Your basket is currently empty!
Category: WRC, Rally
-
Vamcy Merla is now the Promoter of Otago Rally APRC 2024
Otago (New Zealand) 4 March 2024: Prominent Indian businessman, Vamcy Merla, is now the promoter of the Otago Rally’s Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Pacific Cup. He will provide significant support, including through his business Maitri Estates.
His support of the rally will be a huge boom for competitors in the APRC component of the event, with prizemoney of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 for the first three placegetters.
Merla and his business, Maitri Estates, is a long time supporter of Indian motorsport in many forms, and 2024 will be his second year involved with the APRC.
Vamsi Merla, the APRC Otago Rally Promoter “I have always been passionate about promoting rallying in India and in the Asia-Pacific region,” Merla said.
“I am delighted to be the promoter of the Otago Rally APRC Pacific Cup, and supporting both the competitors and organisers makes the sport stronger. The Otago Rally has a big reputation for providing an outstanding event.”
Rally promotions manager, Roger Oakley, added:
“Vamcy Merla’s support is hugely appreciated. The prizemoney is a significant incentive for competitors and we encourage all those who are eligible to register for the Asia-Pacific Championship component of the event.”
The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is the first round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship and also includes the famed Otago International Classic Rally.
The rally is the second of six rounds of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, with the series ‘grand finale’ to be held at the Rally of Whangarei in the North Island in early November.
The Otago Rally gratefully acknowledges the Premier Event grant support of the Dunedin City Council.
-
All set for 2024 FIA Junior WRC – Rally Sweden
Umea (Sweden), 14 February 2024: The eagerly awaited 2024 FIA Junior WRC season kicks off this week at the legendary Rally Sweden (15 – February).
Based out of the university city of Umeå, Rally Sweden welcomes the largest FIA Junior WRC line-up in two decades, with a record-breaking 19 crews registered for round one. They will pilot identical Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evos, exclusively equipped with Pirelli tyres and Wolf Lubricants, through the frozen forests of the Västerbotten region.
As the only pure snow and ice fixture on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar, Rally Sweden presents the ultimate winter challenge. Studded tyres are essential and provide remarkable grip as drivers ‘lean’ their cars against the snowbanks at ultra-high speeds.
Diego Domínguez finished as last year’s championship runner-up, and the Paraguayan will be aiming to put all of his past experience to good use in pursuit of the top spot. Other returnees include Eamonn Kelly, Roberto Blach and Tom Rensonnet.
However, the 13 Junior WRC newcomers will be hot on their heels, with hotshots including Romet Jürgenson, Bruno Bulacia, Norbert Maior and Mille Johansson all eager to prove themselves on the global stage.
Crews will have to be on form from the outset. ‘Wolf Stage Wins’ mean a single championship point is awarded for every stage victory throughout 2024 as the drivers fight for a life-changing prize which includes an arrive-and-drive package to contest four European rounds of the 2025 WRC in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 car.
Also up for grabs this season is the ‘Craig Breen Spirit of Rallying Award’, named after the 2011 champion who tragically passed away last year. At the season’s conclusion, an independent judging panel will select the recipient based on who they feel best epitomises the never-give-up attitude and passion for the sport that Breen was universally admired for.
The rally begins on Thursday afternoon and includes 18 special stages totalling more than 300km before Sunday afternoon’s finish.
Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, said: “Rally Sweden is a truly magical event on a surface which every rally driver must master if they are to progress to the top echelons of the sport. Add to that the huge field of M-Sport Poland-built Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo cars, and I think we’ve got all the ingredients for a very, very exciting week.
“Predicting a winner from the 19-car entry is an impossible task, but I can’t wait to see the battles unfold out on the stages. Above all, I hope that every crew enjoys their experience of this extraordinary rally.”
-
Indian duo of Saneem Payyaakkal and Musa Sherif win MERC4 category
LUSAIL (Qatar), 3 Feb 2024: Indian rally drivers Saneem Payyaakkal and co-driver Musa Sherif won the Rally4 category in the Middle East Rally Championship which concluded here today. Another Indian pair of Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George Cherian, did well and were leading in the second place, when disaster struck as their car stopped and could not start the Super Special Stage. The resulting 10-min penalty for a re-start cost them heavily and they ended up finishing overall 12th. Saneem and Musa, were overall 14th but won their class which had only one vehicle.
