INDIA in F1

Tag: MRF Tyres

  • Breen finishes 4th; MRF Tyres look competitive

    Breen finishes 4th; MRF Tyres look competitive

    Rome, 26 July 2020: Indian Tyre giant made their debut in ERC with a big impact as International rallying returned with a bang this weekend and Russian Rocket Alexey Lukyanuk charged to victory on Rally di Roma Capitale, round one of the delayed 2020 FIA European Rally Championship here on Sunday.

    Irishman Craig Breen in MRF colours did a wonderful job matching the pace of Pirellis and finished fourth with focus on tyre development.

    “It’s not often I would be happy with finishing 4th, but after all the hard work, the testing, it has been immensely satisfying to have been competitive with our MRF Tyres! Both the tyres and the i20 R5 performed faultlessly, we still have some work to do but thank you MRF!” tweeted Breen.

    “Our primary aim is to test our tyres and see how they are faring when compared with our competitors. We have gathered some data late last year and I am happy with the way we ran this rally,” added the 30-year old Breen, who has Paul Nagle as his navigator, driving a Hyundai i20 R4, shod with MRF Tyres.

    “A fantastic result for #MRFTyres. On what is a new tyre and a new challenge for us. The purpose is development at the moment and getting both cars home, in P4 and P10 is great!,” tweeted MRF Tyres.

    Lukyanuk, partnered by new co-driver Dmitry Eremeev, the Saintéloc Junior Team ace led from start to finish in his Pirelli-equipped Citroën C3 R5 to claim his second win in Rome and his 10th in the ERC by 16.1s.

    “It’s good points for the championship and of course winning in Rome is something special,” said Lukyanuk, who hadn’t driven a rally car for 255 days prior to a test on Tuesday. “It’s a unique race with very hard competition. It was a long rally, very tough and very hot. It took a lot of effort to achieve the result and I’m delighted for the performance and happy for the team. I thank our sponsors for their support in this hard situation. You never expect to be the winner and when it comes it’s a special feeling. It was a controlled drive, quite calculated with reasonable pace. It’s very pleasant to see we didn’t lose our feeling and our performance during this lockdown. But without my new co-driver this result would not have been possible.”

    Giandomenico Basso, the two-time ERC champion who won this event 12 months ago, finished second with Oliver Solberg taking third and winning the ERC1 Junior category on his Roma debut.

    Zelindo Melegari claimed a richly-deserved ERC2 victory on his first start since he and co-driver Corrado Bonato were hospitalised following a crash on Barum Czech Rally Zlín 11 months ago. ERC newcomer Andrea Mabellini bagged Abarth Rally Cup honours.

    Ken Torn won a frenetic battle for ERC3 and ERC3 Junior glory, as his rally-long rival Pedro Antunes crashed out of first place on the final stage. Pep Bassas took second for Rallye Team Spain on his first event as the winner of Spanish federation RFEDA’s Beca Júnior R2 scholarship.

    ERC3 Junior champion Efrén Llarena (Rallye Team Spain) marked his graduation to ERC1 Junior by finishing sixth overall behind fourth-placed Craig Breen (Team MRF Tyres) and Romanian champion Simone Tempestini, who came home 1.3s behind the five-time ERC winner from Ireland after a spin. Grégoire Munster held seventh ahead of the advancing ERC1 Junior champion Filip Mareš, who narrowed the Hyundai Junior Driver’s margin to 5.5s. Emil Lindholm and Miko Marczyk filled out the top 10.

    Leg two round-up
    After winning all six stages on Saturday to build an advantage of 34.1s, Lukyanuk was second best to Basso this morning, with the two-time ERC champion going quickest on the first and second stages north of rally hub Fiuggi. At the regroup in the thermal spa town earlier, Basso had narrowed Lukyanuk’s overall lead to 29.3s with Oliver Solberg maintaining his grip on third as the top ERC1 Junior driver.

    Basso scored a brace of stage wins in the middle loop to start the final trio of tests 23.9s behind Lukyanuk. Although he would win the penultimate test, Lukyanuk’s controlled performance and measured approach in ambient temperatures exceeding 30 degrees centigrade meant the Russian was never truly threatened.

