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Nasser Al-Attiyah cruises to massive lead after Leg 1: Oman Rally Sohar
Nakhal (Oman), 28 Jan 2022: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González cruised into a massive lead of 8min 39.5sec after the opening leg of Oman Rally Sohar International on Friday.
Following the premature retirement of both Hamed Al-Wahaibi and Abdullah Al-Rawahi just before and on the first run through the Misfah special, the Qatari managed his pace to protect his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI. He won every stage on the day and is firmly on course for a seventh victory in Oman and a 79th career MERC rally win.
Czech Petr Kačirek and co-driver Václav Kopáček reached the night halt in second place in their Duck Racing Škoda Fabia and Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini rounded off the podium places in third in a Ford Fiesta R5.
Premature retirement for Hamed Al-Wahaibi on Friday. Photo from Oman Rally Sohar Media officer. Al-Attiyah started strongly and was able to extend his advantage over Al-Wahaibi from 3.3 seconds to 28.2 seconds after the first pass through the 21.98km of Al-Khoud when Al-Wahaibi lost power towards the end of the stage. The FIA field had already been whittled down to eight after the retirement of Oman’s Jarah Al-Touqi before the restart.
The Qatari’s cushion grew to a massive 3min 54.7sec after the subsequent Misfah stage: Al-Rawahi stopped with extensive rear suspension damage and Al-Wahaibi retired with turbocharger issues before the start of the Misfah special. Their demise lifted Kačirek and Al-Atya into the podium places. Al-Attiyah’s lead then grew to five minutes after the Saal special and he reached service in relaxed mood.
The Qatari noticeably eased his pace on the re-run of Al-Khoud and headed for the last two stages of the day with an advantage of 6min 44.5sec. He continued to ease away from his rivals and had built up a comfortable cushion at the end of the day.
Oman’s Zakariya and Mohammed Al-Aamri lead the MERC2 category in their fourth-placed Subaru Impreza and the Jordanian pairings of Issa Abu Jamous and Emad Juma and Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma are fifth and sixth overall.
Al-Wahaibi and Al-Rawahi will now need to regroup and refocus in time to restart under the Rally2 ruling for the remaining six special stages on Saturday.
“This is the fourth Oman Rally that I have retired from,” reflected Al-Wahaibi. “I have entered four and retired from four. Three I was leading and retired because of mechanical problems. Today it was a turbo. It was an engine one time and a ball joint, one time.
“All those retirements have been purely cruel luck and not driver mistakes. They have all been technical. I was excited for today’s stages. They were really fun and enjoyable to drive. Unfortunately, I only drove the first one. Especially through the wadi and the water splash, it was something pretty special. The car was performing well and Tony (Sircombe) was completely in sync.
“I am obviously disappointed for the fans and the team. I am here for fun. I am back in the sport. I have no targets and just love driving fast. I adore rallying. It is passion-based, so it is not a problem.”
Oman’s Haitham Al-Hadidi had been the overnight leader of the Oman National Rally, but Haitham Al-Soomar snatched the advantage in SS2, where Musab Al-Soomar retired with technical issues.
Al-Soomar continued to lead as the day progressed in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII and reached the end of the leg with a lead of 18min 6.5sec. Lebanon’s Alain Nawfal moved up to second in a T3 Yamaha YXZ 1000R after Al-Hadidi hit trouble on the seventh stage.
2022 Oman Rally Sohar International – positions after SS7:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Alba Sánchez González (ESP) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5; 1hr 20min 09.0sec;
2. Petr Kačirek (CZE)/Václav Kopáček (CZE) Škoda Fabia R5; 1hr 28min 48.5sec;
3. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5; 1hr 29min 30.6sec;
4. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) Subaru Impreza; 1hr 40min 47.6sec;
5. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 1hr 41min 18.2sec;
6. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 1hr 45min 54.6sec;
Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R5; RETIRED SS3;
Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia R5; RETIRED SS3;
Jarah Al-Touqi (OMN)/Issa Al-Wardi (OMN) Subaru Impreza; RETIRED SS2;
2022 Oman National Sohar Rally – positions after SS7:
1. Haitham Al-Soomar (OMN)/Wael Al-Shabani (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII; 1hr 37min 25.7sec;
2. Alain Nawfal (LEB)/Bashar Qassimi (OMN) Yamaha YXZ 1000R; 1hr 56min 12.2sec;
3. Haitham Al-Hadidi (OMN)/Saif Al-Hinai (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII; 2hr 02min 29.4sec;
Musab Al-Soomar (OMN)/Bassam Al-Qasmi (OMN) Kia Rio; RETIRED SS2;
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Nasser Al-Attiyah tops SSS with stand-in co-driver Alba Sanchez
Nakhal (Oman), 27 Jan 2022: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and stand-in Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González began their new partnership in winning style by setting the fastest time of 3min 42.8sec through the opening super special stage of Oman Rally Sohar International on Thursday afternoon.
Bidding to win a remarkable 18 FIA Middle East Rally Championship titles since 2003, the recent Dakar Rally winner flung his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI through the narrow dusty corners of the graded opening test and moved into a 3.3-second lead over Oman’s Hamed Al-Wahaibi and Kiwi co-driver Tony Sircombe in their Motortune-run Škoda Fabia Evo.
“There were a few stones on the track, so we had to be a little careful to avoid tyre damage, but it was a straightforward start,” said Al-Attiyah.
