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  • Keen fare on cards: Rotax Max Karting Nationals

    Keen fare on cards: Rotax Max Karting Nationals

    Championship leader in the Junior Max category, Shahan Ali Mohshin gets ready for a heat on Saturday at Meco Kartopia. Photo: David B

    Bengaluru, 3 Nov 2018: Keen competition is on cards as the National Karting Championship reaches the final round of the 2018 season. The number of competitors may be less but the competition remains high as champions in all the three classes will be decided only on the final day on Sunday with 89 points at stake.

    The fifth and final round of the Meco Motorsports FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship 2018 began here at the Meco Kartopia track on Saturday with practice sessions and heats run in Micro Max, Junior Max, and Senior Max classes.

    Shahan Ali M0hsin at Meco Kartopia

    In the Senior Max, Debarun Banerjee of MSports is leading the championship with 346 points while teammate A Balaprasanth is on 331 and Rayo Racing’s Danesh Vakharia garnered 316. Banerjee won three of the four finals and two pre-finals in the previous four rounds with Bala Prasanth winning the third round final. Danish won the pre-finals in the third round but failed to finish the final thus losing crucial points and is now 30 points behind the leader. All the three will be going all out on Sunday with fourth-placed Shahan Ali Mohsin, also of MSports, breathing on their necks in fourth place with 314 points.

    Shahan is comfortably placed in the Junior Max section, though. Winning six races from 8 starts, the MSports karter has 351 points ahead of Mihir Suman Avalakki, who is the only other winner taking both the pre-finals and finals in the second round. He is on 332 points and a further five points behind in third is K Suriya Varathan, also of MSports and Birel Art’s M R Rishon is on 325 points.

    Ishaan Madesh ends a session on Saturday at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru. Ishaan is leading the Micro Max championship table with 351 points

    In Micro Max class, Madesh brothers, Ishaan, and Rohaan of Peregrine Racing lead the championship with 351 and 345 points respectively with teammate Sathvik Raju in third place with 320 points. Birel Art’s Abhay M is closely placed in the fourth spot with 318 followed by another Peregrine karter Jagrat Detroja on 313 points. Though Mathematically any of the top five can win the title, the fight is essentially between the two brothers where the younger Madesh did some smart manoeuvres in the previous round and is just six points behind. After a shaky start in the first two rounds, Ishaan Madesh dominated the Micromax category winning all the four races in the previous two rounds. He lost both the races in the second round and the pre-finals in the first round but recovered to take the lead. But with only six points separating the brothers, Sunday will witness a keen battle.

    The pre-finals winner will take home 34 points while a win the final is worth 55 points. The numbers on the grid may be less but no inch is given as the season comes to the business end.

     

  • FLASH: Marc Marquez takes pole but receives 6-place penalty

    FLASH: Marc Marquez takes pole but receives 6-place penalty

    Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda qualified on pole but will start from 3rd row due to a grid penalty. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Sepang, 3 Oct 2018: After taking pole position by over half a second, 2018 Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has been handed a six-place grid penalty after being deemed to have been riding irresponsibly in an incident with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone in Q2. This now means Marquez will start from P7, with second place Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) promoted to pole, with everyone down to seventh place Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) moving up a position for Sunday’s race.

    Earlier, Marc Marquez had secured an 80th career pole position after he mastered the wet Q2 conditions at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 World Champion was in superior form at the Sepang International Circuit to set a quickest lap of 2:12.161 to beat Zarco by over half a second in P2, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lining up on the outside of the front row in P3.

  • Marquez brothers grab pole positions; Marc masters wet Q2; Sunday Race times advanced

    Marquez brothers grab pole positions; Marc masters wet Q2; Sunday Race times advanced

    World champion Marc Marquez sets a wet track on fire at Sepang. Photo: MotoGP

    Sepang, 3 Nov 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) secured an 80th career pole position after he mastered the wet Q2 conditions at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 World Champion was in superior form at the Sepang International Circuit to set a quickest lap of 2:12.161 to beat Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) by over half a second in P2, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lining up on the outside of the front row in P3.

