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Tag: Jari-Matti Latvala
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Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill and MRF finish 12th; Ogier survives Latvala challenge for title
Gaurav Gill and MRF Tyres had plenty to cheer after finishing 12th in RC2 at the Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing Llandudno, 7 October 2018: Gaurav Gill and MRF Tyres had reasons to feel satisfied after finishing 12th in the RC2 class in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship which ended here on Sunday with Sébastien Ogier winning the title after a pulsating final leg.
Gill and MRF who are focusing more on tyre development in preparation for a full WRC 2 season next year, maintained good pace, if opting to err on the side of caution in view of the treacherous conditions.
Yet, Gill, partnered by Australian Glenn Macneall and driving the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, was on anything but a leisurely Sunday drive as he progressed through the standings, moving from overall 15th to 14th to 12th over three consecutive Stages before holding position in SS-22. MRF did not run SS-23, the concluding test, following changes in the wake of a motorbike accident not related to the rally.
“It is great to reach the end of the rally – it has been a challenging rally because of the slippery conditions and the changing weather,” Gill said. “Wales Rally GB is much different to Rally Finland and Rally Italy so it was a new experience for us and the team.”
Gaurav Gill negotiating a treacherous section. Photo: MRF Racing The crews did not return to service on Sunday, rather relying on a tyre fitting zone, meaning that any damage would have to be repaired by the crews. For Gill and Macneall, they would not have to worry about this as they skilfully navigated their way through the stages.
“Like the other days, today was tricky because of the narrow and slippery muddy stages,” Gill said. “We concentrated on getting through the stages and getting the data needed to develop our product.
“It is a shame we didn’t get to do the second run on Great Orme Llandudno due to the injury of a bike rider and our thoughts are with him. However, it was great to be able to rally in front of the massive Welsh crowd.”
Next up for Team MRF Tyres is Kennards Hire Rally Australia on more familiar roads. Joining Gill and Macneall in action on MRF Tyres will be the Australian Rally Championship, where MRF Tyres is the control tyre supplier.
SEBASTIEN OGIER HANGS ON TO POUCH TITLE
Sebastien Ogier had every reason to smile after winning the Wales Rally GB. Photo: WRC Meanwhile, in the WRC battle, Jari-Matti Latvala snatched Ogier’s slender overnight lead before the Frenchman fought back to regain the initiative in the penultimate speed test and win the four-day gravel road encounter by 10.6sec in a Ford Fiesta.
Latvala, driving a Toyota Yaris, finished 24.5sec ahead of team-mate and fellow-Finn Esapekka Lappi.
In the battle for the FIA World Rally Championship, Thierry Neuville’s final day surge to fifth left him with a seven-point advantage (189-182) over Ogier with two rounds remaining.
After narrowing Ogier’s overnight lead to 1.7sec with second fastest time in the opening Elsi speed test, Latvala threw caution to the wind in the following Gwydir special stage to move into a 3.6sec lead and claim maximum bonus points.
Ogier fought back in the following asphalt Great Orme Llandudno test to claim fastest time and defeat the Finn by 3.4sec – reducing the Toyota Yaris pilot’s advantage to a tantalising 0.2sec with two stages remaining.
The gravel forest roads were treacherously slippery after cold overnight temperatures and Latvala’s face at the finish of Gwydir revealed just how much of a roller coaster ride it was.
“An extremely difficult stage. It was very, very low grip and on the asphalt there was a lot of mud. I went flat over a crest, the car was already sideways and I thought I was going to hit the impact, but luckily I got away with it. It was a big push,” he said.
Ogier, who was third in both forest tests, admitted: “It was a difficult morning, the feeling wasn’t really great in the first two stages so I couldn’t push. The Toyota is very strong but we’re going to keep pushing until the end.”
Lappi was fastest in Elsi and the Yaris driver watched the lead battle from a safe third place after Craig Breen’s hopes of a podium took a knock when the Irishman spun his Citroën C3 in Gwydir and dropped 10sec.