    Solberg belied his absence of Rally di Roma Capitale experience on his first pure Tarmac rally in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to take third with Hyundai-powered Craig Breen taking advantage of a spin for Simone Tempestini on SS13 to grab fourth.

    Tempestini admitted he struggled to “wake up” and repeat his flying form from Saturday this morning. Despite only confirming his Roma entry on Tuesday, Tempestini was 2.3s ahead of Breen starting the final trio of stages, but his spin caused a six-second delay and Breen finished 1.3s in front. Meanwhile, Breen, on his return to ERC action with Team MRF Tyres, was hugely praiseworthy of the rate of progress of the Indian company’s development programme.

    ERC3 Junior champion Efrén Llarena starred on his step up to ERC1 Junior, finishing sixth after adapting the handling of his Rallye Team Spain C3 R5 more to his liking by tweaking the spring and anti-roll bar settings. Hyundai Junior Driver Grégoire Munster took seventh on his second outing in an i20 R5 with ERC1 Junior champion Filip Mareš battling back to eighth after a tough rally, which began with a roll in Friday practice. Young guns Emil Lindholm and ORLEN Team’s Polish champion Miko Marczyk impressed as they rounded out the top 10.

    More drivers rewarded in ERC 2020
    With points awarded to the top 15 classified finishers from this season, more drivers than ever before scored ERC points on Rally di Roma Capitale. By finishing in positions 11-15, Alessandro Re, Antonio Rusce, Dominik Dinkel, Albert von Thurn und Taxis and Marijan Griebel all scored.

    COVID-19 protocol takes centre stage on international rallying’s restart
    With myriad strict measures in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rally di Roma Capitale is the first FIA international-level event to run since lockdown restrictions eased in certain countries. Drivers and teams have united in their praise of the extensive steps taken by organiser Motorsport Italia to provide a safe and secure environment for competitors and volunteer officials alike in partnership with the FIA, ERC promoter Eurosport Events and Italian federation ACI Sport.

    Solberg clinches ERC1 Junior victory on Roma debut
    Oliver Solberg, son of 2003 World Rally champion Petter Solberg, made it two ERC1 Junior wins from two starts, overcoming the handicap of losing his glasses prior to stage two. ERC3 Junior champion Efrén Llarena followed Simone Tempestini home in third with Grégoire Munste, Emil Lindholm, Miko Marczyk, Dominik Dinkel (Brose Motorsport) and Albert Battistolli next. Erik Cais (Yacco ACCR Team) restarted after his stage one crash to place ninth on his step up from ERC3 Junior in a Ford Fiesta MkII. Callum Devine retired his Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Hyundai with engine failure after the finish of SS3.

    Hard time for Kreim
    A strong fifth overnight on his return to ERC1 Junior action, three-time German champion Fabian Kreim’s debut in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 ended on Sunday’s first stage when he crashed into a wall. “It was my mistake,” he said. “I did a mistake on my pacenotes and have written left-entry-flat and 40-metre hairpin-left. And for this I was definitely too fast and crashed into a wall and broken the front-right wheel.”

    Crugnola quick on restart
    For the second Rally di Roma Capitale running it was a case of what might have been for Andrea Crugnola. After a puncture robbed him of victory 12 months ago, a crash on stage one wrecked his hopes of first place. He restarted on day two, scored six stage bests and five ERC bonus points for winning leg two. There was no restart for Adrien Fourmaux, however, the Frenchman having rolled his M-Sport Ford World Rally Team entry on SS2.

    Melegari savours his “perfect day” in ERC2 on injury comeback
    Zelindo Melegari described winning ERC2 on his comeback from injury as a “perfect day”. Melegari hadn’t competed since a crash on Barum Czech Rally Zlín last August left him and co-driver Corrado Bonato with serious injuries. But he showed no lasting affects to win ahead of ERC newcomer and Abarth Rally Cup winner Andrea Mabellini and Porsche 997 GT3 driver Petr Nešetříl.

    “I am very happy for this result after one year away from rally,” said Italian Melegari. “It was the first rally with the new car on Tarmac, a perfect day. I was happy also to fight with the young drivers in the Abarth Rally Cup. It’s a good result for continuing the season.”

    Roberto Gobbin drove his Abarth 124 rally to fourth with Latvia-based Dmitry Feofanov fifth, hitting back from a roll during testing on Tuesday on his second start on Tarmac. Poland’s Igor Widłak retired prior to SS7 with a sensor failure.