“Good first stage and getting back into it without taking too many risk,” said second-placed Al-Wahaibi. “The car was working well and the team is perfect. Tony is fantastic. Everything is smooth. I am here to compete with myself and enjoy the rally. I am not here to compete with anyone else. I am not registering for the championship and I am not worrying about the championship.
“I just want to enjoy myself. If I beat Nasser, fantastic. If Nasser beats me and I finish second, fantastic. We know Nasser’s capabilities. I am very proud of Nasser and what he is achieving. He is a good friend.”
Nine FIA entrants and four cars running in the Oman National Rally Championship were flagged away from a revised ceremonial start at Nakhal before crews tackled the opening 3.90km super special stage with the spectacular backdrop of the rugged mountains to one side and the urban Nakhal area to the other.
Sunny and slightly windy conditions prevailed, as the defending Oman Rally champion Abdullah Al-Rawahi and Jordanian navigator Ata Al-Hmoud carded the third fastest time in their Škoda Fabia. The youngster finished just 5.4 seconds adrift of his local rival to set up the prospect of a thrilling tussle for the podium places over the weekend.
Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya teamed up with the experienced Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini to hold fourth place in a Ford Fiesta R5, despite picking up a flat tyre and doing the last portion of the stage with a deflating tyre.
MERC debutant Petr Kačirek and co-driver Václav Kopáček safely negotiated the opening few kilometres in their Duck Racing Škoda Fabia in fifth.
The opening stage ran in reverse order and the Jordanian pairing of Issa Abu Jamous and Emad Juma were the first crew into the stage. They carded a target time of 4min 15.3sec and that put them into sixth at the night halt.
The local crew of Jarah Al-Touqi and Issa Al-Wardi were second quickest of the MERC2 contingent in their Subaru Impreza and held seventh overall.
Oman’s Zakariya and Mohammed Al-Aamri were eighth and Jordan’s Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma rounded off the FIA contingent in ninth place.
Oman’s Haitham Al-Hadidi and Saif Al-Hinai drew first blood on the national rally that ran behind the main field.
The bulk of the competitive action takes place over 12 timed special stages on Friday and Saturday before the ceremonial finish and post-event press conference take place at Nakhal from 15.25hrs on Saturday afternoon.
2022 Oman Rally Sohar International – positions after SS1:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Alba Sánchez González (ESP) VW Polo GTI R5; 3min 42.8sec
2. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia R5; 3min 46.1sec;
3. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R5; 3min 51.5sec;
4. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5; 4min 09.9sec;
5. Petr Kačirek (CZE)/Václav Kopáček (CZE) Škoda Fabia R5; 4min 11.0sec;
6. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 4min 15.3sec;
7. Jarah Al-Touqi (OMN)/Issa Al-Wardi (OMN) Subaru Impreza 4min 26.3sec;
8. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) Subaru Impreza 4min 32.5sec;
9. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 4min 35.7sec.
2022 Oman National Sohar Rally – positions after SS1:
1. Haitham Al-Hadidi (OMN)/Saif Al-Hinai (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII; 4min 18.7sec;
2. Haitham Soomar (OMN)/Wael Al-Shabani (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII; 4min 23.1sec;
3. Alain Nawfal (LEB)/Bashar Qassimi (OMN) Yamaha YXZ 1000 R; 4min 25.4sec;
4. Musab Al-Soomar (OMN)/Bassam Al-Qasmi (OMN) Kia Rio; 4min 54.7sec.
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Super Special Stage (SSS) introduced for Oman Rally Sohar
Muscat (Oman), 26 Jan 2022: The cream of the Middle East’s special stage rally drivers will take the start of Oman Rally Sohar International 2022 on Thursday afternoon.
The Oman Automobile Association have made a couple of late changes to the itinerary for the opening round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). Most notably, the pre-event press conference and ceremonial start venue have moved from Al-Mouj to Nakhal and will start at the earlier time of 14.15hrs and 15.00hrs, respectively.
Event officials have also introduced a timed 3.90km super special stage at Nakhal, with the first car in action from 16.00hrs.
Qatar’s Dakar sensation and multiple regional champion, Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, tops the entry in his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI and is bidding for a seventh win in Oman. His regular French co-driver Mathieu Baumel should have been trying to earn a third win in Oman, but was unable to make the trip for personal reasons.
His place alongside Al-Attiyah has been taken by 29-year-old Spanish female co-driver Alba Sánchez González, who is a regular navigator on the Spanish national and international rallying scene.
Last year, she partnered Surhayen Pernia in a Hyundai Motor España-supported i20 R5, with the crew finishing seventh overall in the ERC Rally Islas Canarias and claiming outright victory at the Rallye La Nucía-Mediterráneo and Rallye Valles Pasiegos. Oman will be Alba’s first rally in the GCC region, although she did sit alongside England’s Catie Munnings to take 40th overall in the 2018 Cyprus Rally in a Peugeot 208 R2.
“Mathieu was not able to come to Oman, so Alba has stepped in at the 11th hour,” said Autotek Motorsport’s Ken Skidmore. “We met her in Spain, where she co-drives as part of the official Hyundai team.”
Standing in Al-Attiyah’s way are the formidable Omani duo of Abdullah Al-Rawahi and Hamed Al-Wahaibi in a pair of Škoda Fabia Evos, the Qatari’s cousin Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (Ford Fiesta) and the Czech dark horse and MERC debutant Petr Kačirek in a third Škoda Fabia.
“The stages are quite technical,” said Al-Rawahi, after Tuesday’s recce session. “We made sure that our notes are quite precise and as detailed as possible. We have done these stages before, so we are quite ready for the first day of the rally. Day two is quite different from the first day. I think we are happy. Hopefully this weekend we will come strong and try and give our best.”