In the main class, Pierre-Louis Loubet and Loris Pascaud delivered a masterclass performance on their desert debut and overcame late damper issues and a couple of time penalties for contact with stage surround fencing to secure a memorable victory at the Qatar International Rally on Saturday.
Norway’s Mads Ostberg and his Swedish co-driver Patrik Barth delivered a late charge over the afternoon loop of three short stages but missed out on the win by just 4.6 seconds.
Loubet became only the second non-Arab driver since Björn Waldegård in 1986 (Vojtĕch Štajf – 2018) to win the event outright. Sports Racing Technologies (SRT) duly earned a 1-2 finish with their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2s.
Loubet said: “We can be very pleased with what we have done. It has been a great time, a great rally and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to everybody. We had a damper issue and we are happy to be at the end. It has been tough and very demanding.”
Østberg won nine of the 13 special stages. He added: “We had to do the afternoon with a completely different setting of the car. It was really hard. Pierre (Loubet) had a problem as well. It was dramatic for both of us. We had a good afternoon and we pushed as much as we could. It was another very enjoyable weekend.”
Abdullah Al-Rawahi and his Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud proved that winning last year’s regional title was no fluke and they climbed from fifth to the bottom step of the podium in an Autotek-run Škoda, the Omani picking up valuable MERC points into the bargain.
Al-Rawahi said: “This result is good for the championship and good points. Today was fantastic. We did some small mistakes yesterday but we managed to get back from fifth to third. We pushed hard. It is a good result. The team worked really hard to give me a better car today and it worked.”
The result meant that no Qatari crew featured on the podium on their home event for the first time since the mid-1990s.
QMMF-backed Qatari Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Irish co-driver James Fulton slipped back from third to finish fourth in their Sarrazin-supplied Volkswagen Polo GTi. Former event winner Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Lebanon’s Ziad Chehab were a distant fifth in their Motortune Ford Fiesta MkII.
An overnight 30-minute time penalty obliterated Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah’s chance of winning his home event for an 18th time but the Qatari and his co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini pushed hard to climb through the tail end of the field. Nasser made it as far as ninth overall but the finish in Lusail Boulevard was a bridge too far and the winner of three stages broke a damper and retired on the last stage to cap a miserable weekend.
Al-Attiyah said: “I was really disappointed with the decision (time penalty). It was completely wrong. We couldn’t really stop in the middle of the highway otherwise someone could hit you. We decided to move. I am really disappointed. It is not a professional way. We tried to make some good points. I did my best to jump at least two or three positions and to have a good time.”
The Jordanian crew of Shaker Jweihan and Mustafa Juma completely dominated the MERC2 category in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. They finished sixth overall and 9min 04.5sec ahead of their nearest production class rivals, Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa.
Husam Salim and Nancy Al-Majali came home in eighth and third in MERC2 and Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi teamed up with Omani Taya Al-Zadjali to finish ninth. The Jordanian duo of Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma rounded off the top 10.
After Khalid Al-Muhannadi withdrew with broken front suspension on his Polaris and Stefano Marrini (Can-Am) stopped for a time in SS12, Filippo Epis (Yamaha) pressed on to snatch victory in the T4 category from his Italian rival. He finished 11th overall.
Emirati-based Indian Saneem Payyaakkal and his co-driver Musa Sherif have registered for the MERC and are competing in the new MERC4 category for two-wheel drive machines in their Ford Fiesta Rally4. They finished 14th, one place ahead of the QMMF-backed Khalid Al-Suwaidi and Ross Whittock, who had retired with electrical issues early on Friday and were too far back to mount a serious challenge on Saturday.
Saturday – as it happened
Loubet headed into the opening stage to the northwest of Al-Khor with a 22.7-second lead over Østberg after Al-Attiyah had incurred his 30-minute time penalty and plummeted down to 18th and out of contention on Friday evening. Al-Kuwari was 39.6 seconds adrift in third.
