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Category: WRC, Rally
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Santa comes to the rally stages with Team #MRFTyres!
A little Christmas cheer for the fans in Italy as the Italian Rally Championship – Gravel champioin Andreucci Paolo and co-driver M Bimbi takes to the stages in this cool special Christmas livery!
Team MRF Racing took to social media with these beautiful images as the team gets ready to rally in Italy,.
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Al Attiyah-Baumel take control in Saudi Arabia: Hail Rally
9 Dec 2021: Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel are closing in on another title in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, with the duo leading the Hail Rally after the opening two days of competition. Jakub Przygonski and Timo Gottschalk have moved into second, with the all-Russian crew of Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov third in a similar MINI John Cooper Works Buggy.
The final and decisive round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies got underway on Wednesday with the first of four selective sections in the spectacular deserts of Saudi Arabia. The opening second-longest section of the rally was trouble-free for Al-Attiyah and Baumel with the Qatari/French pairing claiming the fastest time in the 258-kilometre stage. Today, the Toyota Gazoo Racing crew again took important leg points with second on the longest section of the rally – 314 kilometres – to lead the pack by seven minutes and 24 seconds with two legs remaining.
Przygonski and Gottschalk are second mid-way through the event. The Polish/German crew dropped time yesterday with a navigation issue, finishing third, but bounced back today to claim the stage win by 59 seconds. Krotov and Zhiltsov have been on fine form, the Russians claiming second yesterday, but fourth today dropped them behind Przygonski by just under two minutes. Sebastian Halpern and Bernardo Graue are the third Buggy crew in the top four overall.
Vladimir Vasilyev and Oleg Uperenko dropped a position today after claiming fourth overall yesterday. The Russian BMW X5 crew lost nearly 11 minutes to the leader on SS2 and are nearly 20 minutes adrift of the overall lead. Title contenders Lucio Alvarez and Armand Monleon now have an uphill task ahead of them as they sit in sixth overall in their Toyota Hilux Overdrive.
For Yazeed Al Rajhi, newly-crowned champion of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas*, it was a disappointing event and the Saudi Arabian withdrew after the opening leg having lost too much time with a gearbox issue to challenge for the win.T4 drivers once again feature in the overall top 10 with Poland’s Michal Goczał holding a fine seventh overall and leading the category ahead of his brother and fellow Can-Am driver, Marek. Australian Molly Taylor, category leader last night, dropped time today and slipped to third in T4.
Abdullah Saleh Alsaif leads T3 by an impressive 29 minutes and six seconds after setting another fastest time today. He heads female drivers Mashael Al-Obaidan, Annett Fischer and Dania Akeel, who broke a steering arm on the opening day.
The battle for top honours continues over another two legs before the finish of the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies on Saturday.
* Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.
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Qatar’s Al Attiyah, Argentina’s Alvares after World Cup glory
HAIL (Saudi Arabia), 7 Dec 2021: Competitive action gets underway at the Hail Cross-Country Rally, the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, on Wednesday morning.
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Argentina’s Lucio Alvarez both drive V8-engined Toyota Hiluxes, built in conjunction with Toyota Gazoo Racing and Overdrive Racing, and they will go head-to-head to decide the outcome of the 2021 FIA World Cup Drivers’ Championship.
To win his first FIA World Cup title, Alvarez needs to overturn a 28-point deficit. The Argentine will need to win the rally outright and score at least three additional bonus points for daily stage performances and, even then, the outcome will depend on whether Al-Attiyah finishes lower than eighth overall and fails to secure a single bonus point.
Al-Attiyah said: “I won in Hail back in 2008 and 2011 and with Matthieu (Baumel), my current co-driver, we won the first of the Bajas last December. We will do our best to take the win again and seal the championship. We have a good car. The rally is also very useful experience for us before the Dakar Rally in January.”