    It was Marquez who led the field over the line and it was he who set the first benchmark; a 2:13.641 edged out Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) – who was just behind the Spaniard on track – by 0.027, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also within a tenth after the first lap – 0.051 splitting the top three.

    Marc Marquez crashes. Photo: MotoGP

    With a banker lap under his belt, Marquez then slammed in a rapid second lap to considerably shift the goal posts. A 2:12.161 a full 1.264 quicker than Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) as the World Champion put daylight – and more – between himself and his rivals. However, the Repsol Honda rider then lost the front at Turn 4 and unlike he’s been able to do several times already this weekend, there was no saving this one. Down he went after setting a new session best first sector, but he was back up and in the pits with over three minutes still remaining. The aforementioned gap was 1.264 seconds, but could it be beaten? Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) shot up to P2, but he was still over a second off and then on his final flying lap, the Italian crashed at Turn 9. Iannone – following Dovi on track – had gone provisional P2 but the gap was still 0.936. A flying Frenchman then propelled himself into second; Zarco cutting the gap to eight tenths, with fellow YZR-M1 rider Rossi then leapfrogging him into second.

    Johann Zarco. Photo: MotoGP

    In the end, no one could come close to matching Marquez and despite Zarco putting in a personal best lap to re-take P2 from ‘The Doctor’, the gap between the number 93 and his rivals was still 0.548. A masterclass from Marquez in the wet around the Sepang International Circuit, this his 80th career pole position across all classes. Zarco and Rossi join the seven-time Champion on the front row, with Iannone the only other rider within a second of pole – P4 for a second race in a row for ‘The Maniac’.

    His late crash meant Dovi had to settle for P5 in Q2, with fellow Desmosedici rider Miller ending the session P6 after setting his best lap on his final lap. Behind the Australian was teammate Danilo Petrucci, with both Alma Pramac Racing riders slipping down the order after sitting on the provisional front row. Friday’s quickest rider Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) will launch from P8, just ahead of Q1 graduate Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) in P9.

    Valentino Rossi. Photo: MotoGP

    Winner at Sepang in the wet conditions in 2012, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) qualified in P10, just ahead of compatriot and Free Practice’s fastest man Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) – P11 for the Australian GP winner. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) will line up in P12, a crash at Turn 4 in Q2 after setting the second quickest time in Q1 ended his hopes of a top ten result.

    Heavy rain not only brings the Safety Car out, but even the Sunday’s schedule is advanced. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan in Sepang.

    Marquez reigns in the wet, but with an updated Sunday Time Schedule, the chances of the race being dry have increased. What will the weather bring for the race? Who knows, this is Malaysia after all. But either way it’s set to be a belting battle.

    New Sunday schedule for Malaysian GP

    Due to weather concerns after the heavy downpour seen before qualifying for the premier class, Sunday’s race times have been brought forward for every class.

    The new Sunday schedule (IST) is as follows:

    Moto3 Warm Up – 05:10 AM

    Moto2 Warm Up: 05:40 AM

    MotoGP Warm Up – 06:10 AM

    Moto3 race – 07:30 AM

    Moto2 race – 08:50 AM

    MotoGP race – 10:30 AM

    Dominant Alex Marquez storms to Moto2 pole

    Alex Marquez takes Moto2 pole. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan

    Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) stormed to Moto2 pole position, setting the only 2:05 time in qualifying to better closest challenger Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) by 0.488 seconds. 2:05.629 was the lap, with Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up) completing the front row of the grid at the Sepang International Circuit.

    From the outset, it was Marquez who looked menacing and sure enough on his third flying lap, the Spaniard set a sensational 2:05.629 to go 0.692 faster than anyone else. The gauntlet was well and truly thrown down, with Quartararo and Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) sitting as his two closest challengers in P2 and P3 – 0.026 separating the duo, with Marini just 0.009 off a provisional front row with 15 minutes to go.

    Marini went from P4 to P2 with under five minutes remaining, the gap to Marquez still 0.488 though. Quartararo, after being pushed down to P3 by Marini, then set a personal best lap, but it wasn’t enough to improve his position as the standings were set.

