Inside Rally

After the first proper day of rallying its Seb Ogier who leads the way

1. Ogier
2. Ostberg 26.1
3. Latvala 42.5
4. Evans 2:28.7
5. Neuville 2:30.2
6. Prokop 3:31.1
7. Guerra 5:06.0
8. Atkinson 6:32.8
9. Kubica 6:45.3
10. Protasov 7:39.1

RK M-Sport World Rally Team’s Robert Kubica witnessed a day of highs and lows today as Rally Mexico resumed in the hills north of Guanajuato. Despite running as high as fourth overall, a roll on the penultimate super special put paid to his efforts – relegating the popular Pole to ninth position.

A challenging event for any newcomer, Rally Mexico’s technical stages may appear smooth and hazard-free, but the gravel tracks hide a number of perils. Making it through all but two of the stages unscathed, the Pole was on course for a fantastic result on what is his first long-haul event and only his third rally behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The day did not start without its dramas – the high temperatures resulting in a gearshift issue through the first pass of ‘El Chocolate’. Having to change gear manually, the 44.03 kilometre stage became a real test. Having to keep one hand on the gear-lever at all times, his sixth fastest time was an impressive feat and testament to both his physical and mental strength.

With the M-Sport team rectifying the issue for the afternoon loop, Kubica was free to up his pace without restraint. Growing in confidence, the Formula One race winner was on course for an impressive fourth place – challenging the front-runners with a string of competitive times including a third fastest time through the second pass of ‘Parque Gto Bicentenario’ (SS9).
Unfortunately, the final drama was yet to come and Kubica’s hard work was to be undone through the final super specials. Clipping a concrete bollard in SS10, his Fiesta was forced into a roll, and its driver ultimately forced to accept Rally 2 regulations for the remainder of the rally.

Yet with more than 60 per cent of the event left to run, there remains all to play for and Kubica will come back strongly – determined to make the most of another new challenge.

Robert Kubica (9th) said:

“I was really happy with our driving and we were on course for a really strong result so it is very disappointing that the day had to finish the way that it did.

“We weren’t taking any big risks. We had found a rhythm that we were comfortable with and the plan was to continue like that. We were learning a lot and improving the pace, so it is really disappointing that the day ended as it did.

“Of course there is still a long way to go. Our goal is to gain as much knowledge and experience as we can, and that is what we shall continue to do tomorrow.”

Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“Up until the final couple of stages, we saw a really strong performance from Robert [Kubica]. It was hugely disappointing for him that the day had to end the way that it did, as he was on course for what would have been a fantastic result on his first visit to Mexico.”

The M-Sport World Rally Team will be seeking new heights as the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) makes a return to gravel at next week’s Rally Mexico. As the Ford Fiesta RS WRCs do battle through the region’s mountainous stages, the squad have their sights firmly set on a strong result.

The Mexican fixture is renowned as one of the most vibrant events of the year, but the joie de vivre of the colourful stages mask a daunting challenge. With the route climbing over 2,500 metres through the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains, oxygen-starved air can see performance fall by as much as 30 per cent – putting additional pressure on the crews with little room for error.

Given the reduced power, even the smallest of mistakes can be dramatically unforgiving and the M-Sport crews will need to have their wits about them as they tackle a mix of fast flowing roads interspersed with more technical, twisting sections.

The event also plays host to some of the longest stages of the year. A real test of endurance, crews will encounter a mammoth stage on each full day of competition – two passes of the sweetly named ‘El Chocolate’ (44.03 kilometres) on Friday, 53.69 kilometres of ‘Otates’ on Saturday and the longest test of the rally, ‘Guanajuatito’, at 55.92 kilometres, on Sunday’s final leg.

One driver who knows how to deal with any challenge thrown up by the Mexican event is Mikko Hirvonen. The Finn claimed the runner-up spot on his last three appearances and, together with co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen, can boast more starts than any other crew in the championship – the pairing having contested the rally on eight previous occasions.
Familiarising himself with the characteristics of the proven Fiesta, Hirvonen continues to grow in both confidence and performance. Following a fourth place finish at the previous outing in Sweden, the Finn will be looking to challenge for the podium as he aims to extract further speed and assurance from the loose-surface speed tests.

By comparison, Elfyn Evans will make his Mexican debut next week as he continues his development behind the wheel of the Fiesta RS WRC. The event marks the Welshman’s third new event in succession, but the youngster is relishing the opportunity to learn from each new experience.

Evans may be lacking in familiarity when it comes to Mexico’s specialist stages, but his co-driver Daniel Barritt is something of an old hand. This will be the Lancashire lad’s fifth outing having most recently navigated Toshihiro Arai to second place in the Production World Rally Championship in 2010. Barritt’s knowledge will prove a huge benefit to Evans as he progresses alongside his experienced team mates.