It’s a big ask for Alvarez, but the battle has at least confirmed that Overdrive Toyotas should fill the top two places in the points’ standings unless Russia’s Denis Krotov can seal a top four result and Alvarez fails to finish. Krotov drives an X-Raid Mini and starts the rally four points adrift of local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi. The Saudi knows that a top finish could also see him overhaul Alvarez and snatch second place in the series.
Hoping to upset the applecart and challenge for honours in their own right are the Orlen Team’s Jakub Przygonski and Argentina’s Sebastien Halpern in their X-raid Minis and Czech driver Miroslav Zapletal in a Ford F-150. Former Spanish enduro rider Laia Sanz also joins the German X-raid team to drive a Mini John Cooper Works Rally in readiness for the Dakar challenge that awaits.
With the FIA T3 and T4 Championships already settled in favour of Spain’s Cristina Gutierrez and America’s Austin Jones, pride and pre-Dakar experience are at stake in both the hotly-contested categories.
Eight teams line up in the T3 section, with Russian Pavel Lebedev leading the way in his Can-Am and facing competition from local favourite Saleh Al-Saif, fellow Saudis, Mashael Al-Obaidan, Dania Akeel, Esra Aldkheil and Hamed Al-Harbi, Germany’s Annett Fischer and Uzbekistan’s Anvar Ergashev.
“This is a great opportunity for me to test for Dakar,” said Al-Obaidan. “This is my third race after Sharqiya and Aragón in Spain. It’s the first time that Jacopo (Cerutti), my co-driver, and I participate together. I’ve been here a couple of times but never in an official race. There are three Saudi females, including myself. The sport is really booming here. I believe there is a really bright future in the Kingdom for everyone.”
Six crews will battle it over the next four days for T4 honours. South Racing Middle East’s Thomas Bell tops the field and faces competition from Poland’s Marek and Michal Goczal, Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri, Australia’s Molly Taylor and Ukraine’s Levgen Kovalevych.
There is also a National Rally running behind the main FIA rally, a separate event for motorcycles and quads, a truck category and dispensation for several 2022 specification machines to compete with teams carrying out pre-Dakar testing.
Czech WRC star Martin Prokop wheels out the latest Ford Raptor Cross-Country, running under the Benzina Orlen Team banner, both Frenchman Ronan Chabot and Argentina’s Juan Cruz Yacopini try out Overdrive Racing’s latest Toyota Hilux T1+ and Sweden’s Sebastien Eriksson gets his hands on the latest T3-2022 South Racing Can-Am Maverick.
The Hail Cross-Country Rally is being organised by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) under the supervision of the Hail Regional Development Authority in co-operation with the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage and the General Authority for Sport.
Tomorrow (Wednesday), competitors tackle the first of four selective sections through the Al-Nafud desert. The competitive stage starts 82.59km from Rally HQ, includes a passage control and refuelling point after 173km and runs for 258.14km. A liaison of 47.31km guides competitors back to the bivouac.
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies – driver standings:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) 92.5 pts
2. Lucio Alvarez (ARG) 64.5pts
3. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU) 57pts
4. Denis Krotov (RUS) 53pts
5. Mattias Ekström (SWE) 27pts, etc
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies – co-driver standings:
1. Matthieu Baumel (FRA) 92.5 pts
2. Armand Monleón (ESP) 64.5 pts
3. Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS)53 pts
4. Michael Orr (GBR) 35.5 pts
5. Emil Bergvist (SWE) 27 pts, etc
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies – T3:
1. Cristina Gutierrez (ESP) 90.5 pts
2. Fernando Alvarez (ESP) 76.5 pts
3. Pavel Lebedev (RUS) 53.5 pts, etc
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies – T4:
1. Austin Jones (USA) 98.5pts
2=. Eugenio Amos (ITA) 55pts
2=. Kees Koolen (NLD) 55pts, etc
Ends
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Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah heads field for Merc finale
Muscat (Oman), 28 Nov 2021: Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, the winner of a record-breaking 17 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) titles, tops the entry for the Oman Rally Sohar International 2021. The final round of the regional series takes place next weekend from December 2 to 4.