Andreas Mikkelsen overhauled Mads Østberg to climb to fifth in his Hyundai i20, while team-mate Thierry Neuville’s scramble for vital championship points improved when he moved ahead of Hayden Paddon by a tenth of a second into seventh. He trails Østberg by 6.9sec.
After yesterday’s problems Ott Tänak and Neuville were desperate for Power Stage points to boost their three-way championship battle with Ogier. Tänak fared best to claim four bonus points while Neuville took two, one fewer than Ogier.
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Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill consolidates to finish Leg 2 in 15th; Ogier leads as Tanak retires
Gaurav Gill on way to consolidating his gains. Photo: MRF Racing Deeside Rally Village, 6 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill showed plenty of pluck and pace to survive tricky conditions to finish Leg 2 15th in the RC2 category for R5 cars and 24th Overall in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB on a marathon Saturday that also witnessed overnight WRC leader Ott Tanak retiring to leave Sebastien Ogier in the lead, albeit by just 4.4 seconds.
It was an eventful Saturday for Team MRF Tyres as the day’s running saw 150km competitive over nine stages with packed spectator areas on the legendary stages of Sweet Lamb Hafren and Myherin.
Gaurav Gill negotiates treacherous conditions. Photo: MRF Racing Conditions were challenging with the morning being run on wet and slippery stages before the afternoon weather cleared, providing a much drier surface. The challenge was compounded by the drivers not returning to service, rather having to make any changes themselves at a tyre zone between the two loops.
For the driver combination of Gill and his Aussie co-driver Glenn Macneall, who were in a M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5 car, it was important make the most of the stage conditions and gain valuable experience.
“It was a tough day – rallying for nine stages without coming back to service is tough so we were careful in the morning,” Gill said. “The wet conditions made the first look quite slippery and we had to be careful not to damage the car in any way.”
Gaurav Gill ups the ante. Photo: MRF Racing Fortunately for the crews, the change in the weather coincided with the tyre fitting zone so the team could fit a fresh set of MRF Tyres for the sunny afternoon loop. “The conditions for the second loop were very different from the first. It is unusual to have such sunny weather in Wales for this rally and the road conditions changes a lot from the first run to the second run.
“I am happy with our progress and we are learning a lot new about rallying in these WRC conditions and gaining data for the development of MRF Tyres.”
After the first loop, the Gill and Macneall were sitting in 15th in the RC2 class and 24th overall. They were able to consolidate their position by the end of the day.
The final day on Sunday will feature five stages over 55.64 Kms of competitive running, including two new speed tests in Snowdonia one of which – Gwydir, close to Betws-y-Coed – acts as the event’s critical Power Stage. This offers the fastest five drivers extra championship points which could prove pivotal in this year’s edge-of-the-seat WRC title race.
SEBASTIEN OGIER PROFITS AS OTT TANAK RETIRES
Sebastien Ogier on a charge. Photo: WRC Ogier enjoyed a dream day in the penultimate leg, climbing from fifth to grab top spot in his Ford Fiesta when title rival and overnight leader Tänak parked his Toyota Yaris with mechanical problems.
The top four drivers are blanketed by just 14.5sec, but Thierry Neuville, the third man in the captivating FIA World Rally Championship battle, is not among them. The series leader slid into a ditch and is scrabbling for vital points in eighth.
Tänak’s overnight lead was almost doubled when second-placed Neuville dropped 45sec while his Hyundai i20 was lifted out of a boggy Sweet Lamb Hafren gully this morning. “At one point it has to come when you’re driving on the edge since the beginning of the year. I made a mistake and paid for it,” he admitted.
Tänak was more than 40sec clear when he stopped 4km into the afternoon repeat of the same speed test. The reason was unconfirmed, but it is believed a heavy landing may have damaged his car’s sump guard and broken the radiator.
His demise was Ogier’s delight. Three wins from nine increasingly drying gravel forest road special stages left the Frenchman 4.4sec clear of Latvala, an unlikely prospect little more than 24 hours earlier when first and second gears broke.