Al-Wahaibi carried out three days of pre-event testing before the rally and is relishing the start after an impressive performance that saw him finish fourth overall and take a class win at the Oregon Trail Rally in America in early November.
“The new Evo is brilliant and easier to drive,” said Al-Wahaibi. “We’ve spent three days getting the driving style working. We spent some time with the diffs and the suspension and it all went well. We tested in the Hatat region where my ancestors are from. We tested in three different villages and one of them is where I am from. So we had lots of spectators in the mountains and some family and tribes from our region.
“The first day of recce went very well. The stages are really good. They need a bit more cleaning, a few rocks, but really good. Some roughness, but it is a Middle East rally and has to have that. That’s the character. I’m excited and looking forward to a good rally.”
With the quintet of R5 cars sure to dominate over the fast and flowing gravel special stages that have drawn praise across the world, there will be a separate tussle for honours in the MERC2 category for showroom production-type machines.
Four Omani and two Jordanian drivers will take part:. Zakariya Al-Aamri, Faisal Al-Rashdi and Jarah Al-Touqi lead the way for the host nation in a trio of Subaru Imprezas. Joining them on the entry are the Jordanian duo of Ihab Al-Shorafa and Issa Abu Jamous in Mitsubishi Lancers.
Five crews will also tackle a national status event behind the main FIA rally.
The bulk of the competitive action takes place over 12 timed special stages on Friday and Saturday before the ceremonial finish and post-event press conference also move to Nakhal from 15.25hrs onwards on Saturday afternoon.
2022 Oman Rally Sohar International – leading entries (unofficial):
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Alba Sánchez González (ESP) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
2. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R5
3. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia R5
4. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5
5. Petr Kačirek (CZE)/Václav Kopáček (CZE) Škoda Fabia R5
6. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) Subaru Impreza
7. Faisal Al-Rashdi (OMN)/Waleed Al-Rashdi (OMN) Subaru Impreza
8. Jarah Al-Touqi (OMN)/Issa Al-Wardi (OMN) Subaru Impreza
10. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
12. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2022 Oman National Sohar Rally – leading entries (unofficial):
20. Haitham Soomar (OMN)/Wael Al-Shabani (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII
21. Ghaith Al-Qassimi (OMN)/TBA Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII
22. Haitham Al-Hadidi (OMN)/Saif Al-Hinai (OMN) Toyota Yaris
23. Musab Soomar (OMN)/Bassam Al-Qassimi (OMN) Kia Rio
24. Alain Nawfal (LEB)/Bashar Al-Qassimi (OMN) Yamaha YXZ 1000 R
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Shriya Lohia gets PM Bal Puraskar award for excellence in sport
New Delhi, 24 Jan 2022: Karting girl Shriya Lohia of Himachal Pradesh made the motorsports world proud by winning the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) award and interacted with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi via video conference on Monday, the National Girl Child day on Jan 24.
Shriya, the 13-year old, became the second motorsports athlete to get the award, after Yash Aradhya got the award last year. She is the only motorsports athlete among the eight sportspersons awarded today along with 28 in other disciplines. The youngster is from Sundarnagar of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh and is a regular at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru for the last five years, where the National Karting Championships are held. Shriya was the “Outstanding Woman of the Year 2018”, awarded by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci) in her early career along with two other senior girls Mira Erda and Sneha Sharma. Shriya made her debut in 2018 as a 9-year old 5th class girl at Kartopia. She went on to win the fmsci award for a second year in 2019. Though many feel, that it is a long road ahead for Women in Motorsports, the Federation in tune with the international federation, FIA, and the Government of India, of late, have been recognising women, as part of the overall motorsports fraternity. Only recently, motorsports athletes started finding their names in the National awards starting with an Arjuna Award for rally driver Gaurav Gill.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about her today. On his official Twitter handle, he said: “The young and talented ShriyaLohia is an International Motorsports Karting Racer! She has won several national trophies and represented the country in international racing. Proud of her achievements. Congratulations to her for receiving the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.” He tweeted with the following graphic at 8pm on Monday.
A keen learner, who always competed with boys, with mixed results, she finally honed her skills attending trainings in Malaysia and also competed in Italy. Her big day came when she won a race in the JK Tyre X-30 Karting Nationals on 13th July 2019 in her Class VI. In the same year, the Indira National School student, finished first in the FIA Girls on Track, also in Bengaluru. Now in a Delhi school, she used to frequent the Garden City, Pune and Hyderbad to take part in karting events. Shriya expressed her interest recently to move back to her ancestral home in Sundarnagar, local Himachal paper quoted her saying.
Twenty nine children have been conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar this Year, selected from all regions of the country for their exceptional achievements in Innovation (7), Social Service (4), Scholastic (1), Sports (8), Art & Culture (6) and Bravery (3) categories. There are 15 Boys and 14 Girls among the awardees belonging to 21 States and UTs.
In view of the unprecedented circumstances emerging due to COVID-19 situation in the country, it was not possible to organise a physical ceremony at New Delhi. In order to felicitate and motivate the exceptional works of children, a function was held virtually on the occasion of National Girl Child Day today and also as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The Awardees of PMRBP 2021 and 2022 along with their parents and concerned District Magistrate of their respective district joined the event from their district Head Quarters.