The six-time winner of the rally in Oman teams up with regular French co-driver Matthieu Baumel (a two-time winner) before heading off to Saudi Arabia to try and add the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies title to the 17th regional crown he earned in an Autotek Motorsport-run Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 when the fifth round of the series in Kuwait was cancelled earlier this month.
Al-Attiyah faces competition from 11 rivals in the FIA category and a further 11 drivers competing in the second and third rounds of the Oman Rally Championship that will run immediately behind the FIA homologated field.
Talented young Omani Abdullah Al-Ruwahi and experienced Qatari Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya offer the main competition to the top seeded Al-Attiyah. Al-Ruwahi was runner-up to Al-Attiyah in 2020 and again teams up with Jordanian Ata Al-Hmoud in a Škoda Fabia Evo and Al-Atya wheels out a Ford Fiesta with co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini.
The MERC2 category for showroom-type Group NR4 vehicles has been dominated by Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri in recent seasons and he leads seven Mitsubishi and Subaru models into a tussle for category honours.
Competition comes from Oman’s Zakariya Al-Aufi, Zakariya Al-Amry, Jarah Al-Touqi and Faisal Al-Rashdi, Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled and Jordan’s Ihab Al-Shorafa.
Lebanon’s Henry Kahy again teams up with Carlos Hanna in a Škoda Fabia in the two-wheel drive MERC3 category and Jordan’s Asem Aref rounds off the international field in his Renault Clio RS.
The service park and rally offices open tomorrow (Monday) and crews will be permitted to carry out a reconnaissance of the fast and flowing gravel special stages on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The event is being organised by the Oman Automobile Association and officially starts from the seafront in Al-Qurm at 18.00hrs on Thursday evening. Crews will then tackle 12 stages and 215.10 competitive kilometres in a route of 629.21km on Friday and Saturday.
The Oman International Rally is one of the oldest motor sporting events in the Middle East and dates back to 1979, when Sweden’s Harry Kallström and Claes Billstam won in a Datsun 160 J/SSS.
The event entered the inaugural FISA Middle East Rally Championship in 1984 and Qatar’s Saeed Al-Hajri teamed up with Britain’s John Spiller to seal the win in a Porsche 911 SC RS.
Defending champion Al-Attiyah now has six wins in Oman, with Dubai legend Mohammed Ben Sulayem holding the record of seven successes between 1986 and 1998. The rally only returned to the MERC calendar at the start of 2020 after a four-year absence.
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Mathias Walkner fastest at Yas Marina SSS
Abu Dhabi (UAE), 6 Nov, 2021: Austria’s new FIM Cross-Country Rallies World champion Matthias Walkner was fastest on this afternoon’s Yas Island Super Special Stage, the first action in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
Competitor comments from Yas Marina Circuit after Press Conference
Autos
Yazeed Al Rajhi / Michael Orr (SAU / GBR)
“Everyone is here to win this race, and I am no different. I have a good feeling going into this one as it is such a pleasure going over the dunes. We need this good feeling and I think I have a nice taste going into this one, and that’s very important for an event like this.
“I hope all will go well for everyone and we can all come out of this safely after five days. Nasser is a worthy and tough competitor and we need to push maximum going against him. We will step forward with our best as we look ahead to getting prepared for Dakar.”
Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi / Wouter Rosegaar (ARE / NLD)
“I think as a family we are all really glad to be back after this pandemic. We’ve done well to contain this, and all credit for this goes to our leaders.
“I am happy to be in my home event. It’s been a while since I last drove, so you can imagine the feeling inside of me just heading out into the desert and taking in the beauty and being out there on the dunes. No doubt, it’s a different car this time, but we need to continue evolving and promoting this new car with the future in mind.”
Nasser Al Attiyah / Mathieu Baumel (QAT / AND)
“My heartfelt thanks to the organisers led by Mohammed Ben Sulayem for keeping this event alive and active for the past 30 years. Thanks also to the Abu Dhabi Government for putting all measures in place so that everyone can be safe and secure during this pandemic time.
