INDIA in F1

Category: WRC, Rally

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: MRF, Gaurav Gill looking forward to an improved show

    Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: MRF, Gaurav Gill looking forward to an improved show

    Photos: Courtesy MRF Racing

    Tir Prince, 4 October 2018: Team MRF Tyres is looking forward to getting back on the World Rally Championship stages at the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB which will take place on 4-7 October. The Dayinsure Wales Rally GB is the third WRC round the team has entered this year as they prepare for their 2019 assault.

    Having competed on the rough roads of Rally Italia Sardegna and the fast roads of Neste Rally Finland, the classic stages in Wales will prove to be another challenging and unique test.

    The M-Sport team will again be running the Ford Fiesta R5 and their home-ground experience will be valuable for the continued development of the MRF rally tyre range.

    Gaurav Gill….all set for Welsh challenge

    India’s Gaurav Gill will again be in the driver’s seat. He competed in Wales Rally GB in 2008 in a Group N spec car and is excited to return the stages that saw his debut into global rallying.

    Australia’s Glenn Macneall is back in the co-driver’s seat and has also made one start in Great Britain, having rallied to a PWRC class podium in 2009.

    Gill said: “I am looking forward to jumping back in the MRF Tyres Fiesta at Wales Rally GB. The team in India have put a lot of effort into this rally and we have new developments with the MRF Tyres that we are bringing here. I competed here once in a production rally car in 2008 and I am looking forward to the challenge that these roads will present.”

    MRF Tyres’ commitment to being competitive in the WRC is evident by their continual development of the WRC tyre range.

    The Team MRF Tyres Ford Fiesta R5 will be competing with 23 other R5 entries in what will be a very competitive field.

    The Dayinsure Wales Rally GB sees a return to the central service park in Deeside and gets underway with the Shakedown and blast through the 1.7km Spectator Super Special on 4 October.

    Friday’s stages will see eight competitive stages over 110km in the Brenig, Alwen and Penmachno forests of North Wales. A grueling Saturday will see nine stages and 150km of running. Legendary stages Sweet Lamb, Myherin and Dyfi all await the crews. The crews will have a remote service in Newtown before coming back to Deeside in the evening.

    Sunday’s stages will see five stages and 55km of running with the coastal run around Great Orme Llandudno being the final stage of the rally. In total the crews will rally on 318.34 of competitive stages.

  • Wales Rally GB: M-Sport pair Ogier, Ingrassia eyeing a strong result on home turf

    Wales Rally GB: M-Sport pair Ogier, Ingrassia eyeing a strong result on home turf

    All WRC photos courtesy M-Sport

    Wales, 3 October 2018: Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia are no strangers to the taste of champagne, and especially not in Wales where the World Rally Champions have four victories to their name. Currently locked in an intense three-way battle for a sixth World title, the M-Sport Ford Fiesta pairing will be looking to challenge for victory once again this weekend.

    M-Sport Ford’s fleet of EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs will be chasing a strong result when the FIA World Rally Championship ventures to the team’s home event this week.

    Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt know what it takes to tame the tricky Welsh stages and secured their maiden victory on home soil last year. The Brits will have home support on their side this week, and Evans even has a corner named after him on the Myherin stage! Keen to close the latter half of the season with some strong results, the British pairing will be ones to watch.

    Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula have come to prove that they cannot be discounted at any event. Wales Rally GB might be one of the most challenging events on the calendar, but the young Finn seems to thrive when the going gets tough. Having secured the WRC 2 victory on his first ever appearance in Wales, Suninen took an instant liking to the Welsh forests and could spring a surprise or two next week.

    Sébastien Ogier said: “Wales Rally GB is one of the classics and an event that everyone wants to win. The stages are steeped in motorsport history and the early starts and late finishes make it a true test of focus and endurance. Win in Wales, and you know that you have mastered the challenge.

    “It’s one of the most challenging rallies on the calendar and there is a real art to judging the grip through the forests. The demanding weather conditions can take a bit of getting used to, but we could see a dry rally this year which would be interesting for sure!

    “This time 12 months ago, the Welsh forests played host to an incredible story as we claimed all three championships with Malcolm and his team. The title fight could not be closer this year, but the team can rest assured that we will give our very best in pursuit of the strongest possible result to keep our championship hopes alive!”