    Abarth Rally Cup contender Dariusz Poloński was back in action for leg two after a turbo issue forced him out on Saturday morning. After going fastest in the one-make series and in ERC2 on SS7 and SS8, more turbo problems struck on SS9, forcing the Pole to retire for a second day running.

    Ford Fiesta Rally4 driver Torn takes ERC3 and ERC3 Junior double in dramatic finale
    Ken Torn scored a memorable ERC3 and ERC3 Junior victory double in his Estonian Autosport Junior Team-entered Ford Fiesta Rally4 following a thrilling battle with Pedro Antunes.

    Driving a Peugeot 208 Rally4 on Pirelli tyres, Antunes snatched the lead from Torn with two stages remaining only to crash out on the final run.

    That left Torn to take the win in his Pirelli-equipped car as Pep Bassas inherited second place for Rallye Team Spain, with Amaury Molle battling to the finish in a fine third as technical issues struck the Belgian’s older-specification 208 in the closing stages.

    Italian Junior champion Marco Pollara finished fourth with Nikolai Landa and Rachele Somaschini fifth and sixth respectively. Pedro Almeida and Dennis Rådström restarted after retiring on Saturday and came home in seventh and eighth.

    A brake issue caused Adam Westlund to crash out of fifth place on SS11. An electrical issue stopped William Creighton on SS10, while Miika Hokkanen went off the road on SS3 when a damaged steering rod failed. Sergio Cuesta retired with engine failure on SS6.

    Vogel victorious
    Adrienn Vogel claimed a fine fifth place in ERC3, following home fellow Hungarian drivers Martin László and his father Zoltán. She also finished as the leading lady driver.

    P1 Racing Fuels Podium Challenge begins
    The P1 Racing Fuels Podium Challenge, run for the first time during the 2019 ERC season finale in Hungary, will reward the top three finishes on every ERC1 and ERC2 round with fuel vouchers that can be exchanged for P1 XR5 race fuel at subsequent events, helping competitors to further reduce the cost of competing. Across both categories, winning drivers will be entitled to 150 litres of fuel, while second and third placed drivers will receive 100L and 50L of the product respectively.

    LEG ONE REPORT: Click here for leg one report
    DAY TWO NEWSFEED AVAILABLE BY EMAILING: Paula_Dequidt@discovery.com

    TOP 15 POSITIONS (after 15 stages, 197.80 kilometres)
    1 Alexey Lukyanuk (RUS)/Alexey Arnautov (RUS) Citroën C3 R5 1h58m57.0s
    2 Giandomenico Basso (ITA)/Lorenzo Granai (ITA) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 +16.1s
    3 Oliver Solberg (SWE)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 +1m03.2s
    4 Craig Breen (IRL)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Hyundai i20 R5 +1m57.0s
    5 Simone Tempestini (ROU)/Sergiu Itu (ROU) Škoda Fabia R5 +1m58.3s
    6 Efrén Llarena (ESP)/Sara Fernández (ESP) Citroën C3 R5 +2m15.9s
    7 Grégoire Munster (LUX)/Louis Louka (BEL) Hyundai i20 R5 +2m20.5s
    8 Filip Mareš (CZE)/Radovan Bucha (CZE) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +2m26.0s
    9 Emil Lindholm (FIN)/Mikael Korhonen (FIN) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +2m54.0s
    10 Miko Marczk (POL)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +3m25.1s
    11 Alessandro Re (ITA)/Paolo Zanini (ITA) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 +3m25.8s
    12 Antonio Rusce (ITA)/Sauro Farnocchia (ITA) Citroën C3 R5 +4m10.2s
    13 Dominik Dinkel (DEU)/Ursula Mayrhofer (AUT) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +4m47.1s
    14 Albert von Thurn und Taxis (DEU)/Bernhard Ettel (AUT) Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo +4m54.4s
    15 Marijan Griebel (DEU)/Pirmin Winklhofer (DEU) Citroën C3 R5 +6m24.1s

    FIA ERC2: Zelindo Melegari (ITA)/Corrado Bonato (ITA) Subaru Impreza STI
    FIA ERC3: Ken Torn (EST)/Kauri Pannas (EST) Ford Fiesta Rally4
    FIA ERC1 Junior: Oliver Solberg (SWE)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
    FIA ERC3 Junior: Ken Torn (EST)/Kauri Pannas (EST) Ford Fiesta Rally4
    Abarth Rally Cup: Andrea Mabellini (ITA)/Nicola Arena (ITA) Abarth 124 rally

  • Lindholm expects `lots and lots of learning’ in the ERC

    Lindholm expects `lots and lots of learning’ in the ERC

    Emil Lindholm expects to learn plenty in this season’s FIA European Rally Championship.