    So it was Marquez who took pole – despite a late crash at Turn 1 – to continue his dominant weekend, with Marini and Quartararo joining him on the front row. Fourth place went to Gardner, the Australian producing career-best qualifying in P4 to finish just 0.052 off the front row, with Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) lining up alongside him in P5.

    Then came the two Championship protagonists. Overall standings leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) lines up on the outside of the second row in P6, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) starting just behind the Italian in P7 – the duo playing a little bit of cat and mouse in qualifying as tensions start to rise, with Bagnaia able to clinch the Moto2™ title on Sunday.

    Marquez looks like he’s going to take some beating in Malaysia, but the bigger story is can Bagnaia seal the World Championship? The two title rivals line up in tandem on the grid, with Oliveira out to put the celebrations on hold. An intriguing encounter awaits.

    Martin produces Malaysian magic to take Moto3 pole

    Jorge Martin takes Moto3 pole. Photo: Srinivasa Krishnan

    Moto3 Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took pole for the 11th time in 2018 after setting a new lightweight class qualifying lap record. The Spaniard heads main title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) by 0.032, with Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) continuing his strong weekend to take P3 on the grid.

    It was John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) who led for the majority of the session and with 15 minutes remaining, despite Bezzecchi briefly taking over at the top, McPhee then moved the goal posts again – his advantage sitting at an impressive 0.584. However, this was immediately trimmed to 0.052 with Martin going second fastest, with Free Practice’s fastest man Arbolino then jumping up to second – 0.020 now the gap between the top two.

    The standings remained the same before it was time for the final lap dash, with Martin and Bezzecchi both leaving it late to head out – the latter crossing the line with four seconds of the session remaining. Arbolino, Martin, and Bezzecchi all had red sectors in the opening two sectors, but provisional pole man McPhee was also looking to increase his advantage – and that’s exactly what he did. However, it was only by 0.060, with the three riders behind all on fast laps.

    Martin came across the line to top McPhee’s new benchmark by 0.350, as Arbolino slotted into P2 after he also beat the Scotsman’s time. Bezzecchi then went quicker than both McPhee and Arbolino but lost out to his title rival by a slender 0.032. Nonetheless, the top two in the Championship lock out the top two grid slots to set us up for a tantalising race.

  • Amaravathi gearing up for major international speed-boating extravaganza: F1H2O

    Amaravathi gearing up for major international speed-boating extravaganza: F1H2O

    Photo courtesy: F1H2O

    Amaravathi (AP), 3 Nov 2018: The futuristic city and crown jewel of Andhra Pradesh will host a grand sporting extravaganza in UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of Amaravati, a big-time international speed-motoring event on the waters of the Krishna River in Vijayawada from November 16 to 18 and the preparations are going on here, on a massive scale. The fifth round of F1H2O World Championship is bound to set a milestone and a standard for the future events.

    N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, wants to attract the world’s attention to the event and so the arrangements are on a grand scale, in his typical organising perfection. The new state’s, first international water sports event is expected to boost the sporting environment of AP and inculcate a culture of sports tourism.

    One of the main attractions for the tens-of-thousands of spectators that are expected to line the banks of the Krishna River will be the boats of Jonas Andersson and Erik Edin running in the colours of Team Amaravati and backed by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. In the team’s first outing in Amaravati colours Andersson finished on the podium in third place in BRM Qualifying and in fourth place in the Agile Grand Prix, Xiangyang recently.

    Team Abu Dhabi is very much in control of proceedings as the championship heads into the business end of the season, kick-starting the crucial three-race run into year-end and title honours with the Grand Prix of India in Amaravati from November 16 to 18 for the Round 5 of the UIM F1H2O World Championship.

    The Abu Dhabi trio of Thani Al Qemzi, Erik Stark and Shaun Torrente are currently locked in an inter-team battle for title honours, holding the top three spots in the title race and split by just two points, 54 to 52, with the Abu Dhabi outfit comfortably out front in the Teams Championship by 42 points.

    For the remaining title hopefuls, the fight back has to start now, with CTIC F1 Shenzhen China duo Philippe Chiappe and Peter Morin best placed and the closest challengers, 20 and 24 points off top spot.

