WRC Preview – Greece

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Daniel Darrall

Photo:D.Darrall

3 weeks ago… After over half an hour of non-stop flat out driving and massive concentration, Sebastien Loeb came to stage end after one of the longest stages in the championship on Sunday morning on day 3 of Argentina. “He’s Rolled!?” say’s the 7 times champion with a tone of concern and disbelief. His younger French team mate Sebastien Ogier had the victory in his sights. After a great drive on Day 2 and the demise of Jari Matti Latvala after breaking his suspension, and with Loeb back a fair way due to a 1 minute penalty. But on the end of Ascochinga Stage, Ogier Rolled the car. Loeb had pushed but was sure the victory was well out of reach. But once again, it came down to the very final ‘Power’ Stage for the 2nd time in 3 rallies. And not for the first time, Loeb took the victory.

Can we expect to see the same close fight on the Car breaker that is the Acropolis rally? From what we have seen so far this season, we won’t know who could win until after the final Stage is complete, on a rally like Acropolis, anything could happen.

While we are on the subject of the remarkable 7 times champion, last time out in Greece back in 2009 Loeb took a tumble for the worst. A very rare mistake led to a massive crash as he rolled several times, making it the biggest crash of his career. It was Ford man Mikko Hirvonen who picked up the victory. That was the turning point for Ford back in 2009, and the season battle went all the way down to the final event in Wales where the championship was decided by just one point.

After Citroen dominating this seasons championship since Hirvonen’s win back in Sweden, this could be Fords chance to gain back that much needed win, and regain some points for the title race. But it’s not just Loeb and Hirvonen who are in for a shout. The younger Sebastien has shown many of times that no matter what experience he has on events, he can prove that he is one of the best, much like the Fords young Fin Jari-Matti Latvala, who at times looks to be unbeatable especially after an amazing performance in Argentina.

Norwegian Petter Solberg will be going “Flat out” as always after a great performance in Argentina up until his DS3’s Power steering failed on him. The Older Solberg brother, Henning will be back after missing the last event to secure sponsors for the remainder of the Season. Stobarts Matthew Wilson will need a good result as this could be his last rally of the 2011 season due to lack of funds and sponsorship. The Brit has put in some good consistent performances throughout this season with some top 5 finishes, originally he was only confirmed for the first 2 events, so has done well to reach the mid point of the season, he is hoping to still be able to compete on his home event in Wales at the end of the year.

However this rally isn’t just about speed. The drivers will need to have their heads about them, because the Rocky, hard, rough and rutted gravel stages will be a real test of reliability for the new generation World Rally Cars, as well as the high temperatures which regularly exceed 30 degrees, it could be tough on the engine and gearboxes. With the stages littered with rocks and a hard bed rock surface, it will also be a test for the Michelin tyres.

The Stages. On Friday the crews head up north for some classic stages and a remote service in Kamena Vourla. Saturday will be much the same as 2009 as the crews head west for stages in the Peloponnese Peninsular and on Saturday evening will be a all new 17km Nea Politia night stage. The final day, two stages close to the rally base will be run twice before the final 4km Power stage of Loutraki.

18 Stages over a competitive distance of 348.80 Kilometres.

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Block to make F1 debut

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Daniel Darrall

World Rally Championship star Ken Block will get a taste of Formula One power when he tests a Toyota TF109 at Monza in August.

Photo: D.Darrall

Block, a regular in the WRC at the wheel of a Monster World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC, is supported by tyre firm Pirelli, which has invited the American to sample a variety of its Formula One tyre compounds at the Italian Grand Prix venue.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do some pretty spectacular stunts in my career so far, but this is something else!” said the 43-year-old. “Everybody talks about Formula One being the pinnacle of world motorsport so I can’t wait to discover it for myself. I’m very grateful to Pirelli, which has been one of my partners since 2010, for this amazing opportunity. These cars are so specialised that I need to be realistic about what I can do, but I know that it’s going to be a lot of fun and take hooning to a whole new level…”

Block’s test on August 5 falls two weeks before Rallye Deutschland, his next scheduled appearance in the world championship alongside co-driver Alex Gelsomino.

