INDIA in F1

Category: WRC, Rally

  • 2nd straight win for Tanak & Jarveoja: WRC, Rally Portugal

    2nd straight win for Tanak & Jarveoja: WRC, Rally Portugal

    Ott Tänak claimed one of the hardest earned victories of his short rallying career after an enthralling Rally Portugal’s final leg on Sunday.

    Tanak, Jarveoja win Rally Portugal on Sunday. An FIA image

    Matosinhos (Portugal), 2 June 2019: The 31-year-old Estonian confirmed his ninth career WRC win and his seventh with the Toyota team. A third triumph of the season to follow successes in Sweden and Chile also enabled the Yaris driver to move to within two points of six-time FIA World Champion Sébastien Ogier at the top of the Drivers’ Championship after seven rounds.

    He was pushed hard by Toyota team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke for one and a half days, overcame brake and suspension issues of his own and maintained his composure when both his Yaris colleagues hit trouble.

    He and co-driver Martin Järveoja, crossed the finish line of the final stage 15.9 seconds in front of Belgian title rival Thierry Neuville, the winner even managing to avoid winning the Power Stage that would have given him the series lead and a distinct starting position disadvantage at the next round in Sardinia.

    Tänak’s previous best finish in Portugal had been fourth overall in 2017 with the M-Sport World Rally Team. The success was also the first for Toyota in Portugal as a full counting round of the FIA WRC since Finland’s Juha Kankkunen won the event back in 1994 with a Group B Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD.

    Neuville now holds third in the title race in his Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC and now trails by 10 points in what is again developing into a gripping three-way title race.

    A penultimate stage spin at a hairpin proved costly for Kris Meeke and it deprived Toyota of the 1-2 finish they had sought. But it got much worse for the Ulsterman when he spun again at speed in the Power Stage and damaged the Yaris that came to rest across the track. The cruel mistake cost Meeke his place in the rally and gifted Sébastien Ogier an unlikely podium finish.

    Ogier had opted to cruise through the first four stage s of the morning to conserve his tyres for a final push on the Power Stage. The Frenchman was rewarded with the five bonus points but the downside was that he continues to lead the championship and will open the road in Sardinia later this month.

    Esapekka Lappi survived a gently roll in Montim on Sunday morning, clipped a banking and then damaged the rear right suspension in Fafe. The Finn attempted to repair the Citroën C3’s suspension en route to Luilhas, but it was not to be and the unlucky Finn retired from sixth place.

    Teemu Suninen inherited a place after Lappi’s mishap on the day’s opener and the Finn eventually brought the first of the M-Sport Ford Fiestas home in fourth overall. Team-mate Elfyn Evans moved up to sixth when Lappi’s retirement was confirmed and then finished fifth to give the Blue Oval a useful haul of much-needed Manufacturers’ points. It had been a trying weekend for the Welshman after the four minutes he lost with a throttle connector issue on day one.

    Jari-Matti Latvala disposed of FIA WRC 2 front-runner Pierre-Louis Loubet to enter the top 10 in the third Toyota and eventually finished seventh after Meeke and Lappi retired. It was small reward for the veteran Finn, who had claimed two stage wins and pushed the eventual winner hard for the lead on day two.

    Gus Greensmith enjoyed an impressive debut in a World Rally Car. He had been running as high as seventh overall on day two, before planting the factory Ford Fiesta WRC in a ditch. The Briton recovered well and held 11th until he wrecked the Fiesta’s front suspension after a heavy landing and a crash on the Fafe jump on the Power Stage.

    Both Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo followed Hyundai’s team orders to support team-mate Neuville after their day one fuel issues. Sordo had led the rally outright for two stages on Friday and set two fastest times, but it was a disappointing event for the duo, exacerbated by last stage suspension woes and a late retirement for Loeb.

    Sixth-placed Kalle Rovanperä dominated the FIA WRC 2 Pro category to take the championship lead. He finished 1min 07.7sec in front of Czech team-mate Jan Kopecký. Both drivers delivered impressive performances in the new factory Škoda Fabia R5 Evos to give the Czech car a 1-2 finish on its WRC debut. A series of punctures had ruined Mads Østberg’s challenge in the Citroën C3 R5 and he finished in a distant third place. The Norwegian had the consolation of claiming all five stage wins on the final morning.

    Corsican Pierre-Louis Loubet held his nerve to confirm victory from Sweden’s Emil Bergkvist and Norwegian veteran Henning Solberg in WRC 2. Mexico’s Benito Guerra continues to lead the FIA WRC 2 Championship after Ole Christian Veiby’s premature retirement.

     

    2019 Rally Portugal – Final provisonal results

    1. Ott Tänak (EST) / Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 20min 22.8sec
    2. Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 20min 38.7sec
    3. Sébastien Ogier (FRA) / Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Citroën C3 WRC 3hr 21min 19.9sec
    4. Teemu Suninen (FIN) / Marko Salminen (FIN) Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 23min 04.3sec
    5. Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 27min 31.1sec
    6. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) / Jonne Halttunen (FIN) – WRC 2 Pro Škoda Fabia R5 Evo 3hr 30min 57.0sec
    7. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN)/Miikka Anttila (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 31min 51.0sec
    8. Jan Kopecký (CZE) / Pavel Dresler (CZE) – WRC 2 Pro Škoda Fabia R5 Evo 3hr 32min 04.7sec
    9. Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA) / Vincent Landais (FRA) – WRC 2 Škoda Fabia R5 3hr 33min 09.1sec
    10. Emil Bergkvist (SWE) / Patrik Barth (SWE) – WRC 2 Ford Fiesta R5 3hr 34min 51.2sec
  • Thierry Neuville grabs victory after Elfyn Evans suffers last-stage puncture: WRC

    Thierry Neuville grabs victory after Elfyn Evans suffers last-stage puncture: WRC

    Neuville-Gilsoul win WRC Round 4 on Sunday. Photo by Fabien Dufour for: Hyundai Motorsport

    Bastia (Corsica), 31 March 2019: Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville grabbed a dramatic victory on the Tour de Corse on Sunday afternoon and now holds a two-point lead in the FIA Rally Championship. Rally leader at the start of the Power Stage Elfyn Evans was on course with his Ford Fiesta to claim the win when he picked up a puncture which cost him 90 seconds and dropped him to third place. Sébastien Ogier was relieved to claim second, 40.3sec behind Neuville, after a difficult rally in his Citroën C3.

