INDIA in F1

Tag: Rally

  • Ajgar, Musthafa win JK Tyre Himalayan Drive

    Darjeeling, 2 March 2018: The pair of  Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Musthafa successfully defended their title at the  Biswa Bangla JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 6 beating the hot-in-pursuit Kolkata duo of Subir Roy and Nirav Mehta by a narrow five-penalty margin to bring the rally to an exciting finish in Darjeeling on Sunday.

    The five-day event, India’s Tri-Nation TSD rally, took 24 teams across Nepal, North Bengal and Bhutan over 1,615 tough kilometers. Leg 2 and 3 in Nepal were cancelled due to technical problems arising out of rallying through different time zones.

    In the Open category too, the Aaj Tak team of Gagan Sethi and Dhiraj Arora maintained their lead right from the Day 1 and emerged winners. The team of Govind Dalmia and Anand Agarwala from Siliguri finished a distant second.  Pranjal More and Milindo Paul, also from Siliguri, came third.

    In the SUV category, Amit Dhanotia and Anuragh Agarwala emerged winners while in the Above- 1300 cc category, Pranai Rai and Nanki Kharki from Kalimpong won the title. Another Kalimpong team of Bimal Kumar Poudel and Rajendra Gaire won the Under-1,300cc category.

    The final leg was flagged off from the Tashi Namgay Grand Hotel above Phuentsholing in Bhutan  The rally then hit the hills and passed through Samsing, Gorubathan, Lava and the charming hill station of Kalimpong and continued after lunch through the steep, tea bush-covered hills of Peshoke to reach Darjeeling in the evening through Jore bungalow.

    The scenic and iconic Mall in Darjeeling provided the perfect setting for the prize distribution ceremony.

    ends/david/release

  • Ajgar-Mustafa take lead after Day 1 of Biswa Bangla presents JK Himalayan Drive 6

    Chitwan (Nepal), 24 Feb 2018: Defending champions Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Mustafa jumped into the lead after Day 1 of the Biswa Bangla presents JK Himalayan Drive 6, the only Tri-Nation TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) rally of India, late here on Saturday.

    The veteran rallyists underlined their class in their Mitsubishi Media as they tackled the dirt and dust tracks that eventually took them through the lush forests in Darjeeling. They were ahead of the pack with 54 penalty points; Subir Roy and navigator Nirav Mehta were right behind the leaders, with 62 penalty points in their Maruti Gypsy. Captain Vijay Kumar Sharma and Chandan Sen eased into the third position with 132 penalty points.

    The HD 6 was flagged off ceremonially at the City Center in Siliguri (West Bengal), jointly by Siliguri Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhury and Inspector General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Srikumar Bandopadhyay on Friday morning. Hundreds lined up

    To watch the mean machines even as police and SSB brass and pipe bands played popular tunes.

    The rallyists drove through Matigara-Kurseong Road, Khaprail Bazar and Panihati before reaching the vast dry bed of the Manja river, a tributary of Teesta river. They then drove through Naxalbari (which incubated the infamous ultra-left Naxal movement) to enter Nepal at Kakarbitta.

    At Kakarbitta, the participants were accorded a warm welcome by the Nepal Automotive Sports Association (NASA). The rallyists then drove 466 kilometers on the busy East-West Highway to reach Chitwan for the night halt. Out of the total 521 kilometers that they travelled on Friday, 74 kilometers were in the competitive section.

    The lush green backdrop of the Chitwan National park in Nepal provided the perfect setting for the ceremonial flag-off of the second leg of the rally. Saturday’s 80 kilometer-long rally route traversed through hills, tropical forests, embankments of the Rapti river and dry beds of the Rapti’s many tributaries.

    It proved to be a thrilling leg as it was the first time that an international rally was staged at Chitwan, a National Park and a World Heritage Site spread over 932 square kilometers. The rallyists drove through the periphery of the national park which is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, the endangered one-horned rhino, sloth bears, elephants, leopards and crocodiles.

    About JK Tyre Motorsport: JK Tyre has always been closely associated with the world of sports. Almost three decades back the company laid down a long-term and sustained approach to promote Motorsport. Participating in this form of the sport has helped the company in continuously updating its products to meet the challenges of grueling Indian conditions. The sport at that time in India was perceived as elite but JK Tyre took upon itself to package and redesign the sport to suit the masses. The company not only made the sport affordable but also equivalent to International operating standards. JK Tyre’s foray into Motorsport was a well thought out strategic decision to not only use and develop this virgin branding platform but also to realise the dreams of making India a force in the field of motorsport.

    In 2011, the company acquired the Formula BMW Series and rechristened it as the JK Racing Asia Series (JKRAS). With this acquisition, JK Tyre created history in Indian Motorsport by becoming the first Indian company to acquire an FIA accredited series. By taking over the series, JK Tyre promises to utilise it as a platform to encourage and support the world’s best racing drivers and promote India as one of Asia’s motorsport capitals.

    Thus, JK Tyre has conquered two steps in the motorsport programme where the new racing aspirants first establish themselves in India, then graduate to Asian level i.e. to Formula BMW, which is now JKRAS and then they move to higher levels of racing. JK Tyre now stands closer to achieving its mission of bringing world-class motorsport to the Indian masses. The Racing and Karting programme by JK Tyre has been the breeding ground for the country’s  motorsport talents like Narain Karthikeyan, Armaan Ebrahim, Karun Chandhok, Aditya Patel and other emerging talents.

    Another pioneering initiative was the launch of the Truck Racing Championship in India in partnership with Tata Motors. The company developed and designed `JetRacing’, the new-generation truck racing tyres especially for this application. With this, JK Tyre became the first tyre company to produce truck racing tyres in India. The combination of the Prima trucks fitted with Jet Racing received an overwhelming response from participants and has definitely brought in a revolution in the Indian racing scenario.

  • Co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul talks about sensible targeting of the driving, less mistakes: WRC Round 2 press meet

    Co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul talks about sensible targeting of the driving, less mistakes: WRC Round 2 press meet

    Winners of Rally Sweden, the second round of WRC on Sunday. Image: FIA

    WRC FIA press conference after the Rally Sweden, the second round of the WRC 2018

    Present:
    1st – Thierry Neuville, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT
    1st – Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT
    2nd – Craig Breen, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT
    2nd – Scott Martin, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT
    3rd – Andreas Mikkelsen, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT
    3rd – Anders Jæger, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT
    Michel Nandan, Team Principal, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT

    Q:
    Thierry, congratulations, a great weekend – does this help to make up for last year?
    TN:
    I don’t think about last year. This year is different, this year we took revenge at this event, but as well as this we took some really important manufacturer points with two cars on the podium. This is the first time I lead the drivers [championship] with more than 10 points (now 10 points following a penalty to Evans), of course I led before but not like this. It was a very important weekend for us.

    Q:
    Leading the Championship is something special, but it does make Mexico more complicated…
    TN:
    It is something special and something we are not so much used to yet. We were second most of the time last year – but being the leader is different. Mexico will be a tough event, that’s the game and these are the rules. I am really looking forward to it even if I know a podium will be difficult. If I get away from Mexico in the lead of the championship then Corsica will be special!