    To best prepare for Wales Rally GB’s notoriously challenging stages, the team completed four days of testing – both at home in Cumbria as well as on-location in the Welsh forests. And with the event’s past five winners all behind the wheel of the Fiesta this week, the team have high hopes of once again challenging for victory.

    Last year’s victory was particularly special as the Welsh fixture played host to an incredible weekend for the Cumbrian squad who secured the win as well as the FIA World Rally Championships for Manufacturers, Drivers and Co-drivers.

    The Championships can’t be secured on Welsh soil this year, but the victory will be hotly contested and could well prove pivotal as the season draws to a close; and M-Sport Ford will be giving their all in pursuit of a repeat performance.

    Wales Rally GB is one of the classics – an iconic event that every rally driver wants to win. Steeped in motorsport history, the British round has it all and provides one of the biggest challenges of the year.

    Mud, rain, fog, even snow and ice – anything can be expected in Wales. Glorious sunshine could even be a possibility this year and the crews could face a dry Wales Rally GB for the first time in a number of years.

    Whatever the conditions this weekend, the challenge remains. Focus and endurance are key and the crews will be tested to the maximum. Make no mistake, a win in Wales will have been hard fought and that’s why every driver wants to add this one to their repertoire.

    Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “The competition could not be closer and we’ll be hoping for another strong result on home soil. Nothing will ever top last year when we secured all three titles as well as the rally win, but we are aiming to be in the fight for another victory this year.

    “Both Sébastien and Elfyn know what it takes to stand on the top step of the podium in Wales. Sébastien has won this event four times, and Elfyn not only grew up on these roads but also made history when he won the event last year – the first Welsh driver to ever do so at this level.

    “This will be Teemu’s first time here in a world rally car and there will be a lot to learn, but time after time he proves what a quick learner he is and I wouldn’t be surprised if he sprung another surprise or two this weekend.”

  • WRC 2019: Sebastien Ogier to return to Citroen along with co-driver Julien Ingrassia

    WRC 2019: Sebastien Ogier to return to Citroen along with co-driver Julien Ingrassia

    Ogier and Ingrassia….FIA World Rally Championship 2018 – WRC Monte Carlo (FRA). PHOTO: @World

    Paris, 29 September 2018: World rally champion Sébastien Ogier, along with co-driver Julien Ingrassia, will return to Citroën Racing next season after signing a two-year deal with the French manufacturer. He returns to the Satory-based team, with whom he spent the early days of his WRC career, after a two-year spell with M-Sport Ford.

    Friday afternoon’s announcement was not a surprise after it became apparent in recent weeks that the 34-year-old Frenchman was edging towards Citroën rather than extending his stay with the British squad.

    Ogier made it clear last month he would agree one final WRC contract before ending his stay in a championship he has dominated in recent seasons, but there is no confirmation of how long his contact is.

    Five consecutive World titles with Volkswagen Motorsport and M-Sport Ford have made him the WRC’s second most successful driver behind former Citroën team-mate Sébastien Loeb.

    Ogier said a key factor behind his switch was the desire to win the Championship with a third team, something only Juha Kankkunen has achieved.

    “There were various factors that influenced my decision. I really like the idea of working again with people with whom things went pretty well a few years back and I’m also excited by the chance to try and pull off the challenge of becoming World champion with a third different manufacturer,” he explained.

    “And although I’m not taking anything for granted, I am convinced the car has definite potential and I have great faith in the people at Satory.

    “I’m really enthusiastic about the prospect of taking on this new challenge with Citroën. In fact, I can’t wait, especially as I haven’t forgotten that this is the team that first gave me the opportunity to compete in the World Championship.”

    Ogier won the junior World title with Citroën in 2008 before making his first appearance at the top level later that season.

    He drove for Citroën’s second-string in 2009 and 2010, claiming his first WRC win in Portugal. He was promoted to the top team in the second half of 2010, but left after the 2011 season following increasing tension between himself, Loeb and management regarding team orders.

    M-Sport team celebrating the Monte Carlo triumph. Photo: M-Sport

    Ogier joined M-Sport Ford in 2017 after Volkswagen stepped back from the WRC. The switch from the well-funded German squad to Malcolm’s Wilson privately-run team took many by surprise.