    The 23-year-old Finn will represent Team MRF Tyres in ERC1 Junior during what will be his first European campaign.

    “Progression is the main thing for us, but the level in the ERC is high, the rallies are completely new for me so there will be lots and lots of learning,” said Lindholm. “I still want to do the world championship and this is a good step forward.”

    Lindholm will compete in a Rally2-specification ŠKODA Fabia with a four-event programme planned.

    Emil Lindholm. Photo FIAerc.com
  • ‘Super Seb’ makes it six in WRC with Ingrassia; Gaurav Gill finishes fifth in RC2 class

    ‘Super Seb’ makes it six in WRC with Ingrassia; Gaurav Gill finishes fifth in RC2 class

    Sebastien Ogier completes a “Super Six” WRC title in Australia. Photo: M-Sport

    Coffs Harbour, 18 November 2018: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia secured their sixth FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers and Co-drivers, respectively, this weekend – coming out on top after a dramatic final-day showdown at Kennards Hire Rally Australia. A composed drive to fifth was in marked contrast to the heartbreak suffered by Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, who both crashed whilst trying to keep their hopes alive.

    Ogier’s calmness shone through after heavy rain transformed the gravel forest roads into a muddy mess. He was faultless while both Neuville and overnight leader Tänak escaped brushes with the scenery during the morning’s opening three speed tests. Worse was to follow. Neuville parked his Hyundai i20 three stages from the finish after swiping a bank and ripping a rear wheel from his Hyundai i20. In the next test, Tänak slithered into a tree and his Toyota Yaris ground to a halt with no drive.

    Ogier could afford a celebratory drive through the final Power Stage in the knowledge the championship was already secured in his final appearance in M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta before switching to Citroën in 2019.

    This year’s championship has been the most exciting in years, but Ogier, Ingrassia and M-Sport Ford produced something special once again – speed, determination and outstanding team spirit all contributing to another very successful year for the Cumbrian squad.

    Ogier (right) and Ingrassia. Photo-M-Sport

    “It’s been an incredible season, so close. Not so long ago, we were thinking it was going to be tough to grab this title, but we never gave up. We gave everything, with a fantastic team behind us who kept fighting and in the end we grabbed it in the last rally. It’s so emotional,” said Ogier.

    Ingrassia said: “We had a beautiful journey with M-Sport over these two years, and everything we achieved we achieved together. We wanted to end our time with Malcolm and the team in a special way, and that is what we did. There have been a lot of ups and downs during the season and the rally, and we gave it everything to achieve this amazing result. Hopefully I have a little energy left to celebrate with the team tonight!”

    Tänak’s first trip into the trees handed the lead to team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala and the Estonian’s early exit confirmed a first victory since February 2017 for the Finn. It also preserved his record of winning a WRC round in every season since 2008. His win also secured the manufacturers’ title for Toyota Gazoo Racing in its second season back in the WRC after a 17-year absence.

    Latvala. Photo: Alan MacDonald

    “It has been too long, almost two very long years. I was losing hope that I would win a rally but these tricky conditions went my way,” said Latvala, who triumphed by 32.5sec.

    Hayden Paddon survived Sunday’s carnage to claim second in an i20, with first leg leader Mads Østberg filling the podium in a Citroën C3, despite hitting a tree and peeling the rear right door panel off his car. The Norwegian was a further 19.7sec back. Esapekka Lappi finished fourth in another Yaris with Elfyn Evans filling the top six behind team-mate Ogier.

    Craig Breen visited the scenery a remarkable five times in six stages but survived to finish seventh after Teemu Suninen retired his Fiesta before the final test following an impact in the previous stage. WRC 2 winner Alberto Heller, Australian champion Steve Glenney and Jourdan Serderidis completed the leaderboard.