    Jonas Andersson has confirmed that British driver Ben Jelf will join Team Amaravati for its home Grand Prix.

    The 18-year-old from Kent will compete in boat 41 in the F4-S Championship with the team currently sitting in third place in the standings, 14 points behind Blaze Performance in top spot. “We are pleased to have a great young competitor like Ben driving in F4-S for Team Amaravati and we are sure that he will do his best to try to get a podium finish for us,” said Jonas Andersson. “We have been following Ben’s career for a while and it is great news that he will be joining us in India.”

  • Alex Rins fastest in FP as 0.159 splits four factory riders on Friday at Sepang

    Alex Rins fastest in FP as 0.159 splits four factory riders on Friday at Sepang

    Alex Rins sets the pace in Free Practice sessions on Friday at Sepang. Photo: MotoGP

    Sepang, 02 October 2018: Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) topped the timesheets on Friday at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix after going quickest in FP2. The Spaniard heads Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) on the combined times by just 0.089 after setting a 1:59.608, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completing a top three covered by 0.093 seconds at Sepang.

    Rins tops FP2 in Sepang on Friday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Despite the threat of rain throughout the day, the MotoGP™ riders were able to get two full dry sessions done and dusted in Malaysia, and it was a Suzuki leading the way as the chequered flag came out at the end of FP2. Rins was the man at the summit thanks to his late FP2 time, with Dovi failing to improve on his FP1 time in the afternoon session – P7 for the Italian in FP2. It was Marquez who finished the second session in P2, but the World Champion had an eventful day. In typical  Marquez fashion, the number 93 had to save the front of his RC213V numerous times across the two sessions. Front-end improvements needed for the Champion before qualifying?

    Andrea Dovizioso. Photo: MotoGP

    There were no such close shaves for fourth place overall and sixth fastest in FP2 Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) though. ‘The Doctor’ having a strong Friday to end the day just 0.159 from Rins’ time as four manufacturers make up the top four spots at Sepang. Fifth on the combined times was Jack Miller on board his Alma Pramac Racing Ducati, the Australian setting a quickest time of 1:59.771 to end FP2 in P3 after being the first rider to dip into the 1:59s in FP2. Meanwhile, Australian GP winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completes the day P6 on the overall times, the Spaniard going fourth fastest in FP2 to end the day less than two tenths off P1.

    Marc Marquez. Photo: MotoGP

    Just 0.009 behind him at the end of Friday’s proceedings sits Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), P7 overall for the Italian thanks to his FP2 time, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) improving by over half a second in the second session to end P8 on Friday. Completing the provisional automatic Q2 places were Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in P9 and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro in P10 – the latter going over a second slower in FP2 though, with his FP1 time just enough to better 11th place Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team). Returning from injury, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) endured a tough opening day. The five-time World Champion finished bottom of the timesheets and over three seconds adrift of the fastest time. Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a crash at Turn 2 – rider ok.

    So its Rins that was on fire on Friday in Sepang, a fantastic turnaround after one of his bikes was on up in flames in pitlane on Thursday. The times are super close with 0.203 covering the top six, but FP3 gives the premier class riders the last chance to improve their times to see if they can cement an automatic Q2 place.

    Update: Crutchlow undergoes second surgery

    Cal Crutchlow. Photo: MotoGP

    The LCR Honda Castrol Team have given an update on their rider Cal Crutchlow after the Briton sustained a fracture to his right ankle and tibia at Phillip Island. He currently remains in hospital in Australia, but the three-time Grand Prix winner has successfully undergone a second operation on the affected area and should now be allowed to return home on Sunday.

    “Cal had his second operation on Thursday morning,” says Lucio Cecchinello, LCR Honda Team Principal. “The surgery took less than two hours and he was awake about an hour after the procedure finished. He didn’t complain about any particular pain after coming round. The surgery was performed by Dr Matthias Russ, the same doctor who carried out the first operation, and he stated that he was very pleased with how the surgery had gone. Cal has had two small plates inserted and he will be ready to fly home on Sunday night – provided there are no complications, which nobody expects. Once he’s back home he will start physiotherapy and will try his best to be fit again as soon as possible.”