    “When we decided to join M-Sport two years ago, many considered it a risk. I considered it a challenge, and together we achieved something extraordinary,” he said.

    “Malcolm and his team have such a passion for rallying, and I would like to thank each and every one of them for what has been an incredible two years together.

    “It’s now time for another new challenge, but first we will focus on bringing this special partnership to a close in the best possible way. The championship is still extremely close and we’ll keep fighting to keep our chances alive and keep pushing until the very end.”

    Citroën team principal Pierre Budar made clear his desire to resign Ogier in a bid to rejuvenate the team’s flagging fortunes following the mid-season departure of Kris Meeke.

    “I’m obviously delighted to welcome Sébastien and Julien back into the fold. The fact they are joining us is an incredible boost for the whole team. Everyone is going to be even more motivated than ever.

    “We’re already pulling out all the stops to make sure our second stint working together adds to our great history in the sport and showcases the Citroën brand. We feel good!” he said.

    Having secured victories in Monte-Carlo, Mexico and Corsica this year, Sébastien and Julien are also in with a strong chance of defending their titles and the entire team will continue to work their hardest to ensure this successful partnership comes to a close on another high.

    M-Sport Ford Press Release adds:

    Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “I would like to thank Sébastien and Julien for everything they have done for the team over the past two years. Their professionalism, attention to detail, determination and outright speed is something to be admired and we’re all very sorry to see them go.

    “I am immensely proud of everything we achieved together, and their time with the team is something that I think everyone will remember for a long time to come.

    “We wish them well with the next and final chapter of their careers, but there are still three events left to contest this year and the whole team will continue to give one hundred and ten percent in the defence of our championship titles.”

    Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsport, Mark Rushbrook, said: “All of us at Ford are sad to see Sébastien and Julien leave the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team at the end of the 2018 WRC season, but I would like to thank them personally for the great work they have done for us over the last two seasons with the team and to wish them both all the very best for the future.

    “We know we have a really strong package with the Ford Fiesta World Rally Car and all our efforts are focussed on the remaining three rallies as we try to replicate the success of 2017. We will work with our long term rally partners M-Sport on the 2019 driver line up and I am confident we will have a really strong package to continue to deliver the success that we aim for in all the motorsports activities we have around the World.”

  • Raid de Himalaya 2018: New section will challenge the best of men and machine

    Raid de Himalaya 2018: New section will challenge the best of men and machine

    Shimla, 28 September 2018: On the most impossible roads of the Kargil, Zanskar and Ladakh sectors, motorsport titans of India are going to clash at the 20th edition of the Raid de Himalaya, the World’s highest cross-country motorsport challenge. The Raid 2018 will run from October 8 to October 14. It will begin and finish at Leh.

    A total of 31 teams for Xtreme cars and trucks, 37 teams for Xtreme motorcycles and quads, 12 bikers in the Alpine two-wheeler category, and 31 teams in Adventure Trail, which follows the Time-Speed-Distance format, are going to race on the highest reaches of the Himalayas.

    This year’s Raid will run its first stage on the never-before traversed section from Lamayuru, called the Moonland of Ladakh, to Photoksar. Rallyists are going to race on a newly-upgraded road that was earlier a mule track into Zanskar. Crossing the Sirisir La at a height of 4,805 meters above sea level, the 20th Raid De Himalaya is going to enter totally unchartered territory.

    Raid 2018 is all set for the clash between motorsport titans Philippos Mathai and Amittrajit Ghosh of Team Mahindra, Raid winner 2015 Lhakpa Tsering, Raid 2017 runners-up Sanjay Razdan and Sanjay Agarwal, Raid 2017 third overall.

    The choice of vehicles for these motorsport champions is diverse. The gruelling Raid de Himalaya 2018 is going to feature Mathai and Ghosh driving the XUV 500, Sanjay Razdan driving the Maruti Gypsy, Sanjay Agarwal driving the Grand Vitara, and Lakhpa Tsering of Arunachal Pradesh challenging them all with the Polaris RZR 1000 Turbo Dynamix.

    Raid 2018 will see competitors racing to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 meters above sea level. This is one of the most spectacular stretches globally, and is listed on dangerousroads.org. The high mountain road features more than 50 hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs.