Al-Attiyah was permitted to start the first stage from sixth on the road as he aimed to amass as many MERC points as he could. The only non-starters were Kuwait’s Jassim Al-Muqahwi, who had succumbed to differential woes on Friday, and Oman’s Zakariya Al-Aamri, who failed to leave the service park. Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled stopped on the road section to the opening stage.
Loubet laid down the gauntlet with a time of 8min 50.5sec but Østberg was in no mood to take any prisoners and the Norwegian shaved 2.8 seconds off the Frenchman’s overall advantage. Al-Rawahi managed to beat Al-Kuwari by 10 seconds and reduced the Qatari’s grip on third to 21.4 seconds. With the sole aim of driving as fast as possible to make up as much ground as he could, Al-Attiyah won the stage by 1.6 seconds.
Loubet was then penalised a further five seconds by rally officials for brushing the stage fencing and his lead was down to 14.9 seconds. T4 runner Khalid Al-Muhannadi stopped his Polaris in the stage with broken front-right suspension.
A blast through the 15.93km of the Ras Laffan stage was next on the agenda. Loubet responded with his first stage win of the campaign and beat Østberg by 9.9 seconds to extend his advantage to 24.8 seconds, although the Norwegian had sustained a broken damper. Al-Rawahi continued to eat into Al-Kuwari’s hold on third place and the Omani whittled that lead down to 13.5 seconds. Al-Attiyah was second fastest.
Al-Thakhira (13.48km) was the last stage of a rapid-fire morning loop. Loubet stayed clear of trouble to lead the event after the morning’s loop. Østberg took a wrong route from the stage finish but it mattered not because the rear damper issues had cost him even more time and he trailed Loubet by 41 seconds before the Frenchman was penalised 10 seconds for another brush with the fencing. Al-Rawahi continued to eat into Al-Kuwari’s hold on third place and Al-Attiyah was fastest again. Issa Abu Jamous stopped in the stage, as Jweihan romped clear of Shaban in MERC2.
Loubet said: “It was a good morning for us. We can be pleased with what we have done. Let’s hope it can continue. Now we need to be clever and do the same.”
Østberg added: “We have a broken rear damper quite early on the second stage. We had to drive slowly. This was a shame because we had a good rhythm today. We feel that something happened on the rear damper and we checked it and it’s broken. With these short stages and also a bit of lack of confidence with the car, we know the stages quiet well. We did them last year. I was a bit surprised that we damaged the car. This time it’s on the wrong side for us. We have to fix the car and never give up. We came back from two minutes yesterday so everything is possible. We have to try again and cross fingers…”
The afternoon loop began with a re-run of Al-Khor. Østberg had three short stages to try and squeeze 31 seconds out of Loubet and gain a first win in Qatar at his third attempt. Loubet was 2.3 seconds quicker than his morning’s run but he dropped 9.7 seconds to his determined rival, who benefitted from a replaced rear damper and reduced the lead to 21.3 seconds.
Al-Rawahi delivered a stunning time that eclipsed the one set by Loubet and it was enough for last year’s joint regional champion to displace Al-Kuwari and move into third place. Al-Attiyah was fourth quickest. T4 leader Marrini stopped his Can-Am for a short time in the stage and lost the lead to rival Epis.
The Ras Laffan stage was where Østberg had broken a rear damper in the morning but the Norwegian needed to push as hard as ever on the second pass. Loubet was 1.5 seconds slower than his morning’s pass that had won the stage and he haemorrhaged another eight seconds to stage winner Østberg. He headed to the final Al-Thakhira stage with a lead of 13.3 seconds. Al-Rawahi strengthened his grip on third place.
Could Loubet hang on to seal a memorable win? He clocked a time of 7min 04.9sec and it was sufficient to fend off a charging Østberg, who was only able to beat the Frenchman by 8.7 and missed out on the win by just 4.6 seconds. Al-Rawahi and Al-Kuwari held on to seal third and fourth but Al-Attiyah’s charge through the field ended prematurely with a broken damper on his Volkswagen.
