INDIA in F1

Category: WRC, Rally

  • Gaurav Gill gets ready for Queensland challenge: APRC 2nd round

    Gaurav Gill gets ready for Queensland challenge: APRC 2nd round

    File photo of Gaurav Gill by Anand Philar
    File photo of Gaurav Gill by Anand Philar

    Queensland, 15 June 2016: Indian ace driver Gaurav Gill is raring to go as he prepares for the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship at Queensland in Australia, this week-end.

    Drivers representing five countries headline a top-flight entry list for the annual International Rally of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast on 17-19 June, all competitors chasing the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Cup powered by Würth.

    Hosting rounds of the FIA Asia Pacific, Australian and State Rally Championships, Queensland’s only international motor sport event has attracted more than 40 entries to tackle 240 kilometres of challenging forest stages around Imbil, in the Coast’s northern hinterland.

    The entry list is headed by India’s MRF Tyres team, winner of five of the past six events and of every APRC driver and manufacturer title since 2012. Their factory-backed Skoda Fabia R5 cars – new this year from the Czech Republic – will be driven by 2010 Queensland winner and 2013 champion Gaurav Gill of India (in picture inset) and 24-year-old German Fabian Kreim, the latest in a parade of young European hot-shots assigned Down Under to develop their skills.

    Gill leads the championship after winning Round 1 in New Zealand last month. The series also will visit China, Japan and Malaysia before finishing in his homeland in December.

    Other drivers entered for Queensland this year are from Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

    Starting his sixth season of international rallying, New Zealand’s Mike Young, 24, showed he will be the defending champions’ strongest rival in the APRC’s second round after claiming several stage wins aboard his Cusco EZY Racing Subaru in his home event.

    Young’s team-mate and making a welcome return to the APRC Sanjay Takale from India, will be hoping for a better result in Australia after a DNF in the New Zealand first round.

    Australia’s challenge will be led by Coffs Harbour-based Nathan Quinn. The Mitsubishi driver has had extensive international experience from China to New Zealand and twice completed the Rally Australia World Championship event.

    Japan is well represented with two drivers, Queensland regular Atsushi Masamura in the PCD Engineering Mitsubishi X and also hoping for a better run in Australia, Fuyuhiko Takahashi in the Ahresty Subaru Impreza. Further representation from Australia comes from Mark Beard driving a Subaru Impreza RS.

    All eight drivers will be chasing the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Cup powered by Würth.

    Round 3 of the Kumho Tyres Australian Rally Championship will be equally hard-fought, with the season invigorated by new rules allowing the return of all-wheel drive cars.

    The field features Australia’s fastest gravel drivers, including four-time champion Simon Evans (Subaru), junior star Harry Bates (Toyota), Tom Wilde, Molly Taylor and Brad Marcovich (all Subarus), Mark Pedder (Peugeot) and Queenslander Ryan Smart (Mitsubishi).

    Major attractions among Classic-car entrants will be Neal Bates, in a 1980 Toyota Celica RA40, and Mal Keough in a replica of the infamous Group B Audi Quattro S1 world rally car.

    Twenty cars are entered for the MRF Tyres Queensland Rally Championship third round.

    Pre-event rally headquarters have been moved north from Caloundra to Maroochydore this year, but the weekend competition hub will remain at the Globe Roamer Service Park at Imbil in the Mary Valley, around 50 minutes’ drive into the Coast hinterland.

    Two spectator viewing parks will be available throughout the weekend at Derrier Road and Casey’s Gully Road. Tickets are available through the event website, at the service park or at the gate.

    Spectators, competitors and officials staying in Imbil will be hosted at a free community-run street party on Saturday night.

    Thousands of fans are expected at the rally’s official Ceremonial Start at Rotary Park, Maroochydore, from 5pm on Friday 17 June. The free family-friendly event will feature a rally car display, driver autographs, prizes, children’s rides, international food and other attractions.

     eom/FIA press release
  • Meeke and Nagle triumph in Portugal: WRC

    Meeke and Nagle triumph in Portugal: WRC

    Meeke wins in Portugal. An FIA image
    Meeke wins in Portugal. An FIA image

    The DS 3 WRC crew of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle claimed an emphatic victory in Rally de Portugal today, the pair dominating from the second stage of the event to win by 29.7 seconds. A titanic battle developed between the Volkswagen crews and Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jaeger overhauled reigning World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia to take the second step of the podium.

    In the FIA World Rally Championship, Ogier remains in control of the leaderboard and the Frenchman has a 47 point lead over Mikkelsen after five rounds. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Volkswagen Motorsport is ahead of Hyundai Motorsport by 49 points, the Korean manufacturer scoring with just one car following the retirement of Hayden Paddon.