    Lhakpa Tsering, Raid Winner 2015, said it takes guts to race at the heights and the roads that form part of the Raid de Himalaya. “Rallying is not cricket or tennis where you have 17-18 year olds as champions. Competitive high-altitude racing needs maturity, brains and physical fitness, and tremendous grit,” said Lakhpa, 45, who has been in motorsport for 20 years.

    The Raid is considered among the top ten toughest rallies of the World. The Raid was established in 1999, and those in the motorsport circuit admit that it’s made grown men cry ever since.

    In 20 years, the Raid has mapped a total of 13.23 lakh kilometres over the highest motorable roads of the Himalayas, including route reconnaissance and transport stages. Competitors driving four wheelers, two wheelers and scarabs have raced over 41,570 kilometers in two decades.

    Raid de Himalaya, India’s most formidable motorsport race, is the flagship rally of the country’s leading motorsport club, Himalayan Motorsport. Vijay Parmar, President of Himalayan Motorsport, said that it has been the Raid’s tradition to open new areas every year to adventure tourism.

    “Raid 2018 offers new winding high-altitude dirt roads as extremely challenging stages on the worlds’ highest cross-country challenge. We have been discovering new routes every year. For the 20th anniversary of our epic rally, there had to be something special. Racing on the new pass of Kaldang-Kildang La at an elevation of 4.092m in the Ladakh region, and the daunting stretches of Photoksar and Sirisir La promises to make Raid 2018 a nail-biting finish,” said Parmar.

  • Gill returns to conquer Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare again

    Gaurav Gill (2nd rom right) and Musa Sherif (right) pose along with bike rally winners at Goa on Saturday. A Motorsports Inc photo

    Goa, 8 Sept 2018: Six years after his first and triumphant foray into the desert, ace Indian rallyist and speed demon Gaurav Gill returned to conquer the Dakshin Dare once again, scorching the field in his inimitable style over five gruelling days as the Maruti Suzuki  sponsored rally concluded here on Saturday.

    With his trusted navigator Musa Sherif by his side, the six-time APRC champion won each of the five legs and most of the 15 Special Stages.

    In the bike category, Vishwas SD claimed the overall title, making the most of overnight leader and firm favourite Yuva Kumar’s misfortune in literally the last Special Stage, SS12, of the rally.

    Yuva, who was leading all the way from the start, saw his bike broke down with just 15 kilometres to go and by the time he could repair the damage, he lost 15 minutes and the crown.

    Gill’s teammate Philippos Matthai (with PVS Moorthy) claimed the overall second place in the car category while Maruti Suzuki’s Samrat Yadav (with Karan Aukta) held on to the third position.

    Gill and Musa crossed a significant milestone while racing away to their second victory in the Dakshin Dare, organised by Motorsport Inc; it was their 50th rally together and their 31st win to set a unique Indian record. Incredibly, they made the podium each of the 35 times they had completed a rally, missing out the remaining 15 times only due to DNFs.

    “Even after all these years, I retain the same enthusiasm for rallying. I am motivated enough to give 200 per cent each time I drive,” Gill said, while accepting the team championship trophy.

    “We had a very good team and a great strategy that helped us last five tough days,” he added.

    Gill took 06:57:44 to complete the five legs, winning with a handsome margin of over 15 minutes. On the last day, he went all out in the rally’s longest stage and clocked 01:15:50 minutes for the 70 kilometres.

    Team Maruti Suzuki were in the thick of all the action, with Sandeep Sharma and Suresh Rana grabbing the fourth and fifth places.

    The 2,000-kilometre rally began in Bangalore on September 2 and traversed through Karnataka and Maharashtra before finishing in Goa on Saturday night.

    Results: Cars

    1. Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sharif – 6hrs, 57min, 44sec;
    2. Phillippos Matthai / PVS Moorthy  7:12:00;
    3. Samrat Yadav / Karan Aukta  7:21:10.