  • Gaurav Gill set to fire in Rally of Arunachal, Round 3 of MRF FMSCI INRC 2018

    Gaurav Gill set to fire in Rally of Arunachal, Round 3 of MRF FMSCI INRC 2018

    (L-R) Aroor Vikram Rao, Amittrajit Ghosh, Gaurav Gill, Karna Kadur & Rahul Kanthraj during media interaction in Itanagar for Round 3 of the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2018

    Itanagar, 2 November 2018: India’s top rallyist Gaurav Gill will be hoping to inch closer to his sixth national title as the Rally of Arunachal, Round 3 of the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2018, unfolds here over the weekend.

    Gill, the Team Mahindra Adventure spearhead, who won the grueling Dakshin Dare Rally last month, has been in imperious form through the season, winning the first two rounds with consummate ease.

    Along with his trusted co-driver Musa Sherif, Gill is expected to thrill the local crowds with his speed and daredevilry behind the wheel. He will have to keep his eye on his team-mate Amittrajit Ghosh (co-driver Ashwin Naik), though, who will be aiming to upstage him.

    Ghosh is currently in the second position and has been driving a lot more assuredly, even though he had to drop out of contention in the Dakshin Dare Rally owing to vehicle malfunction.

    Team Mahindra Adventure will be wary of Arka Motorsports’ Karna Kadur, who is likely to enjoy a slight edge over the tarmac stretches. Kadur has a new co-driver by his side, PVS Murthy, and is leading the charts in the INRC 2 category. He is third behind Gill and Ghosh in the overall championship standings.

    His team-mate Rahul Kanthraj (co-driver Vivek Y Bhatt) is also a strong contender, currently holding the second position in the INRC 2 category.

    Aroor Vikram Rao (co-driver Somayya AG) is leading the INRC 3 category and he will be keen to consolidate his position in the picturesque locals of Arunachal Pradesh.

    The Round 3 of MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2018 being officially flagged off by Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Pema Khandu (with flag) in Itanagar on November 2

    Championship standings after Round 2:

    INRC Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill & Musa Sherif (Team Mahindra Adventure) 50 points; 2. Amittrajit Ghosh & Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure) 36 points; 3. Karna Kadur & PVS Murthy (Arka Motorsports) 30 points.

    INRC 1: 1. Gaurav Gill & Musa Sherif (Team Mahindra Adventure) 50 points; 2. Amittrajit Ghosh & Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure) 36 points.

    INRC 2: 1. Karna Kadur & PVS Murthy (Arka Motorsports) 50 points; 2, Rahul Kanthraj & Vivek Y Bhatt (Arka Motorsports) 36 points; 3. Jacob KJ & Nitin Jacob 24 points.

    INRC 3: 1. Aroor Vikram Rao & Somayya AG 50 points; 2. Suhem Kabeer & Jeevarathinam 30 points; 3. Dean Mascarenhas & Shruptha Padival 28 points.

  • With five wins each this season, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha are all square in Sepang

    With five wins each this season, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha are all square in Sepang

    Riders at the pre-event press conference. Photo: MotoGP

    Sepang, 1 November 2018: It’s time for the final flyaway race of the 2018 season and to kick things off at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, home hero Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was joined in the pre-event Press Conference by 2018 MotoGP™ Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Australian GP winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the returning Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team).

    In the last 15 races at the Sepang International Circuit, there has been nothing to choose between three MotoGP™ manufacturers in terms of the number of wins. Honda, Ducati and Yamaha have taken five victories each in the last 16 years and in the Press Conference, Marquez, Dovizioso and Viñales talked about their chances of claiming victory this time around.

    Jorge Lorenzo. Photo: MotoGP

    The 2014 Malaysian GP winner Marquez began and after suffering his first DNF of the season last time out in Australia, the Honda rider is out to make amends this weekend on a track that he and Honda went very well at in preseason testing.