“Personally, I love to come to one of the best races in the world as it also doubles up as an ideal preparation for Dakar.”
Yahya Al Helei / Khalid Al Kindi (ARE / ARE)
“I have been part of this rally for the past 30 years, and it is a matter of pride that I have been able to represent my country every time I have been out there in the desert. This in itself is a big challenge.
“At most times, I have been my sponsor, and when I look behind I think it is money well spent for a genuine cause.
“The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of the toughest rallies in the world, and I have known some of the top drivers waiting to follow me over the dunes due to my knowledge of this terrain.
“That said, I have been fortunate all my life. I raced first with a champion team, and over the years I have been blessed to mingle and meet some of the best drivers from across the world. I have learned a lot and this has been the biggest positive of my career.”
Jakub Przygonski / Timo Gottschalk (POL / DEU)
“I cannot explain to you the thrill I feel at being here again. It’s one of the nicest sand in the world, and at times I wish we could have this sort of sand back home in Poland.
“Secondly, it is the unique atmosphere and experience that keeps me going here. I started with the bikes, but now I am with the cars. This is a unique challenge for me, and I will try to be competitive here as the field gets bigger and bigger and nicer and nicer.”
Mansour Al Helei / Abdulla Dakhan (ARE / ARE)
“I am really happy to be back here as this event holds a special place for me as I made my debut here in 2010. I have talent, but I only need a bit of support from everyone so that I can achieve what I dream of.
“I am still in my 20s, and I want to improve and I want to leave a mark in my sport over the next few years. ADCB has been a huge support for me in this event and I am glad to be part of their vision.
“My dream in the future is to be one of the top drivers in the world. I give myself another ten years to achieve this goal.”
Motos
Mohammed Al Balooshi (UAE)
“I’m very excited to be part of the 30th edition. This rally is unique, it is abig challenge. You cannot find any of this terrain anywhere in the world.
“I’m very proud to be an Emirati participating in this rally and it is a boost for my Academy. I believe it falls on my shoulders and it’s my responsibility to passon my knowledge to the new generation. This is how I would like to beremembered, my legacy.
“Riding bikes is an experience that keeps you on the edge and this is what helps me feel most alive and drives my passion for the sport, Nothing can compare to this feeling, not fast cars or rally cars.”
Adrien Van Beveren (FRA)
“I’m really excited to be here. It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi but I know a little bit about the area, the dunes, because I have been training for a few weeks inDubai.
“Sand dunes are my favourite surface because I was born in the North of France where
we used to ride in beach races so it’s super cool for me to be racing here.
“I’ve had a good year of races. I was third in Kazakhstanand fifth in Morocco recently. I feel ready for this rally and of course the Dakar Rally next year.
“It’s been a long time without racing due to the pandemic, but now I feel likeengaging with my sport again. I’m currently in the third position and will try to do my best to end the year on a high note.”
Rafal Sonik (POL)
“The UAE desert has always been very, very challenging. My first rally here was in 2009 in March and it was the biggest challenge in the desert for me besides theDakar.
“I had to learn a lot and I’m still learning after 12 years. There is a balance of pleasure and challenge coming here year after year, I feel privileged that we can do it again. Because I’m probably one of the oldest participants (55) this unique privilege has grown and grown.
“Quad is my focus in off-road because I think that the bike is like a camel or a horse. I know some motorbikers don’t like my theory but the Quad is the mostevolutionary vehicle. It requires a lot of care and respect. It has the smallest wheels and smallest shock so you have to be gentle be careful.