    Q:
    You looked very confident when you pulled ahead yesterday afternoon…
    TN:
    The confidence was high, of course. The car worked well and the team supported us like they do for a long time. I was sure we could hope for a good result, but the win was tough. The first day with the conditions and the snow made it difficult for the first cars on the road. In fifth I was able to push hard and make a difference – especially in the long one where I really pushed. From there the game was on to push very hard. I was in a tough fight with the guys on my left and right.

    Q:
    You lost a bit of time on the first stage this morning, did that worry you?
    TN:
    I was not so concerned, if I’m in the lead on Sunday morning then I am normally losing a bit of time; I take it too carefully, but then I react quite quickly. We had a good controlled lead and we were even able to take some Power Stage points.

    Q:
    Nicolas, every point counts – it’s great to get the season off to a good start?
    NG:
    It’s the perfect start here. This has been a great weekend, I enjoyed a lot in the car. You talk about the attack and pushing, but it was also much more sensible to target the regulation [driving]: we were always in the top three and there were no mistakes. This must have been the good choice because we won!

    Q:
    Colin’s Crest, tell us about it, was it a moment?
    NG:
    In fact I have to say I know in advance I have three notes to tell Thierry. According to the timing of the first two, I have to say these before the jump and then I have one to read when we start to jump. When I read this note then I looked up and I couldn’t believe my eyes so much, we were completely on my side. I didn’t expect that. For one second I was surprised, one second after it was okay.

    Q:
    Craig, this is a career-best second overall for you here, it looked like it came very naturally.
    CB:
    It was one of those weekends where it all clicked. In one of the first few corners on Friday, I went in a bit hot, but it stuck and so I tried in the next one and the next one and I was able to carry that rhythm – it happened a bit by default. The car worked well and we started to find our feet. The guys worked so hard in the last few months on gravel and worked on snow, this is a complete turnaround from 12 months ago – it’s been an absolute pleasure to drive the car and I’ve enjoyed every moment.

    Q:
    Have you used your pleasure in the car to deflect the pressure?
    CB:
    I tried, but sometimes you come outside of that bubble and think: “Oh god…” but then we go and fire the car up and I get the emotions from the car. That helped me put the pressure to one side and just enjoy it. Somebody’s paying me a wage to drive a car between trees at 200 kph with my best friend at my side – what comes after is bloody good fun. And this rally was good fun, we may never get these conditions again, or it could be in 10 years, who knows? We had to make the most of it.

    Q:
    There’s a bit of a gap before we see you again now, how will you keep yourself busy when you’re not in Mexico?
    CB:
    Since I was eight years old, every year I’ve been doing some form of motor sport, so to have two months out – this is the longest I’ve ever been out. I don’t know what to do with myself. It’s going to be a strange couple of months, all I can do is get myself in the best possible position.
    AM:
    Try one year out!

    Q:
    Scott how were the conditions today?
    SM:
    We were really looking forward to the Likenäs stage, we remembered that one – they were the best conditions we could get. Early in the stage we wanted to see the rhythm from the previous two days and Craig found that from the first corners and we were able to set a good time. Craig said he was nervous going into the second run, but I was the other way around, but we kept it together to the end of the day.

    Q:
    Did you feel the pressure from Andreas?
    SM:
    Craig was unbelievable all day. In the whole rally, I think there were only one or two really small mistakes that I can think of. It’s been a great performance from him. If you make a small mistake in these conditions you can pay heavily in time, so I’m really happy we have a very clean rally. And it was good to put pressure on Thierry and Nicolas in the middle of the day yesterday.
    TN:
    What pressure? It must have gone the other way – I didn’t see it!
    SM:
    It’s coming this year!

    Q:
    Andreas, your first podium for Hyundai is a special one?
    AM:
    It’s good to get that box ticked, it’s a nice feeling. It’s nice to be back in the championship after very few points in Monte Carlo. But I am a bit disappointed. I wanted a bit more from the weekend. Thierry and Craig did a great performance; it was a fantastic drive from both crews. To be honest, we never got that perfect feeling to go flat out. But we know what to look for in the next tests and we will bounce back when it comes to Mexico.

    Q:
    What needs improving?
    AM:
    My test had different conditions and I set the car up with a very aggressive rear – I was not comfortable 100 per cent and when it’s like this, it’s hard to attack the stages. Myself and Anders did a sensible job, we did one mistake but other than that it’s been a pretty faultless drive.

    Q:
    You will have a good position on the road in Mexico…
    AM:
    And points-wise it’s not bad. We are close to the guys ahead and we have a good road position for Mexico. I hope we find a good set-up at the test next week.

    Q:
    Anders, this has been a good one for you?
    AJ:
    Very good. To see the roads like this in Sweden, it was amazing – even if it was not always equal. But putting the times aside we have had some really good fun. This is a fast rally where you have to be really determined and sometimes quite crazy, Andreas has done a good job. We’re happy to get away with the podium after the disappointment in Monte Carlo – the championship is looking better. Sixth is good for a road position in Mexico, but points-wise we are also close to the podium. We have to work on that, we’re back on track and heading to Mexico.

    Q:
    Will we see that first victory for Hyundai soon?
    AJ:
    Maybe mexico, we’ll see…

    Q:
    Michel you have gone from bottom of the list of manufacturers to the top in one rally; that must feel very good?
    MN:
    The championship is a still a long way away, but to go from fourth to first is great. All the crews did a really good job; they had a good road position, but even when you have that, you still have to stay on the road. Thierry did well and Andreas was able to keep his position for a double podium and that’s very good for us after Monte Carlo – and this is only the second event of the year.

    Q:
    Did you say anything to Hayden Paddon this morning? He was in a big fight for fourth place…
    MN:
    Well, he had Esapekka [Lappi] and Mads [Østberg] close and the only way to keep the position was to go for it – we allowed him to do this. Esapekka was really fast and in the last stage there was a mistake for Hayden – that meant he couldn’t fulfil [the position], but he set some good times, two best times, in the rally and he was comfortable in the car, that’s important for us.

    Q:
    And, of course, Sordo’s back for Mexico?
    MN:
    Yes of course. Thierry will be first on the road, but this is the game of the championship. Andreas will be in sixth position and we have Dani back – he will be in a very good road position. For Hyundai it looks not bad.
    FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP

    Present:
    1st – Takamoto Katsuta, Tommi Mäkinen Racing
    1st – Marko Salminen, Tommi Mäkinen Racing

    Q:
    Takamoto, what an incredible result, how does it feel?
    TK:
    It has not been an easy weekend, Pontus [Tidemand] and Ole-Christian [Veiby] are very fast drivers and they have many experience of these conditions on this rally. We needed to make a big push, but to stay on the road. It was very difficult for us, but this is amazing – I didn’t expect this!

    Q:
    This is a great start to the year…
    TK:
    Yes, very well.