    “We’ll try to continue in the same way, in Phillip Island we struggled a bit then in the race we were in good shape so we’ll try and keep our performance here,” said the number 93 rider. “The preseason was good here, race pace, but now it’s completely different; different bikes and different setups, so we forget that and concentrate on the weekend. We start from FP1, try to work hard, then we’ll see if we can fight for the podium, the top five or the victory.”

    What we can’t forget is that Sepang has been Desmosedici territory in the last two years with Dovi taking maximum points in both 2016 and 2017, while teammate Lorenzo finished just behind him in P2 last season. But what does the number 04 expect from this weekend? Well, Sepang is where he secured his first MotoGP™ podium after a great battle with Nicky Hayden in 2008, but the Italian is interested to see how Ducati perform in a dry race after his two victories came in the wet conditions:

    Andrea Dovizioso. Photo: MotoGP

    “I remember it well that weekend and race. I had a strong race with Nicky, it was my first year in MotoGP™ and until the last corner we were breaking very hard and I was able to arrive in front. It was nice, it was a good moment,” explained Dovi, talking about that 2008 race. “This track is good for me but in the past, if we look at the result we didn’t take a lot of good results in the dry. The last two years we won in the wet but it will be interesting to see what our speed would be in the dry.”

    There’s no guarantee we’ll see a dry race this weekend, but that is exactly what we saw in Australia. Viñales and Yamaha have been buoyed after the Spaniard ended their victory drought in Phillip Island, so can they kick on and potentially challenge for their first back-to-back victories since Qatar-Argentina 2017?

    Maverick Vinales. Photo: MotoGP

    “It’s been nice, we enjoyed it a lot with the team and it’s been a long time since we enjoyed a dinner like that,” said the Yamaha rider, who thinks he and his team can work even better now they are more relaxed: “I think now we can do even better because we’re more relaxed and let’s see if that can help us to improve, and help Yamaha. I want to try to be competitive and be in front and try and finish the season well in the standings. It’s important to not lose this momentum now.”

    So it looks like all three riders and all three manufacturers are aiming to fight for the victory on Sunday but as always in Malaysia, the weather looks set to play its part. There will be floods of fans surrounding the Sepang International Circuit throughout the weekend, but who will they see take the victory come Sunday?

    Let’s not forget, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha also have Suzuki to contend with this weekend.

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  • Sebastien Loeb surprise return to Dakar Rally; Frenchman eyes maiden win

    Sebastien Loeb surprise return to Dakar Rally; Frenchman eyes maiden win

    Sebastien Loeb…..all set for another Dakar challenge. Photo: WRC.

    Paris, 31 October 2018: Sébastien Loeb has revealed that he will return for another shot at a maiden Dakar Rally win next January as a Red Bull privateer.

    Here is all you need to know:

    Loeb has driven the World’s most gruelling rally raid race three times before in a factory car. His second place behind team-mate Stéphane Peterhansel in 2017 was his best result for Team Peugeot Total.

    After retiring in 2018 due to an injury to co-driver Daniel Elena in the Peruvian sand dunes, it looked like the motorsport legend would never race it again.

    Nevertheless Loeb, emboldened by his 79th FIA World Rally Championship victory in Spain last weekend, has decided to give it another shot.

    The privateer car that he will pilot alongside navigator Elena will be a Peugeot 3008DKR similar to the one that he finished runner-up in at the 2017 edition.

    His car will be run by independent French team PH Sport with Loeb looking to become the first privateer to win the race since Jean-Louis Schlesser in 2000.

    The 41st Dakar Rally in Peru takes place solely in one country for the first time from January 6-17 with around 5,000 kilometres over 10 stages awaiting the world’s best off-roaders leaving Loeb little time for testing.

    The 44-year-old, who also has Silk Way Rally and Rallye du Maroc experience with Peugeot, said: “Throughout my career I’ve always been considered to be a favourite. While I’m obviously motivated by winning, having fun is important too, so taking part in the 2019 Dakar with Daniel, as private outsiders, is a fantastic challenge. I’m ready to give it a go: a little bit like my three WRC appearances this year, where success was far from being guaranteed.”