2024 Qatar International Rally – positions after SS13 (unofficial @16.10hrs):
1. Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA)/Loris Pascaud (FRA) Škoda Fabia RS 1hr 46min 37.9sec
2. Mads Østberg (NOR)/Patrik Barth (SWE) Škoda Fabia RS 1hr 46min 42.5sec
3. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia Evo 1hr 48min 18.5sec
4. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/James Fulton (IRL) Volkswagen Polo GTI 1hr 48min 50.2sec
5. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) Ford Fiesta Mk II 2hr 01min 12.4sec
6. Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Mustafa Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 06min 56.0sec
7. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 16min 00.5sec
8. Husam Salim (JOR)/Nancy Al-Majali (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 16min 11.6sec
9. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) Subaru WRX-STI 2hr 20min 59.0sec
10. Ihab Al-Shurafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 22min 32.9sec
11. Filippo Epis (ITA)/Gabriele Zanni (ITA) Yamaha YXZ 1000R (T4) 2hr 22min 36.0sec*
12. Fabid Ahmer (IND)/Milen George Cherian (IND) Subaru WRX-STI 2hr 25min 09.5sec
13. Stefano Marrini (ITA)/Stefano Tiraboschi (ITA) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T4) 2hr 25min 54.2sec*
14. Saneem Payyaakkal (ARE)/Musa Sherif (IND) Ford Fiesta Rally 4 2hr 33min 41.0sec
15. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Ross Whittock (GBR) Volkswagen Polo GTI 2hr 36min 59.4sec
16. Mohammed Al-Atteya (QAT)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 48min 01.4sec*
* denotes driver NOT registered for the MERC
-
Saneem Sani-Musa Sherif, all set for Middle East Rally full season
Mangalore, 18 January 2024: Star driver Saneem Sani and multiple National winner and celebrated co-driver Musa Sherif, are all set to take part in the full season of the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) 2024. The duo is the first pair from India to take part in a full season of MERC. They will begin their campaign with a UAE Sprint Rally on Jan 20, to acclimatise and it will also be the 75th international appearance for Sherif.
The prestigious Championship will begin with the Qatar International Rally from February 1 to 3 and will have four more rounds in Jordan (May 16 to 18), Lebanon (Sep. 6 to 8), Cyprus (October 4 to 6) and Oman (Nov 28 to 30). They will be driving a Ford Fiesta Rally4 spec in the MERC4 category.
Saneem, who made his rally debut in 2008, won three UAE Rally championships in the FWD class with Musa Sherif, a seven-time National INRC champion co-driver and winner of 22 championships. Saneem from Thrissur is now based in Dubai. They will be receiving vehicle service backup from Sharjah’s Toolbox Auto team and are supported by MRF Tyres, VIBGYOR Real Estate, Dubai, CLIVET Air condition Middle East, Alankar Hotels, Thrissur and Blueband Sports.
“Though we have been taking part in the UAE Championship, this will be another chance to represent India and bring laurels to the country. It is always a proud moment to drive for my country. We will give all our best and we are looking forward to the first round,” said Musa Sherif, a top Indian co-driver from Kasargod, who has completed 309 rallies including 74 internationals and is in his 32nd consecutive rally season. Currently, the rally veteran is supporting Blueband Sports, the Promoter, as Vice-President Operations INRC.
The Qatar International Rally in a revised three-day format will have 13 timed special stages traversing through 622.49 km.
-
Gaurav Gill displays brute speed, just 0.5 sec off the leaders: WRC Acropolis Rally
Delhi, 11 September 2023: JK Tyre backed, Indian rally ace, Gaurav Gill showcased impressive stage timings amid the tumultuous conditions at the Acropolis Rally of Greece. While the recce helped him develop a good strategy, the weather played a spoil sport from the start of the rally, throwing challenges on the go.
Showing characteristic tenacity, Gill was exceptional as he made his presence felt throughout all clean stages coupled with split times on the stages where he had breakdowns, his speed was off 0.5 to 1.0 seconds per kilometre of than WRC2 leader Andreas Mikkelsen.
Indian motorsport’s only Arjuna Awardee, Gill and his co-driver Barral Florian had gone into the hot, dusty, stages of the gruelling event expecting to be in their element. The pair were able to put up some wow moments in their Škoda Fabia R5.
Despite facing setbacks like torrential rain and dry weather which eventually cancelled the shakedown stage and curtailed few more stages. The route conditions further led to radiator issue in Gill’s Car. The Punctures picked up on the rock-strewn terrain further dashed his hopes of a strong result.