“It’s a big fight since the beginning of the day. I’m flat out and happy with what I’ve done. I gave it everything I have and will carry on tomorrow. It’s a shame for Ott, he was definitely on another level this weekend,” said Ogier.
Esapekka Lappi. Photo: WRC Toyota’s Latvala overhauled team-mate Esapekka Lappi this morning and remained on Ogier’s heels all day. He ended frustrated after losing vital seconds when blinded by the sun at the start of the last stage and stalling his engine.
Lappi trails his fellow Finn by 7.4sec with Craig Breen also in contention a further 1.7sec behind in a Citroën C3.
Team-mate Mads Østberg was fifth after winning a stage this morning, while a rejuvenated Andreas Mikkelsen climbed to sixth at the head of a trio of i20s. The Norwegian won three stages to head Hayden Paddon and Neuville.
WRC 2 leader Kalle Rovanperä and Skoda Motorsport team-mate Pontus Tidemand completed the leaderboard.
Sunday’s final leg comprises five stages covering 55.64km in north Wales and unusually the live TV Power Stage takes place in the second test in Gwydir. The rally culminates with a second pass over the asphalt Great Orme Llandudno stage, which winds around the coastal headland before diving into Llandudno’s streets to finish on the promenade.
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Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gaurav Gill placed 14th in RC2; Dominant Tanak leads WRC
Ott Tanak….a dominant show on Friday. Photo: WRC Deeside Rally Village (Wales), 5 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill and Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall of MRF Tyres made steady progress to be placed 14th in the RC2 category and 23rd Overall at the end of Leg 1 in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GP, the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship on Friday.
Meanwhile, Ott Tänak mastered wet and muddy conditions to dominate Friday’s proceedings as he chased a fourth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship victory.
Tänak, who won the previous rounds in Finland, Germany and Turkey, ended a tough day in the north Wales forests with a 28.8sec lead in his Toyota Yaris over series leader Thierry Neuville.
Gaurav Gill….Solid and steady. File photo: MRF The highpoint of Gill’s performance came in the afternoon when he clocked the fourth fastest time on the second loop of the 1.70 Kms-long Slate Mountain stage driving the Ford Fiesta R5. After the regroup, the competitors returned to the repeat three of the morning Stages with Gill clocking faster timings to finish the day on a satisfactory note.
Through the day, Gill maintained a steady pace in the M-Sport prepared car and stepped it up during the second loop in the afternoon when he was noticeably quicker even as he shaved off precious seconds on his morning run.
Tanak reeled off a hat-trick of speed test wins this morning, building a near-10sec cushion that allowed for caution in the next two foggy and rain-soaked tests. He won two more this afternoon when the first three stages were repeated.
Frequent surface changes and inconsistent grip in the constantly changing conditions left drivers struggling for confidence on the predominantly gravel roads, but improved afternoon weather played into Tänak’s hands.
“It was a really good day,” said the Estonian, whose recent form has propelled him into a three-way title fight with Neuville and five-time champion Sébastien Ogier. “It looks like we’ve made a good step with the car and in the really low-grip conditions we were competitive.”
Local hero Elfyn Evans scored his maiden win here 12 months ago and was Tänak’s closest challenger until an engine misfire stopped his Ford Fiesta en route to the afternoon stages.
Neuville capitalised to take second after a frustrating start in his Hyundai i20. The Belgian’s car would not handle as he wished and he overshot a junction and hit a chicane before set-up changes did the trick and he climbed from fifth.
He headed a quartet of drivers covered by less than 10 seconds. Jari-Matti Latvala briefly held second in another Yaris, but ended 2.5sec behind Neuville after losing his rhythm in this afternoon’s long Brenig stage.
Esapekka Lappi recovered from an early spin to make it three Yaris cars in the top four. The Finn was 4.6sec adrift of his fellow countryman and 2.3sec clear of Ogier’s Fiesta.
Ogier was third until first and second gears broke which, combined with two spins, relegated him to eighth before a late recovery. Craig Breen completed the top six in a Citroën C3.