    The Haguenau native will test the PH car privately in December before the rally start in Lima where he will be up against the likes of familiar foes Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz, Cyril Despres and Nasser Al-Attiyah.

    Loeb added: “I think all these guys will be strong rivals. I couldn’t go with the wider 3008DKR Maxi from this year due to the latest regulations, so we go with the 2.20m wide car from the year before, maybe with a few small evolutions on the engine similar to this year.”

    Peruvian sand dunes undid Loeb this year with next year’s edition seeing a whopping 70% of the route made up of them, something that he is not afraid of.

    He explained: “I like the dunes, but the key thing will be not to get stuck. This is what I will work on during my test and there will also be some work for Daniel too, as navigation in the dunes is really tricky. I only made the decision to go to Dakar again at the last minute, but I’m still hungry for the win. We’re probably lacking some preparation compared to the others: equally I didn’t forget everything I learned over the last three years. It’s an adventure that I’m looking forward to experiencing again.”

  • Loeb snatches dramatic WRC win in Spain; Ogier regains championship lead after finishing second

    Loeb snatches dramatic WRC win in Spain; Ogier regains championship lead after finishing second

    Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena on the podium after their win in Spain. Photo: rallyracc.com

    Salou, 29 October 2018: Sébastien Loeb (co-driver Daniel Elena) claimed his first WRC victory for more than five years in a pulsating finale to RallyRACC Catalunya – Rally de España, the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship on Sunday. The 44-year old nine-time World champion, making his final guest appearance of the season with Citroën Racing, edged defending title holder Sébastien Ogier by 2.9sec in an intense finale to the four-day mixed surface event.

    Ogier’s consolation was that he regained the championship lead by three points from Thierry Neuville with one round remaining. The Belgian was relegated from third to fourth, and missed out on crucial bonus points, after hitting a stone near the finish.

    After winning every year from 2005 to 2012, Loeb (Citroën C3 WRC) achieved his ninth victory at the RallyRACC, an amazing feat, as he is not currently participating in this season and had chosen the Spanish round as one of the three in which he competed this season. This victory is also the second consecutive achieved by Citroën at the Catalan round, after the one Meeke-Nagle took last year.

    Loeb, who retired from full-time competition in 2012, last stood on the winners’ podium in Argentina in 2013. He lay third overnight but charged into the lead by winning Sunday’s opening two speed tests as an inspired tyre choice reaped rewards. Loeb threw away vital seconds with a spin in the penultimate test to allow Ogier to close in his Ford Fiesta. He held on through the final 14.50km test for his ninth Spanish win.

    “The information we had from the weather team was right. The roads were drying and I knew if I used hard tyres in these conditions I could be fast,” he said. “To win after almost six years is incredible, but to do so in a battle like this, where you only discover after the finish line that you have won, is amazing. I never believed I would win again.”

    Tyre choice errors early in the event cost Ogier dear, but this season’s remarkable title fight swung back in his favour when Neuville hit a stone close to the finish. The impact broke his Hyundai i20’s right rear wheel and allowed Elfyn Evans, team-mate to Ogier, to snatch third and aid his colleague’s title bid. Evans ended 0.5sec clear of Neuville.

    Spain’s Dani Sordo was a further 1.6sec behind in fifth, while early leader Ott Tänak recovered to sixth after yesterday’s puncture. The Estonian is 23 points adrift of Ogier and with a maximum 30 available at the last round, his hopes hang by a thread.

    Esapekka Lappi finished seventh ahead of Toyota Yaris team-mate and overnight leader Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn remained second until he hit a barrier in the penultimate stage, punctured his front left tyre and dropped nearly 50sec. Craig Breen and Andreas Mikkelsen completed the top 10.

    The championship showdown takes place at Kennards Hire Rally Australia. The gravel event is based in Coffs Harbour on 15-18 November.

    Sebastien Ogier….back at the top of the championship. Photo: M-Sport.

    Ogier said; “It’s been an eventful weekend but we’re feeling good at the end of it. We knew that it would be difficult starting second on the road and the wet conditions made it really challenging as well. But we never gave up and gave it everything we had. You’re always a little frustrated when you miss the victory by such a small margin, but we tried everything we could and it’s still been a positive weekend as we regained the lead of the championship. Starting first on the road in Australia will be difficult, but I prefer to have the points in hand. It will be a tough rally and we will have to give it everything we have if we want to regain the title.”