    BIKES

    1. Vishwas S.D
    2. Vinay Prasad
    3. Yuva Kumar

    Car Open

    1. Pramod Vig / Prakash M
    2. Raghunandan / Sakthevel
    3. Santhosh / Naga

    SUV Open

    1. Vinay Kumar / Ravi Kumar

    Day Car – OE

    1. Srikanth / Raghuraman
    2. Nanditha Reddy / Sanjana Reddy

    Day SUV – OE

    1. Philip Baklin / David Sharon
    2. Deepak Sachdeva / Japjyot Singh

    Day Couple

    1. Captain Abhilasha Singh / Shailendra Singh
    2. Anil Abbas / Sini Anil
    3. Snighda Kemkar / Balachandra

    Day All Ladies

    1. Geetha Wadhwa / Pratibha
    2. Ashima Duggal / Amrita Shergil
    3. Usha Jain / Harshitha J Sonia
  • Back-to-back victories for Tanak-Jarveoja: WRC German Rally

    Back-to-back victories for Tanak-Jarveoja: WRC German Rally

    Ott Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja in a splendid jump on way to a WRC round win in Germany. Photos: FIA

    Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja have taken their second consecutive victory in Rallye Deutschland, as well as in the FIA World Rally Championship after their dominant win on the last round in Finland. The Toyota crew again controlled the event, leading from the third stage, to triumph for the third time this season. After a drama-filled morning, Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul finished an unexpected second with Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm moving up to third, giving Toyota it’s second consecutive double podium finish.

    In the FIA World Rally Championship, Neuville has extended his lead over Sebastien Ogier but by only two points, such was today’s rate of attrition and the Frenchman’s maximum points haul in the Power Stage. Tänak’s victory and four points in the Power Stage sees the Estonian nearly halve the deficit to Ogier and he is now only 13 points adrift in third. The Manufacturers’ Championship continues to be led by the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team but Toyota GAZOO Racing has overhauled M-Sport Ford for second position and is chasing down the Korean manufacturer, 13 points separating the teams.

    Tänak was able to adopt a cautious approach over today’s closing three stages and 72.18 competitive kilometres and the Estonian took a near maximum points haul away from the last full asphalt event of the season. Behind him, however, it was carnage among the front-runners. Starting the day in second position, Dani Sordo had a charging Jari-Matti Latvala just eight-tenths of a second behind him and, while pushing on through the first stage, the Spaniard went off the road into the vineyards. Despite damage to the front end, and a broken windscreen, he was able to continue but was unable to start the next stage with temperatures running too high. Next to hit problems was third-placed Latvala, the Finn stopping in the same stage with a transmission problem. As such, Neuville climbed from fourth to second. The Belgian was fastest through the day’s opener and despite a couple of small mistakes had enough of a buffer to Lappi to secure the position at the end of a dramatic event. Lappi notched up his best result on Tarmac and was delighted to have a clean weekend with no problems, the reward being third overall.

    Ott Tanak and Martin Jarveoja on podium.

    Ogier eventually secured fourth on an event he had the potential to win, such was his pace. His maximum Power Stage points limited the damage in the title fight and once again he will be looking to re-set ahead of the next round in Turkey. Team-mate Teemu Suninen was behind in fifth, exceeding his own expectations on his first Tarmac event in a WRC car and happy to have shown improved speed over the course of the rally. Andreas Mikkelsen was sixth, enduring a difficult weekend as he tirelessly worked to adapt his driving style to the Tarmac spec i20 Coupe WRC. After his accident yesterday, Craig Breen regained his confidence and finished last of the leading WRC cars in seventh. Mads Østberg rounded out a disappointing weekend for Citroen with an off in the opening stage, forcing him into retirement with underbody damage.

    In the FIA WRC 2 Championship, Jan Kopecký never gave up after losing so much time with a puncture yesterday. He fought his way through the field and with a string of three fastest times today, he overhauled Kalle Rovanperä and Fabio Andolfi to take the category win by 3.8 seconds and the lead in the series. Taisko Lario took two stage wins today en route to his first WRC 3 victory. The Finn, who grew up competing on gravel roads, was delighted with the result, even more so being that it was on Tarmac. He beat Enrico Brazzoli and Louise Cook.

    The 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the crews to Marmaris for the all-new Rally Turkey. Despite the country hosting rounds of the WRC previously, this will be the first time the event has been based in this part of Turkey and absolutely everything about this gravel encounter will be new for all the contenders.