    Q:
    Where else can you be strong this year?
    TK:
    Finland: I live in Jyväskylä. We have many training around Jyväskylä and on the Finnish roads, I did some Finnish Championship rounds, so I have quite a lot of experience of the Finnish road – they’re quite similar. My main target is Rally Finland this year.

    Q:
    Marko, this is a special victory against some giant local competition?
    MS:
    As Taka said, it’s incredible – I was thinking we could maybe finish third after the Škoda factory drivers, but Taka was driving so well. He has taken a lot of progress in the last year – we have a lot of people behind us. And we can just be proud of him.

    Q:
    From 12 months what’s made the difference?
    MS:
    The training is the main key…
    TK:
    The biggest thing is English, three years ago I don’t speak it and now it’s much much better!

    Q:
    What was the feeling like at the finish, Marko?
    MS:
    Incredible, I will remember this for a very long time.
    FIA JUNIOR / WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

    Present:
    1st – Dennis Rådström
    1st – Johan Johansson

    Q:
    Dennis how does this JWRC win feel?
    DR:
    It’s the best day of my life. We were aiming for this and we’ve done it.

    Q:
    How tough was the event?
    DR:
    In the beginning, we only did our pace – but today I got really nervous, but we close it out on Torsby.

    Q:
    Was there a bit of pressure today – there was only six seconds between you and Bergkvist before the last stage…
    DR:
    Maybe not pressure, but I was nervous in some way. In Torsby I enjoyed the stage and it was a great time.

    Q:
    It must be a special feeling to get the first win?
    DR:
    I hope we have shown the teams in the WRC our development and a step in our performance. We made a great victory.

    Q:
    Johan, how does this first win feel?
    JJ:
    Crazy, we worked so hard for this. This is a very difficult rally and I could feel the pressure, but we have showed we are able to catch Emil [Bergkvist] and now we take the win.

    Q:
    It’s very good moving forward…
    JJ:
    Yeah, I think so. We have one year [in JWRC] and we take this good feeling to Corsica, but we don’t have such confidence on Tarmac.

    Q:
    Dennis will you test for Tarmac?
    DR:
    We have scheduled for more tarmac – every kilometre is important.

    eom/FIA release

  • Thierry Neuville, co-driver Gilsoul of Hyundai continue to lead after Day 2: WRC Round 2

    Thierry Neuville, co-driver Gilsoul of Hyundai continue to lead after Day 2: WRC Round 2

    Hayden Paddon, Seb Marshall are in 4th place in a Hyundai i20 Coupe on Saturday. Image by Helena El Mokni
    Copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

    Rally Sweden – Day Two Report

    • Hyundai Motorsport has extended its lead of Rally Sweden to 22.7-seconds with all three Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC cars still inside the top-four overall
    • Thierry Neuville scored four stage wins on Saturday to build a buffer to his nearest rival, Craig Breen, as he chases his first victory of 2018
    • Andreas Mikkelsen still has his sights set on the podium, just 9.3s behind Breen, and ahead of Hayden Paddon in fourth place.

    Torsby (Sweden), 17  Feb 2018: Hyundai Motorsport continues to lead Rally Sweden, the second round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), after a measured performance on the penultimate day.

    Thierry Neuville continued where he left off on Friday evening, defending his lead during the morning stages before extending his advantage with an assured afternoon loop. The Belgian will begin the final morning with a 22.7-second gap to second-placed Craig Breen.

    All three Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC crews remain in the hunt for competitive finishes this weekend with Andreas Mikkelsen and Hayden Paddon holding a strong third and fourth spots. There are just over nine seconds between Citroën’s Breen and Mikkelsen, setting up a tantalising final morning.

    Saturday’s action took place on classic Swedish roads near to Hagfors, covering a total special stage distance of 120.31km. The 19.88km Torn-top stage returned to the itinerary for the first time since 2014, when Hyundai Motorsport first contested Rally Sweden.

    Spinning around

    Crews also tackled the iconic Colin’s Crest jump in the 14.21km Vargåsen stage, with Neuville offering one of the most spectacular sights of the day! Two shorter stages brought the day to a thrilling conclusion with a Super Special Stage in Karlstad (1.90km) and the Torsby Sprint (3.43km) close to the Service Park.

    The morning loop wasn’t without its problems for the Hyundai Motorsport trio, as both Neuville and Mikkelsen endured spins on SS10 (Hagfors 1). Paddon, meanwhile, opted for a cautious approach to the opening stages. All three crews increased their pace in the afternoon.

    Neuville took four stage wins (SS11 Vargåsen, SS13 Hagfors 2, SS14 Vargåsen 2 and SS16 Torsby Sprint), backed up by Mikkelsen and Paddon with all three cars inside the top-four during the repeat loop. Hyundai Motorsport has amassed eight stage wins across all three crews so far this weekend, including four stage 1-2s and a stage 1-2-3.  Last season, the team secured seven stage wins in Sweden.

    Crew Notes: Neuville/Gilsoul (#5 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Crew has led rally since SS3 and holds 22.7s advantage over Craig Breen
    • Four stage wins on Saturday including jaw-dropping jump over Colin’s Crest

    Neuville said: “Things have gone pretty much to plan today and we can be pleased with our day overall. We had a bit of a stressful start this morning after a technical issue in the first stage and a spin in the second, which cost us some time. After that, though, we were able to increase the gap stage by stage. In the afternoon, we took six tyres compared to Craig’s five so we knew we’d lose a bit initially with the extra weight, but we then had fresher tyres for later in the loop. We gave a big push through SS13 and SS14, as we’re involved in a very close fight. We scored more stage wins, which was a nice reward for our efforts. I actually touched the inside bank of the Colin’s Crest jump, which created some exciting images for the fans. I think Colin himself would have called that ‘a little moment’ but we were still able to register the fastest time. We took things a bit steadier in the final stages and we are now prepared to fight for victory on Sunday morning.”

    Crew Notes: Mikkelsen/Jæger (#4 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Spin in SS10 lost 15 seconds as Norwegians battle for top-three
    • Second in SS13/SS14 supported double Hyundai Motorsport 1-2 in stage

    Mikkelsen said: “It has been a day of two halves. The morning loop could have been better. We had a spin in SS10, the second stage of the day, and lost around 15 seconds. We touched a bank and had to reverse out, which was easier said than done, as it was a narrow section of road. We made some set-up adjustments at lunchtime service to find a similar feeling to yesterday, making the car less stiff in a bid to find more traction. The afternoon was a lot cleaner as a result with some improved times. Hayden has been pushing, so we have done the same to try and defend our third place. There is an almost ten-second time deficit to Craig, with three stages left on Sunday, but we’ll give it a good go. It’s not impossible.”

    Crew Notes: Paddon/Marshall (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Patient start to the day paid dividends with competitive afternoon loop
    • Fourth place overall helps set Hyundai Motorsport up for strong finish on Sunday

    Paddon said: “Not quite the day we wanted but we are still enjoying ourselves and doing the best we can. We started the morning loop knowing that we would be playing a waiting game. The way that the car has been set up for my driving meant we had to find a compromise between my own confidence and the outright performance in those first stages. The wider lines on the roads in the afternoon played more to my strengths, so we had to be patient and wait for the stages to come to us. We were definitely more comfortable to push in the repeat loop. It was fantastic to see so many fans enjoying the stages, especially through Colin’s Crest. Unfortunately, we lost a little time stuck in a snow bank on the final stage, but we are still in a good position to push on tomorrow.

