INDIA in F1

Category: WRC, Rally

  • M-Sport and Red Bull join forces again: WRC

    M-Sport and Red Bull join forces again: WRC

    Lapland (Finland), 23 Feb 2021: M-Sport and Red Bull will again join forces, championing young talent in the FIA World Rally Championship with French protégé Adrien Fourmaux.

    Fourmaux takes the next step in his career this year with a split program between the WRC and WRC 2 Championships. And the chance to compete with support from Red Bull offers the young Frenchman an opportunity to deliver on his promising talent behind the wheel – following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Sébastiens Loeb and Ogier.

    Starting his rally career just four years ago, Fourmaux’s natural skill saw him progress at speed and he soon caught the attention of renowned talent-spotter, and M‑Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE. Drafted into M-Sport Ford’s prestigious driver development programme, Fourmaux is now on the fast-track to rallying’s highest level.

    Beginning at this week’s Arctic Rally Finland, Fourmaux will sport a new Red Bull livery as he takes to the wheel of both the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2 and Ford Fiesta WRC in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

    Fourmaux Adrien (FRA) is posing for the portrait during the M sport PET in Rovaniemi, Finland on 22 February, 2021. A file photo from M-Sport

    The Frenchman will be behind the wheel of the Red Bull branded Fiesta Rally2 this week, before making his world-stage debut with the top-specification Fiesta WRC at Rally Croatia in two months’ time.

    M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “Red Bull sees the same potential in Adrien as we do, and it’s fantastic to welcome them back to the M-Sport family. We have achieved some truly incredible performances with Red Bull, and my hope is to see the team replicate those performances as we target a return to the top of the podium.
     
    “This is the first step in a concerted effort towards coming out fighting with the new regulations. A lot of our resources are going into ensuring we have the best possible package going into 2022, and to have Red Bull onboard this year is a huge positive for the team. Not only do they believe we have a future star amongst our ranks, but they also have faith in our world-class designers and engineers to deliver another rally-winning car.”

    M-Sport Ford Team Principal, Richard Millener, said: “Work to reignite this partnership with Red Bull has been ongoing for quite a while behind the scenes, and it is fantastic to see it now come to fruition.

     
    “Adrien and Renaud [co-driver] are two of the most dedicated guys I’ve worked with, and it’s great to see that talent and hard work now rewarded with endorsement from Red Bull – a truly iconic brand in motorsport, and as shrewd as Malcolm when it comes to spotting driver potential!

     “Clearly, they have seen the same Ogier-esque performances in Adrien as we have. He’s an extremely intelligent driver with a lot of potential, and we’re looking forward to witnessing his progress and aiding his development in what will be a very important year.”

     Adrien Fourmaux said: “I’m really excited to be making the step up to WRC this year, and follow in the path of my rally heroes. This season is an extremely important one for me and it is both humbling and motivating that it’s not just M-Sport who continues to put their faith in me – as now Red Bull are also supporting my journey.

     “My 2021 season started well with second place in WRC 2 at Rallye Monte-Carlo. And now the aim is to be in the mix for another good result at this weekend’s Arctic Rally Finland, where I continue my WRC 2 campaign with the support of Red Bull and M-Sport. My eyes are also firmly fixed on preparing for my WRC debut at a brand-new event at Rally Croatia – and I intend for this to be the first step in a long career at the top level of world rally.”

  • Team MRF Tyres welcomes Italian legend Paolo for 2021 rally season

    Team MRF Tyres welcomes Italian legend Paolo for 2021 rally season

    Sardenga, 19 Feb 2021: Team MRF Tyres is excited to have an 11-time Italian national champion joining the squad for the season as Paolo Andreucci’s car will be shod by the Indian tyres for the 2021 Italian Gravel Rally Championship.

    Andreucci joins the team for the six-round Italian Gravel Rally Championship campaign and will drive a Citroen C3 Rally 2 on the latest generation of MRF Tyres.

    Being able to partner with an 11-time national champion inspires confidence and a strong commitment to building on the progress made over the past year for MRF Tyres.

    Andreucci has more than 20 years of experience in tyre development and these skills will be a valued asset throughout the season for Team MRF Tyres.

    Alongside side the six round Italian Gravel Rally Championship, Team MRF Tyres has an aggressive 2021 testing schedule and Andreucci will play an important role in this program.

    It demonstrates MRF Tyres’ commitment to the European market and the desire to reach the front of the world’s best championships.

    The Italian Gravel rally Championship is one of the strongest and toughest championships in the world, drawing big fields and creating expert drivers.

    After seven years on the west coast, Italy’s gravel round of the FIA World Rally Championship will swap sides for 2021. That’s not to say Alghero won’t be included in this year’s itinerary. Following the 2.76km shakedown at Loiri Porto San Paolo close to Olbia, the cars cross the Mediterranean island to Alghero where the picturesque town hosts the ceremonial start on the Thursday evening.