    Two stages on Sunday completed the French WRC round, Eaux de Zilia and the Power Stage, Calvi, which featured abrasive and patchy asphalt, for a total of 51.19 competitive kilometers. None of the stages had been part of the championship’s calendar in the past but both were on the itinerary of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge that Neuville won in 2011.

    Neuville started Eaux de Zilia 4.5s up on Evans, having taken the lead for the first time on Saturday’s final stage, Castagniccia. By the finish line, the Belgian had fallen down to second, after a stunning run by his M-Sport rival. Evans took 16s out of Hyundai’s driver on the 31.85 kilometre test, which gave him a 11.5s lead with only one last stage to go.

    All looked to be set for an assured victory for Evans when Neuville turned in a time 11.7s slower than Power Stage winner Kris Meeke on Calvi. Instead, disaster struck: Evans’s Ford Fiesta picked up a front right puncture, which eventually delaminated and left him running on the wheel rim.

    Evans lost a minute and a half driving at reduced speed to the finish line, dropping to third behind both Neuville and Ogier, but slotting in ahead of Neuville’s Hyundai team-mate Dani Sordo in fourth.

    Neuville’s gap at the finish was 40.3s over Ogier, the latter struggling for pace with his Citroën C3 since the very beginning on the rally. From an eighth place overall on Friday morning, the six-time World Rally Champion steadily climbed his way up the leaderboard, also benefitting from a puncture on Ott Tänak’s car on Saturday, who had been battling with Evans for the lead until the last stage of the day.

    Tänak grabbed a handful of points by finishing second quickest behind Meeke on the Power Stage, while Neuville and Ogier were fourth and fifth fastest respectively. All three are now separated by only five points in the FIA World Drivers’ Championship: Neuville moving into first place with 82pts, Ogier second with 80pts and Tänak third with 77pts.

    Dani Sordo faced troubles with his brakes, which stopped him from challenging Ogier, having started the day only 5.1s behind the reigning champion. He managed to hold fourth place, with M-Sport’s Teemu Suninen completing the top five, while also scoring three bonus points by going third-quickest on the Calvi Power Stage.

    Tänak had been in a tense fight for the top spot on the leaderboard with Evans since Friday morning but a puncture on Saturday afternoon dropped him down to seventh place. He retained his sixth position ahead of Esapekka Lappi on Sunday and scored a consolating four bonus points on the Power Stage.

    National hero Sébastien Loeb had been set back on the rally’s very first stage on Friday with damaged suspension, losing over two minutes and kept falling further behind the leaders as the rally went on. The Hyundai driver secured an eighth place finish with a careful drive on the final two stages of the event.

    Toyota drivers Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala completed the top 10, the former managing his pace in Eaux de Zilia to save his tyres for the Power Stage – a winning strategy as the Brit set the fastest time in this last test, hence snatching the maximum bonus points. Meeke lost several minutes on Friday with a broken wheel on SS1 and then hit a kerb that broke his suspension on SS5, while Latvala also encountered misfortune with punctures on both Friday and Saturday.

    Fabio Andolfi scored victory in the FIA WRC 2 Championship in a nailbiting finish. The Italian driver dropped over half a minute in today’s first test to Nikolay Gryazin, which brought the gap between the two leaders to only 0.7s at the start of the Power Stage. Andolfi then turned in a stunning performance on Calvi to secure the win, defeating Gryazin in a straight fight. Ole Christian Veiby lost a wheel on the penultimate stage, which promoted three-time European Rally champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz to the final WRC 2 podium place.

    M-Sport’s Łukasz Pieniążek claimed the FIA WRC 2 Pro victory to take the lead in his championship, while Julius Tannert stole victory away from Tom Kristensson in the FIA Junior WRC class on the very last stage, driving 6.2s faster than the field on the Power Stage.

    2019 TOUR DE CORSE – FINAL OFFICIAL RESULTS

    1. Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 22min 59.0sec
    2. Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC 3hrs 23min 39.3sec
    3. Sébastien Ogier (FRA) / Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Citroën C3 WRC 3hrs 24min 05.6sec
    4. Dani Sordo (ESP) / Carlos del Barrio (ESP) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 24min 17.4sec
    5. Teemu Suninen / Marko Salminen (FIN) Ford Fiesta WRC 3hrs 24min 23.6sec
    6. Ott Tänak (EST) / Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 24min 39.0sec
    7. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferme (FIN) Citroën C3 WRC 3hrs 25min 08.1sec
    8. Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Daniel Elena (MNC) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 26min 38.2sec
    9. Kris Meeke (GBR) / Sebastian Marshall (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 28min 05.3sec
    10. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) / Miikka Anttila (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 29min 43.6sec
  • Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul take lead on Saturday: WRC Round 4

    Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul take lead on Saturday: WRC Round 4

    Thierry Neuville, and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul take lead on Saturday. Image: Hyundai Motorsport

    Bastia (Corsica), 30 March 2019: Hyundai Motorsport has moved into the lead of Tour de Corse after a dramatic penultimate day of action in the fourth round of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

    Belgians Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul hold a 4.5-second lead over Elfyn Evans with two stages left to run on Sunday morning. Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio remain in a close fight for the podium, in fourth place overall, while Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena finished Saturday’s schedule in eighth position.