    Ogier (left) and Wilson. Photo – M-Sport

    M-Sport Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “It’s been an emotional day and I can tell you that this championship really does mean a lot. Two months ago it wasn’t looking good, but when you have Sébastien and Julien in your team you know that anything is possible. The way they fought back over the last three events was incredible and I am so proud of all we have achieved together. We will certainly miss them next year, but this was a proper team effort and I have to say that every single member of the team played their part in the result. I would also like to congratulate Ott and Thierry on such a fantastic championship battle over the course of the season. We know first-hand how competitive they are and it really was a pleasure to watch the world’s three best drivers do battle right down to the wire. The sport is in fantastic shape at the moment, and I think everyone involved should be proud.”

    Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsport, Mark Rushbrook, said: “Huge congratulations to Sébastien and Julien on winning a remarkable sixth FIA World Rally Championship title – they’re second in the fantastic Ford Fiesta WRC. This achievement was the result of a great team effort throughout the whole season and everyone at both M-Sport and Ford should be immensely proud.”

    EVANS AND BARRITT FINISH SIXTH

    Eli Evans. Photo: M-Sport

    Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt have been rightly heralded ‘team mates of the year’ – playing a significant role as Ogier and Ingrassia defended their FIA World Rally Championships today. The Brits played their part selflessly this weekend – handed the Frenchmen a more advantageous road position at detriment to themselves, and showing good speed despite the looser conditions they had to contend with as a result. When road cleaning wasn’t a contributing factor, Evans showed his pace and set a string of top times through the super special stages. It’s not been the season the Welshman had hoped for, but he has shown his speed and played his role admirably – helping the team defend two of their FIA World Rally Championships.

    Elfyn Evans said: “Congratulations to Seb, Julien and the whole team. I’m glad they were able to secure this one and – even though it wasn’t always easy – I’m glad we were able to help them where we could. Obviously for various reasons our season didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but the speed was there and hopefully we’ll have a chance to prove that again next year.”

    OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

    1. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) 2:59:52.0
    2. Hayden Paddon / Sebastian Marshall (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +32.5
    3. Mads Østberg / Torstein Eriksen (Citroen C3 WRC) +52.2
    4. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm (Toyota Yaris WRC) +1:02.3
    5. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) +2:30.8
    6. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +3:05.1
    7. Craig Breen / Scott Martin (Citroen C3 WRC) +8:59.0

    DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

    1. Sébastien Ogier – 219
    2. Thierry Neuville – 201
    3. Ott Tänak – 181
    4. Jari-Matti Latvala – 128
    5. Esapekka Lappi – 126
    6. Andreas Mikkelsen – 84
    7. Elfyn Evans – 80
    8. Hayden Paddon – 73
    9. Dani Sordo – 71
    10. Mads Østberg – 70

    MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

    1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC – 368
    2. Hyundai Motorsport – 341
    3. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team – 324
    4. Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team – 237

    Gaurav Gill very much on pace in RC2. Photo: Alan MacDonald

    GAURAV GILL QUICKEST ON FINAL DAY, BUT FINISHES 5TH IN RC2

    India’s Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall, Australia) of Team MRF Tyres and piloting the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, though finishing 5th in the RC2 class, showed that he had the pace to be among the best.

    Gill led the field on Friday and early on Saturday before going off the road in SS-11 when enjoying a lead of 38.9 seconds over eventual winner Alberto Heller. The mishap ended Gill’s campaign, but he continued under Super Rally Format to finish fifth, having won 11 of the 24 Special Stages. Being a non-priority entry, Gill was not eligible for any points or official classification in WRC2 category.

  • Ogier, Ingrassia in sight of sixth WRC crown; disaster stalks Gaurav Gill, squanders big lead

    Ogier, Ingrassia in sight of sixth WRC crown; disaster stalks Gaurav Gill, squanders big lead

    All about holding position for Sebastien Ogier. Photo: M-Sport

    Coffs Harbour, 17 November 2018: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s three EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs have made it through the second day of competition at Kennards Hire Rally Australia – ready to play their part in an epic title fight that is set to go down to the wire. The FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers may be all but gone, but a sixth crown for Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia is within sight and the Cumbrian squad will be giving their all to defend their driver and co-driver titles tomorrow.