    Rallye Deutschland – Final unofficial results (subject to final scrutineering)

    1 Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 03min 36.9sec
    2 Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 04min 16.1sec
    3 Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 04min 37.8sec
    4 Sebastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 05min 11.4sec
    5 Teemu Suninen / Mikko Markkula Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 05min 39.8sec
    6 Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 05min 50.7sec
    7 Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroen C3 WRC 3hr 06min 16.0sec
    8 Marijan Griebel / Alexander Rath Citroen DS3 WRC 3hr 14min 18.1sec
    9 Jan Kopecký / Pavel Dresler Škoda Fabia R5 3hr 16min 49.7sec
    10 Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen Škoda Fabia R5 3hr 16min 53.5sec

  • Ott Tanak fastest on stages: WRC, Rallye Deutschland

    Ott Tänak extended his advantage over the repeated loop of Rallye Deutschland stages with a clean sweep of fastest times. The Estonian now has 12.3 seconds in hand to reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier, while Thierry Neuville has dropped a little further back but remains in third position.

    Tänak went into the loop with a 7.2 second advantage and a string of three stage wins saw the Estonian progressively increase his lead, despite some tricky conditions after the rain this morning. Ogier was never far off his pace but admitted it was difficult to fight against the Tänak/Toyota package today. After a gearbox and steering rack change during the mid-leg service, Neuville continued to push hard and was pleased to have had a mistake-free, near perfect day. He is 15.1 seconds adrift of main championship rival Ogier.

    Behind the leading trio, Elfyn Evans catapulted up the leaderboard from seventh to fourth in the first of the afternoon stages, such has been the close competition between four drivers. The Welshman has had a strong afternoon and was much happier during the repeated stages. The battle he is in remains intense however, with the following three drivers only five seconds away. Jari-Matti Latvala, in fifth, moved up a place this afternoon with better confidence after changing some differential settings on the Yaris WRC. Despite a couple of small mistakes, he is only a second adrift of Evans with Dani Sordo only 3.9 seconds behind. Esapekka Lappi admitted to needing more mileage to understand the limit of the car on the dirty roads, the Finn thinking he was not brave enough despite feeling he was driving on the limit. He is seventh but only one-tenth of a second adrift of Sordo. Craig Breen struggled to get the car flowing as he wanted and is 15.2 seconds further behind in eighth. Andreas Mikkelsen continues to try and adapt his driving style to suit the Hyundai, but is struggling to get a natural feeling. Teemu Suninen moved into the top 10 as Mads Østberg had some sort of air intake problem all afternoon, the result of an issue during service which left him down on power. As a consequence, the Norwegian dropped to 11th.

    The FIA WRC 2 Championship is headed by Czech Rally Champion Jan Kopecký. The Škoda driver won two of the three stages this afternoon to take a 22.2 second lead over Yoann Bonato into Saturday. Eric Camilli is however just one-tenth of a second behind his fellow countryman in third. Taisko Lario continues to lead the small field in the FIA WRC 3 Championship category, the Finn taking two of the three stage wins with second-placed Enrico Brazzoli the other. Louise Cook is third.

    Rallye Deutschland – Unofficial results after Section 3

    1 Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 59min 22.6sec
    2 Sebastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 59min 34.9sec
    3 Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 59min 50.0sec
    4 Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 1hr 00min 00.4sec
    5 Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 1hr 00min 01.4sec
    6 Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 1hr 00min 05.3sec
    7 Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 1hr 00min 05.4sec
    8 Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroen C3 WRC 1hr 00min 20.6sec
    9 Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 1hr 00min 21.6sec
    10 Teemu Suninen / Mikko Markkula Ford Fiesta WRC 1hr 00min 44.0sec

  • WRC returns to gravel stages: Rallye Deutschland

    After four consecutive gravel rallies, the FIA World Rally Championship contenders return to asphalt competition for the ninth round of the series. Rallye Deutschland is regarded as one of the trickiest sealed surface events, largely due to the variety of different roads and potentially inclement weather that can make tyre choice such a gamble.