    On the longest day of Tour de Corse, crews tackled almost 175km of competitive tarmac stages. A loop of three stages started with a 25.62km run through Cap Corse and the shorter 14.45km Désert des Agriates test, before culminating with the monster 47.18km Castagniccia.

    The trio of Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team crews all set times inside the top-three during the day. Sordo claimed a stage win in the first Castagniccia stage (SS9), while Neuville took honours with impressive runs in the two final stages of the afternoon loop.

    Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (#11 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Stage wins in SS11 (Désert des Agriates) and SS12 (Castagniccia)
    • Belgians moved into the rally lead with an impressive performance on the final stage
    Neuville said: “We have had a really good day and I am delighted we can finish Saturday in the lead of the rally. Anything can happen when people are driving on the edge. This is a long and demanding rally so it’s important to stay focused. This morning, during the long stage particularly, we couldn’t really find the feeling we wanted, but things came good in the afternoon. When you have the right rhythm in the car, it’s possible to set fast times without taking risks. That’s exactly what we could do and we now need to defend our lead on Sunday. It won’t be easy but we’ll certainly give it our best shot!”Crew Notes: Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Stage win for the Spaniards in the first run through Castagniccia (SS9)
    • Competitive battle for the final podium position with five-second gap to Ogier
    Sordo said: “We had a very strong opening loop this morning. My pace notes were very clear and we showed our potential with the fastest time in the long Castagniccia stage. I had a great feeling and the car was very nice to drive. We didn’t manage the same advantage in the repeat loop, as others seemed to make up more time, but we are pleased to enter the final morning in a close fight for the podium. Ogier made up a lot of time on us in the final stage today but we know we can also find some gains, so it promises to be a big battle tomorrow. We’ll try our best.”Crew Notes: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (#19 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Another day of improvements for the nine-time world champions following an off into the ditch in SS9
    • Crew worked hard on car set-up to make positive gains during the day
    Loeb said: “We are not in the same rally as everyone else after our issues on Friday, so we have used today to improve our feeling with the car. Things started well but on the long stage in the morning loop we had a tricky moment. I understeered in a left-hander, which tightened, and I couldn’t turn which then sent us into a ditch. We lost a lot of time getting going again. The afternoon followed the same strategy to make adjustments to the car. Things were not perfect all the time but for the majority of stages we had a good car and a nice feeling. We will continue in this way tomorrow and aim to finish on a positive note.”  Team Director Andrea Adamo: “Honestly speaking it is good that Thierry and Nicolas are leading Tour de Corse in a Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, although we have to admit we have some work to do on improving the car to match their level. They did a truly fantastic job and they deserve their lead. We find ourselves in first and fourth place overall at the end of Saturday but as we have seen anything can happen; it’s not over yet!”

    Sunday at a glance

    • Two stages remain on the Tour de Corse itinerary, with no opportunity for respite.
    • A long 31.85km run through Eaux de Zilia will start the day in style before the rally concludes with the 19.34km Power Stage at Calvi.
    Classification after Day Two
    1 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2:56:50.0
    2 E. Evans S. Martin Ford Fiesta WRC +4.5
    3 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Citroën C3 WRC +44.8
    4 D. Sordo C. del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +49.9
    5 T. Suninen M. Salminen Ford Fiesta WRC +1:32.1
    6 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +1:54.5
    7 E. Lappi J. Ferm Citroën C3 WRC +1:59.3
    8 S. Loeb D. Elena Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +3:21.4
    9 K. Meeke S. Marshall Toyota Yaris WRC +3:55.9
    10 J.M Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +6:35.4

  • Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin lead the way: Tour de Corse, WRC

    M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin are leading the way at this weekend’s Tour de Corse – posting three fastest stage times and holding a 4.5 second advantage over Ott Tänak.

    The Welshman made his intent clear from the start with the fastest time through the opening speed test – proving that he and the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC have as much speed on asphalt as they do on gravel.
     
    Evans may have slipped to second on the second stage, but his desire and determination to succeed came to the fore. Working hard over the midday regroup, he and Martin perfected their notes and were the ones to beat over the afternoon loop.
     
    A further two fastest times could have been joined by another on the final speed test, but the Welshman lost out when stuck behind an ailing Kris Meeke.
     
    In the interest of fairness, Evans was awarded the same time as Tänak and the two former team mates are set to continue their fight as the weekend continues.
     
    Further down the field, Teemu Suninen and Marko Salminen were under strict instruction to finish the rally and make it through all of the stages unscathed. Yet despite taking minimal risks, the Finns also proved competitive.
     
    Tackling the Corsican stages for the first time with the power and performance of the top-specification Fiesta, Suninen currently holds fifth place and is outperforming those with considerably more experience.
     
    Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
     
    “We’ve had a great day and proven that we have as much pace on asphalt as we do on snow and gravel. Elfyn and Scott have been brilliant right from the off. They’ve set three fastest stage times and have the pace to challenge for the very top results this weekend.
     
    “I was particularly impressed with the way they worked over the midday regroup. They could see that they lost time on the middle stage [SS2] and worked hard to perfect their notes – smashing it with the fastest time on the repeat run this afternoon [SS5]!
     