Having each contested a full day’s testing in Northern Spain to rediscover the art of gravel rallying in the expected conditions, both Hirvonen and Evans are ready to face the upcoming challenges. Fully committed to their respective goals, the pairing will be keen to score some strong points for the M-Sport squad.

Mikko Hirvonen said:

“Jarmo [Lehtinen, co-driver] and I have done well here in the past so hopefully we can continue that this year. I wouldn’t say that there was necessarily a key to doing well here. Like all events, you just need to avoid mistakes.

“The altitude makes a big difference in terms of performance. You don’t have as much power so you need to consider that and it does inevitably alter your driving. The crucial thing is to carry the speed through the corners as you can’t gain it back so easily on the straights. But as you’re trying to go flat-out through every bend, you need to be careful as sometimes that can take you by surprise.

“We’ll also see some really long stages which I enjoy. It’s a nice change as we don’t see them so often anymore. It’s a good challenge for a driver as you need to be really focused and keep concentrated, but even if you make a small mistake you have the opportunity to make it back.

“Hopefully we’ll be on the pace in Mexico. We had a good event in Sweden, but we weren’t quite there so let’s try again and see what we can do.”

Elfyn Evans said:

“This event offers another new experience. I’m not sure of exactly what to expect, but I have a good idea from the test.

“It’s important to drive a very smooth line and carry good speed into the corners as the lack of power makes it difficult to recover any time loss. For us, we just plan to drive as smoothly and as cleanly as possible – to gain the experience and gradually improve our pace throughout the weekend.

“I’ll also be tackling some of the longest gravel stages of my career. I’ve certainly never had to contend with so many long stages in a single event, but I am looking forward to the challenge. We’ve done a lot of preparation on the physical side, so hopefully that will prove effective and we can concentrate on looking after the car and setting some good splits.

“We’ll also witness some more consistent grip levels to those we have had to contend with so far this season. Our progress rate will be more constant, and it will be easier to build the pace stage by stage without having to adapt to the changing conditions.”

Robert Kubica will take on his third new rally in succession with the Ford Fiesta RS WRC next week as the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) returns to gravel for the 2014 edition of Rally Mexico.

Despite some exposed gravel at the previous outing in Sweden, next week’s adventure will be a completely new challenge as crews swap sub-zero temperatures for those as high as 30˚C. The blistering heat places huge demands on man and machine alike, as do the high altitudes witnessed nowhere other than the Mexican fixture.

Stages climb over 2,500 meters above sea level which make precision driving paramount. With the oxygen-starved air reducing power by as much as 30 per cent, even the smallest of mistakes are hard to rectify and a considered recce coupled with all-out commitment on the stages are a must.

Thankfully, commitment is something Robert and co-driver Maciej Szczepaniak are not lacking. Determined to make the most of another new challenge, the RK M-Sport World Rally Team pairing will be looking to make it through all 22 stages unscathed – taking maximum knowledge and experience from the first long-haul event of the year.
The gravel tracks offer more consistent grip levels than those witnessed in the championship to date and will provide the perfect opportunity for the Formula One race winner to get more accustomed with the Fiesta RS WRC.

The Pole also has form on gravel. In his WRC 2 championship winning year, he claimed dominant victories on the loose-surface stages of Greece and Sardinia – as well as the mixed surface speed tests of Spain – and will be hoping to carry that momentum forward as he embarks on a new campaign across the Atlantic.

Having contested a full day’s testing in the mountains of Northern Spain, Robert and Maciej are well prepared for the task ahead. Simulating the power and performance expected at next week’s event, the Polish pairing are determined to achieve their goals in Mexico.

Robert Kubica said:

“From what I know, the stages of Rally Mexico are contested at very high attitudes. This means that there is a significant reduction in power which also influences the driving.

“This year there will be a lot of long, very demanding stages and I think it will be a challenging rally for a newcomer. It will be my first time on gravel with the [Ford] Fiesta RS WRC and my first time in Mexico so my aim is to finish the event with some good experience – hopefully without mistakes like those in Sweden.

“The approach is exactly the same as always. I will try to gain as much information as I can, but I also need to discover the rally for myself. Hopefully Maciej [Szczepaniak, co-driver] and I can have a smooth recce and enjoy the stages as we look to learn as much as we can.

“From what I can see, some parts of the route are very similar to the stages in Greece. I don’t know how hot it will be inside of Fiesta, as I haven’t yet had the opportunity to drive in such conditions, but last year I did not have any issues on the longer stages.

“Of course they are more demanding then the short stages, but I am used to being in a car for long periods of time and the races in Formula One are much longer then the stages we’ll encounter next week. The approach and the grip levels are different, but from a physical point of view I have no concerns about driving a 50 kilometre stage.

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and discovering these unknown stages for the first time. It’s a great opportunity to discover how the Fiesta performs on gravel.”