    The final day of competition took the crews over two identical loops of two stages and included the iconic Fafe stage where thousands of fans descend to watch this rollercoaster stage. Starting the day with 45.3 seconds in hand to Ogier, Meeke was able to control his pace, take no risks but up his speed if necessary. In the end, the Northern Irishman was able to get to the finish unchallenged to rack up his second victory in the FIA World Rally Championship. Ogier started the day in second position but a puncture in the opening stage enabled stage winner Andreas Mikkelsen to move ahead. The Polo R WRC team-mates were neck and neck on the remaining three stages, trading fastest times, but with Ogier needing to adopt some caution with a lack of spare wheels, the Norwegian was able to keep ahead and claim a fine second overall with Ogier just 4.8 seconds adrift. With Jari-Matti Latvala in the Power Stage mix, Volkswagen drivers were also able to claim a clean sweep of the additional points for this single stage.

    Having been in the fight for the podium positions earlier in the event, Dani Sordo slipped away from the leading trio but nevertheless finished a comfortable fourth ahead of Eric Camilli in the lead Fiesta RS WRC. The Frenchman had a problem with the handbrake earlier and a spin in the Power Stage, but his fifth position represents his best finish in a World Rally Championship event. After his earlier power steering problems, Jari-Matti Latvala was out of contention for the podium but the Finn managed to climb back to sixth, only 5.3 seconds behind Camilli after the Frenchman’s spin in the final stage. Mads Østberg took seventh ahead of Martin Prokop, the Czech driver struggling with intercom issues today.

    The top 10 was rounded off by Pontus Tidemand in ninth, the Swede also claiming the FIA WRC 2 Championship category victory ahead of Nicolas Fuchs. In the FIA Junior WRC Championship Simone Tempestini took honours in his DS 3 R3 after a massive battle with Martin Koci.

    The sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to the island of Sardinia for Rally Italia (9-12 June).

    The sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to the island of Sardinia for Rally Italia (9-12 June).

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS3 WRC 3hr 59min 01.0sec
    2.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 59min 30.7sec
    3.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 59min 35.5sec
    4.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 4hr 00min 38.1sec
    5.   Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 03min 02.6sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 4hr 03min 07.9sec
    7.   Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 05min 54.6sec
    8.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 09min 25.1sec
    9.   Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson Skoda Fabia R5 4hr 10min 46.2sec
    10. Nicolas Fuchs/Fernando Mussano Skoda Fabia R5 4hr 12 min 15.0sec
  • Meeke takes lead into the final day

    Meeke takes lead into the final day

    Today’s route took the crews east of Porto for two identical loops of three stages covering 165.28 competitive kilometres. Meeke was again on the pace from the outset and the DS 3 WRC driver was fastest in all three of the morning’s tests to extend his advantage stage by stage. This afternoon the weight of an extra spare wheel slowed him, but with more than a minute in hand earlier in the day, he was able to continue controlling the field. At the head of the field, Ogier struggled more today with the road sweeping effect, allowing Mikkelsen to close the gap, overhaul Sordo and move into third, just 3.1 seconds adrift of Ogier.

    Dani Sordo held third going into the day, but the Spaniard was at a loss to explain dropping time in the opening stage this morning and with the car moving around a lot, he lost more time in the following two stages and was overhauled by Mikkelsen in SS12, the longest stage of the rally. He has slipped further adrift but holds a good advantage over Eric Camilli, the Frenchman enjoying a great day of competition and on track for his best result of the season. After his power steering problems on the opening day, Jari-Matti Latvala is out of contention for the podium, but the Finn is sixth and ahead of Mads Østberg in the second Fiesta RS WRC. Martin Prokop holds eighth ahead of the lead FIA WRC 2 Championship drivers, Pontus Tidemand and Nicolas Fuchs. In the FIA Junior WRC Championship, Martin Koci heads the contenders in his DS 3 R3, 30.8 seconds ahead of Simone Tempestini.

    Leading retirements of the day included Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville with a fuel problem, Stephane Lefebvre with damaged suspension and Citroën driver Khalid Al Qassimi.