    “Then again on the last stage [SS6], they had a chance to extend their lead before getting stuck behind Meeke – but they didn’t get stressed. They kept their cool and we were pleased to see the organisers resolve the issue in the fairest way possible.

     

    “We know how tough a competitor Ott [Tänak] is, but we also know how good the Fiesta is and how hungry Elfyn is for another victory. It’s going to be a pretty epic battle between the two of them, and Thierry [Neuville] isn’t too far behind either!
     
    “Teemu and Marko have also had a really good day. They’re under strict instruction to finish this one and aren’t pushing the limits, so to be in fifth and outperforming those with a lot more experience is really impressive. 
     
    “Teemu is a natural competitor so he’s pretty frustrated not to pushing and fighting at the front – especially when he knows there is more to give – but he’s not been here with a world rally car and it’s important that he gets the experience for the future.”
     
    Elfyn Evans (1st) said:
     
    “It’s been a positive day and the car has felt really good. This is the type of rally where you have to be smart and efficient, and I felt like we drove well. We were able to carry the speed through the corners, and keep a smoothness in the driving which seems to be doing the trick.
     
    “There’s going to be a big battle tomorrow and our plan is to stay in this position. Ott [Tänak] and Thierry [Neuville] will both be pushing hard, but we know when everything is working that we can be faster. I’m really looking forward to the day. There’s quite a mix of stages with a bit of everything. It’s all about being adaptable.”
     
    Teemu Suninen (5th) said:
     
    “It’s been a really good day for us and the pace has been good. I could go faster for sure, but I have this monkey on my shoulder holding me back. I have made some mistakes in the last rallies and I need to bring the car home this weekend. But the driving has still been on a good level so we can be happy with that.”

    OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

    1. Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin (Ford Fiesta WRC) 1:09:39.6
    2. Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC) +4.5
    3. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +9.8
    4. Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +26.1
    5. Teemu Suninen / Marko Salminen (Ford Fiesta WRC) +30.9
    6. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Citroen C3 WRC) +36.3
    7. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferme (Citroen C3 WRC) +46.3
    8. Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +2:27.9
  • Toyota’s Ott Tanak reclaims first place but M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans just 2.3sec off: WRC

    Toyota’s Ott Tanak reclaims first place but M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans just 2.3sec off: WRC

    Ott Tanak takes narrow lead. An FIA image

    Toyota’s Ott Tänak has reclaimed first place on the Tour de Corse but he heads M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans by only 2.3s. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville in third had finished yesterday’s first leg less than 10s off the lead but is now 17.2 behind Tänak.

    Saturday is the longest day of the rally with a 3-stage loop run twice, which includes the rally’s longest stage: Castagniccia, a 47.18-kilometre test featuring multiple types of asphalt surface and even a section of gravel, making it a special challenge for the competing crews being all on hard compound asphalt tyres.

    Evans started this morning’s loop with an advantage of 4.5s over his Estonian rival but conceded time on all three stages. The Brit first lost 3.7s on the shortest test, Désert des Agriates, leaving a gap of only 0.2s between the two top contenders. A second-fastest time on the challenging Castagniccia was enough for Tänak to retake the lead with a 2.3s advantage.

    As the lead battle further intensified, Neuville was dropping back slightly, unable to keep the pace. The Belgian is now 17.2s off the lead but his gap to team-mate Dani Sordo behind remained relatively steady throughout the morning loop. Sordo dropped time on Cap Corse, the first stage of the morning, but set the fastest time in Castagniccia, which put him 16.1s behind Neuville in fourth place.

    In the battle for fifth, M-Sport’s Teemu Suninen was able to retain his place over reigning FIA World Rally champion Sébastien Ogier on the first two stages but the Finn lost over half a minute in the following stage to the Citroën driver, who showed his class with a stunning run on Castagniccia. By comparison, Esapekka Lappi was 46.9s slower than his Citroën team-mate on this stage.

    Ogier’s strong time, 1.4s off stage winner Sordo, promoted him to fifth. Lappi, however, continued to struggle with understeer on his Citroën C3. He classified 7th overall, 34s behind Suninen in a safe sixth place.

    Nine-time champion Sébastien Loeb understeered wide into a bank approaching a medium left hander on the Castagniccia test. The Frenchman ended up facing the wrong way and lost 20s trying to get his Hyundai i20 going again.

    Loeb is eighth overall but now has the two Toyotas of Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala trying to chase him down.

    Meeke passed Latvala on the morning’s first test Désert des Agriates and is now up to ninth overall, 49.8s behind Loeb. Latvala is up to 10th, having now cleared the WRC 2 field behind him.

    The 47km Castagniccia stage was particularly tough for the FIA WRC 2 field, with Eric Camilli dropping out of the lead and the top 10 overall after stopping in the stage and losing nearly two minutes.

    Nicolas Ciamin should have inherited the lead from Camilli but he too was caught out and retired. Yoann Bonato, who had been second until being forced to stop on SS8, is now also down the order and it is Fabio Andolfi who is the new unexpected class leader, making an extraordinary jump from sixth to first in WRC 2 in one morning, with Camilli dropping to second.

    M-Sport’s Ford Łukasz Pieniążek now leads the FIA WRC 2 Pro category for M-Sport after Škoda’s Kalle Rovanperä crashed out on Castagniccia.