    Eyes on the prize

    Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: “We head into Saturday evening in a very competitive position with Thierry leading, Andreas in third and Hayden just behind in fourth. I wouldn’t say we are in a comfortable situation because, as we know too well, anything can happen on the final day of a rally. However, I think we are giving a good account of ourselves here and I’m pleased with how things have gone today. Of course, there have been a few issues. The same is true for almost everybody but I think we have seen a representative performance from the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC and from our three crews. I’m eager to see what we can deliver in the final stages of the rally. The gap to second is not insurmountable. It’s going to be exciting for the fans, and most likely nerve-wracking for us!”

    Sunday’s itinerary at a glance

    • Three stages remain on Rally Sweden’s 19-stage itinerary, a total of just 51.94km
    • Two runs of the 21.19km Likenäs test will be followed by a repeat of the 9.56km Torsby stage, initially contested on Friday when Hyundai Motorsport registered a 1-2-3 finish
    • With each of the three stages spread out over the course of Sunday morning, it promises to be a tense finish to the rally.

    Classification after Day Two

    1 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2:23:23.8
    2 C. Breen S. Martin Citroën C3 WRC +22.7
    3 A. Mikkelsen A. Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +32.0
    4 H. Paddon S. Marshall Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +48.6
    5 M. Østberg T. Eriksen Citroën C3 WRC +56.8
    6 E. Lappi J. Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC +1:05.8
    7 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +2:03.3
    8 T. Suninen M. Markkula Ford Fiesta WRC +2:20.5
    9 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +3:41.3
    10 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC +4:24.9
  • Hyundai Motorsport leads 1-2-3 after opening day’s action: WRC Round 2

    Hyundai Motorsport leads 1-2-3 after opening day’s action: WRC Round 2

    Torsby (Sweden) 16 Feb 2018: Hyundai Motorsport has completed a competitive opening day of action in Rally Sweden, round two of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship, with its crews leading an incredibly close battle among the WRC field.

    At the end of Friday’s action, a total of 140km of tricky snowy stages, Thierry Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul find themselves top of the table with a slender 4.9-second margin over their team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger in second and Hayden Paddon/Seb Marshall in third.

    Friday’s action consisted of three stages run twice – the 21.26km Hof-Finnskog, 24.88km Svullrya and 19.13km Röjden tests – and a shorter 9.56km stage in Torsby to finish the day. Stages crossed over the Sweden-Norway border, offering a home flavour for Mikkelsen and Jæger, with a lunchtime service in the Swedish service park at Torsby splitting the two loops.

    Fresh snowfall made life difficult for those running earlier on the road order, with few visible lines available to negotiate the treacherous stages. Still, conditions were tricky for everyone with most crews content to make it to the end of the day.

    The Hyundai Motorsport crews completed Friday’s itinerary in style with a stage 1-2-3 in Torsby, led by Paddon, the team’s first stage lockout with three cars since Rallye Monte-Carlo 2016. Each of the three crews had already registered a stage win earlier in the day with Neuville quickest in SS3, Mikkelsen in SS4 and Paddon in SS5.

    At this early stage in a notoriously difficult rally, the team is keeping its expectations in check and with its focus firmly on another trouble-free day on Saturday.

    Crew Notes: Neuville/Gilsoul (#5 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Stage win in SS3 (Svullrya) moved Belgians into the lead
    • Stayed in lead for rest of the day, gradually building up their advantage to 4.9 seconds

    Neuville said: “What a day! We have just tried to stay focused on the job and doing what we can from our middle road position. We set ourselves the goal being consistent and fast, not making any mistakes. The car has felt good, the settings were spot on and I have felt comfortable. The cars at the front have suffered a bit in the snowy conditions. Every time I pushed I felt that I was creating faster lines for the guys behind to follow, so it was a tricky balance. To have finished the day with all three Hyundai i20 Coupe WRCs in the top-three is a good morale boost, but we know there is a long way to go. We are trying to fight for victory here, but we’ll have to see what we can do tomorrow.” 

    Crew Notes: Mikkelsen/Jæger (#4 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • Stage win in SS4 (Röjden), the Norwegian crews tenth in total for Hyundai Motorsport
    • Second overall between their team-mates as part of Hyundai Motorsport 1-2-3

    Mikkelsen said: “We have made a good start and for sure it’s great to see all three Hyundai Motorsport crews in the top-three at the end of Friday. We used the morning loop to build our confidence and rhythm. We were able to get better stage-by-stage, culminating in a stage win before lunchtime service. I have been really pleased with our progression. Of course, there is no question that the guys first on the road have a disadvantage, but it’s still tricky even for us running later. We took things a bit carefully in places. We have one notch in reserve if we need it, but that brings its own risks. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed driving at home with the stages in Norway today, and I hope that support can see us to a good result come Sunday afternoon.”

    Crew Notes: Paddon/Marshall (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

    • First WRC event for crew since scoring a podium in Australia 2017
    • Two stage wins (SS5/SS8) and top-three in classification, 12.1s from lead

    Paddon said: “It is great to be back for our first WRC event of 2018. Our objective today was to get the rhythm back. The conditions were not easy. We had to be conscious of keeping the car in the lines and adapting both the car and my driving to suit the stages. The ruts became really pronounced in the afternoon loop. If you go outside of the lines, you become a passenger in your own car, so we had to pull back a bit at times. The road position has helped but we wanted to have a sensible approach to the day, and a clean run, which we have had. There is room for improvement, but the positions are encouraging and there’ll be more to give tomorrow.”

    Three of a kind

    Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: “We have seen some tricky Rally Sweden conditions today and from our team’s perspective it has been a strong start to the weekend. We have to acknowledge that road position has played its part with the earlier cars disadvantaged compared to those running later in the order. Having said that, it was a challenging day for all crews regardless of starting position. We wanted to get all three of our cars to the end of Friday with no problems, and we’ve achieved that. The fact we are currently leading the rally with a 1-2-3 is an added bonus but not something we are getting carried away with. It has been incredibly close today and I expect that to continue. One bad stage and you can lose many positions on the standings, so we have to remain vigilant and keep concentrated on each stage as it comes.”

    Saturday’s itinerary at a glance

    • Eight stages will be contested on Saturday, including a repeat loop of the 19.68km Torntorp, 23.40km Hagfors, and 14.21km Vargåsen stages.
    • The highlight of the day’s action will be the thrilling Colin’s Crest jump in the Vargåsen stage, where crews will endeavour to record the furthest distance.
    • The final two stages of the day will be the shorter 1.90km Super Special in Karlstad, first run on Thursday evening, and the 3.43km Torsby Sprint.
    • All in all, a total of 120.31km of special stages will be held on a
      2018 FIA World Rally Championship
      Round 02, Rally Sweden
      15-18 February 2018
      Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
      Photographer: Austral
      Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

      penultimate day with plenty more snowy action forecast.