During the function, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave digital certificates to the 61 winners of PMRBP 2021 and 2022 using a Block Chain-driven technology developed by IIT Kanpur under the National Blockchain Project. The digital certificates are stored on digital wallets installed on the mobile devices of the recipients. The digital certificates issued using the blockchain driven technology are unforgeable, globally verifiable, selectively disclosable and sensitive to user content. Block Chain Technology is being used for the first time for giving certificates to the awardees.
The cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/- was given to the awardees of PMRBP 2022 which was transferred online to the respective accounts of winners during the programme by the Hon’ble PM.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister interacted virtually with the winners of PMRBP 2022. Union Women and Child Development Minister Smt Smriti Zubin Irani and Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai, Minister of State were among those present on the occasion.
Interacting with Kumari Tarushi Gaur from Chandigarh, the Prime Minister enquired about her opinion on the balance between sports and studies. The Prime Minister asked why Tarushi idolises Boxer Mary Kom. She informed the Prime Minister that she likes her because of her commitment to excellence and balance that she strikes as a sportsperson and as a mother. The Prime Minister said that the government is committed to providing all the facilities to the sportspersons and creating a mindset of winning at every level.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that these awards become all the more significant in the light of the fact that they have been conferred during the important period when the country is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. He said this is the time to draw energy from the past and dedicate oneself to achieving great results in the coming 25 years of the Amrit Kaal. He also greeted the daughters of the country on the National Girl Child Day. The Prime Minister remembered the glorious history of the Freedom Struggle and the contribution of Birbala Kanaklata Barua, Khudiram Bose and Rani Gaidinilu. “These fighters had made the country’s freedom the mission of their lives at a very young age and had dedicated themselves to it” the Prime Minister noted.
The Prime Minister said that in any sector, policies and initiatives are keeping youth at the centre. He cited initiatives like Start Up India, Stand Up India, Digital India, Make in India along with Jan Andolan of Aatmnirbhar India and creation of modern infrastructure. This, he said, is in sync with the speed of the youth of India who are leading this new epoch both in India and outside. The Prime Minister underlined the growing prowess of India in the innovation and start-up sphere. He conveyed the nation’s pride in the fact of major global companies being led by Indian young CEOs. “Today we feel proud when we see the youth of India excelling in the world of startups. Today we feel proud when we see that the youth of India are innovating, taking the country forward”, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said in areas where daughters were not even allowed earlier, daughters are doing wonders in them today. This is the new India, which does not hold back from innovating, courage and determination are the hallmarks of India today.
Minister Smriti Irani also tweeted about Shriya and said: Resident of Himachal Pradesh, Shriya started her journey as motorsports karting racer at the age of 9 years. She is the only girl in her age category to compete in the national championships. Shriya is awarded PMRBP 2022 in the field of Sports. #BetiBharatKi
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WRC: Sebastian Loeb claims his 8th Monte Carlo win in dramatic battle with Ogier
Monte Carlo, 23 Jan 2022: Sébastien Loeb became the oldest winner of an FIA World Rally Championship round after grabbing a remarkable Rallye Monte-Carlo victory from the under the nose of old foe Sébastien Ogier on Sunday.
The 47-year-old Frenchman trailed Ogier by almost half a minute heading into the penultimate speed test of the four-day event in the French Alps.
But when Ogier received a ten-second jump start penalty and limped to the finish with a front left puncture, Loeb reclaimed a lead he had conceded to his compatriot on Saturday. He stayed calm through the final test to seal his eighth Monte-Carlo success in a Ford Puma by 10.5s.
Starting his first WRC event for more than a year, the nine-time World Rally Champion was competing for the British M-Sport Ford squad in a one-off appearance. He joins Ogier at the top of the Monte-Carlo roll of honour with eight wins.
His victory means he has topped the WRC podium in three different decades. Co-driver Isabelle Galmiche, a 50-year-old math teacher who was making her first top-tier start, became the first female winner of a WRC fixture since 1997.
“I didn’t expect so much when I came here,” Loeb admitted. “It was a great fight, Ogier was really fast and I struggled a bit yesterday and even this morning.”
The duel between the most successful drivers in the sport’s history proved a fitting start to the new hybrid-powered era in the championship’s 50th season.
Ogier led initially after Thursday’s short opening night in his Toyota GR Yaris but a run of four consecutive fastest times on Friday put Loeb ahead. He failed to find the same pace on Saturday and Ogier moved back in front before Sunday’s breath-taking finale.
Craig Breen finished almost 90sec further back in third in another Puma, giving the British-based M-Sport Ford squad an early lead in the manufacturers’ championship.
Kalle Rovanperä languished outside the top 10 after the opening night, but after set-up changes improved the balance of his GR Yaris, he soared up the order to secure fourth.
Despite losing time with engine issues on Saturday, Gus Greensmith claimed fifth in another Puma after winning his first special stage at WRC level. Thierry Neuville was sixth in a Hyundai i20 N after a lacklustre weekend for the Korean manufacturer.
The Belgian fought problems all rally, including a broken damper which punched through his bonnet on Saturday. Team-mates Ott Tänak and Oliver Solberg both retired.
Elfyn Evans, championship runner-up in 2021, was on the edge of the fight for victory until he beached his GR Yaris on a bank and remained stranded there for 20 minutes. The Welshman ended 21st.
Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Torstein Eriksen got the defence of their FIA WRC2 titles off to the best possible start with victory in their Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Yacco ACCR Team’s Erik Cais finished second in a Ford Fiesta MkII with Toksport’s Nikolay Gryazin recovering from early delays to complete the provisional podium in a Toksport-entered Škoda Fabia Evo.