    The crews remain in town overnight before heading off for the first day’s action on Friday morning. From then on, the cars will return to service at Olbia’s waterside Molo Brin area.

    The season starts on 24-25 April with Rally Adriatico where Andreucci, along with codriver Francesco won here last year. The second round will be supporting the WRC with the Rally Italia Sargenda in early June. San Marino follows before the Rally Città di Arezzo – Valtiberina.

    It was on these Tuscan roads last year where Emil Lindholm/Mikael Korhonen dominated the event before a mechanical issue robbed Team MRF Tyres of victory.

    The final two rounds of the season take place on 11-12 September with the Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino and on 6-7 November with the Liburna Rally Terra 2021.

    Andreucci’s signing comes after a successful 2020 season with Team MRF Tyres taking stage wins in the company’s first-ever season in top-level European Rally competition.

    It is the next piece in the puzzle as MRF Tyres continues to develop and build on a strong 2020 campaign.

    The 2021 season started well for MRF Tyres with Lindholm/Korhonen taking a podium spot in the opening round of the Finnish Championship at Artic Rally. It makes two podiums from two outings on snow and ice after Craig Breen and Paul Nagle achieved a podium in 2020 in Finland.

    MRF Tyres has proven pace and experience on gravel rallying around the world, producing perfect tyres for national and regional rallying. As MRF Tyres prepares to take on more and more top-level rallies around the world.

    Further announcements for the 2021 campaigns will be made in due course. The next outing for Team MRF Tyres will be the SM OK Auto Ralli, the second round of the Finnish Rally Championship with Lindholm/Korhonen on 5-6 March.

    Quotes
    Paolo Andreucci (Driver, Team MRF Tyres, Italian Gravel Rally Championship)
    “MRF Tyres is a very important company in the automotive market and, above all, is investing seriously in motorsport. We have common and converging objectives, and this commitment is what has drawn me to this program.”

    “I like to challenge myself with new opportunities, and I am excited about this one. I am a person who has always made commitment and determination based on strengths. It is thanks to the passion and technical knowledge of the entire team at MRF Tyres that I believe together we can do a good job.”

    “For 2021, we want to be as competitive as possible in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship and above all to help MRF in developing competition tyres. The potential is high as well as everyone’s desire to achieve important goals.”

    Mr. Arun Mammen (Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Tyres)
    “We are proud of how competitive Team MRF Tyres was in the 2020 European Rally Championship season. Every one at MRF Tyres is working hard and we are happy to be present competitively on a world stage like this.”

    “To be able to attract an 11-time national champion to MRF Tyres speaks about our commitment to rallying in Europe and the continued development of our rally tyre. We are dedicated to further our success and we look forward to the Italian Gravel Rally Championship.”

    “I would like to welcome Paolo to the team and wish him the best of luck for the 2021 season.”

    About MRF Tyres
    MRF Tyres was established in 1946 and now employs over 16,000 people and has revenue of around US$2.5 billion making it the biggest tyre supplier in India. MRF Tyres supplies rally and race tyres around the world. MRF Tyres entered the European Rally Championship for the first time in 2020 taking stage wins and took a podium position in the team’s first snow rally in the Finnish Rally Championship. It is part of a long motorsport heritage for the company that has seen multiple Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles, open wheeler success, national rally and racing success.

    About Paolo Andreucci
    Paolo Andruecci is an Italian rally stalwart, having broken onto the scene in the late 1980s. It didn’t take him long to make his mark, taking a top 10 in Rally Portugal in 1989, taking second in class in the Production WRC class. He has made his career in Italy on gravel and tarmac, starting over 330 rallies and taking 80 wins. Incredibly, he has taken 11 Italian titles overall and a further five class titles. He brings a wealth of experience to MRF Tyres and our aggressive development campaign into Europe.

    Andreucci’s Championship titles
    2020 –Italy 2WD class (Tarmac), 2018 – Italian Championship, 2017 – Italian Championship, 2015 – Italian Championship, 2014 – Italian Championship, 2012 – Italian Championship, 2011 – Italian Championship, 2010 – Italian Championship, 2009 – Italian Championship, 2006 – Italian Championship, 2005 – Italian S1600 class, 2004 – Italian S1600 class, 2003 – Italian Championship, 2003 – Italian S1600 class, 2001 – Italian Championship, 1998 – Italian 2WD Championship, 1997 – Italian 2WD Championship

    About the Italian Gravel Rally Championship (Campionato Italiano Rally Terra)
    Formed in 2017, the Italian Gravel Rally Championship allows the finest rally drivers to take on the best gravel roads across Italy. Sanctioned by the national ASN, ACI Sport, tallies typically take place over a single day of competition with around 70km of competitive action (except for the Rally Italia Sardegna which supports the WRC round). The fields are highly competitive with more than 20 Rally 2 cars, producing exciting finishes – to the point that the 2020 Rally San Marino was tied with 0.0 between the first two cars! The 2020 Champion was WRC2 front runners Bulacia Wilkinson Marco/Marcelo Der Ohannesian. Andreucci took second with two victories with codrivers Francesco Pinelli and Anna Andreussi.