    Classification after Day One

    1 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 1:16:13.1
    2 A. Mikkelsen A. Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +4.9
    3 H. Paddon S. Marshall Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +12.1
    4 C. Breen S. Martin Citroën C3 WRC +12.6
    5 M. Østberg T. Eriksen Citroën C3 WRC +13.2
    6 T. Suninen M. Markkula Ford Fiesta WRC +29.6
    7 E. Lappi J. Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC +38.5
    8 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +1:06.2
    9 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +1:29.0
    10 K. Meeke P. Nagle Citroën C3 WRC +1:43.6

  • Rally Monte-Carlo was about surviving; It was tricky till the end: Seb Ogier

    Present:
    1st – Sébastien Ogier, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
    1st – Julien Ingrassia M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
    2nd – Ott Tänak, Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT
    2nd – Martin Järveoja, Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT
    3rd – Jari-Matti Latvala, Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT
    3rd – Miikka Anttila, Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT
    Malcolm Wilson, Team Principal, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

    Q:
    Seb, another win on what’s been a tough Rallye Monte-Carlo. How’s it been for you?
    SO:
    Once again it was a huge challenge. We always come here knowing it’s going be a difficult week and a tough event to make the good tyre choice. Ott was a difficult contender, but it’s also always very good to be here on the podium. Of course, I’m very pleased, this is the best way to start the season. It’s good to come back and start the season this way, it’s special, but I never struggled so much to be right with the tyres. It was never super-clear with the conditions changing all the time. It’s good that we managed to do fewer mistakes than the others, it was almost impossible to do the perfect weekend and we did mistakes as well. Ours were small mistakes with small consequences and that’s how we did this for the fifth time in the row. It feels good.

    Q:
    How tough was Saturday morning?
    SO:
    It was definitely one of the hardest stages of my career to drive in this moment. It was hard to explain how tough, I wasn’t complaining but it was not enjoyable to drive. It was about surviving. You come to the finish with a big relief and you’re super-happy crossing the line, but you have no idea if you are one minute slower or faster. It was a good surprise to see we took the minute compared to Ott. From then on we had the chance to try and manage the gap, but it was not easy. All the day it was tricky with the tyre to control in those conditions. It would have been super-easy to fall out of position. I’m happy to manage to keep the gap yesterday night. I expected today to be easier, but when we wake up we have news of frost and black ice to deal with on Turini. It was tricky until the end.

    Q:
    What was the plan for the Power Stage?
    SO:
    I couldn’t be completely relaxed and not really go for it. I knew with Thierry and Ott that we were fighting for two points. Thierry, Andreas and Craig had the four soft tyres for the Power Stage. I had worn super softs and not the right things to be fast, so I tried to drive clean. The road was clean at the beginning, but then we had some dirty corners at the finish and I couldn’t go for it. Every point is important at the moment, so I’m happy with this single point.

    Q:
    What did you think of Malcolm Wilson’s performance as Team Principal, was it good?
    SO:
    I had better say yes, I guess! It’s always difficult to start the season in Monte-Carlo on the hardest event in terms of organisation, logistics, meteo and co-ordination – all of that is tricky. We had some changes in the team, some new engineers, a new meteo forecaster who is unfortunately from Estonia – that’s why we got it wrong sometimes! No, I mean when we know how hard it is, we have to congratulate all of them, they have all tried as hard as they can.

    Q:
    How difficult was your job this week?
    JI:
    Each time we’re here on the podium – and my rivals say the same – we’re here without any breath for one full week. Congratulations to all the co-drivers on doing a very good job, all the guys do the same as me. It’s a very difficult position to get the notes and read new notes which are completely different from what you have on the recce. You memorise some of these notes and then they are completely different, I realise sometimes I was just reading and not analysing what I was saying. There were a lot of changes of rhythm, so it’s really good when the driver is still trusting you in the car.

    Q:
    It’s a great start to the season…
    JI:
    Yes. We know the championship will be hard and Monte-Carlo is special, this is the city of Seb and my region and it reminds me of one year ago. We have to thank those guys, it’s one year on and now we have to start again for everything – it’s a big motivation.

    Q:
    This is the first event with a new team and you’re on the podium – you must be delighted?
    OT:
    Yes. I am very relieved as well. It was a bit of an unknown before the rally, I had no idea where we would be. We’d done quite a bit of testing, but testing doesn’t show anything. The rally started quite OK, we lost a bit of time, but then it was improving step-by-step and we were enjoying more and more. When the conditions got tricky I had a good feeling in the car and felt big support from the team, they gave their maximum. It was quite an enjoyable weekend, the conditions were very, very hard, but it’s nice to feel the support and the will to fight.

    Q:
    The gap grew in the snow, did you back off?
    OT:
    Unfortunately, we had a bit of an issue with the dampers, something broke; that’s how it is sometimes. We survived the first loop. After this, we were back on the pace and then I’m quite happy. We were playing in Sébastien’s backyard here and we were competitive. Let’s see what the future brings, but in Sweden, it’s more like our backyard…

    Q:
    How was your route note crew?
    OT:
    They called me before the Power Stage and he said he wants to talk about this responsibility after the rally, and I can understand that. It was a tough weekend, I’m sure I would not be doing this job myself. We have to say they do a difficult job to predict the weather when it’s raining and snowing. And, knowing what kind of drivers we are, if there’s a bit missing we are still kicking them for this. They did a great job. I kind of love them, even if I’m giving them a hard time sometimes.

    Q:
    Martin, 12 months ago you were on the podium on your first event. What have you learned in the last year?
    MJ:
    Last year I didn’t know what to expect, but this year I knew it’s going to be a tough one. Ott mentioned he was enjoying this rally sometimes and I was also enjoying sometimes. Sometimes I was a passenger and sometimes Ott was also a passenger in the car and then we both didn’t enjoy it so much!

    Q:
    What’s the goal for this year? The Championship?
    MJ:
    Championship for sure.
    SO:
    It’s nice to have some dreams.
    MJ:
    Let’s see.

    Q:
    Jari-Matti, you talked about getting the monkey off your back with this result, what did you mean?
    J-ML:
    The reason is that last time I was on the podium with Miikka was over six months ago in Sardinia. In Australia I was aiming for the podium and you always want a good finish and we finished the season with a sh** feeling and then we have to wait two months for the next rally. It’s not a nice feeling. Doing a mistake in the fight, that we can accept, but when you are not in the fight then you can’t accept the mistake.

    Q:
    Is that now out of your mind?
    J-ML:
    Yes, now. It was a long time ago. At the end of the Power Stage I didn’t even remember how you have to go off to the podium!

    Q:
    Has your new team-mate Ott fired you up this year?
    J-ML:
    It’s been a boost for all the team when Ott and Martin joined. They have brought some very good knowledge from M-Sport. I’m very happy with that and we’ve been able to improve our car, it’s a really good feeling in the car. Let’s see what we can achieve.