     

  • Ogier (Ingrassia) secures fifth victory to close gap on Tanak: WRC Rally Mexico

    Ogier (Ingrassia) secures fifth victory to close gap on Tanak: WRC Rally Mexico

    ifth win for Ogier-Ingrassia on Sunday. An FIA image

    Mexico, 11 March 2019: Frenchmen Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia delivered a remarkable performance in the final three gravel stages on Round 3 of the World Rally Championship to secure their fifth victory on Sunday and a record eigth win for Citroën in Mexico. Ott Tänak and his co-driver Martin Järveoja from Estonia fought their way up to second place at the wheel of their Toyota Yaris while M-Sport Ford’s Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin completed the WRC podium. Benito Guerra delighted the home crowd with sixth overall and the victory in the FIA WRC 2 category.

    The Citroën C3 WRC crew duly confirmed their 46th WRC victory on an event where their outstanding career started with a win in the FIA Junior WRC Championship back in 2008.

    Leading by 27 seconds at the end of Saturday, Ogier was never allowed to rest on his laurels by a hard-charging Ott Tänak and Elfyn Evans, both of whom were fighting for second place.

    2019 championship leader Tänak was the star of the morning as the Toyota Yaris WRC driver claimed two stage wins to secure second place. But Ogier had a winning margin of 30.2 seconds and also managed to whittle the Estonian’s advantage over him at the top of the Drivers’ Championship down from 16 to four points with five additional Power Stage bonus points.

    Evans, steering the ship for M-Sport Ford after Teemu Suninen’s premature retirement on Friday, delivered an impressive performance in his Fiesta WRC to round off the podium places and earn vital points for the team. He finished 19.7 seconds behind his Estonian rival after incurring a 10-second penalty for arriving late on the final Power Stage.

    Too far adrift to challenge for the podium after a difficult start to the event, Thierry Neuville had to settle for fourth overall and lost his second place in the championship to Ogier. His result was the only high point in a frustrating event for Hyundai, which saw both early leader Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo – who had been up to second – pushed out of contention after problems on Friday. The Norwegian and the Spaniard finished the rally in 11th and ninth overall, respectively.

    Toyota’s Kris Meeke led outright for one stage on Saturday morning, before a puncture, suspension damage and then a gearbox issue cost him any chance of challenging for the podium. The Ulsterman conserved his tyres on the first two stages of the final day in an attempt to win the Power Stage. He was rewarded with second on the test, catching four bonus points and an eventual fifth overall.

    Mexican Benito Guerra delighted the home crowds by equalling his best ever finishing position of sixth overall at his home event. On this occasion, the Škoda Fabia R5 driver achieved the success in a WRC 2 car, however, and maximum points in the FIA WRC 2 class were an added bonus for the México City man. His winning margin was 3min 16sec.

    Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala suffered alternator woes on Friday evening that dropped his Toyota Yaris WRC out of contention, but the veteran of 198 WRC rallies fought back strongly to try and displace Bolivian youngster Marco Bulacia on the final morning to claim eighth place, despite a late radiator scare.

    Eighteen-year-old Bulacia belied his lack of experience to finish second in the FIA WRC 2 category behind team-mate Guerra and in an impressive seventh overall. Mexican driver Ricardo Triviño was classified in 10th place in his Škoda Fabia R5.

    Poland’s Lukasz Pieniazek bounced back from his Friday retirement to reach the finish of his first event outside Europe in twelfth overall. The result enabled the unchallenged Ford Fiesta R5 driver to claim much-needed maximum points in theFIA WRC 2 Pro class, as he looked to close to gap on series leader Gus Greensmith. The Pole said he gained a lot of experience and confidence on the demanding Mexican stages.
    2019 Rally Guanajuato México – Final unofficial results (subject to scrutineering)

    1. Sébastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Citroën C3 WRC 3hrs 37min 08.0sec
    2. Ott Tänak (EST)/Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 37min 38.2sec
    3. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC 3hrs 37min 57.9sec
    4. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 38min 35.0sec
    5. Kris Meeke (GBR)/Sebastian Marshall (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 43min 14.2sec
    6. Benito Guerra (MEX)/Jaime Zapata (MEX) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 3hrs 52min 43.5sec
    7. Marco Bulacia (BOL)/Fabian Cretu (ARG) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 3hrs 55min 59.5sec
    8. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN)/Miikka Anttila (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 56min 03.9sec
    9. Dani Sordo (ESP)/Carlos del Barrio (ESP) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 59min 52.1sec
    10. Ricardo Triviño (MEX)/Marc Marti (ESP) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 4hrs 07min 21.8sec
  • Ogier-Ingrassia remain firmly on track for fifth victory: WRC Rally Mexico

    Ogier-Ingrassia remain firmly on track for fifth victory: WRC Rally Mexico

    Ogier and co-driver Ingrassia on track for their fifth victory on Saturday. An FIA image

    Citroën’s Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia remain firmly on track for a fifth victory on Rally Guanajuato México after another pulsating day’s action over nine special stages on Saturday. Toyota’s hard-charging Ott Tänak, third placed, begins to turn the screw on M-Sport Ford’s Elfyn Evans, second, with an advantage of only 2.2 seconds. In the WRC 2 category, local hero Benito Guerra holds a massive lead.

    The Citroën C3 WRC crew will take an advantage of 27 seconds into the remaining three gravel stages on Sunday, as they bid to reduce Ott Tänak’s early season lead in the Drivers’ Championship. Ogier managed his pace to perfection to stay out of trouble and is at the top of the standings for a second day, despite sliding into the barriers on the first run through Léon’s super special this evening.

    Estonia’s Tänak, who began the morning in fourth position, 37.1 seconds behind the defending World Champion, went on a charge in the heat of a Mexican afternoon. After passing team-mate Kris Meeke – when the Ulsterman suffered a puncture and a suspension upright issue – the Toyota Yaris WRC driver began to pressurise Elfyn Evans as the afternoon progressed. The Welshmen held on to his position at the end of the day but a mere 2.2 seconds separate the two heading into Sunday.