    2021 Italian Gravel Rally Championship Calendar
    1. Rally Adriatico 2021 (24-25 April)
    2. Rally Italia Sardegna 2021 (3-6 June)
    3. San Marino Rally 2021 (26-27 June)
    4. Rally Città di Arezzo – Valtiberina 2021 (30 July – 1 August)
    5. Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino 2021 (11-12 September)
    6. Liburna Rally Terra 2021 (6-7 November)

  • FIA Junior WRC returns to 5-round season for 2021

    FIA Junior WRC returns to 5-round season for 2021

    The 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship will be contested across five FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) rounds in a bid to find the next star of the WRC.

    A field of Ecoboost-powered Fiesta Rally4s, all exclusively equipped with Pirelli tyres and powered by Wolf Lubricants will do battle on a mixture of surface types and conditions for the biggest prize package in rallying.  

    This year’s championship will also celebrate FIA Junior WRC’s incredible 20-year history, which goes back to the days of a fresh-faced Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena guiding their Super 1600 car to championship glory. In the two decades that followed, FIA Junior WRC drivers went on to amass a so-far combined total of 16 WRC Championships, 172 WRC event victories and 415 podiums. 

    Those drivers looking to add their names to the history books with the likes of Loeb will no-doubt face many challenges throughout the five-round championship that will see them lean on every inch of their driving talent. The fight for the 2021 crown will be tightened further with the final championship classification counting each crew’s four best classification results and all stage win points. Double classification points return in 2021 for the final round of the season, only available to drivers who previously entered at least three FIA Junior WRC rounds in 2021, providing an unpredictable and exciting championship battle. 

    Round 1: Croatia 22 – 25 April
    Rally Croatia is a brand-new all-asphalt addition to the WRC which will serve as the curtain raiser for this year’s five-round championship to the delight of Croatia’s passionate rally fanbase. Although a new feature on the WRC calendar, the Croatian event has international pedigree having previously been a part of the FIA European Rally Championship for many years until 2013. The service park will be based in Croatia’s capital city, Zagreb, with the characteristically slippery asphalt stages snaking their way through Karlovac County, Zagreb County and Krapina-Zagorje County. It’s likely that all of 2021’s Junior WRC crews will have limited road-knowledge on the opening round, meaning the critical task of writing and reading of new notes should only add to the drama of 2021’s championship fight.

    Round 2: Portugal 20 – 23 May
    In stark contrast to the opening round, Rally Portugal is the first gravel event on the FIA WRC calendar and has previously featured on the FIA Junior WRC calendar. Junior WRC’s most recent visit to Portugal was in 2018, leaving nothing on the table when it came to drama through various thrills and spills on the iconic Portuguese stages. 

    Round 3: Estonia 15 – 18 July
    Rally Estonia made its WRC debut in 2020, with Junior WRC witnessing an epic battle between local heroes and talents from further afield on the fast and challenging Estonian roads. Rally Estonia will be a very different gravel round to Portugal, testing crews further by calling upon a completely different skillset to master Estonia’s sweeping corners and jumps. The 2020 edition of Rally Estonia was a hit with drivers and teams, featuring an almighty battle for stage win points as Martins Sesks became Latvia’s first ever Junior WRC event winner. 

    Round 4: Belgium August
    The championship heads to the tricky asphalt roads of Ypres, Belgium, for the penultimate round of the 2021 season in August. The event is a classic with tight competition along its ditch-lined roads, where drivers risk cuts at their own peril, and it is expected to provide a tantalising battle as the championship fight heats up. Crews with three strong classification scores on the board will head to Ypres knowing they can afford to drop a poor classification score and therefore cherry pick stages to push for stage win points on in a bid to help their championship.

    Round 5: Spain 14 – 17 October
    The championship finale is planned to play out at Rally Spain, with 2021 marking the rally’s 30th anniversary as a WRC event, the event is steeped in history and is regarded as one of the toughest asphalt challenges in the FIA WRC. Double classification points will mean a wide open and unpredictable title fight going down to the wire ensuring every contender will push for every classification and stage point available. With the pressure piled on the championship protagonists, Rally Spain will no doubt be a nail-biter thanks to its racetrack-like surface and extra-wide roads giving opportunity to maximise commitment through every corner. The high speeds also mean increased jeopardy though, with high-speed mistakes usually arriving at a huge and most likely championship-ending cost. 

    Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Team Director, said: “It’s great to see the 2021 FIA Junior Championship taking shape with a good mix of events on this year’s calendar. I think all five rounds will require a different set of skills to master which is very important for the championship to rigorously test all of our drivers and find out who really has got the talent. No two rounds are the same which is an exciting prospect and should really shake things up for the championship.

