Inside Rally

It’s the start of a new season. 2013 has new Cars, new Drivers, new Teams and a new Manufacture. Because Monte is a Tarmac round, there’s no Qualifying, however there is a Pre-Event Shakedown, which is the first chance we get to compare the times between the drivers, cars and teams.

It was Qatar M-Sport world rally teams, Neuville who set the Fastest time through the snowy 3.5km Shakedown stage this morning.

Results:
Shakedown times: Monte Carlo:
Neuville 2:26.1
Loeb 28.7
Novikov 28.8
Hirvonen 29.4
Latvala 30.4
Ogier 30.5
Sordo 31.8
Ostberg 32.9

Hyundai has revealed more details about its plan to return to the WRC at the highest level in 2014, including the formation of a new motorsport base in Europe and the appointment of Michel Nandan as Team Principal.

Photo: Hyundai Motorsport

Hyundai had a formal presence in the WRC between 2000 and 2003, with an Accent World Rally Car run by British preparation firm Motor Sport Developments.

In September last year however it announced its intention to re-enter the WRC and is now developing a WRC version of its new i20 model with the objective of competing in the entire 2014 championship.

Today Hyundai confirmed that Michel Nandan would head up the programme as Team Principal. The Frenchman has held key technical positions in the WRC since the mid-1990s – most notably as Technical Director of Peugeot Sport between 1999 and 2005.

The firm has also established a bespoke motorsport subsidiary, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, under which the company’s WRC programme will be run. The cars will be built in new headquarters in Alzenau, Germany, close to Frankfurt, where Hyundai’s European HQ is situated.

Nandan said: “I am honoured to have been chosen by Hyundai to spearhead its exciting new entry into the WRC. The project is still in its infancy, but things are moving rapidly, and I am looking forward to developing the team as this year progresses. There is much to be done, of that we are fully aware, but with a dedicated facility in Alzenau and an ambitious core of highly motivated personnel, we are already making good progress.”

An interim version of the i20 has already begun testing in Korea to enable Hyundai to undertake component and suspension analysis with further tests scheduled throughout 2013.

Nandan added: “We are deliberately using an interim version of the i20 to carry out important component testing and to ensure that we have done our homework before we enter competition. This phase will continue throughout 2013 as we prepare for our first full season back in WRC in 2014. There are a lot of other decisions that we will have to make during the course of the year, particularly regarding the selection of drivers, but this also requires time and due diligence. We will, at the same time, keep a close eye on how the 2013 WRC season unfolds.”

“Hyundai is excited to re-enter WRC, and we’re back not just to compete, but to win,” said Tak Uk Im, Executive Vice President & COO of Hyundai Motor.

WRC.com

Volkswagen Motorsport has issued the following Q&A with Director Jost Capito talking about the car and what is expected in 2013:

Q: If you could have chosen a rally for the Polo R WRC to make its debut at – would you have taken the Rally Monte Carlo?

Jost Capito: “The Rally Monte Carlo is not only the most iconic rally on the World Championship calendar, but also the most difficult and complex. The surface alternates regularly between ice, snow, rain and dry asphalt, which can make the strategy difficult and tyre selection something of a lottery. We are obviously delighted that the Polo R WRC will make its debut at this highlight.”

Q: In Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala you have signed two very quick drivers. Who do you feel is the stronger?

Jost Capito: “They are both equally strong. As a Scandinavian, Latvala grew up on gravel – however, he has made huge progress on asphalt in recent years. The same applies to Ogier, who also has what it takes to win on any surface. Both have seven WRC wins to their name. In the end it will come down to who performs best on the day to determine who is the quickest.”

Q: What goals does Volkswagen have for the 2013 season?

Jost Capito: “We are aware that we will be up against strong opposition with decades of World Rally Championship experience. The Polo R WRC, on the other hand, is making its debut this year and the team also has a new look to it. As such, we have to set realistic goals. We want to make it onto the podium under our own steam in the second half of the year.”

What the drivers said:

Volkswagen Motorsport has issued these 2 quotes from Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala:

Jari-Matti Latvala: “I can hardly wait for the season to get started. I may already have five years as a works driver in the World Rally Championship under my belt, but both the Volkswagen Motorsport team and the Polo R WRC are new to me. As such, I will be making my debut in two regards. The tests up to now have shown that the Polo R WRC is very reliable. This is probably the most important finding so far – and a good basis for future technical developments over the course of the season.”

“I have already developed a good feeling for the car on asphalt and snow, which is a good sign ahead of the Rally Monte Carlo. It is great fun driving the Polo R WRC. It is very stable and the driveability of the engine is also very good. I would like to get the season off to a good start at the ‘Monte’. The result is not the top priority yet, although I would obviously love to pick up some World Championship points.”

Sébastien Ogier: “The ‘Monte’ is a very special rally. After all, it is my home rally. However, the season-opener near my home will be an extraordinary experience for the entire team, as it is the first rally with the new Polo R WRC. We have been working towards this moment with Volkswagen for over a year. We can hardly wait to finally get started.”

“However, it is difficult to judge how we will compare to the opposition, as we have not yet raced against the other teams under competitive conditions. Making your debut in a world championship with a completely new car is a big challenge, particularly as the other manufacturers have several years more experience than we do. For this reason we must be patient and concentrate at first on reaching the finish without any problems. Experience shows that this is anything but simple at the Rally Monte Carlo, as anything can happen at this event.”