However, bouncing back strongly on the final day ending stage 13 and 14 at 10th and 8th positions in the WRC 2 classification, respectively. The rally seriously tested the mettle of the man and machine by throwing them off-guard with various trials.
On his experience at the Acropolis Rally, Gaurav Gill said, “It’s not called the ‘Rally of Gods’ for nothing! This rally is known for its treacherous conditions, the biggest challenge that you can ask for in the WRC in terms of climate, terrain and competitors. We didn’t get the result we hoped for but we were still able to mix it with the great champion drivers in terms of raw pace, despite it being our first rally of the year, which was incredibly encouraging. We also took away a lot in terms of learning and experience and I’m grateful to JK Tyre and Vamcy Merla for the opportunity. Our full focus now is on the Indonesian round of the APRC and bringing the title back to India.”
Gaurav Gill is also supported by the promoter Vamcy Merla.
-
Gaurav Gill to take part in WRC2 at Acropolis Rally of Greece
New Delhi, 5 Sept. 2023: Indian rally ace Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill, is all set for another World Rally Championship (WRC) outing in the 2023 season as he is all set to take part in one of the world’s toughest rallies, the Acropolis Rally of Greece scheduled from September 7 to 10.
Widely hailed as the ‘Rally of Gods’, the event will cover a total distance of 1,235 km, including 15 special stages stretching across 307 km over four days this weekend. This year as well, the spectators will witness 72 teams fighting it out for their spot in the grueling event.
The only Indian among the world’s best rally drivers, Gill will compete in the 30-car WRC2 category in a specially-prepped Škoda Fabia R5 alongside his French co-driver, Florian Barral. Supported by a potent pit crew team of Italian team Delta Rally, Gill will try to set new benchmark for himself. The rally will also be featuring previous Acropolis winner and current WRC2 championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen along with title rivals Yohan Rossel and Sami Pajari.
The Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2 spec car with a 5-speed, sequential, manual gearbox, that enables a driver to shift gears in milliseconds. The R5 is geared to touch a top speed of 200 km/h
Seven-time national champion and three-time APRC champion, Gill, will be in his element around the hot, dusty, and rock-strewn stages of the Rally Acropolis. Gill had put on a dazzling display of speed to finish sixth in a 35-car WRC 2 field last year.
On his participation this season,Gill said, “I’m really looking forward to driving in the Rally Acropolis. The sweltering heat, the dust, the rocky mountain passes and loose gravel all combine to make this one of the most punishing rallies on the calendar. This event is not for the faint-hearted but these conditions play to my strengths. I expect to be in my element this weekend and I’m going to give it everything to bring home a strong result.”
Last year, Gill, a master of gravel, finished his campaign just about 1 second per km behind WRC 2 leader E. Lindholm, while recording some of his best performances against seasoned WRC top category competitors, like T. Neuville. Putting himself and his car to the ultimate test in a low-visibility situation in the previous year, Gaurav is all set to take on the challenge this season as well.
The action starts post the ceremonial flag-off in Athens on Thursday as the teams will be ready to take on the brand new EKO Super Special Stage located in and around the city’s waterfront spanning 1.48kms. World’s top Rally drivers will run one at a time displaying their mean machines in front of thousands of fans.
Fans cheering for Gill can watch the event live on www.wrc.com
-
Team MRF Tyres crowned European champions again
Chennai, August 19, 2023 Team MRF Tyres are the new 2023 FIA European Rally Champions. Team MRF Tyres scored a historic double as they secured this year’s title with two rounds to spare of the eight round 2023 FIA ERC Championship.
Team MRF Tyres is the winner of the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams for a second year after it reached the penultimate event of the season with an unassailable advantage*.
Team scores enough points before the start of Barum Czech Rally, to get their 2nd Team Championship title.
Points scored by Simone Campedelli, Efrén Llarena and Mārtiṇš Sesks during the first six events of the 2023 ERC season were enough for Team MRF Tyres to celebrate another momentous achievement on the international motorsport stage.