    The event was first held in 1982, running as part of the FIA European Rally Championship, and was included in the WRC in 2002. It provides a complete mix of conditions for the crews with narrow and twisty stages in the vineyards, daunting concrete roads in the tank training grounds at Baumholder, as well as more flowing country roads around the Mosel valley. The level of concentration and stamina is high and, if the weather conditions change through the day, the work of the route note crews permitted on asphalt events is even more critical. Running ahead of the competitors, these crews relay the most up to date information about road and weather conditions to their team, helping to provide an accurate assessment of what to expect.

    Thierry Neuville continues to head the Championship standings, he and arch-rival Sébastien Ogier split by 21 points going into an event where road-sweeping duties will not be a factor. After his impressive victory in Finland, Ott Tänak also made inroads on the Championship leaders, but the Estonian remains focused on maximum rally-by-rally points before thinking about a challenge for the title. Hyundai dropped only a handful of points to M-Sport Ford in Finland and continue to lead the Manufacturers’ Championship. However, after a double podium finish last time out, Toyota has significantly closed the gap to M-Sport Ford, just one point separating the two. The FIA WRC 2 Championship contenders are also back in action, an impressive 19 crews registering for this event. Series leader Pontus Tidemand again sits out this round, but his nearest rival, asphalt expert Jan Kopecký, will be looking to head a strong field and take maximum points to retake the lead in this hotly contested series. There is also a tight battle in the FIA WRC 3 Championship, which is currently being led by Jean-Baptiste Franceschi who has not nominated this event as a points-scoring round.

    THE 2018 ROUTE

    The area around St. Wendel takes centre stage for the start and finish ceremonies and an all-new super special stage opens the action on Thursday evening. Friday heads into the vineyards for two identical loops of three stages, the opener – Stein und Wein – not included in the itinerary since 2015. Saturday’s stage distance, at 150.12 kilometres, makes up nearly 50% of the entire competitive route and takes the contenders into the feared military camp of Baumholder where avoiding the massive hinkelstein kerbs, which are designed to keep tanks on the road, adds to the challenge. The day also includes two runs through the longest stage of the event, Panzerplatte. Sunday is back to the scenic roads in the Mosel vineyards for three stages, one of which is repeated. The final Power Stage takes the crews to Bosenberg, which has also not been run since 2015. The podium and prize-giving will then take place in St. Wendel.

    Three stages will be broadcast live on television: SS1 on Thursday, SS12 on Saturday and the closing Power Stage. All stages are however available live on WRC All Live on the WRC+ platform.

    ends

  • Sanjay Takale finishes gruelling Rally Finland: WRC3

    Sanjay Takale finishes gruelling Rally Finland: WRC3

    India’s Sanjay Takale (right) and co-driver Darren Garrod on the finish ramp of WRC Neste Rally Finland on Sunday. Photos: Team Takale

    Bengaluru, 30 July 2018: Seasoned rally driver Sanjay Takale on Sunday achieved another milestone as he became the first registered driver from India to finish a round of the FIA World Rally Championship at the iconic Neste Rally Finland, according to the information received here on Monday.

    Takale was classified 14th in the WRC 3 category and 47thoverall in the gruelling Rally Finland after the final of action that saw two Special Stages—Laukaa and Ruuhimaki run twice over before the final flourish.

    The Pune-based Takale and his British co-driver Darren Garrod survived the 23 Special Stages over a total of 317.26-km, rated among the fastest in the WRC calendar, to bring home their Baltic Motorsports Promotion-prepared 2-Wheel drive Ford Fiesta R2 in 14th position.

    Sanjay Takale in action on Sunday.

    “Like any rally driver, I also dreamt of participating in and finishing a FIA World Rally Championship event. So, it was a dream come true for me to compete in and finish the fastest WRC event on our planet!,” is how Takale reflected on his debut WRC Rally Finland.

    On Sunday as Takale started 13th, he went through the first Stage in Laukaa over 11.74-km in 8 minutes 2.4 seconds, while in the second loop he timed it in 7:59.2. The Ruuhimaki Stage measuring 11.12-km was power stage in the second loop and in both he improved his timing, but the competition was nevertheless tough. Takale clocked 8:02.6 in the first loop and 7:55.9 in the final power stage to finish the rally in one piece.

    “It was an amazing experience overall and a steep learning curve for me overall. Probably, I could have fared better had I not lost time due to a puncture and twice having to repair the damaged lower arms of my car. However, that is part and parcel of rallying and I am not complaining,” said Takale.

