Inside Rally

Pre-event Recce is a vital part of every event for the drivers. Its a chance for them to drive through each stage at a restricted speed limit to write and perfect the crews pace notes. Marking down where to go flat, what corners to cut and note any dangerous sections or possible obstacles at the side of the road such as tree stumps, rocks or compressions in the road which could cause a problem at high speed in a World Rally Car.

Its normally a standard affair – However this years rally Portugal was somewhat of a tough challenge before the event even begun. Looking more like a washed out dakar race than a recognisance drive, the roads that will be used as part of Rally Portugal became rivers. There was so much rain that alot of the stages were flooded out. The drivers of course still took it without hesitation but must have missed some vital information out on their pace notes thanks to most of what they were looking out for was under water.

The event will still go ahead, and the forecast is for warm dry weather over the weekend of the rally. However you can expect some stages to be cancelled.

Back in 2012, Rally Portugal suffered from a similar down pour during the rally, that and fog on the afternoon of Day 2, which had to be cancelled. Lets hope the weather will stay dry for the rally at least.

photo by Mikko Hirvonen of the start of stage 3

M-Sport achieved another boost this week as the team’s range of Ford Fiesta rally cars make up an impressive 49 per cent of the Rally de Portugal entry.

Working together with Ford, M-Sport
has created an effective ‘Ladder of Opportunity’ that allows drivers to progress within the sport; graduating from grass-root to top-level rallying alongside the Blue Oval.

Drivers representing 22 different countries will line-up for tomorrow’s start behind the wheel of six Ford Fiesta RS WRCs, five Ford Fiesta RRCs, two Ford Fiesta S2000s, 14 Ford Fiesta R5s and 15 Ford Fiesta R2s.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“It’s extremely satisfying to see so many of our cars here this weekend. In 2005, Ford tasked us with developing a ‘Ladder of Opportunity’ which would allow drivers to progress from grass-root to top-level rallying with a range of Ford rally cars. To see this initiative going from strength to strength, and culminating with such an impressive entry here in Portugal, is fantastic.

“Today, we have close to 1,000 Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus rally cars competing around the globe, and we will continue to work closely with our valued partners and customers to ensure this success – as well as success on the stages – can only continue.”

Peugeot have made an official announcement that they will return to the dakar rally. They won the dakar, which is deemed as the toughest and most dangerous race on the planet 4 times between 1987 – 1990. But now they are ready to try and dominate again.

A few hours after the release of their video, it was also announced that two times World rally Champion and Dakar Champion Carlos Sainz will be their driver along with 5 times dakar bike winner Cyril Despres.

The Dakar will take place on january 4th 2015 till the 17th and will cover over 9000km’s across Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

Official Video below

TOYOTA HAS EDGED A STEP CLOSER TO A WRC RETURN AFTER A SPOKESMAN FOR THE JAPANESE MANUFACTURER’S MOTORSPORT ARM TOLD WRC.COM THAT IT ENJOYED A POSITIVE FIRST GRAVEL TEST OF ITS NEW YARIS WORLD RALLY CAR.

The car, known as the TMG Yaris WRC, is fitted with Toyota’s 1.6-litre Global Race Engine and was tested in Italy this week by experienced Finn Sebastien Lindholm and former Subaru pilot Stephane Sarrazin.

The test was coordinated by Mini’s former WRC partner, Motorsport Italia.

Toyota’s motorsport division, TMG, is keeping details of the test private, but a spokesperson revealed that the team was happy with how it had gone. He also confirmed that it was the first of several tests planned for this year, as part of a long-term project.

Toyota was one of the most successful WRC manufacturers of the 1990s, achieving four drivers’ and three constructors’ titles before switching its focus to F1 in 1999.

Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda said on a Japanese WRC TV programme in January that the firm would like to come back to the WRC, but he did not say when this might happen.

TMG developed Toyota’s Yaris Cup car in 2012
It is certain that any return will not be with the car currently on test, however, as the spokesman confirmed that the TMG Yaris WRC will not be homologated for competition.

It is more likely that Toyota will return with a different car, conforming to new WRC technical regulations that come into effect in 2017.

Source: WRC.com.