    Q:
    You won Sweden, what’s the plan this time?
    J-ML:
    The men next to me want to win, I’m 100 percent sure about that – in Sweden, my mind is only about driving fast. Here my mind was on the clean run and a good start to the season. But Sweden I really love.

    Q:
    Miikka, how does it feel for you?
    MA:
    It’s good to be back. When we were on the podium I said the Michelin cap has a new design since last summer, but we don’t really know because we didn’t see it since last summer. It’s been good. Like Martin and Julien already explained, it’s hard work and one thing that doesn’t help is the mobile network and road timing – it would be nice if this could be improved.

    Q:
    Yesterday morning, what was it like in the snow?
    MA:
    Before Christmas, we had a really good test on full snow and that helped a lot. Before the stage Esapekka and Jari-Matti were nervous, so I said: “Hey, come on we’re from Scandinavia! We’re supposed to be comfortable here!”

    Q:
    Malcolm how special is this win?
    MW:
    You can’t imagine… it’s not going to beat last year for sure, but to come here and win the most difficult Monte I’ve been involved in is special. Normally I make decisions inside my head on what tyres I would use and on a couple of occasions I couldn’t have made those decisions. Seb spoke to his gravel crew and I said, what did he say, Seb said: “He didn’t know either!” That tells you how difficult it was.

    Q:
    A great start from the team, Elfyn showed consistent pace…
    MW:
    Yeah, it’s been a really strong performance. Unfortunately on Thursday night Elfyn clipped a rock and got a puncture, but the good times followed – including a couple of quickest times. It’s a shame to lose out today, he found Turini tough and didn’t have the confidence and if you don’t have the confidence then you pay the price. He’s done a very solid job.

    Q:
    Do you think the Championships will be tougher this year?
    MW:
    I don’t think, I know. At the moment the competition with the cars and drivers, it’s so evenly matched, it’s going to be an unbelievable challenge.
    FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP

    Present:
    1st – Jan Kopecky
    1st – Pavel Dresler

    Q:
    Jan, congratulations. How was it from your side?
    JK:
    We tried many times to win this and now finally we did. It was tricky conditions, especially in Sisteron. This was the first time for me, even though we have done Monte-Carlo several times before. We started slower, the others gave me some pressure but it was a shame when they left – the fight was good. We had to stay concentrated.

    Q:
    Was Sisteron the most difficult stage?
    JK:
    On Saturday morning the snow came overnight and it was quite heavy. It was not freezing, but it was slush, it was impossible to do anything and in one moment we were very lucky – we almost hit a tree, but luckily we didn’t.

    Q:
    It’s a legendary rally, how much does this win mean?
    JK:
    You see what happened this weekend, easily this is the most difficult rally in the world.

    Q:
    What about your schedule, when will we see you again?
    JK:
    Hopefully, this will open us some more chances – the next event could be Corsica possibly, we will see.

    Q:
    Pavel, how was it for you?
    PD:
    Very nice, it was like a four-season race, we had spring, summer, winter, and fall. It was nice, but hard to take good tyres and the rhythm was changing a lot. In the stage, we have the winter then the rain. It was hard.

    Q:
    It’s a complex event for a co-driver, it went well for you?
    PD:
    I am happy. We made much work before with the gravel crew and during the week, it was incredible.

    Q:
    Did you get good information from the route note crew?
    PD:
    They did a very good job, yes. It’s easier for us, they are up so early in the morning.
    FIA WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

    Present:
    1st – Enrico Brazzoli
    1st – Luca Beltrame

    Q:
    Enrico, this is a special result for you. Proud?
    EB:
    For me it’s very emotional, this is the first time in Monte-Carlo and it is a very difficult rally: very slippery and various conditions with rain, snow, and ice, very, very difficult. I am very happy to win this year.

    Q:
    This is the first time with your new co-driver too.
    EB:
    Yes, congratulations for him – this is very big for him.

    Q:
    Any moments?
    EB:
    On Sisteron we chose not the right tyres and it was very difficult. I lose four minutes there, it was very difficult, but now we are here I’m very happy.

    Q:
    What’s your season like?
    EB:
    Next rally is Sweden and perhaps Argentina, but it’s very difficult – I hope to do the year.

    Q:
    Luca, what a first outing for you…
    LB:
    Monte-Carlo is very strong, it’s the second time I did this one – I did one as a gravel crew.

    Q:
    You know how hard they work then?
    LB:
    Our ice-note crew works very well, they give good information and a good time for the tyre choice.

    Q:
    How stressful is this event?
    LB:
    The driver only works on the stage, but the co-driver works at all the time!

    Q:
    But you enjoyed it?
    LB:
    Yes, a lot. Really a lot.

    eom/FIA press release

  • M-Sport Ford’s Sebastien Ogier & Julien Ingrassia take 5th Monte-Carlo win: WRC

    M-Sport Ford’s Sebastien Ogier & Julien Ingrassia take 5th Monte-Carlo win: WRC

    Ogier celebrates Monte Carlo win on Sunday. WRC Round1. An M-Sport image

    Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia notched up their fifth consecutive Rallye Monte-Carlo victory this afternoon, their sixth overall win on home soil. The French reigning FIA World Rally Champions arrived back in the Principality 58.3 seconds ahead of Toyota newcomers Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja who finished a career-best on the event. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila rounded out the podium on what has been one of the trickiest and incident-packed ‘Montes’ in years.

    After the season-opener Ogier takes an eight-point lead over former team-mate Tänak in the Drivers’ Championship with Latvala and Kris Meeke on equal points, one point further behind. M-Sport Ford and Toyota are also on equal points at the head of the Manufacturers’ Championship, 15 points ahead of Citroën who are in turn four points ahead of Hyundai, the team having a disappointing start to their Championship campaign.

    With just the final two stages to run, Ogier was able to control the pace and the Frenchman was also aware he didn’t have the optimum tyres to fight for victory on the Power Stage. “It’s been a difficult weekend,” he said. “Often in Monte-Carlo, you have to face hard conditions but this was extremely hard. I’ve never struggled so much with tyre choices, but in the end, we win and I’m super happy with that. Every driver did mistakes this weekend; I did too – just a few less.”

    Tänak was delighted with his performance on his debut outing with the Japanese manufacturer. Not prepared to risk his best finish in Monte-Carlo, the Estonian was relieved to start the season with a top result having had a really good feeling with the car and an almost faultless rally. Latvala was also cautious, determined to start the season on a high and kick-start his campaign with important points.

    Behind the leading trio, drama unfolded in the closing two stages. Kris Meeke was able to hold off a charging Thierry Neuville, who won the pair of stages and ultimately came to within 10.7 seconds of overhauling the Briton. Both were set to finish fifth and seventh respectively, until Esapekka Lappi dropped time in the first stage with an off into a snow bank, and then crucially threw away fourth in the Power Stage when he went off the road and plummeted to seventh. Both Meeke and Neuville moved up a position and, with the pace Neuville was setting, he also overhauled Elfyn Evans in the Power Stage to take fifth overall by one second. Bryan Bouffier also had an off-road excursion; he finished eighth with Craig Breen ninth for Citroën.