    The day started with a first pass through the Riudecanyes (16.35 km) and Santa Marina (14.50 km) stages, where Loeb set the fastest time, taking the lead after this first loop and leaving Latvala Miikka (Toyota Yaris WRC), 7.1 seconds behind, and Ogier (Ford Fiesta WRC) at 10.8.

    With all options open before the second loop over the same two stages, Riudecanyes had a surprising winning duo, Elfyn Evans-Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC), who took the fifth place overall ahead of the Spanish Dani Sordo-Carlos del Barrio (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC). Nevertheless, the highlight in that stage was a spin by Loeb at the Coll de la Teixeta roundabout, where he lost some seconds but kept the lead, as well as a puncture for Latvala, this time in the left front tyre, that took him definitively out of the fight for victory.

    At Santa Marina, the Power Stage, Loeb and Ogier met for the final duel and the last stage could not be more exciting: Ott Tänak was the fastest and took the 5 extra points. But the drivers fighting for victory were right behind him, Ogier second and Loeb third, which allowed the Citroën driver to take the win, for the ninth time at the RallyRACC, a historical feat that no one else had achieved in the 54 editions held.

    Thierry Neuville lost the third final position in the last few meters, as he damaged his rear tyre, so Elfyn Evans, who was fourth in the Power Stage, completed the overall podium. Dani Sordo, who took one additional point in this last stage, was not able to do any better than the sixth place, ahead of Ott Tänak, who is now definitively out of the fight for the drivers’ title.

    Teenager Rovanpera leads 1-2 WRC 2 finish for Skoda

    Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen celebrating their WRC 2 category. Photo: Skoda Motorsport

    Exactly on the day of the 100 years celebration of the country Czechoslovakia, Czech ŠKODA factory crew Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler celebrated their WRC 2 championship win with a second place behind team-mates Kalle Rovanperä-Jonne Halttunen. Before the event, ŠKODA Motorsport also had secured the WRC 2 Championship for Teams, making the 2018 season the most successful in its history.

    After the rally switched from gravel to tarmac for the Saturday leg, 18-year old Rovanperä stormed into the category lead, unimpressed by heavy rain. Finally, he secured his second WRC 2 win of the season, which made them climb up to third overall in the WRC 2 championship standings behind teammates Jan Kopecký and Pontus Tidemand.

    Kopecký said:  “This is a very special day for me. On the date today, my home country celebrates its 100th birthday. We are delighted to become WRC 2 champions and so could crown a fantastic season!”

    One of the first to congratulate was Christian Strube, Head of Technical Development ŠKODA AUTO. ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek added: “Now it is time to celebrate! Kalle and Jan did a great job. The whole team made it possible, that we enjoy the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport!”

    Overall Classification:

    1. Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena (Citroen C3 WRC) 3:12:08.0
    2. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) +2.9
    3. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +16.5
    4. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +17.0
    5. Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +18.6
    6. Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC) +1:03.9
    7. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm (Toyota Yaris WRC) +1:16.6
    8. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) +1:26.4
    9. Craig Breen / Scott Martin (Citroen C3 WRC) +2:07.0
    10. Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jaeger (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +2:48.2
    11. Teemu Suninen / Mikko Markkula (Ford Fiesta WRC) +3:52.0

    Drivers’ Championship Standings:

    1. Sébastien Ogier – 204
    2. Thierry Neuville – 201
    3. Ott Tänak – 181
    4. Esapekka Lappi – 110
    5. Jari-Matti Latvala – 102
    6. Andreas Mikkelsen – 84
    7. Dani Sordo – 71
    8. Elfyn Evans – 70
    9. Craig Breen – 61
    10. Hayden Paddon – 55
    11. Teemu Suninen – 54

    Manufacturers’ Championship Standings:

    1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC – 331
    2. Hyundai Motorsport – 319
    3. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team – 306
    4. Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team – 216