    Rally de Portugal – Unofficial Classification after Section 5

    Rally de Portugal – Unofficial Classification after Section 5

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS3 WRC 3hr 16min 11.4sec
    2.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 16min 56.7sec
    3.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 16min 59.8sec
    4.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 17min 31.4sec
    5.   Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 19min 15.6sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 20min 19.2sec
    7.   Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 22min 44.2sec
    8.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 24min 23.2sec
    9.   Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson Skoda Fabia R5 3hr 26min 05.6sec
    10. Nicolas Fuchs/Fernando Mussano Skoda Fabia R5
    3hr 26min 37.sec

    eom/FIA Mekee wins WRC portugal FIA pic 22may2016press release

  • Gaurav Gill wins Whangarei round of the APRC to begin season with style

    Gaurav Gill wins Whangarei round of the APRC to begin season with style

    Whangarei (New Zealand), May 1: Gaurav Gill put in a mature performance to win the International Rally of Whangarei ahead of Germany’s Fabian Kreim to lead a 1-2 finish for Team MRF-SKODA, here on Sunday, and start the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship season in great style.

    It was 34-year old, Delhi-based Gill’s ninth victory in the APRC series and second in New Zealand following his triumph here in 2014.

    Driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 with controlled aggression, Gill, with Australian Glenn Macneall as his co-driver, shrugged off the overnight 4.6-second deficit to Kreim and eventually won by 30.4 seconds despite problems with the turbo following a leak in the actuator during the first of the two loops of the three Special Stages.

    After replacing the part during the service break, Gill pushed just enough to maintain his lead over Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) for a deserving victory.

    Gill began the day that saw spells of rain and intermittent drizzle, by making 23.3 seconds over Kreim in the very first Special Stage won by Kiwi hope Mike Young who eventually finished a distant third behind the two MRF-SKODA duo.

    Hereabouts, Gill’s Fabia R5 suffered from loss of power that saw him finish third in SS-12 and 13 before returning for service. At this point, the Indian’s lead was cut to 9.3 seconds, but after repairs to the turbo during service, Gill returned for the second loop of the three Stages and stepped up the pace, making 20 seconds on Kreim in SS-14 FOR A 29.3-second lead before easing off in the final two Stages to complete a fluent win.

    Gill, who won two of the six Special Stages on Sunday, was pleased as punch with his overall performance, but pointed that he was still learning the finer points of the Fabia R5 that he was driving for the first time.

    “Obviously, I am extremely happy that I won today. Every win is special and today, after overcoming the overnight deficit, I opened a sizeable lead over Fabian and thereafter, my intention was to nurse it to the finish. The weather also changed overnight and we had to cope with it.

    “We had problems with the turbo with a leaking actuator that we replaced during service after the first loop, but with hardly a minute to spare. Thus, we were very much down on power during the first loop. However, I made 20 seconds on Fabian after repairs before deciding to ease off and drive to his pace rather than push as I had enough lead to win. My aim was to finish the event straining the car or the engine.

    “Overall, I drove about 80-85 per cent to my potential since I am learning the new car and get the set-up right as it was prepared for Rally of Finland. From now on, I have to be consistent and keep scoring points,” said Gill.

    On his part, Kreim was happy to bag some points on his APRC debut and said he met his target of finish the Rally safely while keeping the championship in mind.

    “I drove just like I did yesterday while the conditions, due to rains, were far better today. Like I said earlier, our intention was to bring the car to the finish line and score some championship points which we did though we too had some problem with the turbo,” said Kreim.

    A delighted Lane Heenan of Race Torque said: “Since this was the first round, it was important that both our cars finished. Considering that Gaurav was driving the R5 for the first time, it was a pretty good result for him. The rains also helped as it afforded more grip.

    “As for Fabian, he is still young and finding his way. He has had a good start for the championship by taking some points. I am happy that we had a 1-2 finish, but there is still a long way to go and we have to take one round at a time.”

    APRC Classification (Provisional): 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (02hrs, 55mins, 50.3secs); 2. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (02:56:20.7); 3. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (EZY Racing, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) (03:10:00.3).

    Gill’s previous APRC victories: 2008 – Malaysia; 2010 – Australia; 2012 – New Caledonia; 2013 – New Caledonia and Japan (wins APRC championship); 2014 – Malaysia and New Zealand; 2015 – New Caledonia. 2016 – New Zealand.

    eom/AP Media Communications Release

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    CAPTION:

  • Gill suffers setback, trails teammate in second place: APRC New Zealand leg

    Gill suffers setback, trails teammate in second place: APRC New Zealand leg

    Whangarei, April 30: Gaurav Gill forsake a 41-second lead to finish second behind his MRF-SKODA team-mate Fabian Kreim at the end of the first day of International Rally of Whangarei, the first round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, here on Saturday, after picking up a puncture in the day’s last Special Stage.

    The difference between Delhi-based Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) and German Kreim, both driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5, is just 4.6 seconds, but with six more Special Stages to be run on Sunday, the Indian remains firm favourite for the title that he last won in 2014.

    Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, won the first five of the eight Special Stages before a combination of tyre wear and a puncture saw him lose time to eventually trail Kreim who was understandably cautious considering that he had never before driven on gravel surface.

    In third place and some 13 seconds behind Gill was local star Mike Young of CUSCO Racing who had a lot of ground to cover after conceding penalty on Friday night when he withdrew from the Super Special Stage following an electrical problem.

    In fact, Young’s misfortune on Friday saw Gill losing time as the Indian was stopped with the New Zealander’s stalled car beside the track before being asked to proceed. The consequent investigation by the Stewards resulting in Gill’s timing being altered to 51 seconds (from 56.4) that moved him from second to first with a lead of 3.8 seconds over Kreim.

    On Saturday, being first to be flagged off, Gill, winner of the event in 2014, had the unenviable task of ‘sweeping’ roads that were on the rougher side and extremely dusty due to lack of rains. The conditions did affect the tyres which eventually led to Gill picking up a puncture.

    “It was a good day which I spent learning the package of new car, engine and chassis. I did not push as hard as I would have liked to except in a couple of the Stages. Going into the day’s final Stage, I think we led by some 41 seconds, but we suffered a puncture which cost us about 50 seconds.

    “The car made the tyre work really hard and we had to make some changes in the set-up and it made some difference. Anyway, it is good to live to fight another day,” said Gill who is driving the Skoda Fabia R5 for the first time.

    Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) was pleased with his performance and said his aim on Sunday is to bring the car back to the finish line in one piece.

    “It was good for us today, though I was a bit careful since for the first time in my life I was doing gravel Stages. I got into a good rhythm, but did not really push very hard. Yes, we too had some problems, but otherwise, the car was fine.

    “Tomorrow, it is important that I do not make any mistakes and finish the rally,” said the 23-year old Kreim, runner-up in the German Championship, and who will be starting first on Sunday.

    Race Torque’s Lane Heenan said: “I am happy at the way our two cars performed today. We had to make some set-up changes with both cars were fitted with medium compound tyres.

    “For Gill’s car we tried various combinations before using one new tyre in the front and another in the back, just like they do in the World championship, and it worked. We had never tried that before, but I am happy that it went well.”

    APRC Classification (Provisional, after Leg-1):

    1. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (01hr, 45mins, 09.6secs); 2. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (01:45:14.2); 3. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (CUSCO Racing, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) (01:58:51.4).

    ======eom/AP Media Communications release

  • Gill and Team MRF-SKODA start favourites for Whangarei crown: APRC

    Whangarei (New Zealand), April 28: Gaurav Gill and Team MRF-SKODA will renew their assault on the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship crown when the new, six-round season commences on Friday with the super fast International Rally of Whangarei.

    Gill, the 34-year old from Delhi who in 2013 became the first and only Indian to win the coveted APRC title, will be seeking to regain the Whangarei crown that he had claimed in 2014.

    He will be piloting a brand new Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 that he drove for the first time on Wednesday during the test session and looked hot and ready for this weekend’s battle.

    Gill and his Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall, appear unbeatable though they will be wary of new team-mate 23-year old Fabian Kreim who has had more seat time in the R5, having competed in the German championship last year when he along with co-driver Frank Christian finished second, but the pair has no experience driving on gravel surface.

    The two Skoda Fabia R5 cars, powered by 1.6 litre turbo engine, were extremely quick, responsive and settled as they were given a run during Wednesday’s test session. It will take some doing to beat MRF-SKODA team who are eyeing their eighth APRC crown.

    Gill is all too familiar with the Special Stages, famous for their wide gravel tracks, flat-out straights and high-speed corners that seem to suit the Indian who looked impressive during Wednesday’s run as he settled down in his car that performed to his every bidding without a twitch.

    “It is well known that the Stages in New Zealand are among the fastest in the World. They have extremely fast straights and flowing corners. You can expect average speed of around 125 Kmph. The Stages this weekend are almost same as last year. However, the last Stage which is new is tight and twisty, but still quick.

    “Our aim is to do well in Friday’s Spectator Special Stage and then build on the momentum over the following two days,” said Gill on Thursday after completing a reconnaissance run of the Stages.

    As for young Kreim, it will be a steep learning curve, having never competed on a gravel surface. However, given his experience in the R5 and with the experienced Christian in the co-driver’s seat, Kreim is expected to be competitive.

    Race Torque’s Lane Heenan said: “We’re excited to be starting another season in the APRC with Skoda and Team MRF. Together with MRF Tyres, we are aiming for our eighth Asia-Pacific Rally Championship title, as well as our fifth with Skoda.

