beds.

The new logo of Croatia Rally, with graphics created by UNITED BUSINESS, shows the traditional and characteristic red and white checks with blue graphic inserts, the same which can be found on the Croatian national flag. Logo is approved by the Board of CCKF (Croatian Car and Karting Federation) and its President, Matko Bolanca.

It has been agreed a cooperation between CCKF and the Italian sports management company, UNITED BUSINESS, which will cooperate with the CCKF to promote the Croatia Rally 2013, the agreement was signed by Matko Bolanca, CCKF’s President and Pier Liberali, General Manager of UNITED BUSINESS.

Zrinko Gregurek, Secretary General of CCKF said: “For the 40th anniversary of Croatia Rally, which has been organized many years and previously known as INA DELTA RALLY by AC DELTA from Zagreb, EUROSPORT EVENTS the promoter of the European Rally Championship, will ensure a worldwide media coverage. United Business is planning a number of initiatives both at sporting level and of side events, to make this Rally one of the most attractive in Europe.”

Hayden Paddon will return to the WRC in August when he begins a fresh campaign in the WRC2 category.

Photo:D.Darrall

Paddon, a former PWRC Champion, will drive a BBR-prepared Skoda Fabia S2000 on Neste Oil Rally Finland and ADAC Rallye Deutschland alongside co-driver John Kennard

The Kiwi is trying to secure the funding to allow him to contest another four events in the second half of the year – enough to put him in title contention.

In 2011 Paddon became the only New Zealander to win a world rally championship title when he secured the FIA Production World Rally Championship.

“It’s amazing to be back in the WRC,” said Paddon. “It may only be two events at this stage, but after last year I am more determined than ever to put the record straight and showcase what I know we can do – to be the fastest.”

“I know we can beat all the other competitors in WRC2, and there are a lot of very good drivers there. It won’t be easy, but the target will be to win, and they are both events that I enjoy.”

The Kiwi says his priority this year has been to secure the funding to get back to Europe and compete in events that showcase his talents and speed.

“We continue to work very hard on securing a full-time opportunity in the WRC for 2014,” he explained. “Events such as Finland and Germany, which I’ve contested and done well in previously, help us get the attention of the management of the new WRC teams and hopefully allow us to process the discussions we’ve been having with various people.”

“It is a hard game with the financial demands required, but we are so close and now we have to step it up. It’s been many years since there have been so many opportunities for drivers with new manufacturers entering the sport, so now is the time!”