    “We’ve worked very hard with the FIA and WRC Promoter to ensure the calendar is spaced out evenly enough to help crews prepare for each event and also leave a reasonable gap from the final round of the 2020 championship. Normally the Junior WRC Championship concludes in September or October and it allows the championship and crews a healthy amount of time to prepare and confirm plans for the following season. From speaking with all interested crews and the late conclusion of the 2020 season we made sure to provide interested crews the time needed to put their 2021 programme and plans together.”
  • Ogier, Ingrassia celebrate 50th World Rally win

    Ogier, Ingrassia celebrate 50th World Rally win

    24 Jan 2021: Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia celebrated their 50th World Rally win and a record eighth victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo on Sunday afternoon.

    Ogier opened the defence of his 2020 FIA World Rally Championship title with a sublime performance in the French Alps, mastering snow and ice to head Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans by 32.6sec in a dominant 1-2 for the Japanese squad.

    The Frenchman’s eight victories span three decades and have been achieved with five different manufacturers. He ended a perfect weekend by winning the final Power Stage to add five bonus points and seal a maximum 30-point haul from the rally.

    The Toyota driver shrugged aside early brake problems in his Yaris WRC. He launched a charging recovery after losing the lead on Saturday following a spin and a puncture to regain top spot ahead of Sunday’s finale in the mountains above Monaco.

    Ogier, who delayed retirement for one final WRC season, more than doubled his lead in the final leg for an emotional win on a rally based in his birthplace of Gap. A 1-2 marked a dream start to Jari-Matti Latvala’s management career as team principal.

    Evans led on Saturday night after Ogier’s time loss, but the Welshman could not repel his colleague and felt he had been over-cautious in the difficult conditions.

    Last year’s victor, Thierry Neuville, finished a further 40.9sec behind in a Hyundai i20. It marked an impressive result for the Belgian who split with long-term co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul less than a week before the start and did not partner replacement Martijn Wydaeghe until Thursday’s opening speed test.

    Neuville climbed to third when Kalle Rovanperä’s hopes of achieving a Toyota clean sweep of the podium ended with a Sunday morning puncture. The Finn finished 1min 20.1sec adrift.

    Dani Sordo was fifth in another i20 after a frustrating weekend for the Spaniard on his last rally with co-driver Carlos del Barrio. Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta rounded off the top six in another Yaris.

    FIA WRC2 winner Andreas Mikkelsen was seventh in a Toksport-run Škoda Fabia ahead of Gus Greensmith’s Ford Fiesta. Mikkelsen’s class rivals Adrien Fourmaux (M-Sport Ford) and Eric Camilli (Sports & You Citroën C3) completed the leaderboard in ninth and tenth.

    Yohan Rossel overcame Power Stage drama to seal his first ever FIA WRC3 victory. He had been locked into a ding-dong duel with fellow Citroën C3 driver Yoann Bonato for much of the event, with the lead toing and froing between the French pair throughout the opening three days. Bonato finished second, over a minute behind, while Nicolas Ciamin completed the all-French, all-Citroën C3 podium.

    Round two of the championship features northern Finland’s all-new Arctic Rally Lapland. The series’ only pure winter rally is based in Rovaniemi on 26 – 28 February.

    2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo – Final unofficial results:

    1. Sébastien Ogier (FRA) / Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Toyota Yaris WRC2 hr 56min 33.7sec
    2. Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR)Toyota Yaris WRC2 hr 57min 06.3sec
    3. Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Martin Wydaeghe (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC2 hr 57min 47.2sec
    4. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) / Jonne Halttunen (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC2 hr 59min 07.3sec
    5. Dani Sordo (ESP) / Carlos Del Barrio (ESP)Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC2 hr 59min 47.9sec
    6. Takamoto Katsuta (JAP) / Daniel Barritt (GBR)Toyota Yaris WRC3 hr 03min 35.0sec
    7. A. Mikkelsen (NOR) / O. Floene (NOR) – FIA WRC2Škoda Fabia Evo3 hr 03min 57.3sec
    8. Gus Greensmith (GBR) / Elliott Edmondson (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC3 hr 04min 54.8sec
    9. A. Fourmaux (FRA) / R. Jamoul (FRA) FIA WRC2Ford Fiesta MK II3 hr 05min 49.5sec
    10. E. Camilli (FRA) / FX Buresi (FRA) FIA WRC2Citroën C33 hr 07min 14.7sec
  • Ogier climbs from 5th to take the lead: Friday at Rallye Monte Carlo

    Ogier climbs from 5th to take the lead: Friday at Rallye Monte Carlo

    Elfyn Evans led Rallye Monte-Carlo after Friday’s second leg – but the Welshman was under severe pressure from angry FIA World Champion Sébastien Ogier.

