INDIA in F1

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  • Neuville tops leaderboard after Day 1: WRC

    NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND
    1 August 2013:

    Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC after Day 1 of Rally Finland in second place. A VW photo
    Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC after Day 1 of Rally Finland in second place. A VW photo
    Qatar World Rally Team driver Thierry Neuville tops the leaderboard of one of the most iconic events in the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Finland. After the opening afternoon of competition the Belgian heads the field by 5.2 seconds after a very close-fought competition that has seen two drivers jointly lead on no fewer than three stages. Second is held by Championship leader and Volkswagen Motorsport driver Sébastien Ogier while in third is Mads Østberg.
    Rally Finland runs to a two and a half day format and today’s route took in five stages before heading back to Jyväskylä for the popular super special stage at Killeri. Ogier took the plaudits in the opening stage, but Neuville fought back in the following test, putting him and Mikko Hirvonen jointly in the lead. Such was the tightness of the battle, Ogier’s victory in stage three saw him head the leaderboard alongside Neuville before he was again overhauled by Hirvonen, who then went on to assume equal position with Neuville. However, in the final stage before returning to Jyväskylä, heavy rain hampered Hirvonen, the Finn losing 16 seconds in this single 8.72 kilometre stage. Østberg took the win, leaving Neuville to take a clear and singular lead for the first time in four stages. In the Super Special Stage, Neuville won, but Ogier climbed into second ahead of Østberg.
    Behind the leading trio and fourth-placed Hirvonen, Juho Hänninen is fifth but battling hard with both Hirvonen ahead and Kris Meeke behind. Meeke has had a fine day in his first competitive outing since Wales Rally GB in 2011, the Briton delighted at the opportunity to drive the Citroën DS3 WRC. He is sixth, despite one puncture, and ahead of Evgeny Novikov who lost time in stage four with an overshoot. Andreas Mikkelsen is eighth, the Norwegian suffering the same fate as Novikov. Dani Sordo has had an uneventful day leaving him trailing in ninth, more than 30 seconds off the lead. Jarkko Nikara rounds off the top ten.
    Not everyone escaped unscathed today and the leading retirement was Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn hit a rock in the second stage, damaging the rear suspension. While he and co-driver Miikka Anttila managed to affect repairs after the stage, they were ultimately forced to withdraw from the day with too many stage kilometres to run.
    Rally Finland – Unofficial Results after Day 1
    1.   Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul
    2.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia
    3.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson
    4.   Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen
    5.   Juho Hänninen/Tomi Tuominen
    6.   Kris Meeke/Chris Patterson
    7.   Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor
    8.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula
    9.   Dani Sordo/Carlos Del Barrio
    10. Jarkko Nikara/Jarkko Kalliolepo
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Volkswagen Polo R WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Citroën DS3 WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Citroën DS3 WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Volkswagen Polo R WRC
    Citroën DS3 WRC
    MINI John Cooper Works WRC
    25 min 33.3sec
    25 min 38.5sec
    25 min 42.2sec
    25 min 47.1sec
    25 min 50.3sec
    25 min 50.8sec
    25 min 54.2sec
    25 min 56.7sec
    26 min 10.4sec
    26 min 21.0sec