Leading times (provisional):
1. Matthias Walkner (AUT) / KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica / 1 5:10.4
2. Daniel Sanders (AUS) / GASGAS 450 Rally Factory Replica / 1 5:12.0
3. Ross Branch (BWA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:12.4
4. Franco Caimi (ARG) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:18.0
5. Andrew Short (USA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:18.4
6. Sebastian Buhler (DEU) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:22.0
7. Joaquim Rodrigues (PRT) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:25.2
8. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:34.0
9. Aaron Mare (ZAF) / KTM 450 Rally / 1 5:38.8
10. Konrad Dabrowski (POL) / KTM 450 Rally Replica / 1 5:38.8
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Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton finish fifth for MRF: ERC Rally Hungary
Nyíregyháza (Hungary), 25 October 2021:Team MRF Tyres successfully completed the data and development exercise at the FIA European Rally Championship at Rally Hungary.
The day’s action saw seven stages and 78.83km of action on the unique tarmac roads in north-east Hungary that took in forest and farming paths.
Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton were flying the flag for Team MRF Tyres in their Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo and started the day in eighth position.
The aim of this rally was to gain data for the development of the tyres, as MRF Tyres looks forward to further tarmac developments into 2022.
The rapid development of the MRF Tyres tarmac product is aimed to pay dividends into next year.
The Sunday action in Hungary saw high speeds with, the MRF Tyres duo pushing on the super-fast stages, clocking average speeds of more than 120km/h over a stage.
Throughout the rally, the MRF Tyres ran faultlessly with the tarmac tyres proving to be more than a match for the rough tarmac and gravel sections that this rally provides.
Campedelli and Canton were consistent throughout the day and were able to move up the field, moving into fifth place by the end of the rally.
Nil Solans and Marc Marti did not start the day.
The FIA European Rally Championship now has just one round to go, on the tarmac surface of the Rally Islas Canarias.
The Spanish Island offers yet another different type of tarmac surface with smooth and flowing tarmac on offer.
In the meantime, Team MRF Tyres will not rest with the aggressive testing regime and the final round of the Italian Gravel Rally Championship (CIRT) with the 12th Liburna Terra where Paolo Andreucci and Rudy Briani have an outside chance of becoming champions.
The final round of the FIA ERC will take place from 18-20 November.
Quotes
Simone Campedelli, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo.
“Rally Hungary was a challenging rally. The speeds were very high and the tarmac was unique. We tried many things with the tyres to get the data we needed.”“I also pushed a lot through the rally and particularly on stage 12, I enjoyed the drive and my performance with the MRF Tyres. In the dark, I was on the limit. The long straights on the limiter and into a tight corner, there was no margin for error.”
“It is my first time in Hungary, it is a beautiful rally. Warm, people, warm fans. I would like to thank everyone at Team MRF Tyres for their work at this rally and I am looking forward to the final rounds of the season with the Liburna Terra and Rally Islas Canarias. I am happy to bring the car home and for now, I am happy.”
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New Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for Team MRF Tyres in Rally Hungary
Close collaboration between Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing and MRF Tyres continues
Nyíregyháza (Hungary), 20 October 2021: Rally Hungary ran as the Nyíregyháza Rally in 2018 when András Hadik took victory on what served as the country’s FIA European Rally Championship candidate event.
Now firmly established as a round of the ERC, the rally doubles as the deciding round of the Hungarian championship with Hadik holding a nine-point advantage over Miklós Csomós in his bid to defend his crown alongside co-driver Krisztián Kertész.
MRF Tyres & Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti
MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing have reaffirmed their close relationship as Team MRF Tyres will rally the new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car in Rally Hungary next weekend.
The Hyundai i20 N Rally2 has enjoyed success in its initial rallies, taking victories in the World Rally Championship WRC2 category and Team MRF Tyres is looking forward to rallying it in the FIA European Rally Championship.
By taking delivery of the new car, Team MRF Tyres continues its aggressive tyre development strategy that has seen the Indian tyre company take two podiums this year in the FIA ERC with Hyundai.
It represents another firm step in the close relationship between MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing. It is a relationship that has seen MRF Tyres utilise the top-line driving expertise from Hyundai.
To date, Craig Breen, Dani Sordo and Jari Huttunen have driven in the Team MRF Tyres Hyundai in an effort to develop the next generation of MRF Tyres.
Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti will join the team for Rally Hungary.