Sami Pajari, with Enni Mälkönen co-driving, marked the start of the new-look FIA WRC3 category, which is now for Rally3 cars, in style by beating Jan Černý to the class laurels with a mere 7.6s in hand. Enrico Brazzoli rounded out the top three with all drivers competing in Ford Fiesta Rally3s.
Raphaël Astier headed Manu Guigou and François Delecar in an Alpine A110 clean sweep of the FIA RGT Cup.
The full unofficial results can be consulted here.
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Sebastien Loeb takes lead: WRC Rallye Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo, 21 Jan 2022: Sébastien Loeb became the oldest driver to lead an FIA World Rally Championship round after a sensational return to dominate Rallye Monte-Carlo on Friday.
As he approaches his 48th birthday, the Frenchman won four of the six French Alps speed tests to lead the first rally of the WRC’s innovative new hybrid era by 9.9sec in M-Sport Ford’s Puma.
The Monaco-based event is Loeb’s first WRC outing for more than a year and, currently, a one-off appearance with the British squad.
Loeb was second after Thursday night’s short opening leg behind old foe Sébastien Ogier. He charged by his fellow countryman in the last of the morning’s three special stages and preserved his advantage in the afternoon, despite a small technical issue.
“The first four stages were really great then we had a little hybrid problem,” he explained. “In the last stage I made a good drive, but maybe it was freezing a bit more. We had some little ice coming out at the end of the stage, so it was a bit tricky.
“I was really surprised when I was doing the best time in yesterday’s shakedown in the first pass. Usually in shakedown I’m not great but with this car I was immediately in the rhythm. It’s not a big gap but I’m happy to be leading after the first full day.”
Ogier dropped to third behind Toyota GR Yaris team-mate Elfyn Evans after a cautious approach on frosty roads in this morning’s final stage. But fastest time on the afternoon repeat promoted him back to second.
A wary run in the same test cost Evans valuable seconds. The Welshman ended 12.1sec adrift of his colleague after a frustrating day learning the intricacies of driving with the hybrid system for the first time in competition.
Thierry Neuville topped an intense battle for fourth in a Hyundai i20 N. His day improved after an eye-opening first stage in which he described the balance as ‘a nightmare’. “I’ve never been so scared while driving,” he said.
The Belgian stiffened his car’s settings and ended 8.9sec clear of team-mate Ott Tänak, with Craig Breen dropping 2.5sec behind the Estonian in the final stage in another Puma.
Team-mate Gus Greensmith celebrated his first WRC stage win en route to seventh. But for a minor problem with the hybrid system, the Briton would have been snapping on Neuville’s heels.
Takamoto Katsuta, Kalle Rovanperä and Oliver Solberg completed the leaderboard. A spin and smoke seeping into his i20 N’s cockpit delayed Solberg.
Adrien Fourmaux was fourth overnight but the Frenchman crashed his Puma down a ravine in the opening test. He and co-driver Alex Coria escaped injury, a testament to the new enhanced safety cell chassis introduced this year.
In FIA WRC2, Stéphane Lefebvre scored a slender lead after a late Friday push. The DG Sport Competition driver started the day 24.5sec adrift of Saintéloc’s Eric Camilli’s similar Citroën C3 Rally2 car, but moved to second behind Andreas Mikkelsen (Toksport Škoda Fabia Evo) when the early leader retired after going off the road and damaging his front suspension.
The former Citroën factory driver hacked a massive 14.5sec from Mikkelsen’s advantage during the first pass of Val-de-Chavagne / Entrevaux before going another 8.0sec quicker than his rival when it was repeated as the final stage.
The last-minute charge enabled Lefebvre to move in front and he arrived back to the Monaco service park 8.0sec ahead of Mikkelsen.
In FIA WRC3, Jan Černý kept his cool under increasing pressure from Sami Pajari to retain the class lead.
The Czech driver initially led the field of M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars by 21.2sec after winning both Thursday’s night stages but was much less dominant in the daylight.
Flying Finn Pajari set fastest times on all bar two of Friday’s frosty tests and at one point reduced the deficit to 14.8sec. However, a slow time at the final Val-de-Chavagne / Entrevaux blast undid his hard work and he ended 26.7sec off the pace.
Monte-Carlo stalwart Enrico Brazzoli ended another 11min 7.5sec behind, followed by Hungarian pilot Zoltán László who trailed the leaders by 11min 48.5sec
Saturday’s action switches west for five stages near Digne-les-Bains. Three morning tests precede a tyre change in the town before the latter two are repeated. The day features two climbs of the mythical Col de Fontbelle, likely to feature several kilometres of snow and ice at the summit.
The provisional results can be consulted here.
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Sahan Ali cuts Chirag’s lead with commanding win; Ruhaan dominates F1300
Chennai, 21 Jan 2022: Agra’s Shahan Ali Mohsin won a battle of the teenagers while Rayo Racing’s Ishaan Dodhiwala from Hyderabad avoided a first-corner incident to triumph as the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2021 sparked to life at the MMRT, here on Friday.
The day began with some commanding display by 15-year old Bengalurean, Ruhaan Alva of MSport, who showed good racecraft while comfortably pocketing the pole position and was the only car to go under 1min 51-sec mark. He set the pace beginning with a best Sector I time before the Red Flag and went on to post the fastest lap of the day in F1300. Meanwhile, Tijil Rao, who had clutch issues jumped into the pits without setting his best time.