    Meanwhile, India’s Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Maneall of Australia) of team MRF Tyres, driving the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5 in the RC2 class, went off the road to squander his seemingly winning lead. Gill, leading overnight, increased his lead at the start of Saturday’s Stages, but in the day’s third test, he slid off the road which undid all the earlier good work. He eventually finished the day sixth Overall in the class after rejoining the Rally under the Super Rally format.

    Six is the magic number, and all Ogier needs to do is remain in sixth place with Thierry Neuville behind in the standings – do that and the crown belongs to Ogier once more; regardless of what fellow rival Ott Tänak can do at the head of the field or what either contender can muster in the Power Stage.

    Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “We are witnessing a truly golden age of rallying and it is fantastic to watch – albeit pretty nerve-wracking too! Whoever comes out on top tomorrow will be a deserving champion, and everyone in the service park can consider themselves winners for providing such a spectacular show.

    “It was a bit of a frustrating day with all three of our drivers clearing the loose gravel, but we saw some good times in the Super Specials and – most importantly – Sébastien and Julien are where they need to be to clinch the title. Anything can happen over the closing stages, but it’s looking good at the moment.”

    OGIER AND INGRASSIA SIXTH AFTER 18 STAGES

    Ogier and Ingrassia are doing exactly what they need to do. Having to contend with the worst of the road cleaning this weekend, it hasn’t been possible to fight for the victory –but that is not the main objective. The main objective is the defence of their championship, and they’re on course to achieve that through tomorrow’s closing stages.

    Ogier said: “The loose gravel has made it a difficult rally for us so far, but it’s been a positive day in terms of the championship and I’m very happy with that. First on the road yesterday was really tough. Fifth on the road today was a little bit better, but we still lost a lot of time compared to the guys starting further back. It was a bit frustrating sometimes, but the main target is the championship and scoring the points we need. That’s what we’re doing at the moment, but tomorrow’s final kilometres will feel pretty long and we’ll need to be focused.”

    EVANS AND BARRITT PLACED SEVENTH

    lfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt are the team players of the year and continue to aid Ogier and Ingrassia in their quest for a sixth FIA World Rally Championship title. Handing Ogier a more advantageous road position yesterday evening, Evans continued to push hard through today’s stages – keeping Neuville behind and showing his speed through both passes of Raleigh (SS12 and SS16).

    Evans said: “We all knew it would be difficult being early on the road today. The gravel was really loose and you could see how much it was cleaning and how much faster the road was getting with every car. Still, we delivered a clean and tidy drive and it was nice to show some speed through both passes of the Raleigh stage.”

    SUNINEN AND MARKKULA IN NINTH SPOT

    Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula are contesting Rally Australia for the first time this weekend and showed their potential with some quick times though yesterday’s stages. But the young Finn couldn’t find the same rhythm today and struggling to harness the same level of performance through the loose gravel. A quick learner, Suninen improved over the second pass and will be keen to further his experience tomorrow.

    Suninen said: “Today has been more difficult for me and I still have a lot to learn about how to drive in this loose gravel. I didn’t have the best rhythm, but we got a bit better in the afternoon and now there is just one more day to go.”

    OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

    1. Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC) 2:07:52.0
    2. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) +21.9
    3. Hayden Paddon / Sebastian Marshall (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +26.3
    4. Mads Østberg / Torstein Eriksen (Citroen C3 WRC) +46.6
    5. Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm (Toyota Yaris WRC) +50.4
    6. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) +1:44.8
    7. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +2:04.6
    8. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +2:35.2
    9. Teemu Suninen / Mikko Markkula (Ford Fiesta WRC) +2:49.0
    10. Craig Breen / Scott Martin (Citroen C3 WRC) +6:26.8
  • Gaurav Gill sets the pace to take lead in RC2 class: Kennards Hire Rally Australia

    Gaurav Gill sets the pace to take lead in RC2 class: Kennards Hire Rally Australia

    Gaurav Gill in action on Friday in Kennards Rally Australia. Photo: MRF Racing

    Coffs Harbour, 16 November 2018: Winning six of the day’s eight Special Stages, India’s Gaurav Gill and his Australia co-driver Glenn Macneall of MRF Tyres took a healthy lead of 33.6 seconds to top the RC2 (WRC2) class in the Kennards Hire Rally Australia, the concluding round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship, here on Friday.