    Evans held a 7.4sec advantage over his Toyota Yaris team-mate, but Ogier is looming large in Evans’ rear mirror after a stunning recovery from a puncture which cost him the lead.

    With the brake problem that hindered him yesterday resolved, Ogier was imperious on the French Alps roads near Gap to win all three morning speed tests and climb from fifth to first.

    His 11.3sec advantage over Evans was wiped out after he spun and ended this afternoon’s opening test with his front left wheel on the rim. He plunged to third, 23.4sec adrift, but the frustrated Frenchman bounced back to regain 16.0sec by winning the final test.

    Ogier’s recovery was remarkable as he drove that last stage with an unbalanced mix of three Pirelli winter tyres and one studded tyre on his Yaris.

    Conditions changed all day, making tyre choice complicated. A morning mix of damp roads and ice gave way to persistent rain and mud this afternoon.

    Evans was never outside the top three times, and won the penultimate test, but a damaged wheel meant he drove the final stage with the same unbalanced tyre mix as Ogier. He was sixth fastest.

    Leg 1 leader Ott Tänak was 17.5sec further back in third. The Estonian’s Hyundai i20 lost power in this morning’s tight hairpins and he was powerless to repel Ogier’s charge into second in the final stage when his windows misted up.

    Fourth-placed Kalle Rovanperä made it three Yaris cars in the top four, the Finn 53.1sec behind Evans. He took the lead in the morning’s opening test but a mix of worsening road conditions and a 10sec penalty for arriving late at SS4 dropped him down the order.

    He slid into a field early in the penultimate test but recovered to demote Thierry Neuville to fifth in the closing stage. Just 6.0sec split the duo, Neuville enjoying a better afternoon after toiling this morning with a poor tyre choice.

    Team-mate Dani Sordo competed the top six another 50.5sec back. He had little confidence in his car’s handling after making the same tyre selection error as Neuville, but a more balanced choice this afternoon rejuvenated the Spaniard.

    FIA WRC2 leader Andreas Mikkelsen was seventh in a Skoda Fabia, ahead of Takamoto Katsuta’s Yaris. Mikkelsen’s class rival Adrien Fourmaux was ninth in a Ford Fiesta ahead of Gus Greensmith’s World Rally Car version, the Briton all at sea in the tough conditions.

    Pierre-Louis Loubet retired after crashing his i20 heavily into a rock face under braking for a harpin in the final stage.

    In FIA WRC3, Yohan Rossel fended off stiff opposition during Friday’s second leg at Rallye Monte-Carlo to end the day with a slender 6.8sec class advantage over Yohann Bonato. Nicolas Ciamin is third to complete an all Citroën C3, all French provisional podium overnight.

    Saturday brings another early start with La Bréole – Selonnet launching the day in darkness at 06.30. Saint Clément – Freissinières precedes the final service in Gap, before a repeat of the opening test starts the long journey south to Monaco after 57.10km of competition.

  • Team MRF Tyres on the Podium at Arctic Lapland Rally

    Team MRF Tyres on the Podium at Arctic Lapland Rally

    Team MRF Tyres successfully secured a podium position at the Arctic Lapland Rally, a round of the Finnish National Championship with Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen taking third position.

    The final day of the rally started with a monster 42km test with temperatures dipping to     -8 degrees Celsius and loose snow making the conditions quite tough. Both the Team MRF Tyres crews tamed the conditions with Lindholm/Korhonen finishing second on stage, five seconds off the stage winner Juha Salo/Mikko Markkula. The average pace of the MRF Tyres duo was 132km/h. The final three stages saw tough conditions on stage with loose snow making the conditions unpredictable. Despite this, Lindholm/Korhonen took a second and two fourth places on stage to cement their podium place

    Emil Lindholm, Driver, Skoda Fabia evo Rally2, said, ““This is one of the great rallies in Europe. The Arctic Lapland Rally is one of the most traditional winter rallies in the rally world, and to achieve a podium place an amazing achievement. The MRF snow and ice tyres worked perfectly in on the long freezing stages which featured a lot of snow and ice. The weather on the route continued to change and it was hard to predict. Sometimes there was more snow on the road, sometimes it was just a heavy ice base. It made a fast rally even more challenging.”

    The other MRF Tyres crew of Niclas Grönholm/Antti Linnaketo took sixth on the stage, proving that both cars could fight for the top positions. Niclas Grönholm, Driver, Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 said, “It is great to have 2 cars with MRF Tyres inside the top 10. We were trying to find the right setup and gain more pace. Today the car felt better. The stages were in good conditions but there was a lot of loose snow and it was very challenging. Overall, we are happy!”

    Grönholm/Linnaketo finished inside the top 10 on each stage, taking advantage of the conditions and the struggles of those around them. In the end they finished in sixth.