The 700bhp Toyota Block will drive serves as Pirelli’s test and development platform and has undertaken more than 18,000 kilometres of running in the hands of several Pirelli test drivers including Nick Heidfeld, Pedro de la Rosa and current development pilot Lucas di Grassi, who will be on hand at Monza to give Block some driving tips.

Block is not the first WRC star to sample Formula One machinery: Tommi Makinen tested a Williams while Colin McRae drove a Jordan in the past. More recently, Sebastien Loeb set competitive times in a Red Bull during an open test in Barcelona.

“We’re absolutely delighted that Ken is making his Formula One driving debut with us, and where better than Monza?” said Pirelli’s motorsport boss Paul Hembery. “I hope that he thoroughly enjoys the experience of driving these awesome cars. We got to know Ken through our partnership with the Gymkhana programme and the World Rally Championship last year, where he impressed us with his dedicated approach, his technical feedback and his unique way of marketing the sport.”

Credit: WRC.com

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M-Sport to build county’s biggest solar energy plant

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Daniel Darrall

M-Sport has been given planning permission to place over 800 solar panels on the roof of the workshop at Dovenby Hall in Cockermouth and calculates that the panels will cut 10 per cent from its annual energy bills.

Photo: D.Darrall

Talking to the News & Star, Ford and M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson said: “M-Sport has been working on a series of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint for some time. Following consultation we settled on a package that will not only help us to become more efficient within our day-to-day business right away, but will continue to meet our energy needs in an environmentally friendly way in line with our future plans to grow the company.

“The project is a landmark one for our region, and we are also delighted to be able to push forward in pioneering clean, green energy within our sector.

“It has been an exciting project for us and very much in keeping with our goal of using the very latest technology to drive success both within motorsport and in other areas of our business.”

The move will help towards the Government’s target of having 15 per cent of Britain’s energy created from renewable sources by 2020. It will also cut M-Sport’s CO2 emissions by 80,000kg a year and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The work will take about four weeks to install and commission and the plant is expected to be up and running by August.

Source: News&Star

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WRC Mini to enter Richard Burns Memorial Rally

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Daniel Darrall

The MINI WRC Team could hold a slight edge over its world championship rivals when the first full Tarmac rally of the season takes place in Germany in August.

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MINI’s factory squad, which began its world championship campaign on Rally d’Italia Sardegna last month, will run a John Cooper Works WRC on the Richard Burns Memorial Rally in the United Kingdom from 13-14 August, one week before the WRC-counting ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

The event is held annually as a tribute to Burns, the 2001 world rally champion who died from brain cancer in 2005, and takes place on asphalt-only stages. Coming so close to Rallye Deutschland, the event will give the Prodrive-run MINI team the perfect opportunity to sample Tarmac stages in competitive conditions.

Kris Meeke will drive the car on day one with team-mate Dani Sordo taking over on day two. Although this will mean that neither pilot will figure in the overall classifications, they will still get the chance to drive in anger on the mainly technical stages at the Marham Royal Air Force base where the rally is held.

“Anything to do with Colin McRae Vision or the Richard Burns Foundation [charitities], two guys who inspired myself, and to be in a position those guys were in by being with Prodrive and thinking you might have the opportunity in years to come to fight for the world title means it’s important you remember those guys,” said Meeke. “Richard wasn’t much older than me when he [became ill] and that’s a bit scary to think. For sure doing the event would be good, will make you sharp and I’m sure Prodrive will put on a nice show out of respect for Richard.”

Prodrive has supported the Richard Burns Memorial Rally from the outset having entered a Subaru Impreza WRC2008 on the inaugural event in September 2008, which was driven to victory by Markko Martin and Robert Reid, Burns’s former navigator.

“It’s a week before Germany so it will be very useful and fantastic for the event as well,” said Prodrive’s technical head David Lapworth.

Meanwhile, MINI completed a successful test on asphalt in Italy last week as part of its current focus on building knowledge of its John Cooper Works WRC on sealed-surface stages.

Photos: D.Darrall
Credit: WRC.com

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