    Thierry Neuville admitted that he was struggling to find his rhythm and the confidence to challenge for stage wins in his Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, but the Belgian held fourth overall at the end of Saturday, 3min 21.4sec. Kris Meeke, who had suffered a puncture and resulting rear-wheel damage in the morning loop, slid wide in the superspecial’s second run, dropped another 45 seconds and then limped around the final street stage stuck in second gear to finish fifth overnight.

    Mexican favourite Benito Guerra delivered a body blow to Bolivian youngster Marco Bulacia’s aspirations of preventing a home FIA WRC 2 victory with several impressive stage performances during the course of the day. Guerra returned to León at the end of Saturday in sixth overall and FIA WRC 2 leader, 3min 33.6sec ahead of Bulacia, who stopped for over three minutes in SS13.

    Among the FIA WRC 2 entrants, Chile’s Alberto Heller was in second place at the beginning of the afternoon before stopping on two occasions in SS14. He finished third of the category and 13th overall as Saturday came to a close.

    Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala began a charge through the tail-enders as the day progressed in a bid to catch the FIA WRC 2 runners. He held eighth at the end of the day.

    Mexico’s Ricardo Triviño ran strongly in ninth in his Škoda Fabia R5 while the Hyundai duo Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo were classified in 10th and 11th at the night halt.

    The sole entrant in the FIA WRC 2 Pro category on Rally Mexico, Poland’s Lukasz Pieniazek, returned to action on Saturday morning after issues on Friday and remains on course for maximum championship points. He classified 12th overall, over 6 minutes behind eleven placed Mikkelsen.

    Three stages bring the action to a conclusion on Sunday. The crews will tackle the 24.38km of Alfaro, then a new Mesa Cuata special of 25.07km that uses a large section of El Chocolate and will finish in the points-scoring Power Stage at Las Minas.
    2019 Rally Guanajuato México – Unofficial results after SS18  / Section 5:

    1. Sébastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Citroën C3 WRC 2hrs 57min 21.4sec
    2. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC 2hrs 57min 48.4sec
    3. Ott Tänak (EST)/Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC 2hrs 57min 50.6sec
    4. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hrs 58min 37.1sec
    5. Kris Meeke (GBR)/Sebastian Marshall (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 01min 58.5sec
    6. Benito Guerra (MEX)/Jaime Zapata (MEX) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 3hrs 09min 27.4sec
    7. Marco Bulacia (BOL)/Fabian Cretu (ARG) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 3hrs 13min 01.0sec
    8. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN)/Miikka Anttila (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC 3hrs 13min 53.8sec
    9. Ricardo Triviño (MEX)/Marc Marti (ESP) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 3hrs 19min 21.0sec
    10. Dani Sordo (ESP)/Carlos del Barrio (ESP) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hrs 19min 21.1s
  • Ogier sets the pace on drama-packed Day 1: WRC Mexico Rally

    Ogier sets the pace on drama-packed Day 1: WRC Mexico Rally

    Ogier leads after Day 1. An FIA image

    Mexico, 9 March 2019: Defending World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia defied their disadvantageous starting position to turn the heat up on their rivals with their Citroën C3 WRC after five afternoon stages on Rally Mexico’s Day One. M-Sport Ford’s Elfyn Evans survived the carnage to hold second and Toyota’s Kris Meeke is in third place.

    After a dramatic afternoon, which saw both Hyundai drivers Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo retire whilst holding first and second overall respectively – Mikkelsen was forced to stop in the stage and Sordo had an electrical fall-out – Ogier overcame a puncture to deliver a near-faultless display for Citroën to grab an overnight advantage of 14.8 seconds. The Frenchman said he was a lot happier with the grip and the conditions in the afternoon, which enabled him to manage his pace and keep a good starting position for the next day.

    It was a leg of mixed fortunes for the M-Sport team. Elfyn Evans delivered a solid performance in his Ford Fiesta WRC to hold second place overnight. Teemu Suninen, on the other hand, crashed in this morning’s El Chocolate stage, his Ford Fiesta coming to rest hanging off the side of the track with front and rear damage.

    Kris Meeke was Toyota Gazoo Racing’s shining light on an event where the Yaris WRC has struggled to achieve good results in the last two years. The Brit held third overall at the end of Day One, 6.3 seconds behind Evans.

    A fascinating duel developed between Meeke’s team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala and fellow Finn Esapekka Lappi for fifth. The duo traded stage times, but it was Latvala who sneaked ahead in Ortega 2 to head the Scandinavian challenge. He was promoted to fourth when Sordo was sidelined later on, but then suffered his own reported alternator issues on the road section to the last two stages and retired.

    Lappi was overtaken by Ott Tänak and reached the León Service Park in fifth while series leader Tänak and 2018 WRC runner-up Thierry Neuville were made to pay for their unfavourable starting positions – not to mention a flat tyre in the first stage of the day for the Belgian – to hold fourth and sixth.

    Bolivia’s Marco Bulacia and Mexico’s Benito Guerra became embroiled in a fascinating battle for the FIA WRC 2 honours. The 18-year-old held a 0.3-second lead over the local hero at the midday service and went on to finish the leg 9.8 seconds in front of the Mexican in seventh overall.

    Poland’s Lukasz Pieniazek – the sole FIA WRC 2 Pro entrant with a Ford Fiesta R5 – at to retire from Leg one with car damage in Ortega 2.