    The major story, however, was Lindholm and Korhonen’s podium. One year on from the debut of MRF’s snow and ice tyre, where Craig Breen/Paul Nagle secured a podium, the competitive nature of the tyre was confirmed. MRF Tyres’ venture into Europe is designed to develop and create the next generation of tyre to prove competitiveness in the toughest of conditions. 

    This result helps to prove that MRF Tyres can successfully take the fight to rally stages around the world. While MRF Tyres’ European rally plans are still to be announced, Lindholm/Korhonen will be out for the next round of the Finnish Rally Championship, the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli from Kouvola on 5-6 February. 

  • Spaniard Sordo takes the early lead: WRC final round

    Spaniard Sordo takes the early lead: WRC final round

    Spaniard Sordo sped through the closing special stage of the opening leg at Italy’s ‘Cathedral of Speed’ circuit to demote the Finn and lead this final round of the FIA World Rally Championship by 1.0sec.

    Both drivers Dani Sordo and Esapekka Lappi later received a 10-second penalty after cutting the same chicane during the opening leg’s final PZero Grand Prix Speed Test on the Monza Circuit. 
    With the penalties applied, Sordo retains his 1.0sec advantage over the Finn with third-placed Sébastien Ogier now only a further second back.

    Heavy rain transformed the track and parkland roads into a muddy mess, with standing water causing aquaplaning. Conditions were so extreme that drivers opted for Michelin’s heavily-treaded snow tyre in an effort to find grip.

    Sordo won the opening test in his Hyundai i20 to relegate overnight leader Sébastien Ogier, but Lappi was first to gamble on snow tyres and immediately moved ahead. His lead stayed intact until the final test when he ploughed through a chicane and fell behind.

    Sordo, who won two of the five stages, was rewarded for making changes to his car’s set-up to improve the handling after yesterday’s curtain-raising test. He will restart last of the frontrunners.

    Ogier was the first of four men who started the season finale with a title tilt. He won one stage to lie third in his Toyota Yaris, 11.0sec adrift of Lappi’s Ford Fiesta, despite twice clipping bales and spinning.
    To secure a seventh title, Ogier must distance team-mate Elfyn Evans, but the Welshman was only 5.1sec behind in fourth after a measured drive.

    Ott Tänak, whose chances of retaining the title hang by a thread, was fifth, despite receiving a shock when the driver’s door of his i20 flew open during SS2. The Estonian was 0.6sec behind Evans and 7.1sec clear of Kalle Rovanperä’s Yaris.

    Andreas Mikkelsen, competing in the FIA WRC3 class, ran as high as third, matching the more powerful World Rally Cars in his Rally2-specification Škoda Fabia Evo. He ended seventh, ahead of top-flight debutant Ole Christian Veiby. WRC3 category contenders Emil Lindholm and Oliver Solberg completed the leaderboard.

    Thierry Neuville was the first of the title hopefuls to fall. After sliding into a fence this morning, the Belgian clipped a chicane this afternoon before finally retiring when his i20’s engine stopped after ploughing through standing water.

    Teemu Suninen retired after limping through three stages with a misfiring engine in his Ford Fiesta and team-mate Gus Greensmith exited when he hit a gate and broke his front right suspension.

    Saturday’s longest leg is based on roads near Lake Como, in the foothills of the Italian Alps. Two identical loops of three tests are followed by a closing stage at Monza. The mountain weather will play a massive role, with snow certain to cover the high sections.

    In FIA WRC2, Pontus Tidemand battled horrendous weather conditions at ACI Rally Monza to establish a slender category lead. The Swede, driving a Škoda Fabia Rally2, holds an overnight advantage of 6.8sec over M-Sport Ford Fiesta driver Adrian Fourmaux, who was in formidable form during Friday’s morning loop with three impressive stage wins but picked up a right puncture during the second pass.

    Mads Østberg was 5.6sec further back in third and reluctant to take any risks so early in the event. The Citroën C3 R5 pilot is fighting head-to-head with Tidemand for the series crown and could mount an attack over Saturday’s mountain stages.

    In the Junior WRC Championship, Tom Kristensson is coming closer to a second consecutive title. The Swede finishes the day with a lead of over 2 minutes over Latvia’s Martin Sesks, who faced trouble in Roggia1. Fabrizio Zaldivar completes the Top 3.