    “We expect both drivers to be fast, although as always with the first event for the season, the plan is to get both cars to the finish and score valuable points to get our championship defense off to a solid start.”

    The three-day International Rally of Whangarei kicks off on Friday with a ceremonial start followed by the Super Special Stage which will be an appetizer for the main course. The action moves to the Special Stages to be run on Saturday and Sunday. In all, the 16 Special Stages are spread over 275 Kms.

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  • Gaurav Gill of MRF sets early pace: APRC Rally of Whangarei

    Gaurav Gill of MRF sets early pace: APRC Rally of Whangarei

    Gaurav Gill (April 27) Gill with Aussie Glenn Macneall in the co-driver’s seat, clocked a blistering one minute, 4 seconds over the 2.4 Kms long gravel test strip with average speed of 134 Kmph, well ahead of his new team-mate, Germany’s Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian).

    Driving the 1.6 litre, turbo-charged (with restrictor) R5 for the first time, Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, covered about 50 Kms through the three-hour session and expressed satisfaction at the car set-up and also the MRF tyres.

    “It was a good outing today. It took me a while go get used to the highly responsive car which I am driving for the first time. I had to make a few changes in the way I drove, especially in terms of being more aggressive through the corners so as to work the chassis and the grip to their optimum level.

    “The tyres too were excellent and afforded good grip. I had to be more precise in the R5 than in the S2000. The R5 responds well, and with the right kind of a set-up, it is a great car to drive,” said Gill, winner here in 2014.

    Meanwhile, 23-year old Kreim, who has had more experience in the R5, having participated in the 2015 German championship for Team Skoda, was still to fully come to grips with the unfamiliar gravel surface, driving last year’s championship winning car of Swede Pontus Tidemand.

    “The German championship is a fully tarmac series and so, I am driving on the gravel surface for the first time. I had to make changes in my driving style with so much of sideways movement through the corners, but it was fun today. I am happy with the MRF tyres which offered a lot of traction and mid-corner grip,” said Kreim.

    “Testing on Wednesday went really well, with drivers completing around 50kms. The engine is very good and for their first run in the car, both drivers were extremely happy and made only small changes to the set-up,” said Lane Heenan of Race Torque Engineering which prepares both the MRF-SKODA cars.

    The International Rally of Whangarei, considered to be one of the quickest on the APRC circuit with its fast straights and flowing corners, will commence on Friday with ceremonial start followed by Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday, totaling about 275 Kms.

    eom/AP Media Communications Press Release

    CAPTIONS:

    Image-1 (April 27): Gaurav Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall (inset, right to left) blasting through a corner during the test session ahead of the International Rally of  Whangarei in New Zealand on Wednesday.

  • Paddon-Kennard claim their first WRC win; Ogier-Ingrassia second

    Wolfsburg, 24 April 2016: Narrow defeat in a thrilling showdown: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) extended their lead in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with second place in Argentina. A dramatic finale saw the three-time world champions and championship leaders narrowly miss out to Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ, Hyundai), who claimed their first win in the World Rally Championship. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), like Ogier/Ingrassia at the wheel of the Polo R WRC, rounded off a good team performance with third place. Volkswagen’s winning run of twelve back-to-back victories came to an end in Argentina, after the team had gone 335 days undefeated. Ogier/Ingrassia and Mikkelsen/Jæger picked up podiums number 73 and 74 for the Polo R WRC in the car’s 43rd rally since joining the series in 2013. The Polo R WRC won eleven of the 18 stages in Argentina.

    A rally of extremes – fog, raw roads and lunar landscapes

    The Rally Argentina is regarded as one of the toughest on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar – and the 2016 race certainly enhanced this reputation. The surface was particularly coarse, with the subsurface stony in places but sandy in others. Meanwhile the route featured narrow, winding sections, as well as fast, flowing passages. And the dreaded fog on the iconic “El Condor” stage also made an appearance at this year’s Rally Argentina. Furthermore, one of the biggest challenges around also returned to the World Rally Championship, in the form of the “Mina Clavero” stage, which resembles a lunar landscape. In 2016, it was made all the more demanding by a particularly rough and eroded route.

    Outstanding effort – Ogier/Ingrassia extend their overall lead

    Narrow defeat, despite an all-out attack: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia put leaders Paddon/Kennard under pressure again over the course of the final stages. By the time they reached the closing Power Stage, they had reduced the deficit from 29.8 to 2.6 seconds. However, they were unable to maintain their challenge on the final stage of the rally, the demanding “El Condor”. Despite this, the French duo did pick up a bonus point for finishing third on the classic stage. Second place was sufficient to extend their lead in the Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ Championship. 39 points now separates them and the new second-place pairing of Paddon/Kennard.