    Jan Kopecky claimed 10th overall and maximum points in the FIA WRC 2 Championship category, and Enrico Brazzoli won the FIA WRC 3 Championship for two-wheel drive cars.

    The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now head to more snow in the Scandinavian forests for Rally Sweden (15-18 February).

    Rallye Monte-Carlo – Final Provisional Classification (subject to scrutineering)

    1.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 18min 55.5sec
    2.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 19min 53.8sec
    3.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 20min 47.5sec
    4.   Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 4hr 23min 38.6sec
    5.   Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 4hr 23min 49.3sec
    6.   Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 23min 50.3sec
    7.   Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 4hr 23min 53.0sec
    8.   Bryan Bouffier / Xavier Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC 4hr 26min 35.0sec
    9.   Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroën C3 WRC 4hr 28min 02.2sec
    10. Jan Kopecky / Pavel Dresler Škoda Fabia R5 4hr 35min 38.5sec

  • Sebastian Ogier and Julien Ingrassia continue to lead: An M-Sport Ford World Rally team’s view

    FAN FAVOURITE OGIER

    INCREASES MONTE LEAD

    M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia continue to hold a popular lead at Rallye Monte-Carlo – increasing the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC’s advantage at the head of the field.

    The Blue Oval continues to hold more fastest times than any other manufacturer and has led from the very first stage. With a resurgent Elfyn Evans climbing to sixth, and Bryan Bouffier producing a solid drive in eighth, all three top-specification Fiestas are also positioned safely inside the top-ten.

    Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

    “It’s been another strong day for the team with Sébastien consolidating his lead and Elfyn climbing to sixth with the potential to go even further tomorrow.

    “Sébastien really is a master of strategy, and he proved that today. Identifying the first and most challenging stage to make his move, he took more than a minute out of Ott [Tänak] and it’s just been a case of controlling the pace since then.

    “Elfyn too has shown great speed and hinted at what could have been were it not for that unlucky puncture on Thursday night. He’s up to sixth now and with less than half a minute separating him from the two positions ahead, there’s a chance to gain even more tomorrow.

    “Bryan also has really impressed. This is his first time behind the wheel of one of these new-generation world rally cars and he is delivering a very intelligent drive that could be rewarded with a solid result tomorrow.”

    OGIER AND INGRASSIA

    LEADERS AFTER STAGE THIRTEEN

    Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia continue to hold a popular lead at Rallye Monte-Carlo. Controlling their position behind the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC, the French pairing hold a 33.5 second lead ahead of the final 63.98 kilometres.

    Making it count when the conditions were at their most challenging, Ogier took more than a minute out of his main rival on the opening stage alone. Consolidating his lead thereafter, just four more stages now stand between the home crowd favourites and a sixth Monte victory.
    Stage performances:

    SS9: 2nd (+22.2)
    SS10: 4th (+15.0)
    SS11: 2nd (+15.3)
    SS12: 6th (+10.6)
    SS13: 8th (+16.0)

    Sébastien Ogier (1st) said:

    “We started less than 15 seconds in front of Ott [Tänak] and now we have an advantage of 33 seconds so I am happy with that. 

    “We had a really good first stage in extremely challenging conditions where we managed to take a lot of time. It was a bit trickier after that, but it’s never easy to manage the gap when the conditions are this difficult. It’s not my style to take unnecessary risks so maybe I was a bit too careful, but it’s been a good day overall.

    “We still have 64 kilometres to go and I know Ott will give it everything until the end so we cannot afford to relax, and will need to stay focused with good pace in the morning.”

    EVANS AND BARRITT

    SIXTH AFTER STAGE THIRTEEN

    Continuing their fight back, Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt have climbed to sixth place overall with the potential for further gains behind the wheel of their EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC tomorrow.

    Despite being disadvantaged by their early running order through this morning’s snow-strewn stages, the pairing kept their heads and pushed hard to gain time on their rivals.

    As the snow cleared for the afternoon loop, Evans upped his pace with a string of competitive stage times. Not even an intermittent issue with the intercom could slow his speed – the Welshman just 2.9 seconds adrift of the fastest time on SS12 whilst only hearing 40 percent of the pacenotes.

    With just 21.7 seconds separating him from fourth place, and four tricky stages left to contest, Evans could yet make further advances and there remains all to play for.

    Stage performances:

    SS9: 8th (+1:32.3)
    SS10: 6th (+22.0)
    SS11: 3rd (+18.3)
    SS12: 4th (+2.9)
    SS13: 2nd (+2.1)

    Elfyn Evans (6th) said:

    “It’s not been the easiest day for sure, but I think we can be satisfied with our performance. We saw a lot of contrasting and challenging conditions today – and the morning stages were especially difficult. With our road position considered, I think the pace was pretty good.

    “There’s just over 20 seconds separating us from the guys ahead, but it looks as though the conditions could be a bit more settled tomorrow. That will make it difficult to produce any big gains, but we have to keep going and see what’s possible.”

    BOUFFIER AND PANSERI

    EIGHTH AFTER STAGE THIRTEEN

    Bryan Bouffier and Xavier Panseri currently hold eighth place on their maiden outing with the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC.

    Discovering the performance of the top-specification Fiesta, the Frenchmen have delivered an intelligent drive through the event’s typically challenging terrain.

    Making the right calls on the tyres and driving to the conditions, the pairing could well be rewarded with a solid result come the end of the rally.

    Stage performances:

    SS9: 7th (+1:32.1)
    SS10: 8th (+33.1)
    SS11: 8th (+47.5)
    SS12: 9th (+13.2)
    SS13: 9th (+22.0)

    Bryan Bouffier (8th) said:

    “This has been a typical day at Rallye Monte-Carlo with a lot of different and challenging conditions. It’s what makes this rally so enjoyable, and it has been a lot of fun.

    “At times it can be difficult to adapt the pace to the slippery sections and those with more grip, but it’s been a good day and I am quite happy.”

    ELSEWHERE

    IN THE TEAM

    Teemu Suninen said:

    “I’m really thankful to the mechanics who were able to repair the car last night as we’ve had a really good day today. I was really pleased with my pace and was able to learn a lot about this difficult rally – especially about the weather, and about the tyre choices. It’s a shame about the mistake yesterday, but today has been much better for us.”

    Eric Camilli said:

    “We had a problem with a fuel pump sensor on the first stage this afternoon [SS11]. We tried everything we could to fix it, but at the end it wasn’t possible to continue. 

    “It’s been a disappointing weekend because the pace was good and we really wanted to push for the victory, but it wasn’t to be.”