Vivek Ponnusamy, Team Representative who heads up MRF Tyres ERC participation, said: “History is not made, it is repeated and I’m incredibly happy and proud for the entire team right from the MRF Tyres management, the engineers, the tyre technicians, drivers and co-drivers, it’s a great achievement.
“Coming to Europe as an underdog and performing at this level of competition and to win the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams back-to-back is phenomenal and I’m over the moon. Even if this weekend’s rally has not started, we are already drenched in champagne so it’s a very good feeling.”
Team MRF successfully defended its 2022 team’s crown in what has been a hard-fought season with MRF Tyres taking on, and winning, against the established Global MNC rally tyre manufacturers. Having dominated in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championships for 9 wins, MRF Tyres set its sights on rallying in the top levels of European competition and joined the FIA ERC in 2020. With an intensive product development strategy, MRF Tyres soon started winning stages, rallies, and championships. This second championship win in the ERC is proof of the quality, performance and resilience of MRF Tyres.
Team MRF Tyres entered the 2023 FIA ERC season with high hopes after a championship winning performance in 2022 and it was immediately clear that any result would have to be earned, as the field was one toughest in years.
The season started well with a podium for Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernandez in the Rally Islas Canarias. After the podium success in Spain, the season moved to the fast gravel stages of Rally Liepaja and Rally Poland and Martins Sesks with Renars Francis would dominate these two fast rallies. Both rallies demanded absolute precision and confidence from the driver and the tyre, with the MRF product performing faultlessly throughout the events.
The back-to-back wins put Team MRF Tyres in the prime position for the Team’s Championship, which was further solidified with another podium in the first Royal Rally of Scandinavia. With solid points, including vital Powerstage points for Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton at the Rally di Roma Capitale, the goal of a second Team’s Championship was achieved. To underline MRF Tyres’ success, the second team, the MRF Tyres Dealer Team sits third in the standings, having taken podiums with Mads Ostberg and Patrik Barth, along with stage wins for Andrea Mabellini and Virigina Lenzi.
With two wins and two podiums in six rallies for Team MRF Tyres, it has undoubtedly been a year of sheer dominance.
The team, however, will not back off in its pursuit of success in top line rallying in Europe. There are two rounds of the FIA ERC remaining, and the commitment to competition has never been stronger. The 2023 Team’s Championship sits alongside 2022 FIA ERC driver’s and team’s championship, along with championships from the Italian gravel and tarmac championship from 2021 and 2022 and the 2021 Finnish Rally Championship.
Quotes
Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Ltd.
“I am extremely proud of the success achieved by MRF Tyres in the 2023 FIA European Rally Championship. As India’s leading tyre manufacturer we looked to take India to the world stage and compete in the toughest rally competitions in the world. We knew it would take dedication and determination to succeed and to do it once was a challenge, to back up that success in 2023 proves the talent and skill of the entire team at MRF Tyres. I would like to extend my congratulations to the team and I look forward to our future challenges.”
Martins Sesks, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“We came into this year knowing that it would be a challenge. In the FIA European Rally Championship, you have to earn every result, as the quality of the teams and the drivers is very high. I have been proud to represent MRF Tyres in the Championship and being able to stand on the top step of the podium after winning at home in Latvia and in Poland, has made me extremely proud. I would like to thank and I would also congratulate everyone at MRF Tyres for this Championship success.”
Efrén Llarena, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“I am proud to have been a part of Team MRF Tyres for the last couple of seasons and to be a part of their championship title success. As a team, we have put in so much hard work and we are always trying to improve, trying new ideas and looking for the extra tenths of seconds. You just have to look at the dedication of everyone at MRF Tyres, and you understand that this Championship didn’t come by chance, but by hard work. I would like to thank and congratulate the entire MRF Tyres team.”
Simone Campedelli, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“It has been a tough and rewarding season with MRF Tyres and it has been great to be a part of the Championship success. The testing and effort that has gone into the success from the entire team is clear. The success we have achieved across Europe makes it clear that MRF Tyres will play an important role in the future of European rallying. Congratulations to everyone in the team.”
*Subject to confirmation of the results by FIA
-
Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin win Rally of Finland: WRC
Elfyn Evans stormed to victory at Secto Rally Finland on Sunday afternoon to keep alive his chances of fighting for this year’s FIA World Rally Championship title.
