Inside Rally

IRC – Rallye Monte Carlo Preview

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Daniel Darrall

Two months after the end of the 2010 season, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge Kicks off the new season with the Classic Rallye Monte-Carlo.
The 2011 edition of the IRC series marks the centenary edition of the Monte-Carlo rally, and has over the years of rallying and F1, became one of the most famous and toughest events in the championship. Going right back to 1911 when Henri rougier took his 25 horsepower Turcar-mery to victory. The cars have changed of lot since then, now based on a 300 horsepower 2litre normally aspirated S2000 engine, Much of the route is still the same today. And we shall see the likes of Britans Guy Wilks and Norwegian’s Petter Solberg blast through the stages of Col De Turini pass.

P.Solberg / Picture taken by D.Darrall

Monte has always thrown up surprises, a rare test for real drivers, separating the

: Picture from Rally-irc.com

men from the boys as they drive through every condition possible on The slippy Tarmac roads, negotiating though the twisty mountain roads that are often coated with snow an ice, with grip levels changing on every corner. The events has always been on drivers skill and versatility, rather than manufacture backing or car performance. An event where Mini really made a its mark in the rally world in the 60’s. Winning the event would for sure make the headlines around the world. Last year, M-Sport made their debut on the event with their new S2000 Ford Fiesta driven by Mikko Hirvonen, and after defending off Peugeot’s Sebastian Ogier and Stephan Sarrazzan he went on to win the event. A great achievement by any driver saying, “Winning Monte Carlo Rally is something very special in any drivers career. It’s not until you have the trophy in your hands that you relise what it really means, I will never forget this”.

This years Monte will be a battle between Peugeot and Skoda. Which are both putting big names into their cars to win this prestigious event. Top entries for Peugeot include Petter Solberg, Bryan Bouffier, Francois Delecour, Stephane Sarrazin, Guy Wilks, Toni Gardemister, Bruno Magalhaes, Giandomenico Basso and Thierry Neuville. 16 Peugeot 207 S2000’s entered.

Picture from Rally-irc.com

Skoda entries include Juho Hanninen, Jan Kopecky, Freddy Loix, Nicolas Vouilloz, Andreas Mikkelsen and ex F1 driver Alex Caffi. 9 Skoda S2000 Fabia’s are entered. Other entries include Proton with Chris Atkinson and PG Andersson in Proton Satria Neo S2000’s. Ford are represented in the shape of Henning Solberg in his Fiesta S2000 car, and Harry Hunt in the Citroen DS3 R3 2WD cup.

The 2011 Rally of Monte Carlo will be spread across 4 days, 13 stages that make up 337km, the longest stage being the 41.06km Burzet-St Martial stage.

12 of the stages will be broadcasted live on Eurosport throughout the event, as well as Live IRC Rally Radio broadcast and results on – http://www.rally-irc.com or on the iRally app.

Posted in Other Rallies | Tagged IRC, Monaco, Monte carlo, rally | Leave a comment

New Zealand star Paddon working for budget

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Daniel Darrall

Pirelli Star Driver and New Zealand rally star Hayden Paddon and his Co-driver John Kennard, finished an impressive 3^rd overall on their first attempt of the PWRC, and was one of the ‘ones to watch’ of the 2010 season. Achieving five podiums out of six events in 2010.

Hayden commented on his website saying, “We’ve had a huge year of learning in 2010 which put us in a fantastic position to attack the championship next year,” says Paddon. “I know that I am a much better driver now – the range of things I’ve had the opportunity to learn about and perfect this year has been amazing and inspiring. I know – and this opinion is backed by some of the sport’s experts – that it is a very realistic goal to chase the championship title next year.”

But like most young rally drivers, Paddon is struggling to raise the funds. Its said that he will need to raise NZ$500,000 to pull together a full season in next years PWRC. But he has been exploring new routes to funding, by selling shares in himself. The Hayden Paddon Rallysport Worldwide Ltd is a company set up to help raise the money for next season, and says he hopes that investors will benefit. “Yes, it is a high-risk investment and probably with nothing back for at least a couple of years, but I am hoping people will be interested. It is a unique type of investment.”

The 2010 season kicks off in Sweden in February, and Paddon knows hes battling a short deadline, but is working very hard to get onto the world stage to impress once again, saying “The WRC is where I want to be and, together with a group of people helping me, we are working really hard to stay there. We are just finding it very difficult at present to put together a family of sponsors that can make the most of a strong commercial relationship with a professional team like ours. We want to work with companies where exposure in countries like Sweden, Portugal, Argentina, Finland, Australia, Spain and Great Britain along with New Zealand can bring them the value they seek”

For more details and to keep up to date with Hayden Paddon, visit his website. http://haydenpaddon.com/

Posted in WRC | Tagged Hayden Paddon, New Zealand, rally, WRC | Leave a comment

2010 Season Review – End of an Era….

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Daniel Darrall

Sunday 14^th November 2010, Marked the end of an Era… It would not only be the final day of the final round of the 2010 season in Wales, But It would also be the last time Rally Fans around the world, would see the current 2 litre World Rally cars blast through the worlds stage‘s.