    Focussed and mature performance: Podium for Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger

    Success, courtesy of a cunning plan: Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger were rewarded for a mature and serene display at the Rally Argentina. They opted not to go all-out at any cost, but to take only calculated risks – a strategy that paid dividends. Third place, their second podium of the season, earned them valuable points in the battle for the world championship. They are now fourth in the overall standings – 48 points behind Ogier/Ingrassia.

    Valuable points for Volkswagen in the Manufacturers’ World Championship – thanks to a mega job by the mechanics

    On Saturday, whilst leading the rally, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila unfortunately hit a rock on stage 14. The car rolled several times, leaving their hopes of winning the race in tatters. The Volkswagen mechanics were presented with an enormous to-do list: a completely new tailgate, front and rear shock absorbers, bonnet, front windscreen, both mirrors, left and right fenders, all the antennas, and a new underride guard – on the outside. Seats, seat rails, harnesses, new HANS systems and helmets, front wishbone, front track rod, a complete rear axle, new cardan shafts, water cooler and intercooler, replace all the top mounts and shock absorbers, replace all the wheel mounts, drive shafts and wheel arch liners – on the inside of the Polo R WRC. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Volkswagen team, who repaired the Polo R WRC within the maximum three hours allowed, the Finnish duo were able to re-join the race on Sunday and to pick up two points towards the Manufacturers’ Championship.

    Quotes after day four of the Rally Argentina
    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “It is not usually a good feeling for a driver to be beaten by an opponent. This time, however, it is easier to accept. Hayden and I had exactly the same conditions out on the route: he went absolutely all-out on the Power Stage, and was simply better. Respect for that performance. For me, this will serve as a great motivation to once again give it my all at the coming rallies, in order to get back on the top step of the podium. The stages were extremely difficult and rough, which is possibly why I did not risk everything. Second place is still a fantastic result for Julien and me. We have extended our lead in the world championship standings.”

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “No question: to retire whilst leading is bitterly disappointing. This is not what we had in mind for the Rally Argentina. We hit a rock on the 14th stage of the rally, which broke something on the car and ended up with us rolling. However, despite our disappointment, the priority today was to help the team. My mechanics put in a remarkable effort to get the Polo R WRC back in the rally, and I wanted to reward them for that with some Manufacturer points today. A track rod broke on the Power Stage, but we still made it to the finish and picked up two points.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “We had a plan from the outset, and stuck to it – and it paid off. As such, I am more than happy with third place – after all, this is my first podium finish here in Argentina. We expected the rally to be extremely tough, and that proved to be the case. The route was very rough. In places it was even more extreme than last year. We are proud to have mastered the rally and come away with third place. After leaving Mexico empty-handed, it was important to score points.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “WRC rallies do not get more exciting than that – the Rally Argentina was a fantastic advertisement for our sport. Despite an outstanding effort from Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, they came up just short. Congratulations to Hayden Paddon and John Kennard, who were worthy winners. However, we are not in the slightest disappointed: as well as Sébastien and Julien, Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger also did everything right in third place. Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were unlucky to hit a rock whilst leading yesterday. The impact broke something on the car and resulted in it rolling. Thanks to the impressive efforts of our mechanics, they were able to re-join the race today and score points towards the Manufacturers’ World Championship.”

    And then there was …
    … once around the world in “stage mode” – plus 151.15 kilometres. On the Sunday morning of the Rally Argentina, Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen completed a total of 39,986 kilometres of special stage – plus another six stages – with the Polo R WRC since the world rally car from Wolfsburg made its debut at the 2013 Rally Monte Carlo. That is the equivalent of once around the planet – and at rally speed. For comparison: the total number of kilometres against the clock amounted to 4,393.29 in 2015.

    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Argentina – Final Results*
    01. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, 3h 40m 52.9s
    02. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 14.3s
    03. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 1m 05.2s
    04. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai, + 1m 17.1s
    05. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 4m 56.7s
    06. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 9m 29.5s
    07. Marcos Sebastián Ligato/Rubén García (RA/RA), Citroën, + 9m 39.2s
    08. Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (F/F), Ford, + 10m 16.0s
    09. Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor (N/A), Ford, + 10m 48.5s
    10. Nicolás Fuchs/Fernando Mussano (PE/RA), Škoda, + 24m 42.8s

    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Argentina – Power Stage Results
    01. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai 13m 08.0s
    02. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai + 11.2s
    03. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen + 11.7s

