Inside Rally

Qatar World Rally Team’s Thierry Neuville finished his season on another high today as a seventh podium result was enough to secure the runner-up spot in the FIA World Rally Championship’s drivers’ standings*. Elfyn Evans too gave the Welsh fans something to cheer about as he led home a one, two, three for the Ford Fiesta R5 in the WRC 2 support series.

A fantastic event for M-Sport also included a further one, two, three for the team through the points-paying Power Stage and 10 M-Sport built cars in the overall top-14 – four Ford Fiesta RS WRCs five Fiesta R5s and one Ford Fiesta RRC.

There is no better way to finish a fantastic WRC season than with a fantastic stage, and that was how events unfolded in Wales today as the legendary Great Orme closed proceedings.

Thierry Neuville (3rd) said:

“I felt after Qualifying that we would be able to secure a good result here, and that is what we have done. Most importantly though, it means that we have maintained our second place in the drivers’ championship.* That was our goal coming here and, as always, the team have done a fantastic job to make it happen.

“At the beginning of the year, M-Sport and Qatar took Nicolas [Gilsoul, co-driver] and I under their wing like two little children and we cannot thank them enough for their support and their belief in us. In 13 rallies, the car has been absolutely faultless. It will be very emotional for us to leave this team – they have given us so much.”

Mads Østberg (4th) said:

“It was a very difficult start for us here this weekend – on both Thursday and Friday. We were pushing really hard and the driving was good but we just couldn’t find that sweet-spot with the set-up. We found it in the end, but unfortunately it was just a little too late.

“We ended up in a great battle with Andreas [Mikkelsen] for fourth place, and I am very happy to have won that fight. When we had the confidence, our times were good and we were able to really challenge the leaders. That is a big positive for me and I will keep that in my mind as we go into next year.”

Evgeny Novikov (19th) said:

“Having had to Rally 2 today, the rally didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but I just need to accept that. I think that we had some good speed and were driving well – the fact that we were able to trade times with the leaders is a big positive. For us, today was all about checking the pacenotes to get them as perfect as possible for the future. A lot of these stages were new to us, and with nothing much to gain, it was important to do that.”

Elfyn Evans (8th overall, 1st in WRC 2) said:

“It’s a great feeling to win my first [WRC 2] event at home here in Wales. I need to say a big thanks to the whole team – they work really hard and brought out this fantastic car. To bring them a win here on home soil is absolutely fantastic.

“This is a very special moment for us, so it has to be up there as one of the best moments of my career. A big thanks to Dan [Barritt, co-driver] too – he works extremely hard and this win is as much down to him as it is to me!”

Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“Thierry [Neuville] and Nicolas [Gilsoul] have been absolutely fantastic this year and the whole team are extremely proud that we were able to deliver them a fully-deserved second place in the championship.* I think if you look at the season as a whole, this has been one of our most successful in the sport – to take a young driver with limited experience, in a privateer team, and do what we have done. I could not have expected it at the beginning of the season and it is testament to all of the hard work from every single member of the team.

“Elfyn [Evans] too can be very pleased with himself this weekend. He and Dan [Barritt, co-driver] did exactly what was asked of them. There wasn’t a single mark on their car at the end of the event and they controlled their lead from practically start to finish. I am sure that the Welsh fans were extremely happy to have a true Welsh winner this weekend.

“To top off what has been a fantastic weekend, we have also seen a very impressive showing from our customer teams. To have 10 M-Sport built cars in the top-14 on our home event – and to have five of those Fiesta R5s – is very satisfying indeed.”

Thierry Neuville (3rd) said:

“I think the whole day has been quite good for us. There was one stage that we had to discover and we lost about ten seconds in 20 kilometres, but it was new for us so that was quite normal. The stages are really beautiful, especially the first two this morning. They are not the easiest for sure, but really enjoyable. We have a 20 second advantage on Andreas [Mikkelsen] going into tomorrow, and I think we will be OK to keep the positions as they are.”

Mads Østberg (5th) said:

“I think we had a really good day today. Again we made some big improvements with the set-up and before the last ‘proper’ stage [SS14] we found something really good! The traction and the balance of the car were really, really nice! That’s what we’ll start with tomorrow, and if it works again then I think it can be a very good day for us.”

Evgeny Novikov (23rd) said:

“We will have to have a look at the video but I am almost certain that it was my mistake from the recce. It was a very fast place on a flat-out downhill section where you are right on the rev-limiter. Then there was a crest and a right-hander in fourth or fifth gear. In my pacenotes I had some distance before the corner where I could brake, but at high-speed, that distance was not there.

“I understood straight away that we were too fast and that we would not be able to stay on the road. I put the car sideways to kill the speed, and that was that. We only rolled once, but the main impact was on the front of the car. It is a shame of course because we had some very good speed this morning and were feeling really comfortable in the car, but that is just the way it is.”

Elfyn Evans (8th overall, 1st in WRC 2) said:

“I found the driving really enjoyable today. Certainly the second pass was very slippery in Gartheiniog and Dyfi [SS12 and SS13], but nevertheless great fun to drive. We’re glad to still be here and to still be leading the WRC 2 class. Of course this is Rally GB and anything can happen. There are still some very tricky stages to come tomorrow, so we’ll definitely need to keep our wits about us! But if we have a clean run, I think we’re on course for what could be a really good result.”

Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“I think we are all aware that an event like Wales Rally GB isn’t over until it’s over and anything can still happen tomorrow. That said, both Thierry [Neuville] and Elfyn [Evans] have had a great run today and, if they have a clean run tomorrow, they are both set to secure a fantastic result – Thierry second in the drivers’ championship and Elfyn his first win of the year.”

At the end of Day 3 of Wales Rally GB, Its still Volkswagens Sebastien Ogier who still holds the lead.

Photo: D.Darrall

The Opening Gartheiniog Stage, was won by Volkwagens young driver Andreas Mikkelsen who set good pace through the 14km stage. But drama hit on the following stage Dyfi, when Robert Kubica once again crashed out of the rally, and was also joined by Qatar M-Sports Evgeny Novikov, who also crashed out of the rally. Both were ok.

After refuel, the drivers then went back out to repeat the two stages, and Volkswagens, Jari Matti Latvala was really setting the pace. The finn found his confidence, and pushed hard, winning three stage in a row.

on SS13 Latvala was 7.9sec quicker than his Volkswagen Polo R team-mate. At the end of the stage he said: “Sometimes you really get a big kick when you do a good stage. Ogier has been really quick but he is also human and he cannot do a perfect run in every stage.”

Ogier wasn’t worried about his team mates pace though, as he still held the lead of nearly 20 seconds going into the final two runs of the 2km chirk Castle. “Yes, we lost a bit of time but it’s not a big drama. We can afford to lose a bit. There was nothing particular wrong, I was just too slow and too careful,”

Photo:D.Darrall

Sordo was fastest through the first run of the spectator stage around Chirk Castle, and on the 2nd pass to end the day, Neuville went fastest.

Results after Day 3

1. Ogier leads
2. Latvala +20.3
3. Neuville + 1:14.4
4. Mikkelsen + 1:34.4
5. Ostberg +1:41.7
6. Prokop +6:42.1
7. Sordo +7:45.5
8. Evans +9:20.5
9. Ketomaa +10:20.3
10. Higgins +10:25.0

Wales Rally GB is well known for its tough stages and slippery conditions. These conditions catch out the best drivers in the world. And 3 of the top boys have been hit hard by the Rally.

On Day 2 of the rally, Ex F1 driver Robert Kubica, who is making his debut in a top World Rally car with Citroen this weekend, hit the stages hard, and the tress even harder. On the opening stage on Friday, the Pole went off the road, ending upside down.

Photo: Julian Porter

Talking to WRC.com, Kubica said. “I misjudged the grip on the braking,” he told wrc.com. “I think I made a mistake not noticing the mud on the surface, and when I braked I just locked the front wheels. I tried to recover it with the handbrake but we ran out of road. It was quite steep and we ended upside down. 

“It’s a shame because I was not really pushing, the surface change just caught me out. On the corner before there had been good grip but here, apparently, there was more mud under braking.”  

Kubica’s car remained by the stage for most of the day, because its position made it too dangerous to recover while the WRC and national rallies were using the road.    Citroen will assess the condition of the car when it is brought back to the team’s service area in Deeside before deciding whether or not Kubica can restart as a Rally 2 entry.

“There is no big damage I think, even though the car is three metres down. It was a soft half-roll and didn’t feel like a big crash,” said Kubica. “Hopefully I can return. It’s a shame because one small misjudgment and we ended up like this.” 

Two stages on and another Citroen driver struck the forest even harder. Mikko Hirvonen rolled out of the rally on SS6. The Citroen Total Abu Dhabi team duo were placed fourth after Friday’s second stage, but crashed heavily near the end of the third, the 32km Myherin.

“Unfortunately, Jarmo made a small mistake this time,” Hirvonen told wrc.com. “It was a flat-right, tightens to fifth gear corner and he never finished the note, so I just kept sixth gear, flat out, and then it was too late. It was quite a big accident.” 

The car slid wide, then flipped upside down before hitting a roadside bank windscreen first, which scooped masses of mud and debris into the cockpit. Fortunately neither driver was injured. “I had stones and mud thrown straight onto my face,” said Hirvonen. “The car is completely full of mud, I think there is more inside than there is outside.” 

Lehtinen has co-driven Hirvonen since the pair made their WRC debut in 2002 and took full responsibility for the error.

“It was completely my mistake, I lost my words,” he said. “It was a long, long, flat right hander, tightening into something slower and I read the long right tightening but I never read the end – somehow. I didn’t manage to speak clearly enough so he missed the pace note. It was a big, big roll. I’m not feeling very satisfied at the moment.” 

Kubica was able to re-star this morning (Saturday) But the damage on Hirvonen’s car was to great and he had to completely retire from the event.

A new day, a new challenge. And New drama.

Kubica is reported to have Rolled again on the opening stages of the rally, both are ok. On the following stage It was M-sports Evgeny Novikov who also crashed out of the rally while in a battle with mikkelsen and Ostberg.