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Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill opens with tied 16th; Lappi tops timesheets after SS-1
Gaurav Gill – file photo courtesy MRF Racing Tir Prince (Wales), 5 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill of Team MRF Tyres, driving a M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, finished a creditable tied 16th, just 4.5 seconds off the pace after completing last night’s 1.70 Kms Special Stage as the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, a round of the FIA World Rally Championship got off to a spectacular start.
The action switches into the north Wales forests on Friday. Three early morning tests are repeated in the afternoon following mid-leg service in Deeside, with two short fan-friendly tests at Slate Mountain completing the pre-lunch loop. The eight stages cover 110.76km.
Gill, partnered by his long-time Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall, clocked one minute, 28.3 seconds, the same as British pairing of Rhys Yates-Elliot Edmondson in a Skoda Fabia R5 while Skoda factory driver Kalle Rovanpera (Jonne Haltunnen) was the quickest in the RC2 group with 01:23.8.
Meanwhile, Esapekka Lappi (01:21.6) headed a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 in the WRC category after edging team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala (01:21.9). Lappi completed the dusty 1.70km stage at the Tir Prince trotting track 0.3sec quicker than fellow Finn Latvala. Both were at the wheel of Yaris World Rally Cars.
Championship leader Thierry Neuville matched Latvala’s time in his Hyundai i20 to tie for second, ahead of title rivals Sébastien Ogier (01:22.3) and Ott Tänak (01:22.5). Ogier finished 0.4sec behind the Belgian in a Ford Fiesta, with Estonian Tänak a further 0.2sec adrift in his Yaris.
Tänak recovered from a frustrating start to the day when he crashed in his first pass at this morning’s shakedown test in Clocaenog. After missing the braking point on slippery gravel roads, he slid straight on into a bank and returned to the Deeside service park where his team replaced the cooling package.
Thursday evening’s curtain-raiser was a short floodlit blast at Tir Prince trotting track and included a slalom section, donuts and two eye-catching jumps. After a high-speed lap around long and flowing bends of the oval horse racing track, the stage ended with a twisty section on adjoining roads.
Gaurav Gill’s Ford Fiesta R5 at the MRF bay ahead of the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing A view of the MRF service bay at the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing
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Latvala warms up nicely for Rally Italia Sardegna, quickest in shakedown
Jari-Matti Latvala who topped the shakedown on Thursday. Photo: WRC Alghero, 07 June 2018: Jari-Matti Latvala was fastest through an unusually damp shakedown at Rally Italia Sardegna on Thursday morning. He topped the times in the 3.51km Olmeda test in his Toyota Yaris, 0.8sec clear of Hayden Paddon’s Hyundai i20. Thierry Neuville, Esapekka Lappi and Ott Tänak were tied in third, a further tenth behind.
It was the third successive rally in which Latvala has won shakedown, but broken suspension sidelined him early at the last two rounds in Argentina and Portugal after hitting rocks. The Finn has changed his preparations in a bid to avoid an unwanted hat-trick.
“In the recce, I used more time than previously. I stopped at some places to throw the stones away and I walked around and looked at the stones,” he told wrc.com. “I also tried to mark more carefully the bad places or where there was a stone on the ground and rather than going over it, I will go round it.
“We’ll run the car higher which should help with the impacts and I won’t turn so aggressively into corners. There was no time to do any suspension work between Portugal and this rally, but the reality is that I’ve been driving too aggressively.”
Team-mate Lappi set the pace during the first pass of the gravel stage. Paddon was fastest on the next two runs before Latvala moved top of the standings on his fourth and final attempt.
Persistent rain fell in the Alghero service park and while the stage was drier, the obligatory hard compound Michelin rubber was not ideal for the conditions.
Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen were both caught out, swiping a rock during their first runs which caused bodywork damage to the co-driver’s side of their cars.