    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Overall Standings*
    Drivers’ Championship
    1. Sébastien Ogier, 96 points; 2. Hayden Paddon, 57; 3. Mads Østberg, 52; 4. Andreas Mikkelsen, 48; 5. Dani Sordo, 44; 6. Jari-Matti Latvala, 27; 7. Ott Tänak, 24; 8. Thierry Neuville, 23; 9. Stéphane Lefebvre, 10; 10. Henning Solberg, 8

    Co-drivers’ Championship
    1. Julien Ingrassia, 96 points; 2. John Kennard, 57; 3. Ola Fløene, 52; 4. Anders Jæger, 48; 5. Marc Martí, 44; 6. Miikka Anttila, 27; 7. Raigo Mõlder, 24; 8. Nicolas Gilsoul, 23; 9. Gabin Moreau, 10; 10. Ilka Minor, 8

    Manufacturers’ Championship
    1. Volkswagen Motorsport, 117 points; 2. Hyundai Motorsport, 81; 3. M-Sport, 62; 4. Hyundai Motorsport N, 49; 5. Volkswagen Motorsport II, 45; 6. DMACK, 30; 7. Jipocar Czech National Team, 6; 8. Yazeed Racing, 0

    * Provisional.

     

    eom/a Volkswagen Motorsport Press Release

  • Hayden Paddon, John Kennard take lead after Day 2: Rally Argentina, WRC 4th round

    • Crash dashes hopes of victory for Volkswagen’s Latvala/Anttila
    • Stage set for a showdown: youngster Paddon vs. world champion Ogier

    Wolfsburg, 23 April 2016: The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is set for a dramatic showdown at the Rally Argentina. The final 55.28 kilometres of the fourth round of the season will play host to a duel between youngsters Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ, Hyundai) and world champions Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC. Paddon leads Ogier by 29.8 seconds ahead of the remaining three special stages on Sunday, each one a huge challenge in its own right. Also on course for a podium finish are Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), who go into the final day of the Rally Argentina in third place, 14.5 seconds behind their Volkswagen team-mates.

    In stark contrast, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) suffered a serious set-back. Leading the rally, the Finnish duo came off the road on stage 14 – “Los Gigantes–Cantera el Condor” after hitting a rock at the side of the road. They rolled several times, causing such severe damage to the car that they were unable to continue. Only when the car is returned to the service park will it be possible to determine whether or not the Polo R WRC is able to return under Rally 2 regulations on Sunday.

    The longest day of the Rally Argentina, with 157.82 kilometres against the clock, consisted of three challenging special stages, which the drivers had to tackle twice. Fast, flowing sections alternated with narrow, winding passages.

    Quotes after day two of the Rally Argentina

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “Tomorrow’s ‘Mina Clavero’ stage is definitely the hardest stage of the Rally Argentina, if not the entire world championship. The conditions are extremely tough for the car and the tyres. That is not the moment to risk everything. Especially as Hayden Paddon has done a good job so far, and it would not usually be possible to make up 30 seconds. My priority is to secure second place, then I can look forward to getting home soon. Jari-Matti’s retirement is obviously a great shame for our entire team, as we really wanted to win here.”

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “First things first: Miikka and I are well. We will, however, be taken to hospital for a check-up – just to be on the safe side. We were actually having a good day. We had a good rhythm and had not had any problems. We hit a rock on stage 14 and came off the road. We then rolled several times. We obviously could not continue the rally after that. Whether or not we are able to return under Rally 2 regulations tomorrow depends on the doctors’ decision and the state of our car. The crash is naturally very disappointing, but it also showed just how safe the Polo R WRC is.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “The news of Jari-Matti Latvala’s retirement is obviously not what we wanted to hear. He produced an extremely strong performance and thoroughly deserved to be leading with a healthy advantage. It is a shame he can no longer win the rally. My co-driver Anders and I have come up with a strategy here, which we have stuck to consistently. We have set a high, but safe pace. Our priority is to score points towards the championship. Third place stands us in good stead for tomorrow’s finale, which we are very much looking forward to. We have never made it onto the podium here before. That is something we are obviously determined to change now.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “A day of highs and lows for Volkswagen. Jari-Matti Latvala had established a good advantage and deserved to be leading the rally. Unfortunately, he hit a rock on the penultimate stage of the day – that was really unlucky. Sébastien Ogier made the most of the day, and could still challenge for the win if he produces an outstanding performance tomorrow. Andreas Mikkelsen has paced himself intelligently and deservedly finds himself in third place. The fans can look forward to an exciting finale on Sunday – the ‘El Condor’ and ‘Mina Clavero’ stages are far from a stroll in the park. This rally is not over yet. We will push hard tomorrow.”