6 August 2023: A dramatic crash for WRC-leading team-mate Kalle Rovanperä propelled Evans into the lead on Friday afternoon and the Welshman reeled off a stunning seven back-to-back stage wins on Saturday to leave closest challenger Thierry Neuville trailing in his wake.
He extended the buffer further on Sunday to triumph by 39.1sec in a Toyota GR Yaris and with maximum points for winning the closing Wolf Power Stage, Evans slashed Rovanperä’s points advantage from 55 to 25 with four rounds remaining.
“It’s been a pretty good weekend,” said Evans, for whom this was a seventh career win. “Of course we’re sorry for the loss of Kalle at the start of the rally but after that it’s been really fantastic to drive this car – it’s such a joy to be behind the wheel of on these roads and we’re really happy with this one.
“It’s been a fantastic atmosphere and great to have the support behind us. Of course, in terms of the championship it’s also not bad and we close the gap.”
Evans’ Toyota Gazoo Racing team is based near the host city of Jyväskylä and victory extended its manufacturers’ championship lead over Hyundai Motorsport to 67 points.
Changeable conditions provided furious action on the season’s fastest roads with early challengers Ott Tänak and Esapekka Lappi both joining Rovanperä on Friday’s list of retirements. Engine failure sidelined Tänak’s M-Sport Ford Puma while Lappi crashed his Hyundai into a tree.
Neuville enjoyed one of his strongest performances on Finland’s flat-out terrain but ultimately had no answer to Evans’ rapid pace. Remaining third in the championship after round nine, the Belgian finished with a hefty 57.6sec gap to the Toyota of Takamoto Katsuta behind.
Katsuta duelled relentlessly with Hyundai rival Teemu Suninen. The latter went all in, bravely opting to save weight by not carrying a spare wheel through the four-stage finale. But that still wasn’t enough to relegate Katsuta, who celebrated his fourth career podium and ended 4.3sec clear.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala made a popular return to top-level competition after more than three years away. The Finn was never really in the thick of the podium battle but consistency rewarded him with fifth.
High attrition at the sharp end enabled Oliver Solberg, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, to claim sixth overall ahead of WRC2 victors Sami Pajari and co-driver Enni Mälkönen in a Toksport WRT2-entered Škoda Fabia RS. Eighth place went to WRC2 runner-up Adrien Fourmaux, driving an M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta MkII, while Pajari’s teammate Nikolay Gryazin and Toksport WRT3’s Andreas Mikkelsen completed the top 10.
-
WRC – Evans takes lead; Rovanpera rolls out: Rally Finland
Elfyn Evans was catapulted into the lead of Secto Rally Finland when team-mate Kalle Rovanperä’s golden streak came to an abrupt halt during Friday’s opening leg.
Home hero Rovanperä, who carried a commanding 55-point lead into this ninth FIA World Rally Championship round, reeled off five consecutive benchmark times in a Toyota GR Yaris and headed chasing colleague Evans by 5.7sec approaching the day’s seventh stage in Myhinpää.
But a rare mistake 11.1km after the start brought a disastrous end to the defending world champion’s day when he lost control of his GR Yaris and rolled end-over-end. Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen emerged from the wreckage unscathed despite the force of the impact being strong enough to tear a rear wheel from the car.
Evans, currently second in the points, inherited the top spot from his stranded team-mate and negotiated the remaining two stages error-free to head Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville by a mere 6.9sec overnight.
“Overall it’s been an okay day,” said Evans, who was frustrated to give away 2.8sec to Neuville in the Harju finale. “We’re pretty happy overall and obviously we’ve still got a lot of driving to do tomorrow.”
Mistakes were punished brutally on central Finland’s superfast gravel roads and Rovanperä wasn’t the only victory contender to come unstuck. His Hyundai-driving compatriot Esapekka Lappi crashed into a tree in SS4 whilst running fourth overall.
Ott Tänak, leader after Thursday’s evening’s super special stage in Jyväskylä city centre, retired his Puma in SS3 with terminal engine failure and his M-Sport Ford partner Pierre-Louis Loubet crashed in the same test.