Later in the evening, the multiple-National karting champion, Ruhaan, won Race 1 with ease and grace leading from pole to flag in the Safety Car-interrupted race as he gave no chance to the Momentum Motorsports duo Deepak Ravikumar and Tijil Rao, who finished in that order. Tijil Rao, also from Bengaluru, however, made the most of the disadvantage in the morning, by zooming from 19th to podium in the 20-car field. Ruhaan logged the fastest lap, thus completing a triumphant treble on Friday. A pole, a win and the best lap.
Shahan, 17, enjoyed a good start from pole position and went on to pip two 16-year old Bengalureans Chirag Ghorpade and Rishon Rajiv, for his third win of the season. The victory took the Agra teenager’s tally to 109 points in the championship, just 14 short of leader Chirag. The Agra racer too is a multiple Indian Karting champion, who switched over to the Formula cars. Amidst board exams, he took part in the last round and lost points in two races as he had a puncture and technical issues and was trailing by 21 points to Chirag. Thus the victory helped him reduce the margin and with two more races on Saturday in this round, the MRF 1600 class, is interestingly poised. Rishon Rajiv, the reigning Junior National Karting champ, too graduated to cars and did well to complete the podium. Shahan too completed a treble, a pole, a win, and the fastest lap.
Earlier, in the Indian Touring Cars race, Dodhiwala steered clear of a Turn-1 incident involving championship leader Arjun Balu of Race Concepts and Jeet Jhabakh of Rayo Racing to chalk up a fluent win, his first of the season. Balu and Jhabakh, who tried to pass taking the inside line, came together and went off the track while Dodhiwala slipped through into the lead. Balu recovered quickly and all but caught up with Dodhiwala before being forced to ease off due to rising engine temperature each time he pushed.
Eventually, Dodhiwala, who came into this round as a replacement for absentee team-mate Anindith Reddy, won handily ahead of Balu who, however, continues to lead the championship table. The Stewards, after a post-race investigation, docked third-placed Jhabakh a 15-second penalty for “causing an avoidable collision”.
It was a lights-to-flag victory for Ruhaan who fully capitalized on his pole position start and was never really challenged through the eight-lapper which was interrupted by a Safety Car period due to an on-track incident.
Behind Ruhaan, who had missed the previous round due to an international karting commitment, raged a tight fight for the other podium spots. Viswas Vijayaraj (DTS Racing) and Mohd Ryan (MSport), running second and third, spun off after a contact. It allowed Deepak Ravikumar (Momentum Motorsport) to move into second position from fourth and defend his spot to the chequered flag, ahead of team-mate Tijil Rao, the teenager from Bengaluru who put in a great performance to move from P19 to P3. The victory took Ruhaan from eighth and fourth in the championship standings.
Also chalking up victories today were Bengaluru’s Varun Anekar of Race Concepts (Indian Junior Touring Cars) and Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar of Performance Racing (Super Stock) while Oshan Kothadiya from Pune drove a near-flawless race for his maiden win of the season in the Volkswagen Polo category.
Haryana’s Justin Singh and Mumbai veteran Fahad Kutty, who started P11 on the reverse grid, won a race apiece, in the MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios) category.
For live streaming of the races, please follow the link https://youtu.be/0OithC0iLLo
The results (provisional – all 8 laps unless mentioned):
MRF F1600 (Race-1): 1. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (13mins, 31.446secs); 2. Chirag Ghorpade (Bengaluru) (13:32.719); 3. Rishon Rajiv (Bengaluru) (13:33.917).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Ishaan Dodhiwala (Rayo Racing, Hyderabad) (15:26.029); 2. Arjun Balu (Race Concepts, Coimbatore) (15:42.328); 3. Jeet Jhabakh (Rayo Racing, Hyderabad) (16:06.177, incl 15-second penalty).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Varun Anekar (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (16:01.284); 2. K Srinivas Teja (Performance Racing, Chennai) (16:13.396); 3. Charen Chandran (Pvt, Coimbatore) (16:29.012).
Super Stock (Race-1): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Performance Racing, Chennai) (16:11.010); 2. Rithvik Thomas (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (16:19.707); 3. RP Raja Rajan (Performance Racing, Chennai) (16:23.196).
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1): 1. Ruhaan Alva (MSport, Bengaluru) (19:08.955); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Momentum Motorsport, Chennai) (19:14.841); 3. Tijil Rao (Momentum Motorsport, Bengaluru) (19:15.168).
Volkswagen Polo (Race-1): 1. Oshan Kothadiya (Pune) (15:57.549); 2. Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) (16:01.665); 3. Saurav Bandyopadhyay (Thane) (16:02.115).
MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios – Race 1, 10 laps): 1. Justin Singh (Red Line Racing, Haryana) (16:47.458); 2. Fahad Kutty (Red Line Racing, Mumbai) (16:48.378); 3. Anand Prasad (Red Line Racing, Chennai) (16:49.775).
Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Fahad Kutty (Red Line Racing, Mumbai) (21:09.211); 2. Bala Prasath (Quest Motorsport, Coimbatore) (21:12.259); 3. Angad Matharoo (Red Line Racing, Chandigarh) (21:13.716).
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Chirag Ghorpade, Arjun Balu set hot pace: Indian car racing Nationals
Chennai, 20 Jan 2022: Chirag Ghorpade, the schoolboy from Bengaluru, and Coimbatore veteran Arjun Balu lit up the free practice sessions with some serious pace to kick-start the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2021 at the MMRT, here on Thursday.