2010 has been a season of adventure, for me especially. My season started in the thick dust clouds of Port

ugal, discovering the small ‘French revolution’ that are the two Sebastian’s, and celebrating by dancing on tables with Mikko singing “we’re gona live forever” (Oasis), to the Yumps and Jumps of Finland, along with the many crazed ‘Santa’s’ and the odd occasional ‘Batman’ at stage side, the fun of using global Portaloos in the dark, Dogs that apparently look like bears, Loeb’s disbelief of his gloves being auctioned off for over 900 Euros, Petter wresting TV’s Julian Porter to the floor on stage, People falling over benches in the dark, being held hostage with a bus load of clients at a Spanish restaurant. Ending in trying to climb (Successfully) back up the world’s muddiest hill, while being blown over a barrier in 70mph Gales. For me 2010 has been an amazing adventure with even more amazing people with in and around the WRC.

The 2010 season kicked off in the Snow banks of Sweden. With what appeared to be a ‘new’ Mikko Hirvonen, getting the better of the 6 times world champion, pushing him above an beyond the limit. Forcing Loeb to admit defeat, to win round 1.

Round 2 crossed over to Mexico, where as expected the Fords struggled in the high mountains and it was 1 to Loeb. Then off to the highly controversial tactics of Jordan. A change of road position was in order, so as to give Latvala a more road sweeping effect. But a mistake from Citroen in a delay of split times to Ogier, meant Latvala was 3^rd & Ogier 2^nd on road for day3. Sun morning Ogier was late out of service giving him a time penalty, and most importantly swapping the road position round. Ford then reacted, checked Hirvonen in early to slot him between the two, Citroen counteracted with the drastic solution of making sure that Loeb was no longer first on the road – which consisted of sacrificing an angry Ogier who ended up 8^thoverall. Win number 2 to Loeb.

Then it was off to Turkey where Loeb wins again, and the very Happy Privateer Mr Solberg took 2^nd

. But Due to an ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland, which I won’t attempt to spell the name of. The WRC crews endured a 70 hour road trip back home. Then shipped off to New Zealand, where an incredible battle of the French Seb’s and the Norwegians argument with a pole. Ended in pushing over the limit and the two Seb’s going off on the final stage. Ogier spinning in the final corner, after the most amazing come back drive ever seen from Loeb after hitting a bridge on Day 1, ending with a surprised Latvala winning. Round 6 was in the dust clouds of Portugal, where after a 3day long battle in the mountains, Ogier finally beat his multiple world champion team mate to take the first win of his career by 7.9 seconds. (see – https://danieldarrall.wordpress.com/2010/06/ for full Portugal review.)

After the mid-season break, it was a new event in Bulgaria and the first of the Black stuff, where Loeb won to lead a Citroen top 4.

Round 8 was the ‘Grand Prix’ of rallying in Finland, where on day one a leading Hirvonen entered his most favourite corner of the championship, and had the biggest crash of his career, rolling up a hill, both escaping the wreckage unhurt. Being replaced at the top of the leader board by his fellow Finnish team mate Latvala, who went on to win his home rally. Much to the delight of the Finnish crowd. The following rally was on the Tarmac of Germany where Loeb remained unbeaten on the black stuff in his C4.

Round 10, in the land off the rising sun, in Japan (Bear country). where the battle ensued between Solberg and Ogier, both fighting for the win. Solberg leading for most of the rally but thanks to a broken damper, Ogier took his second ever victory.

Round 11. France, which was moved to Loeb’s home town of Alsace. And it was one to remember. As the Frenchman claimed his 7^th World title on the streets he grew up on – Where he took his first steps, drove his first car, and said his first “Errrrrrrr……..” In front of his family, friends, and fans. You could have mistaken him for being a king, his C4 acting as a pope-mobile, surrounded by crowds of hundreds of thousands. It was truly the most emotional victory of recent times.

Round 12 in Spain, where before the rally even started, 2007 F1 Champ Kimi Raikkonen rolled his C4 in Shakedown. (For full story on Kimi’s crash see –

https://danieldarrall.wordpress.com/category/wrc-analysis/) Loeb keeping the record of the C4 remaining unbeaten on Tarmac to win the event. With Solberg taking second after fighting off Citroens Dani Sordo. And with JWRC Title being wrapped up by a very emotional Aaron Burkart. The 13^th and final round was Rally GB, where in the Mud, 5 drivers were in with a chance to win. Solberg, who paid out of his own pocket just to compete, drove flat out battling with the Frenchman and finishing a well deserved 2^nd,and got 3^rd in the Championship. With Loeb of course taking the win. Latvala came home 3^rd, grabbing the points to get the runner-up place in the championship.

We now look forward to a new Era, and a new season in 2011. With the Ford Fiesta RS, Citroen DS3. And the return of the British Icon Mini. There will no doubt be many more stories and great adventures that are very unique to the spectacle of the sport that makes up, the World Rally Championship.