Neuville’s day wasn’t without drama, either. The Belgian reported a lack of rear traction early in the day and struggled for visibility under scattered rain showers on multiple occasions. He headed Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, who won the opening stage, by 9.5sec at close of play.
In fourth overall and within reaching distance of the podium was Teemu Suninen. The Finn is contesting his second rally aboard an i20 N Rally1 and trailed Katsuta by 12.4sec after building his speed throughout the day.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala rounded out the top five on his first WRC start since 2020. Behind him was Jari Huttunen, who led WRC2 in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 after leapfrogging Sami Pajari when the youngster suffered tyre damage in the penultimate stage.
Toksport WRT2’s Nikolay Gryazin, Oliver Solberg, both in a Škoda Fabia RS, and Adrien Fourmaux in an M-Sport Ford-entered Fiesta MkII, complete the top 10 going into Saturday, host to the rally’s longest leg with eight special stages totalling 160.68km.
Benjamin Korhola heads the WRC3 class, ahead of fellow countryman Jesse Kallio (+32.0) and Turkey’s Ali Türkkan, almost two minutes behind, all in Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars.
-
Rovanpera claims third Rally Estonia win: WRC
Estonia, 23 July 2023: Kalle Rovanperä secured his third consecutive Rally Estonia triumph this afternoon (Sunday) with a dominant drive on round eight of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship season.
In 2021 Rovanperä became the WRC’s youngest winner on Estonia’s ultra-fast special stages. He leaves the country two years on 55 points clear at the top of the provisional title standings and a step closer to claiming back-to-back world crowns aboard his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid.
The 22-year-old Finn, with compatriot Jonne Halttunen co-driving, finished the four-day gravel-based fixture 52.7s ahead of Thierry Neuville, who led after Friday’s opening loop in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid.
But Rovanperä seized top spot later that day before reeling off nine consecutive fastest times on Saturday to exert his supremacy.
With the forecasted rain not materialising during Sunday’s closing leg, Rovanperä again remained untouchable, winning all four stages in and gaining maximum Wolf Power Stage bonus points in the process. Such was the level of his outstanding performance that Rovanperä won 15 of the rally’s 21 special stages.
“An important event, this one,” he said. “For the championship it’s a really important place to get good points and the plan was this exactly. It’s my favourite event of the calendar so I knew we had to push here, and it went well.”
Neuville virtually conceded defeat by Saturday night but was in high spirits after enjoying one of the strongest fast gravel rally performances of his career. He could not afford to cruise through Sunday, though, with team-mate Esapekka Lappi completing the podium just 6.8s behind after more than 300 kilometres of fast-paced competition.
Lappi’s result marked his fourth top-three finish for the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, which now trails Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT by 57 points in the Manufacturers’ title race. Lappi and Toyota-driving Welshman Elfyn Evans were closely matched with only 7.3s separating them at the final control.
Teemu Suninen made it three Hyundais in the top five, finishing over one-minute back from Evans after a faultless drive on his i20 N Rally1 debut. Behind him was Pierre-Louis Loubet, who re-passed Takamoto Katsuta on the Wolf Power Stage to claim sixth overall.
Loubet’s M-Sport Ford Puma team-mate Ott Tänak was the pre-event favourite but his hopes of a home victory were squashed before the rally had even started. Issues on Thursday’s shakedown stage forced a last-minute engine change and incurred a five-minute penalty before the opening stage.
Andreas Mikkelsen maintained his lead in the FIA WRC2 category and finished ninth in the overall standings. Sami Pajari, campaigning an identical Toksport-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 similar to that of Mikkelsen’s, completed the top 10 and won the FIA WRC2 Challenger category in the process.
Roope Korhonen topped the FIA WRC3 order with Grégoire Munster beating Laurent Pellier to FIA Junior WRC honours. Alexander Villanueva won the WRC Masters’ Cup category.
Romet Jürgenson, who is taking part in the FIA Rally Star Training Season, used his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to build his experience of international-level competition and promptly won the RC4 category after several local sponsors stepped forward to support his participation.
Secto Rally Finland is up next on the FIA World Rally Championship schedule, the Jyväskylä-based event providing another high-speed gravel spectacle for the WRC stars and their cars.