    And then there was …
    … extensive filming. TV station Fox TV is following the Volkswagen team in an in-depth documentary entitled “Men of Rally”. The team has been accompanied by a camera crew since the start of the rally week in Argentina. From logistician physio, Motorsport Director to mechanic, and engineer to chef, the team members all get their say in a host of interviews. The documentary also highlights the huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.

    Provisional result after day two of the Rally Argentina
    01. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, 2h 54m 45.6s
    02. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 29.8s
    03. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 44.3s
    04. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai, + 1m 02.0s
    05. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 3m 46.2s
    06. Marcos Sebastián Ligato/Rubén García (RA/RA), Citroën, + 8m 13.1s
    07. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 8m 17.9s
    08. Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor (N/A), Ford, + 8m 17.9s
    09. Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (F/F), Ford, + 9m 00.3s
    10. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, + 13m 39.8s

    eom/Volkswagen press release

  • Three-way drift battle in Argentina – and Volkswagen driver Latvala is in the lead

    • Volkswagen vs. Hyundai for the lead in the fourth event of the WRC season
    • Latvala/Anttila snatch the lead in the Polo R WRC, Ogier/Ingrassia second

    Wolfsburg (22 April 2016). Volkswagen against Hyundai, Latvala vs. Ogier and Paddon – the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) delivered its fans in Argentina a hotly contested battle for the lead. After 152 of 365 kilometres of special stages, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC lead the standings – just 7.9 seconds ahead of their Volkswagen team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), and a further 3.5 seconds ahead of Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ, Hyundai). Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N) in the third World Rally Car from Wolfsburg are in fourth place after the first full day of the competition – thereby poised to pounce on a podium finish.

    The first day of the Rally Argentina was characterised by the gravelly tracks of the special stages “Soconcho–Villa del Dique”, “Amboy–Santa Mónica” and “Santa Rosa–San Agustín”, on which a combination of calculated risk and careful handling of the car were called for.

    Quotes, day 01 Argentina

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “Julien and I couldn’t get any more out of today – we were right at the limit. I’m very pleased with what we achieved. To be honest, I expected to lose more time to the top at the start of the rally. Which is why I wasn’t feeling very optimistic at the lunch break. However, the conditions in the afternoon were better than I thought they would be. The track profiles are spectacular and so much fun. And the Polo R WRC was on top form. Julien and I will give it our all to be in with a chance of getting our first win in Argentina right down to the wire.”

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “I am very pleased with the first full day here in Argentina. The main thing was to get a feel for the conditions and slowly pick up the pace. I built up a small lead stage by stage. We’ll try to continue this tomorrow. My team-mate Sébastien Ogier and Hayden Paddon in the Hyundai are really fast and it is an exciting competition. Nothing is decided yet, but like I said, I am really pleased with the first day.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “I purposely started the Rally Argentina cautiously and always gave myself a bit of breathing space. I have always been fast here – but I’ve not managed to avoid setbacks on my four starts so far. Naturally I want to change that this time. I like the stages, and am enjoying the tracks – particularly because my Polo is set up perfectly and is running like clockwork. We’ve laid a good foundation for a top result today and are in with a chance of finishing on the podium.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “Friday in Argentina showed just how exciting the WRC is. A closely fought manufacturer’s battle has developed between Volkswagen and Hyundai, and Latvala, Ogier and Paddon are embroiled in a thrilling three-way driver’s battle. There’s no way of telling who is going to come out on top in the end. But we are not only in a good position with Jari-Matti and Sébastien, there’s Andreas Mikkelsen too. Like his team-mates, he has adopted a clever, forward-looking and fast pace, and is ready to pounce on a podium position. Everyone in the team will be on high alert for the rest of the rally to make sure things continue to go so well.”

    And then there was …

    … a side job for co-drivers. The co-drivers alongside Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen were not only tasked with reading out the pace notes with their usual precise timing at the Rally Argentina, they also had to defy the wet. In light of the many water passages, Julien Ingrassia, Miikka Anttila and Anders Jæger need to make regular additional interventions: Going into particularly deep waterways, they need to engage a switch to operate a flap that blocks the air supply to the engine, to prevent water from entering the intake passage.

    Provisional result after day one of the Rally Argentina

    01. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, 1h 26m 31.3s
    02. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 7.9s
    03. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 11.4s
    04. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 25.7s
    05. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai, + 49.0s
    06. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 2m 07.9s
    07. Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor (N/A), Ford, + 4m 04.4s
    08. Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (F/F), Ford, + 5m 33.8s
    09. Marcos Sebastián Ligato/Rubén García (RA/RA), Citroën, + 6m 05.1s
    10. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 7m 34.4s

    end/Volkswagen press release