    “Going forward, I might do more WRC events. At the same time, I have to work on my fitness to do better in WRC rallies which are long and punishing. In the Neste Finland Rally, for instance, we covered a total distance of 1,400 Kms over four days, not counting the two days of reconnaissance runs. Right now, I want to savour these moments after completing a WRC event, though I have plenty to think about!”

    Takale, who started Sunday’s Leg-3 in 13th position, dropped one spot after the day’s four Special Stages of 45.72 Kms.

    Results:

    Overall: 1. Ott Tanak (Est) 2 hrs 35 mins 18.1 secs; 2. Mads Ostberg (Nor) 2::35:50.8; 3. Jari-Matti Latvala (Fin) 2::35:53.6; 4. HaydenPaddon (Nzl) 2::36:53.7; 5. Sebastien Ogier (Fra) 2::37:33.1….30. Gaurav Gill (Ind) 3::18:17.7…47. Sanjay Takale (Ind) 3::54:40.3.

    WRC 3: 1. Ken Torn (Est) 3::03:07.2; 2. Emil Bergkvist (Swe) 3::03:17.1; 3. Jean-Baptiste Franceschi (Fra) 3::04:53.4; 4. Julius Tannert (Ger) 3::07:15.3; 5. Callum Devine (Irl) 3::09:14.1…14. Sanjay Takale (Ind) 3::54:40.3.

    ends/db

  • Gill finishes 12th, helps MRF collect data: WRC2

    Gill finishes 12th, helps MRF collect data: WRC2

    File photo of Gaurav Gill by Anand Philar. 

    Chennai, 30 July 2018: Gaurav Gill and Team MRF Tyres completed the World Rally Championship’s Neste Rally Finland on Sunday. Glenn Macneall (in home page pic) was Gill’s navigator for the WRC2 outing. MRF team is taking part in a few rounds to collect data and prepare for a possible full season next year.

    The Indian rally ace, lost a couple of years, with MRF reluctant to field a team in the WRC as it was content with Asia Pacific Rally Championship, which the Delhi-based speed merchant bagged thrice. MRF took over six months to develop the tyres but the preparation seems inadequate and unless the team takes a `fast forward’ approach aggressively to utilise the collected data and fine-tune the rubber, they will lose precious time for next season.

    “It was a learning experience for the new tyres which were introduced to help cope with the extremely high speeds and continuous jumps that make up the Finnish stages. One of the primary goals of Rally Neste Finland was to gain data to continue the tyre development and for Gill and Macneall to gain confidence in the car on these stages,” the release said.

    “Finland is about confidence – the roads are so fast and there are so many jumps that you need the confidence to be on the pace,” Gill said.

    “We were gaining confidence over the weekend and you can see we improved a lot on our second runs through the loops.”

    “Additionally, the MRF Tyres worked well on the stages which gave us the confidence to push. I am happy with the weekend and we certainly have a lot more information to  the further develop our tyres.”

    The M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5 was running solidly in the mid-field of the R5 class (RC2) which was dominated by local drivers. The weekend started well for Gill and Macneall on the city street stage before the solid opening on Friday running in the forests of northern Finland.

    After having to run in Rally2 regulations, Saturday morning saw the outright placing was not important but the Saturday running was strong with the team making changes to the car in the midday service, unlocking additional pace and confidence in the car.

    For Sunday, there were four stages that greeted the crew – two runs through the 11.14 Laukaa stage and two runs on the 11.12 Ruuhimäki stage.

    To prove that confidence breeds pace in Finland, Gill and Macneall were able to improve their pace by more than a second a kilometre in the second loop.

    “It was great to see the crowds out on stage at Rally Finland. Even from inside the car you feel the atmosphere and want to try harder for the fans,” Gill said.

    “I was happy to be able to improve my times and show the performance of the MRF Tyres team in this legendary event.”

    The next outing for the MRF Tyres Ford Fiesta R5 will be the  Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.  The team will have to cope with the event that is usually run on muddy roads in colder weather.

    The Dayinsure Wales Rally GB will be held between October 4 to 7 and will see 23 stages and a competitive distance of more than 323 km (200 miles).

    eom/MRF release