Solans’ ambitions are clear and Team MRF Tyres represents a great opportunity the up-and-coming driver.
In addition, MRF Tyres has taken the Driver’s Championship Finnish Rally Championship, proving the value of the development campaign in what is MRF Tyres’ second year in top-line European competition.
Rally Hungary is the seventh round of the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship and takes place on the gravel roads in the east of the country near Nyíregyháza.
You can follow Team MRF Tyres throughout the rally on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Five facts:
1:Several Hungarian drivers contest the FIA European Rally Championship each season with Tibor Érdi Jr winning the ERC2 title for a second year running in 2018 and four-time national champion Norbert Herczig going on to established himself as a frontrunner. Dávid Botka has been a stage winner in the past, while Kristóf Klausz scored points in ERC3 Junior.
2: Best known as a rallycross venue, the Rabócsiring circuit south of Nyíregyháza traditionally hosts the opening stage of Rally Hungary with drivers going head-to-head on a short course.
3: As well as hosting a round of the FIA European Rally Championship, Nyíregyháza is famous for its zoo, which is home to 500 species and 5000 animals on a 30-hectare site.
4: ERC promoter Eurosport Events has a long association with Hungary through the FIA World Touring Car Championship and now the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup.
5:When Rally Hungary joined the European championship schedule for the first time in 2019 it became the first sealed-surface event to host the ERC finale since Rallye International du Valais in 2015. -
Pajari, youngest Junior WRC champ in 20-year history
Sami Pajari is the youngest ever champion in Junior WRC’s 20-year history at the age of 19 years old and the first-ever Finnish driver to win the championship.
Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen won the Junior WRC Championship by winning Rally Spain, the final and double points paying round of the championship. The rally saw the Finnish crew go head-to-head with their championship rivals and excelling where their competitors faltered.
It marks the Finn’s second career victory in Junior WRC, with his first coming on Rally Estonia this year, which also saw him secure the championship lead. Pajari’s rally started on the backfoot and it appeared that he would need to mount a serious challenge on Jon Armstrong who was the favourite heading to the Spanish Tarmac.
By the end of Friday Pajari began to charge and was able to stay trouble-free through Saturday to emerge with a clear lead. The Finn was able to maintain his lead with some impressive drives, fending off the competition on Sunday to take home the biggest prize package in rallying: A brand new M-Sport Fiesta Rally2, 200 Pirelli tyres, free registration for WRC2 2022 and five free entries for 2022.
Jon Armstrong was Pajari’s closest championship challenger in Spain and the initial favourite, he appeared on course to live up to expectations, following his performance on Friday. His rally unravelled on Saturday after going off the road and losing over five minutes to Pajari. The Northern Irishman regrouped and delivered a series of blisteringly quick times to earn valuable Wolf Stage Win Points but his day would draw to a sudden stop as he hit a drain on stage 11. The retirement put his championship hopes in tatters and meant the pressure was off Pajari to maintain his lead. Armstrong would restart on Sunday in fourth, taking two stage wins before finishing and taking the Wolf Stage Win Points award for the most stage wins of the season.
Martins Sesks was in contention for the title heading to Spain but it soon became apparent that the Latvian was struggling for pace on Friday. Saturday saw Sesks pushing hard but his day came to a premature end when a puncture saw him go off the road, damaging his wheel in the process and retiring for the day. Sesks restarted the rally on Sunday to finish sixth and claim third in the 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship.
Lauri Joona claimed his second Junior WRC podium of the season on Spain and for a few stages looked like he was in contention for the rally win too, trailing Pajari by just two seconds after stage 11. In his first full Junior WRC season, Joona claimed fourth in the championship.
Robert Virves delivered some competitive times during Rally Spain and finished third, a puncture saw him fall away from the leading pack where he was once closing on Pajari’s lead. Virves’ third place meant he claimed fifth overall in the championship with some impressive stage times on Rally Spain, taking a total of five Wolf Stage Win Points.