    Tomorrow the crews will tackle two loops of three gravel stages and three spectator specials.

     

    2019 Rally Guanajuato México – Unofficial results after Section 2 (end of Day One):

    1. Sébastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Citroën C3 WRC 1hr 18min 33.8sec
    2. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC 1hr 18min 48.6sec
    3. Kris Meeke (GBR)/Sebastian Marshall (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC 1hr 18min 54.9sec
    4. Ott Tänak (EST)/Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC 1hr 19min 10.9sec
    5. Esapekka Lappi (FIN)/Janne Ferm (FIN) Citroën C3 WRC 1hr 19min 12.9sec
    6. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 1hr 19min 34.5sec
    7. Marco Bulacia (BOL)/Fabian Cretu (ARG) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 1hr 23min 49.9sec
    8. Benito Guerra (MEX)/Jaime Zapata (MEX) Škoda Fabia R5 (WRC 2) 1hr 23min 59.7sec
    9. Alberto Heller (CHIL)/ José Diaz (ARG) Ford Fiesta R5 (WRC 2) 1h 25min 05.3sec
    10. R. Trivino Bujalil (MEX) / M. Marti Moreno (ESP) Škoda Fabia R5 1h 27min41.0sec

     

  • WRC Round 3: Rally Mexico to start on Thursday

    WRC Round 3: Rally Mexico to start on Thursday

    For round three of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship, the competitors travel to Rally Mexico (March 7-10) where high temperatures and high altitude provide considerably different challenges to those experienced in the opening two winter events in Europe. First held as a WRC event 15 years ago, the León-based gravel rally has proven popular ever since with its compact route and colourful atmosphere.

    Rally Mexico, the third round of the WRC begins on Thursday. An FIA image

    Mexico, 3 March 2019: Run in the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains, the rally climbs to a height of 2’700 metres above sea level, where the thinner air deprives the engines of oxygen, which can result in a potential power loss of up to 20 per cent. Ambient temperatures of up to 30°C add additional stress to the machinery. Teams take special measures to ensure the reliability of their cars, and the drivers must adapt their driving styles to the conditions.

    With three different manufacturers sharing the podium in both of the opening rounds – and two different crews on the top step – it has been a thrilling start to the season, and Rally Mexico promises to add another exciting episode to the story. Ten World Rally Car drivers will battle it out on the Central American stages, with Dani Sordo making his debut on the championship this year in the Hyundai i20 Coupé driven by Sébastien Loeb in the opening two events of the season. As part of his preparations for Rally Mexico, the Spaniard, who finished second in Mexico in 2018, competed – and won – Rali Serras de Fafe in Portugal last weekend, the opening round on gravel of the Iberian FIA European Rally Trophy.

    In the FIA WRC 2 Pro category, Poland’s Lucasz Pieniazek (M-Sport) will pilot a Ford Fiesta R5 car, alongside four FIA WRC 2 entrants: Benito Guerra from Mexico, Marco Bulacia Wilkinson from Colombia and the Heller brothers, Pedro and Alberto, from Chile.

    All of the stages can be watched live on WRC All Live on WRC+, with three stages additionally broadcast live on television: SS12 and SSS15 (El Brinco) and the rally-ending SS21, Las Minas Power Stage.

    THE 2019 ROUTE

    The Rally Mexico route features only minor changes compared to 2018. The event traditionally holds its stunning opening stage in the colourful town of Guanajuato on Thursday evening, where the crews take on the city’s narrow streets and former mining tunnels. Friday includes two runs over the rally’s epic “El Chocolate” test, the season’s highest point at more than 2’737m. Both Friday and Saturday’s itineraries feature a street stage in León and two runs around the city’s racing circuit. Saturday is the longest day of this year’s rally, with an extended Otates, the longest stage of the rally with 32.27 kilometres. The day also includes El Brinco, where the famous jump has been replaced by a man-made ramp in a dry reservoir which should contribute to a spectacular finish. On Sunday, the penultimate Mesa Cuata stage is new, using the opening half of El Chocolate before turning towards Guanajuato, where the Las Minas Power Stage will finish.

    RALLY DATA

    Total distance: 1,003.49 km
    Stage distance: 303.87 km (31%)
    Number of stages: 21
  • Tom Kristensson wins on Junior WRC debut: Rally Sweden

    Tom Kristensson wins on Junior WRC debut: Rally Sweden

    Kristensson wins Junior WRC on 17 Feb 2019. A WRC image

    Torsby, 17 Feb 2019: Tom Kristensson sent a clear message to the rest of the FIA Junior WRC Championship field, winning on Rally Sweden with a fine drive in his 200 horsepower EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta R2.

    The top three is made up entirely of rookies to the Junior WRC championship, with Roland Poom and Jan Solans in second and third respectively.

    Kristensson is the third Swede to win the Junior WRC on Rally Sweden confirming his position as a championship contender.

    The Swede’s win is the tip of the iceberg when looking at the Junior WRC 2019 Rally Sweden story.

    The Junior WRC veteran Dennis Rådström had notched 10 impressive stage wins by the conclusion of stage 12, leading many to believe he was set to repeat his 2018 Rally Sweden victory. He started stage 13 but wouldn’t finish it thanks to a costly error and was forced to retire the car for the day.

    Rådström returned to the stages on Sunday morning, grabbing two stage wins from an available three, bringing home a decent points haul thanks to the one point per stage win allocation in Junior WRC.

    Kristensson inherited the lead from Rådström’s stage 13 exit and took a calm and measured approach after experiencing a tight and competitive fight in section two. Knowing he had a comfortable 1m44.0s lead over Estonian rookie Roland Poom, Kristensson elected for mistake-free finishes over stage wins to deliver his first Junior WRC win.