    2020 ACI Rally Monza – Unofficial Results after Section 6:

    1. Dani Sordo (ESP) / Carlos del Barrio (ESP)Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC53min 39.3sec
    2. Esapekka Lappi (FIN) / Janne Ferm (FIN) Ford Fiesta WRC53min 40.3sec
    3. Sébastien Ogier (FRA) / Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Toyota Yaris WRC53min 41.3sec
    4. Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR)Toyota Yaris WRC53min 46.4sec
    5. Ott Tänak (EST) / Martin Järveoja (EST)Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC53min 47.0sec
    6. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) / Jonne Halttunen (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC53min 54.1sec
    7. Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR) / Anders Jaeger (NOR) – WRC3Škoda Fabia Evo54min 33.5sec
    8. Ole Christian Veiby (NOR) / Jonas Andersson (SWE)Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC54min 43.6sec
    9. Emil Lindholm (FIN) / Mikael Korhonen (FIN) – WRC3Škoda Fabia Evo55min 26.0sec
    10. Oliver Solberg (SWE) / Aaron Johnston (IRL) – WRC3Škoda Fabia Evo55min 27.2sec
  • Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claim well-earned victory: ERC

    Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claim well-earned victory: ERC

    Having built a four-minute lead in ERC3/ERC Junior starting the final stage, the last thing Rallye Team Spain’s Pep Bassas needed was for an overheating issue to hit his Pirelli-equipped Peugeot 208 Rally4, which he had damaged in a hefty off on SS11.

    Meanwhile, Indian Tyre giant, MRF Tyres’ team finished fifth in teams with 79 points with their goal being testing of tyres and collecting data for future development as their driver Craig Breen and Paul Nagle finished 10th in the final round were 15th overall at the end of the ERC.

    With the car refusing to fire up after he finished the final stage, Bassas feared his hopes of winning were over. Although he made it back to service at the Estadio de Gran Canaria, he was adjudged to have received outside assistance and was promptly excluded from the results, leaving Ken Torn to take an ERC3/ERC3 Junior victory double in his Ford Fiesta Rally4 alongside co-driver Kauri Pannas.

    The change of result meant Torn, part of the Estonian Autosport Junior Team, completed a memorable season with the ERC3/ERC3 Junior titles his prior to the event getting underway**. However, RFEDA-supported Rallye Team Spain still secured the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams.

    MSport release adds:

    Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas claimed a well-earned victory in their EcoBoost-powered Fiesta Rally4 on Rally Islas Canarias, the final round of the 2020 FIA European Rally Championship.
     
    The Fiesta Rally4 claimed 41 ERC3 stage wins and is the only car to finish on every ERC3 and ERC3 Junior podium in 2020.
     
    The 2020 ERC3 and ERC3 Junior Champions took to the testing and technical roads of Gran Canaria in difficult conditions on very unfamiliar territory. Regardless of Torn and Pannas’ lack of experience, the pair were competitive from the outset, putting pressure on the fight for victory with a stage win coming on SS3. The crew fought on throughout Friday to take another stage win and keep themselves and their Pirelli shod Fiesta Rally4 in the hunt for victory. 
     
    Saturday’s action saw Torn return to the stages with clear determination and speed, closing in on the lead by SS11. A mistake on SS12 meant Torn had a difficult task on his hands to win the rally with five stages to go. Using this as pure motivation, Torn put on an absolute masterclass, winning four of the following five stages to claim his fourth ERC3 and ERC3J victory of the season while his rival for the lead faltered, failing to finish the rally due to reliability problems. 
     
    The M-Sport Poland built Fiesta Rally4 is the only Rally4 car to finish on every single ERC3 and ERC3J podium in 2020. The all-Estonian crew of Ken Torn and Kauri Pannas are the only crew to taste champagne on every rally, reaching the top step on four occasions. Experiencing supreme reliability and consistent performance has been key to Torn and Pannas delivering jaw-dropping performances throughout the 2020 ERC3 Championship.
     
    The success of the Fiesta Rally4, which was introduced in March 2020 and made its competitive debut in June, was underlined by winning more than half of the stages contested in the 2020 ERC 3 championship. In total the Fiesta Rally4 claimed a total of 41 stage wins from 79 stages in ERC3 with Torn delivering a staggering 36 stage wins. Honourable mentions must also be given to Martins Sesks, Dennis Radstrom and Martin Laszlo who each contributed to this incredible achievement. 
     
    Maciej Woda, M-Sport Poland team director: “What an amazing ERC season we have had! I speak for everybody back at base in Krakow and on site in Gran Canaria when I say this is the icing on the cake for what has been an incredible year for our Fiesta Rally4. Ken and Kauri have gone from strength to strength on every rally and have really put the Fiesta Rally4 through its paces and it has just continued to perform. I think the win on Rally Islas Canarias only adds more weight to the claim the Fiesta Rally4 is the car to have for any driver looking to win in their national or regional Rally4 championship. Congratulations to everybody involved, in the face of adversity the entire team has proved that anything can be possible. I would like to also say a huge thank you to ERC, Eurosport and FIA for delivering a championship in such difficult circumstances, they are a credit to this sport and we are so grateful for the hard work and effort they put in to make this season happen.”