William Creighton appeared to be a potential contender for victory on Rally Spain but an accident on stage one soon put those plans to bed. Creighton took a stage win on Saturday to prove he has the pace on the way to securing sixth in his rookie Junior WRC season.
Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Championship Manger, said: “What a fantastic result and achievement for Sami and Marko! The first Finns to win the Junior WRC Championship and Sami becoming the youngest ever Junior WRC champion, I think we will be seeing his name a lot more in years to come. His performance this weekend has been incredible and he is a truly deserving champion, I really cannot wait to see what he can do in the future. Jon Armstrong and Phil fought admirably throughout this rally, once it became clear Jon was on the back foot we really saw what speed he his capable of and that is underlined by the fact he won the Wolf Stage Win Points Award. I want to highlight just how competitive Junior WRC has been this year, every driver entered took Wolf Stage Win Points at some point this year which is truly remarkable. We have had an incredibly talented field and I see futures for everybody entered here in Spain. Lastly, I want to thank the M-Sport Poland team, WRC Promoter, Pirelli, Wolf and FIA for all of their hard work and effort to deliver such a special and exciting championship. The story from this year will not be forgotten for a long time.”
Sami Pajari, 2021 FIA Junior WRC Champion, said: “This is a really big achievement, I don’t know what to say. I feel so thankful for so many people who made this possible. I think it’s not only me who deserves it, it’s many people also. Wow, just wow. There were so many ups and downs just in one rally so it was not so easy to really see this coming, I was the lucky one this time. You can dream, dream about lots of things, but to this really happening is something that doesn’t even feel real at the moment.” -
Neuville seals 2nd win as title-fight goes to wire: WRC
(Spain), 17 October 2021: Thierry Neuville, navigated by Martijn Wydaeghe, stormed to his second FIA World Rally Championship victory of the season with a commanding success at RallyRACC – Rally de España on Sunday afternoon.
The Belgian took control of the penultimate round with eight straight fastest times in his Hyundai i20 across the middle of the three-day asphalt rally to secure back-to-back Spain victories by 24.1 sec.
Second place for Elfyn Evans in a Toyota Yaris means the fight for the drivers’ title goes to a final round decider in Italy next month. He headed Dani Sordo’s i20 by 11.2sec and trails team-mate Sébastien Ogier by 17 points. A maximum 30 remain available.
After demoting Evans from the lead on Saturday morning, Neuville’s progress at the front was serene until a big scare ahead of the closing Wolf Power Stage.
A starter motor problem meant co-driver Wydaeghe pushed their i20 into the regroup before the stage. The crew managed to restart the car and tackled the test without further problems, but the incident clearly rattled Neuville.
Evans felt uncomfortable on dirty roads when the smooth asphalt speed tests in the Costa Daurada hills were tackled for a second time, but the Welshman has slashed the deficit to Ogier from 44 points with victory in Finland earlier this month and second here.
He tried a variety of set-up changes to no avail but had enough pace to stay ahead of a charging Sordo, who won all four of Sunday’s special stages to demote Ogier and claim the final podium place.
Ogier, pursuing his eighth title in nine seasons, struggled for pace in the first half of the rally. While set-up changes gave the Frenchman fresh heart, he could not hold off the Spaniard.
Neuville and Sordo’s 1-2 in the bonus points-paying Power Stage means the fight between leader Toyota Gazoo Racing and Hyundai Motorsport for the manufacturers’ crown will also go to the last round.
Kalle Rovanperä finished fifth in another Yaris, almost 50sec adrift of Ogier, with Gus Greensmith overcoming several problems to complete the top six in a Ford Fiesta at the final rally for co-driver Chris Patterson.
Oliver Solberg celebrated his first WRC asphalt drive in an i20 World Rally Car with seventh, equalling his career-best result, and top-tier debutant Nil Solans was eighth in another i20.
In FIA WRC2, Frenchman Eric Camilli claimed the class glory, whilst Andreas Mikkelsen wrapped up the drivers’ title without even starting the event.