    OVERALL

    CLASSIFICATION

    1. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) 3:30:30.9
    2. Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC) +33.5
    3. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) +59.2
    4. Esapekka Lapp / Janne Ferme (Toyota Yaris WRC) +3:05.8
    5. Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) +4:40.1
    6. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +5:00.2
    7. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +5:33.6
    8. Bryan Bouffier / Xavier Panseri (Ford Fiesta WRC) +5:43.4
    9. Craig Breen / Scott Martin (Citroen DS3 WRC) +8:49.0
    10. Jan Kopecky / Pavel Dresler (Skoda Fabia R5) +14:04.4

    -ENDS-
  • Defending champ Ogier-Ingrassia lead after opening night stages: Rallye Monte-Carlo, WRC

    Defending champ Ogier-Ingrassia lead after opening night stages: Rallye Monte-Carlo, WRC

    S Ogier and navigator Ingrassia lead after first round in the Rally Monte Carlo, the season opener of the WRC on Wednesday. An M-Sport Ford Rally team image

    Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier has made the perfect start to Rallye Monte-Carlo, the Frenchman scooping the first two stage wins and a 17.3 second lead after Thursday’s opening night stages. Andreas Mikkelsen heads Hyundai’s challenge in second with team-mate Dani Sordo third a further 8.3 seconds adrift of the Norwegian.

    “M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia lead the first round with a 17.3-second advantage aboard their EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC.

    “As five-time winners of the prestigious event, the pairing knows exactly what it takes to master the notoriously challenging conditions. This year’s fixture threw up an immensely challenging opener – Sisteron, in reverse, in the dark – but Ogier and Ingrassia did not falter,” added a Ford Team release.

    Sébastien Ogier (1st) said:

    “We knew it would be tough to cross the icy section with slick tyres and we actually had a spin there. I think almost everyone had a moment in there, but luckily we didn’t lose too much time. The rest of the stage was also very tricky with the grip changing all the time and it was challenging to know where you could and couldn’t push. 

    “I was happy with the car and in these conditions and you need to be comfortable or you don’t have any chance to be fast. There are still some small things here and there that we can do to improve, but I’m happy and it’s a good start.” 

    The eagerly awaited 2018 FIA World Rally Championship kicked off this evening in Monaco, the crews leaving the famous Casino Square late afternoon and then heading directly into two daunting stages en route back to the overnight halt in Gap. Ogier was on the pace immediately, despite a low-speed spin on sheet ice, and the Gap-born driver overnights happy with his early performance. Mikkelsen, in his first full season with Hyundai, lost the brakes in the first stage but sits just 17.3 seconds adrift and ahead of Sordo who returns to the Championship with his former co-driver Carlos del Barrio.

    Behind the leading trio, Esapekka Lappi surprisingly heads the trio of Toyota drivers. The Finn is on a mission not to make mistakes and while admitting his pace wasn’t the best, he was happy his confidence was building in tricky conditions. Toyota newcomer, Ott Tänak, is five seconds further behind in fifth having hit a bank in the first stage and suffering from massive understeer. Jari-Matti Latvala, in the third Yaris WRC, spun twice and played a gamble with three super soft tyres, admitting he needed to try something different. Craig Breen is seventh in the lead Citroën C3 WRC but the Irish driver stalled and got stuck in snow in the first stage and then struggled in the second when he ran out of time to set the tyre pressures before the start; a nightmare start to his 2018 campaign. Bryan Bouffier, drafted into the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team for this event, is eighth and Kris Meeke ninth. The Northern Irishman made a stupid mistake in the opener, spinning and then reversing into a ditch which cost him a precious minute. Eric Camilli holds 10th overall and leads the FIA WRC 2 Championship contenders ahead of Jan Kopecky.

    Elfyn Evans has also had a bad start and is down in 16th overall, the Welshman picking up a puncture which he had to stop and change. Thierry Neuville fared even worse, the Belgian one place behind after locking up and skidding into a snow bank.

    The FIA WRC 3 Championship is being led by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Franceschi in a Fiesta R2T.

    Rallye Monte-Carlo – Provisional results after Section 1

    1.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 38min 09.8sec
    2.   Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 38min 27.1sec
    3.   Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 38min 35.4sec
    4.   Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 38min 47.2sec
    5.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 38min 52.2sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 39min 05.2sec
    7.   Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroën C3 WRC 39min 12.1sec
    8.   Bryan Bouffier / Xavier Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC 40min 00.8sec
    9.   Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 40min 22.5sec
    10. Eric Camilli / Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta R5 40min 52.0sec
  • Rally Monte-Carlo to kickstart the WRC season:

    Rally Monte-Carlo to kickstart the WRC season:

    A file photo of WRC action by FIA.

    Rallye Monte-Carlo, the oldest and most famous rally in the world, kick starts the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship and this year runs one week later than normal (25-28 January). While essentially an asphalt rally, the event’s winter slot in January almost certainly guarantees a tricky mix of dry and wet roads, treacherously slippery ice and snow. As such, tyre choice is always a gamble and compromise, as all these conditions could be found in one stage requiring drivers to be able to read the road, manage pace and tyre wear throughout not just one stage but an entire loop.

    The teams now have one year behind them with the new generation of World Rally Cars, but competition is sure to remain as fierce and unpredictable as each manufacturer demonstrated rally-winning pace in the debut season with the cars. While most of the driver line-ups stay the same, there are nevertheless some exciting new combinations sure to add another dimension in Monte-Carlo. Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier remains with M-Sport Ford with Elfyn Evans as his regular team-mate. Bryan Bouffier, however, joins the squad as something of a specialist with eight starts and one victory to his name. Hyundai will be fielding Thierry Neuville, Andreas Mikkelsen, and Dani Sordo, who returns this season with former co-driver Carlos del Barrio. Ott Tänak will make his debut for Toyota, partnering Jari-Matti Latvala and Esapekka Lappi, both of whom won events for the Japanese marque in its first season back in the WRC last year. Citroën regulars Kris Meeke and Craig Breen round off the manufacturer entries for the all-important season-opener.

    The FIA WRC 2 and WRC 3 Championship crews will be back in action and Rallye Monte-Carlo is also the opening round of the FIA RGT Cup.

    Before any of the action gets underway, however, the WRC Season Opening celebration will kick off the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship in Monaco on Thursday afternoon.

    THE 2018 ROUTE

    As ever, Casino Square in Monte-Carlo will host the start ceremony on Thursday and the crews immediately head into the first two night stages as they make their way back to Gap for the overnight halt. Thoard-Sisteron is effectively new, running in the opposite direction for the first time in the WRC. Friday the drivers head south of Gap for the longest day of the event covering two loops of three stages and 144.88 competitive kilometres, Roussieux-Eygalayes and Vaumeilh-Claret new to the itinerary this year. Saturday is another long but largely familiar day and takes the crews back to Monaco for the overnight halt. Sunday’s two stages see the drivers twice over the iconic Col de Turini and La Cabanette-Col de Braus, which is again new this year and will also run as the closing Power Stage. The traditional prize-giving then takes place in front of Monaco’s Place du Palais Princier, one of the highlights of the season.

    Three stages will be broadcast live on television; SS12, SS15 and SS17, with all stages also available live on the newly launched WRC All Live on the WRC+ platform.

    RALLY DATA

    Total distance:
    Stage distance:
    Number of stages:    		 1,642.40 km
    388.59 km (23.66%)
    17

    eom/FIA press release