    Building on the hot pace he had shown in Thursday’s shakedown which he topped in the RC2 class, Gill enjoyed a fruitful outing today as he gradually shifted gears to end the day on a high to be placed 11th Overall, just behind the WRC cars!

    Gill, driving the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, finished the day with a combined time of 58mins, 32.7secs, while Alberto Heller from Chile and his Argentine co-driver Jose Dias, also in a Ford Fiesta R5, were second with 59:06.3 as the cars headed into the final service of the day.

    The Rally continues on Saturday, the longest day of the three-day event, when 10 more Special Stages over 133 Kms will be run.

    Gill during Shakedown. Photo: MRF Racing

    During Thursday’s Shakedown, Gill was the fastest in 03:08.0 which he clocked on his third attempt, improving five seconds overall during the session. “We had a couple of good runs in the car and the MRF Tyres worked well on this short stage.” Gill said. “Tomorrow looks like it will be dry so the work here today will be very important. The stages tomorrow will be tough and this is my first visit to the Coffs Harbour stages.”

    Following the morning’s shakedown, thousands of people packed into the  centre of Coffs Harbour for the ceremonial start and autograph sessions.

    While Gill has never rallied in the Coffs Harbour region before, his  success in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, combined with Macneall  being on home ground meant that the MRF Tyres Ford Fiesta R5 was popular  with the fans.

    “It was great to see so many people out here for the start of Rally Australia,” Gill said. “I have had a lot of success in previous rallies I have done in  Australia and I am looking forward to rallying in front of the  Australian fans again.”

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill and MRF finish 12th; Ogier survives Latvala challenge for title

    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.

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill consolidates to finish Leg 2 in 15th; Ogier leads as Tanak retires

    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.

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gaurav Gill placed 14th in RC2; Dominant Tanak leads WRC

    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.

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Gill opens with tied 16th; Lappi tops timesheets after SS-1

    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

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: MRF, Gaurav Gill looking forward to an improved show

    Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: MRF, Gaurav Gill looking forward to an improved show

    Photos: Courtesy MRF Racing

    Tir Prince, 4 October 2018: Team MRF Tyres is looking forward to getting back on the World Rally Championship stages at the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB which will take place on 4-7 October. The Dayinsure Wales Rally GB is the third WRC round the team has entered this year as they prepare for their 2019 assault.

    Having competed on the rough roads of Rally Italia Sardegna and the fast roads of Neste Rally Finland, the classic stages in Wales will prove to be another challenging and unique test.

    The M-Sport team will again be running the Ford Fiesta R5 and their home-ground experience will be valuable for the continued development of the MRF rally tyre range.

    Gaurav Gill….all set for Welsh challenge

    India’s Gaurav Gill will again be in the driver’s seat. He competed in Wales Rally GB in 2008 in a Group N spec car and is excited to return the stages that saw his debut into global rallying.

    Australia’s Glenn Macneall is back in the co-driver’s seat and has also made one start in Great Britain, having rallied to a PWRC class podium in 2009.

    Gill said: “I am looking forward to jumping back in the MRF Tyres Fiesta at Wales Rally GB. The team in India have put a lot of effort into this rally and we have new developments with the MRF Tyres that we are bringing here. I competed here once in a production rally car in 2008 and I am looking forward to the challenge that these roads will present.”

    MRF Tyres’ commitment to being competitive in the WRC is evident by their continual development of the WRC tyre range.

    The Team MRF Tyres Ford Fiesta R5 will be competing with 23 other R5 entries in what will be a very competitive field.

    The Dayinsure Wales Rally GB sees a return to the central service park in Deeside and gets underway with the Shakedown and blast through the 1.7km Spectator Super Special on 4 October.

    Friday’s stages will see eight competitive stages over 110km in the Brenig, Alwen and Penmachno forests of North Wales. A grueling Saturday will see nine stages and 150km of running. Legendary stages Sweet Lamb, Myherin and Dyfi all await the crews. The crews will have a remote service in Newtown before coming back to Deeside in the evening.

    Sunday’s stages will see five stages and 55km of running with the coastal run around Great Orme Llandudno being the final stage of the rally. In total the crews will rally on 318.34 of competitive stages.