Camilli moved into the lead on SS2 after an early battle with title-chaser Mads Østberg’s similar Citroën C3 Rally2 entered by TRT. A puncture for Østberg on Friday gifted Camilli the chance to stretch his legs and he steadily increased his advantage over the remaining two days.
Whilst Camilli won the rally, results elsewhere meant the absent Mikkelsen was crowned the drivers’ champion. The Norwegian had planned to end his season at FORUM8 ACI Rally Monza next month, but as neither Østberg nor Teemu Suninen scored enough points to catch him, the title was decided earlier than anticipated.
Finland’s Emil Lindholm rounded out the perfect weekend by taking the win in FIA WRC3.
The 14.9sec advantage he opened up on Friday had more than doubled by close of play on Saturday and a clean run over the final four speed tests confirmed his win by 28.5sec from Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
Kajetanowicz moved into the championship lead with one rally to go, however, his main rival Yohan Rossel is still awaiting news regarding an appeal over his EKO Acropolis exclusion. The hearing is scheduled to take place before the season-closing FORUM8 ACI Rally Monza next month.
The title-deciding final round at FORUM8 ACI Rally Monza will take place on 18 – 21 November.
The final unofficial results can be consulted here.
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Team MRF Tyres Champions in Finnish Rally Championship 2021
Kokkola (Finland) 26 Sept. 2021: Team MRF Tyres has taken victory in the Finnish Rally Championship (Ralli SM) and the SM KokUA 60-v Juhlaralli this weekend.
Emil Lindholm and Reeta Hämäläinen dominated the final round of the season in Finland, with Lindholm and Team MRF Tyres taking a hard-fought championship.
Going into the final round, it was a winner-take-all scenario with the top three drivers separated by seven points, meaning it was going to be a great fight between Lindholm, Mikko Heikkilä and Teemu Asunmaa.
Team MRF Tyres was on the pace from the first of the ten-stage competition with Lindholm winning the Skriko stage.
It was a lead that he would build on through the first day to end the Saturday action in first place but with a lead of just 2.9 seconds.
The pressure was intense for the four Sunday stages, which featured 74km of action. The long stages meant that drivers would have to push and keep their concentration over a long period of time.
Ending the rally was a 22.88km Markby test meaning that the rally was wide open to the end.
Lindholm was supreme never relinquishing his lead in his quest to win the Championship.The Team MRF Tyres Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo was exceptional with the entire team operating without mistakes.
The 2021 Finnish Rally Championship was the first full season for Team MRF Tyres in Finland, one of the most competitive Championships in the world. Having to consider that Finland and rallying are almost synonymous and the best of the best compete here.
After starting the European Rally Championship in 2020, the team has expanded to rally in Finland and in Italy with great success.
To be able to rally at the front, winning rallies and now Championship’s against the best drivers, teams and suppliers in the world is a testament to the hard work and dedication of every member of Team MRF Tyres.
The Team has worked tirelessly to develop the tyres and create a product that can compete at the front day in-day out. This Championship success was made possible by that effort.
While Lindholm celebrates his Championship success, Team MRF Tyres will be back on stage next weekend in the FIA European Rally Championship’s Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras with Dani Sordo and Simone Campedelli at the wheel.
Quotes
Emil Lindholm, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo (Champion)“It is a great feeling. We’ve been waiting for this. I’m smiling all the time! It is a great reward for the work at Team MRF Tyres.”
“This year I’ve better understood what it takes as a rally sport. Knowing how to drive basic times is just not enough. After all, rally is also a tactical sport. Every result and stage time doesn’t just affect your drive but also the performance of others. I’ve learned to think of rally as a whole.”
“The Finnish Championship is the most respected one in the world of national rally series. In order to survive in Finland, a tyre manufacturer is required to know-how from a quite wide area: snow, ice and composition from different gravel roads. Tyres need to work in Finland in different circumstances. I have to say a big thanks and a big congratulations to Team MRF Tyres. I can say that MRF Tyres did great in meeting challenges.”