Leading positions were:
POSITION DRIVER CAR TIME 1 Jari-Matti Latvala Toyota Yaris 1min 53.9sec 2 Hayden Paddon Hyundai i20 +0.8sec 3= Thierry Neuville Hyundai i20 +0.9sec 3= Esapekka Lappi Toyota Yaris +0.9sec 3= Ott Tänak Toyota Yaris +0.9sec 6 Sébastien Ogier Ford Fiesta +1.4sec 7 Elfyn Evans Ford Fiesta +2.2sec 8 Teemu Suninen Ford Fiesta +2.8sec 9 Andreas Mikkelsen Hyundai i20 +3.2sec 10 Craig Breen Citroën C3 +3.6sec -
Ott Tanak sets early pace in Super Special Stage; Suninen, Ogier tied second
Ott Tanak in a Toyota Yaris sets the early pace in Rally de Portugal. Photo: WRC Lousada, 17 May 2018: The duo of Ott Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja in a Toyota Yaris WRC was the quickest on the Super Special Stage (3.36 Kms) in the Vodafone Rally de Portugal which commenced here on Thursday evening.
The Estonian, the recent winner of the Rally of Argentina, beat Finn Teemu Suninen (Ford Fiesta) and five-time champion and World champion Sébastien Ogier (Ford Fiesta) by 0.4 seconds, who set an equal mark to reach second fastest time.
Kris Meeeke was the fastest in Citroën, as was Andreas Mikkelsen at Hyundai, both finishing the special at 1.4s off Tanak.
Suninen outpaced Hayden Paddon, returning after missing the last three WRC rounds, while Ogier was more than a second quicker than Thierry Neuville in the evening’s headline heat. Tänak dictated the previous round in Argentina but acknowledged a repeat is unlikely this weekend.
“It will be tough to dominate here. We know how loose the roads will be tomorrow and there will be a lot more cleaning than in Argentina. It will be a key tomorrow to get a good position so we can fight hard on Saturday,” he said.
Citroën C3 pilot Kris Meeke and Mikkelsen, driving a Hyundai i20, were fourth, a full second behind the tying Ford pair. Neuville completed the top six.
Jari-Matti Latvala dropped almost four seconds after stalling his Yaris in a hairpin. “Under braking, the engine cut completely. There’s something strange happening with the engine and we need to investigate that. It doesn’t worry me, but it annoys me,” he said.
M-Sport Ford mechanics replaced the cooling pack in Elfyn Evans’ Fiesta before this evening’s start at Guimaräes Castle after damage caused by a heavy landing in this morning’s shakedown.
Friday’s first full day is based close to the Spanish border. Two identical loops of three stages are split by service in Matosinhos, before the leg ends with two short street tests in central Porto. The eight stages cover 148.66 Kms.
JARI-MATTI LATVALA QUICKEST IN SHAKEDOWN
Jari-Matti Latvala. Photo: WRC Latvala edged Origer and Neuville to win Thursday morning’s shakedown. The Toyota Gazoo driver was fastest by 0.3sec through the 4.60 Kms Baltar speed test. Ogier and the Hyundai i20-mounted Neuville tied in second. Conditions were dry and dusty and the stage, which ended with a loop of Baltar’s rallycross circuit, was closely contested. The top eight drivers were covered by a second.
Latvala set the pace in the first run, before Kris Meeke went top of the timesheets in a Citroën C3 at his second attempt. The Finn set the benchmark in his third run as most drivers posted their best time in their final pass.
It has been a disappointing year for Latvala. He is eighth in the points after retiring from the previous two rounds in Corsica and Argentina and views this rally as an opportunity to turn around his fortunes.
“Springtime has been difficult for me and I would really like to use this rally as a turning point for the season. I want to see the finish line, have a clean rally and find the speed I can do. I believe the car is competitive enough, so I have to stay cool and do my job,” he said.
“Three runs in a row this morning and no changes. You normally know that when you don’t need to do any changes then the set-up is correct and that’s the way it should be. If you have to start working in the shakedown, it’s normally not a good sign.”
Meeke, driving a C3, and Andreas Mikkelsen, in an i20, were tied in fourth 0.4sec adrift of Ogier and Neuville. Hayden Paddon, returning to the WRC after a three-rally absence, was another tenth behind in sixth.