Chirag, who heads the championship table, topped the two practice sessions in the premier MRF F1600 category with a best lap of one minute, 39.950 while his closest rival, teenager Shahan Ali Mohsin from Agra, posted the second best of 01:40.018 as the talented duo seemed to be heading for a close battle for honours in the triple-header to be run over the next two days.
On the other hand, veteran Arjun Balu, piloting the Race Concepts-prepared Honda VTec, was in a league of his own in the Indian Touring Cars category. He was about a couple of seconds quicker than his nearest rivals, the Rayo Racing pair from Hyderabad, Jeet Jhabakh and Ishaan Dodhiwala, both driving the Volkswagen Polo. Balu’s best laps in the two practice sessions were 01:51.211 in the morning and 01:50.768 in FP2.
Bengaluru’s Varun Anekar (Race Concepts) and Performance Racing’s Deepak Ravikumar from Chennai, set the fastest laps in the Indian Junior Touring Cars and Super Stock categories, respectively.
Earlier, two teenagers from Bengaluru, Tijil Rao (Momentum Motorsport) and Ruhaan Alva (MSport) topped the two practice sessions in the Formula LGB 1300 category. Tijil was the fastest on the day, clocking a best lap of 01:51.242 in FP1, but was only third quickest in 01:51.886 in the next session. Ruhaan topped FP2 with a lap of 01:51.511, an improvement of over two seconds on his FP1 best of 01:53.700.
In the 22-car Volkswagen Polo category, local challenger Sandeep Kumar set the fastest time of 01:55.657 over two sessions as he seeks to consolidate his position at the top of the leaderboard in this class.
Haryana’s Justin Singh put in the quickest lap of the day in the MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios) with a 02:03.391.
The qualifying sessions for all categories followed by five races will be run on Saturday.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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Arjun Balu leads ITC; Chirag, Shahan to fight it out in MRF 1600
Chennai, 18 Jan 2022: Coimbatatore ace and multi-faceted motorsport athlete, Arjun Balu, will be the cynosure of all eyes as he leads the championship with a slender 7-point even as a clutch of teenaged talent, will line-up on various grids in the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2021 commencing at the MMRT circuit near here on Thursday, with Covid-19 safety protocols in place.
Due to the Sunday lockdown in Tamil Nadu in the wake of the pandemic, the promoters, Madras Motor Sports Club, have rejigged the schedule for the programme to start a day earlier on Thursday, which will be devoted to practice sessions only, and conclude on Saturday afternoon with over 100 participants in fray at the Irangattukottai circuit near Sriperumbudur.
A card of 13 races will be gone through with triple-headers each in the premier MRF F1600, Volkswagen Polo and the MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios) categories, while the popular saloon cars class (Indian Touring Cars, Indian Junior Touring Cars and the Super Stock) and the Formula LGB 1300 will have two races apiece.
File photo of Saloon cars in action of 2021 Round 2 at MMRT. Due to the pandemic-induced delays, the 2021 championship has spilled into the current year, but the challenging conditions have not deterred the racing enthusiasts if the number of entries is any indication.
If the second round in December was impacted by the monsoon rains, the going this week is expected to be fair in balmy winter sunshine.
Teenagers Chirag Ghorpade (Bengaluru) and Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) have dominated the MRF F1600 category with two wins each in six starts with the former heading the championship table with 105 points.
In contrast, veteran Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) from Coimbatore showcased his vast experience in wet conditions in the second round to notch a double in the ITC category where he enjoys a seven-point advantage over Rayo Racing’s Anindith Reddy (Hyderabad). In third spot and five points adrift is another Hyderabad racer, Jeet Jhabakh, also of Rayo Racing.
Privateer from Coimbatore, Charen Chandran, heads the IJTC category while the versatile local challenger Deepak Ravikumar tops two classes, the Super Stock for Performance Racing and Formula LGB 1300 for Momentum Motorsport.
The Volkswagen Polo category, with 22 cars on the grid, is extremely competitive as the four races so far has produced as many different winners with Chennai’s Sandeep Kumar heading the points table though not having won a race.
The experienced Fahad Kutty from Mumbai, with two wins in three starts, is comfortably perched on top in the MRF Saloon Cars category that boasts of 21 competitors.
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “We once again welcome the four-wheeler competitors have are attending the third round in good number. The championship has thrown up some exciting young talent which augurs well for the sport as also the continued support from our title sponsors MRF Tyres. We expect another round of close racing this week which should spread cheer among the racing aficionados.”
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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Hybrid Rally1 era begins with Monte Carlo rally
Monte Carlo, 14 Jan 2022: Heralding the advent of a new and sustainable era, the Rally1 regulations are the product of extensive work by the FIA departments in partnership with the competing manufacturers Hyundai, M-Sport (Ford) and Toyota.
Together they aligned to deliver a category that maintains spectacular performance, further enhances safety, while focusing firmly on the environment. In addition to the plug-in hybrid unit, which is mated to the existing 1.6-litre turbocharged internal combustion engine, Rally1 cars run on 100 per cent fossil-free fuel.
The hybrid kit includes a 100kW electric motor fitted to a 3.9kWh battery and can lift combined performance levels to more than 500hp. Significantly, however, Rally1 cars are designed to run on electric mode only, which they will be required to do in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) zones located close to event service parks.
Rallye Monte-Carlo is the first of 13 WRC rounds in three continents between January and November. First held in 1911, the event is regarded as one of the most challenging on the calendar due to the likelihood of fluctuating grip levels and changeable weather. They put a huge onus on the choice of Pirelli tyres as drivers and their teams attempt to select the most suitable tyres for the conditions.