    Roland Poom had a steady start to Rally Sweden and made great progress on Saturday thanks to increasing confidence and costly errors made by those further up the road. He claimed his best stage result of 2nd on stage 13 compounding Kristensson’s winning philosophy of calm and cautious.

    Jan Solans rounded out the top three, taking a stage win along the way after a successful Saturday when he climbed from fifth to third on his debut in the Junior WRC. Although for most of the day he adopted a similar approach to Poom and Kristensson, he was able to find astonishing pace on stage 16, thanks to its sprint style nature, claiming his maiden stage win of the year.

    There were many favourites for the 2019 Junior WRC crown starting Rally, all of which having difficulties at some point along the way. 2018 Junior WRC Rally Finland winner Ken Torn was able to demonstrate his raw speed with two stage wins but several big mistakes removed him from podium contention. Junior WRC rookie Martins Sesks delivered times consistently in the top three with three stage wins. He was forced to retire due to a technical issue on Friday, surrendering second place and the chance for Junior WRC victory.

    FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, Maciej Woda, said:

    “Following the Junior WRC on Rally Sweden has been unbelievable and great to watch. I don’t think anybody would have predicted our top three going into this rally, especially when you consider that they are all new to the Junior WRC Championship. We have had a very healthy spread of stage winners this weekend which is great for the season ahead and also the championship. Tom should be incredibly proud of his achievement, starting his first Junior WRC event and winning it on home soil is something very special. This rally has been a great test for the all-new Fiesta R2 car which has been majorly impressive from the feedback we have received so far. The car’s exceptional pace and consistency could not have been achieved without the support we have received from Ford and our partners at Pirelli and Wolf Lubricants.”

    JUNIOR WRC RALLY SWEDEN OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AND DRIVER QUOTES:

    1. Tom Kristensson / Henrik Appelskog 3:14:48.9
    “I think we have shown the pace and I am extremely happy about my confidence in myself; I had a plan and I stuck to it. It feels really good and I think it will be a great season. The biggest point for me was not to make any mistakes I think the most important thing was to find the right pace and remain calm. We have enjoyed the rally and of course there were some moments there’s no question about that but in the end it feels great. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season as I feel I’m really progressing with the car”

    2. Roland Poom /  Ken Jarveoja +1:31.2
    “We knew that this rally would be really hard and there wasn’t much point in pushing. I knew I had the speed to achieve a podium but there no point as it was a new rally for me. The other guys decided to push and made mistakes allowing me to achieve my first Junior WRC podium.”

    3. Jan Solans / Mauro Barreiro +4:09.2
    “It was really good for us to start the season in this way and I’m really happy about it. We were really consistent this weekend which helped us finish third. We are really happy with our performance this weekend; we improved a lot it’s a good result for us here in Sweden.”

    4. Tom Williams / Phil Hall +6:53.4
    “It’s a really good feeling for the event that I thought was going to be the trickiest this year. This one was just a survival and that’s from my experience last year of making lots of small mistakes and realising that I need the consistency. We made a lot of changes to my pace notes over the winter and made no mistakes on the rally so we’re really happy.”

    5. Sean Johnston / Alex Kihurani +11:43.1
    “The goal was simply getting to the end of the rally hoping maybe for a top ten result so to finish in fifth is really quite the gift. I don’t feel like we had the pace for this result, we’ve been persevering and other people have been having issues.”

    6. Martins Sesks / Krisjanis Caune +13:20.9
    “It’s been a crazy weekend out here. We started with a stage win on the first proper day of rallying, then we had a spin. When we got back in the rhythm it was unfortunate, but we had a technical issue so we retired and from there, there was not much that we could do.”

    7. Enrico Oldrati / Elia de Guio +16:23.8
    “This was a weekend to forget for me, I could not get the right feeling in the car under the conditions but we have finished now so I am happy about that.”

    8. Dennis Rådström / Johan Johansson +23:31.1
    “We have to take a step and develop, the driving has been really great this week and we’re really happy as we are focussing on the positives.”

    9. Fabrizio Zaldivar / Fernando Mussano +23:47.0
    “It was quite tricky, on the first day we were learning and to finish the rally which was the main goal. We finished the rally but it was very tricky for me as it was my first time here, the surface was not at its best and then we had technical issues on Saturday leaving us stuck at one point where we lost a lot of time.”

    10. Ken Torn / Kuldar Sikk +24:00.0
    “We finished in this position and there’s nothing we can do about it now, it’s made us a little bit unhappy and we lost time on the last two stages too. We need to make some progress for Corsica. Top five is ok but we want to win so we are going to keep working.”

    11. Julius Tannert / Helmar Hinneberg +41:24.8
    “It was a really difficult weekend for us, we have shown some good speed and some good pace. In the end we had a bad Saturday with a technical issue and then we went off and damaged the car. We retired on Saturday and restarted on Sunday but this isn’t the position we wanted to end our weekend in.”

    12. Nico Knacker / Tobias Braun +49:09.3
    “We learned a lot about the rally and the difficult conditions this weekend. We had contact on the last day with a snow bank which isn’t great. Overall the experience has been fantastic this, we learned a lot and know what to do for next year.”

    13. Raul Badiu / Gabriel Lazar +53:38.8
    “It is indeed a disappointing start to the championship, but we learned a lot, WRC is not a flat-out rally from the start to the finish. You have to use your brain a lot in these tricky conditions when it is very easy to make mistakes and have numerous punctures like I did. We can’t change time, so we’re already look ahead to the next rally.”