    Ken Torn, 2020 ERC3/3J Champion: “This is like a dream come true for me, I cannot think of a better way to finish the championship. We have fought hard for this championship as a team, it has been difficult but we didn’t let that stop us. We learned some good lessons for the future on the rally though, which tested us a lot. M-Sport Poland have given us such a strong and reliable car and it has definitely proven itself this season. To deliver the results we have had needs more than just good driving, you need a good co-driver, good car and a great team which we had all year. Thank you to everybody for the support, I suppose we need to start looking at our plans for 2021 now.”
  • Data and development the focus on challenging day for MRF team: ERC

    Data and development the focus on challenging day for MRF team: ERC

    Gran Canaria, 28 Nov 2020: The weather was the deciding factor in the Friday running of the FIA European Rally Championship and the Rally Islas Canarias. For Team MRF Tyres and driving duo, Craig Breen and Paul Nagle it provided an ideal opportunity to test and develop the tyres.

    The day’s running saw nine stages and 98.78km of action with Breen/Nagle starting in 15th after their very strong time in qualifying.

    However, the weather became a lottery with very strong winds affecting the stages and each competitor experiencing a different version of weather, some wet, some dry and some with something in-between.

    The Gran Canarias tarmac was always going to be a different and new experience for MRF Tyres. With this rally ending the first year for the team in the FIA ERC, the tarmac on the island is very different to what the Championship has experienced earlier in the season.

    Normally the flowing roads would offer a very high grip and high abrasion test. In the wet, the surface was greasy. The changed conditions meant that the opportunity to test and develop for these conditions could not be missed and that is where attention turned.

     At the end of the day Breen/Nagle sat in 15th position 2:14.3 off the lead. To prove the challenging conditions, Breen/Nagle spent much of the day in a battle with fellow WRC star Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger and fastest qualifier Mikolaj Marczyk/Szymon Gospodarczyk.

    There were highlights, when the conditions allowed the team to show the true potential, particularly on SS7, the 11.75km Artenara test where Breen/Nagle took the third fastest time.

    Attention now turns to the 102.10km and eight stages that make up the Saturday running of Rally Islas Canarias.

    It is the final competitive day of the 2020 FIA European Rally Championship season.

    Team MRF Tyres came to the European Rally Championship to test, develop and measure ourselves against the best rally outfits in Europe. It has allowed aggressive data collection and development and has shown that MRF Tyres can come into a world-class competition and be competitive.

    The final day of the season gets underway at 9:56 local time with the 14.17km Valleseco-Disa test. That takes place at 15:26 if you are in India. SS11 and SS17 will be livestreamed.

    Follow Team MRF Tyres’ progress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    Quotes
    Craig Breen (Driver, Hyundai i20 R5)
    “The conditions were very challenging today with some parts of the stages being wet and some being dry. It would change so quickly which meant getting the right setup was a difficult task.”

    “That meant that we turned our attention to getting data for the tyres. This is the first time that we have rallied on Gran Canarias and, for us, testing and getting data for the development for MRF Tyres is more important than an outright result.”

    “Tomorrow it looks like the weather will be difficult to predict as well. We will continue to concentrate on our program of data collection.”

  • Breen and Nagle qualify 2nd behind Marczyk-Gospodarczyk

    Breen and Nagle qualify 2nd behind Marczyk-Gospodarczyk

    Gran Canarias, 26 Nov 2020: It was a great start to the final round of the FIA European Rally Championship for Team MRF Tyres with Craig Breen and Paul Nagle qualifying second at Rally Islas Canarias.

    For this rally, the fastest 15 drivers get to select their starting position, always important in rallying.

    The qualifying stage was held on the 3.45km Guia stage with strong and gusting winds making the stage more challenging than expected.

    For Team MRF Tyres, a long day of testing on the preceding Monday proved beneficial with the Hyundai i20 R5.

    Breen and Nagle set a time of 1:55.184, just 0.752 behind Miko Marczyk and Szymon Gospodarczyk.

    Later, the top drivers were able to choose their starting positions in an event that took place in the Las Palmas Football Stadium on the island of Gran Canarias.

    Due to his top qualifying time, Breen was second to choose and will start from 15th on the road. Given the nature of this rally, the road should get better after the top competitors go through.

    The Friday stages see just over 99km of competitive action and nine stages with one opportunity for service.

    The Saturday stages see another 101km of competition over eight stages in the north of Gran Canarias. In total, 201.79km will be driven at speed in the 2020 season finale.  

    The first stage gets underway with the 11.91km Valsequillo stage which will be live streamed. It gets underway at 10:19 local time or 15:49 if you are in India.

    Stage eight will also be live streamed with the 12.95km Tejeda stage due to commence at 16:10 local time or 21:40 in India.

    All nine stages of the loop are due to be covered by live radio and live timing available at www.fiaerc.com.

    Follow Team MRF Tyres’ progress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    Quotes:
    Craig Breen (Driver, Hyundai i20 R5)
    “It was so nice on the stage. The testing and setup work that we did earlier this week worked well and I am glad that we were able to test the MRF Tyres on this smooth but abrasive surface.”

    “I have not driven on anything so smooth in ages. I am really looking forward to this rally. Again we are looking for data and development for Team MRF Tyres and we will push as much as we can.”