The start of the WRC’s half-century celebrations on the 90th edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo is marked by the major advances governing body the FIA has made in rallying both in terms of sustainable technology and safety. The plug-in hybrid-powered Rally1 cars have raised performance levels while reducing harmful emissions. Aligned with significant safety innovations – the result of months of intensive research and development – the FIA is overseeing a period of wide-reaching change that is pivotal to strengthening the sport, its appeal and importance into the future
THE 2022 ENTRY
A capacity entry of seventy-five cars, including 11 Rally1 cars, are entered for Rallye Monte-Carlo. Reigning FIA WRC champion Sébastien Ogier heads the list in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 as he bids for his record-extending ninth victory in the principality and his first with new co-driver Benjamin Veillas.
Sébastien Loeb, the eight-time Monte-Carlo winner and nine-time world champion, returns to the WRC in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 co-driven by Isabelle Galmiche. Both Ogier and Loeb are planning selected appearances in 2022, with Rallye Monte-Carlo a rare opportunity to see them both in action. Like the illustrious Frenchmen, Hyundai i20 N Rally1 driver Thierry Neuville is also a former Monte-Carlo winner, while Ott Tänak completes the list of FIA WRC champions past and present in action.
In addition to Loeb, the M-Sport line-up includes Craig Breen, Adrien Fourmaux and Gus Greensmith, while Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Kalle Rovanperä join Ogier at Toyota Gazoo Racing. Rallye Monte-Carlo marks Oliver Solberg’s first event as part of Hyundai’s full factory effort.
THE SUPPORTING CATEGORIES
FIA WRC2 for Rally2 cars has been restructured for 2022 and features separate classifications for Teams, Drivers, Co-Drivers, plus Junior’s. The Masters Cup includes awards for the best Driver and Co-Driver.
Andreas Mikkelsen begins the defence of his FIA WRC2 Drivers’ title with new recruit Torstein Eriksen, who won the WRC2 Co-Drivers’ title in 2021 alongside Mads Østberg. Yohan Rossel steps up as the WRC3 champion from last season, while Eric Camilli and Nikolai Gryazin have both won WRC2 events in the past.
Gryazin is also eligible for the WRC2 Junior title with opposition coming from Marco Bulacia and Gryazin’s fellow FIA European Rally Championship graduates Erik Cais, Grégoire Munster and Chris Ingram, the 2019 ERC champion. Former factory WRC driver Freddy Loix is also in contention for overall WRC2 points along with 19 rivals.
Sami Pajari, the 2021 FIA Junior WRC champion, will go up against Enrico Brazzoli and Jan Černý in FIA WRC3, which is exclusively for Rally3 cars from this season, in line with the FIA Rally Sporting Pyramid.
Rallye Monte-Carlo is also the opening round of the 2022 FIA R-GT Cup. Emmanuel Guigou, last season’s runner-up, heads an eight-car entry which also features French legend François Delecour, who won Rallye Monte-Carlo outright in 1994. Both drive Alpine’s A110 R-GT.
THE 2022 ROUTE
Based entirely in Monaco for the first time since 2006 following stints based in Valence and Gap, the 90th Rallye Monte-Carlo features three days of reconnaissance from January 17-19, when crews will sample a route of 296.03 kilometres that’s 95 per cent new compared to 2021.
Shakedown follows from 09:31 hrs local time on January 20 and provides the first opportunity for the respective performances of the Rally1 cars to be checked against the clock. A renovated Casino Square then hosts the traditional ceremonial start from 18:45 hrs on January 20 before the action begins for real with two night stages – Lucéram / Lantosque and La Bollène-Vésubie / Moulinet – in the Alpes-Maritimes. La Bollène-Vésubie / Moulinet is the rally’s longest stage at 23.25 kilometres.
Crews head back to the Alpes-Maritimes on Friday January 21 for two loops of three stages, either side of a tyre fitting zone in Puget-Théniers, totalling 97.86 timed kilometres. The Alpes-de-Haute-Provence hosts Saturday’s 92.46 kilometres of competitive action. Following the single-pass Le Fugeret / Thorame-Haute stage, there are two passes of Saint Jeannet / Malijai and Saint-Geniez / Thoard, separated by a tyre fitting zone in Digne-les-Bains.
It’s off to the north-west of Alpes-Maritimes on Sunday for the final 67.26 kilometres of competitive running and two repeated stages, the new La Penne / Collongues, plus Briançonnet / Entrevaux, which counts as the Power Stage when it’s repeated from 12:18 hrs CET. The Casino Square hosts the prize-giving ceremony from 16:00 hrs.
FOCUS ON SAFETY
By introducing hybrid technology in the WRC, the FIA has implemented a number of safety measures, such as requiring the hybrid components to be contained in a reinforced safety structure.
Rally1 cars are identifiable by an ‘HY’ graphic on the side door panels. Safety lights on the windscreen and both side pillars will be green when the car is safe to touch. A flashing red light with an audible warning means a car is unsafe to touch. An awareness campaign on social media has also been launched and highlights the precautions spectators and safety crews must take in the event of an accident due to the high-voltage electrical current they can generate.
All Rally1 cars must carry two pairs of Class-0 gloves capable of withstanding 1000 volts that can be easily accessible for the driver and co-driver when vacating their car. This will enable both crew members to provide valuable assistance in the event of a high voltage issue affecting either their car or the car of a competitor. Crews and volunteer officials have also received essential training.
RALLY DATA
Total distance: 1511.47 km Stage distance: 296.03 km (19.59%) Number of stages: 17