  • Stay relaxed, be brave: Latvala’s mantra for WRC

    2013 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
    NESTE OIL RALLY FINLAND
    Pre-event Press Conference
    Wednesday 31 July
    Present:
    Kris Meeke, Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Motorsport
    Mads Østberg, Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team
    Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
    Q:
    Kris, a great opportunity for you this weekend as we see you compete with the Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team in a DS3 WRC. How much are you looking forward to the challenge?
    KM:
    It’s been a long time. I haven’t actually done any rally since 2011, so to get the call to come to Finland with the Citroën factory team is pretty special and an opportunity I didn’t think would come. I’m really happy and excited and it’s already been a pleasure work to with the team. But now is the opportunity to build the confidence and try to show some good speed once I’m comfortable in the car. I’m coming here and battling with these guys after a year and a half out; I need to have my eyes wide open. The main thing I hope is that we can improve.
    Q:
    I believe you did a big test, how many kilometres?
    KM:
    We managed 380 kilometres in one day – my neck was very sore after that. We ran through many things and I got confidence in the car. The car was beautiful to drive from the beginning and doing that in this kind of professional environment is the sort of chance that I’ve been after for a very long time. We’ll see what happens…
    Q:
    We have not seen you compete at a WRC event in over a year, how ready do you feel to get back to full competitive form? What do you think you can achieve here, can you challenge for a podium spot?
    KM:
    Obviously every driver is here to do the best they can. I have to be realistic after a year away and trying to fight for the podium [is unrealistic]… For me I have to take my time and focus on my own driving. I have belief in my own driving. Tonight in qualifying, we beat the stage record by a tenth of a second, but that was only good enough for ninth – these guys move the level all the time. But I’m here with a smile on my face and I’m very happy.
    Q:
    At the moment this drive is a one-off? Is there talk of any more opportunities with the team this year?
    KM:
    No, at the moment, it’s simply Finland. But what an opportunity on one of the biggest rallies in the world! I drove Ouninpohja last in 2006, when I was in a Junior [World Rally Championship] car, so that’s going to be pretty exciting! My focus is on the rally. I just want to improve on this rally and then you never know what happens after a good result. This is the main focus – let’s see what happens.
    Q:
    Jari-Matti, you competed in an Audi Quattro in Estonia recently, does that help get used to the roads here?
    J-ML:
    That’s right, I drove the Audi in Estonia; the roads over there are fast like here, but sure the grip is different. I am very happy with the car and with the rear of the car. Maybe I was just a bit careful in the qualifying sometimes today. The driver needs to improve tomorrow, the rally starts tomorrow.
    Q:
    It seems this weekend that we will have an epic battle for the win here in Finland. Jost Capito has already stated that he will let you and Ogier fight it out – how are you feeling about the prospect?
    J-ML:
    Well, I think there are other hungry drivers next to me and Mikko [Hirvonen] has done the best time in qualifying. It’s going to be a big fight. It’s free from the team, we can fight, but the main thing for the team is the manufacturers’ [championship]. For the team, it doesn’t matter which order we come home as long as we both finish.
    Q:
    Is there a secret to winning here?
    J-ML:
    It’s five different things. It’s confidence; the commitment of the team; stay relaxed; enjoy; be brave…
    Q:
    Do you think the roads will clean? Are you happy with your position on the road?
    J-ML:
    I took [position] 10. Last year, Sebastien Loeb was 10th or 11th on the road and I started behind him and could not catch him for the whole rally. On this rally, it doesn’t make a big difference once the road is cleaned – after that there are only very small differences. It will matter how you drive, not the road positions.
    Q:
    How much pressure do you put on yourself at your home event?
    J-ML:
    Maybe I am still younger on that side, I feel more pressure than Mikko – he has always been better on that side than me; this is the biggest enemy for myself. But I am getting older and closer to 30 – it’s step by step.
    Q:
    Mads, it’s been an up and down first half of the season for many reasons but your pace has certainly increased from last year, what is the strategy now for the second half of the season?
    MO:
    We know the speed is good. We try to forget the first half [of the season]. There are a lot of nice rallies coming up and this is one. I try to start the new season tomorrow morning and enjoy the second half of the year.
    Q:
    Can you challenge for a win here?
    MO:
    Everything is possible. At the moment it’s been a bit too difficult in the first half of the season, but the main thing is to find the conditions and then push as hard as we can. In free practice, it worked well. Qualifying was not perfect, but it looks good.
    Q:
    How was the test?
    MO:
    I am very happy after the test. It was a bit drier and the roads are similar to Friday and Saturday, so I will do some small changes for tomorrow. But nothing too big, I’m quite happy with the speed so far.
    Q:
    Mikko, how confident are you ahead of the event?
    MH:
    I have a good feeling. It’s going to be a big fight with a lot of drivers. I hope I can do it.
    Q:
    I asked Jari-Matti this question… you have won here before: what’s the secret?
    MH:
    I only won once – maybe I was just lucky… who knows!
    Q:
    You were testing last week, did all go well? Were you testing specific things or was it general?
    MH:
    Everything went well. We didn’t do so much, but we have a good feeling with the car. There are some changes from last year, but nothing huge. The car is good to drive. If we have enough power then we should have a good chance?
    Q:
    Who is your main rival here?
    MH:
    There are many drivers who can fight like we saw in qualification – the guy who was 10th was only two seconds from the front. Last year it was really close. If everybody has a good day it’ll be a close fight through the weekend.
    Q:
    This is your home event, how much pressure is there?
    MH:
    It’s my birthday today… I think I’m getting too old to take pressure. It’s always the same thing.
    FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP
    Present:
    Elfyn Evans
    Esapekka Lappi
    Q:
    Elfyn, the last time we saw you, you were competing in a WRC car in Italy now you are back to WRC 2 business in the all-new R5 Fiesta. How are you finding the car?
    EE:
    It was a surprise to be in Italy with the World Rally Car and a really enjoyable experience, but now I focus back on WRC 2. We have a brand new car here, which is a very exciting prospect. I’m really looking forward to seeing how we fare against these very fast Scandinavian drivers.
    Q:
    How was the recce?
    EE:
    It went well. I was here last year, so I had some notes and the feeling is positive. I’m looking forward to getting going tomorrow now.
    Q:
    What do you think will be the toughest thing about this event?
    EE:
    It’s knowing what the car will do. This is a very specialist event and defining those jumps and the crests and knowing exactly what tightens and what doesn’t is so important. It’s all about precision and being 100 per cent on the right line. It’s all of that and, of course, you need the commitment.
    Q:
    Feeling confident?
    EE:
    For sure the car is very new and it’s my first time here in what I would class as a fast car, but generally I’m happy and reasonably confident.
    Q:
    Esapekka, you already have one win under your belt this year and here in Finland you will no doubt be favourite for the win. How are you feeling about the weekend ahead?
    EL:
    We had a win in Portugal, but now we have the R5 cars [to compete with] and shakedown shows they are really fast – it will be a big struggle. Maybe we struggled in shakedown because I drove different tyres in Asia (Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, where Lappi drives for Team MRF). The grip level is higher here and I did not have so much confidence. I will do my best, but I don’t know if we can reach the podium?
    Q:
    How important is it to be competing at home?
    EL:
    I think this is the best thing. This is the only race I am looking for the whole year, it’s amazing to be here.
    Q:
    What do you expect from the weather? What will it be like if it rains?
    EL:
    For sure it’s a different event if it’s wet, it will be more slippery. But it’s the same for everybody. I don’t care.
     
    FIA WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP
    Present:
    Sébastien Chardonnet
    Jussi Vainionpää
    Q:
    Sébastien, you lead the WRC 3 Championship and are also joint leader of the Citroën Top Driver series. It’s been a good start to the year…
    SC:
    It’s not so bad. We had two good races since the start of the season. It’s very difficult here, but the target is the same. I want to lead in both the races on Saturday night, but this means no mistakes and this is the point for the moment.
    Q:
    Did you test before the event?
    SC:
    It’s a bit difficult because we didn’t touch the car since Sardinia and the first run at shakedown we are looking for everything to be working on the car. Tomorrow it’s a short day, so we will have time to be comfortable before the second day.
    Q:
    Who is your biggest rival?
    SC:
    It’s going to be a big fight with all drivers. Maybe there are new drivers in our Championship, they will be fast – maybe he [Jussi Vainionpää] will be fast. We will have to see. I want no mistakes and to focus on my own driving.
    Q:
    Have you learned a lot since you were here last year?
    SC:
    For sure, last year we learned a lot of things. It was my third race on gravel when I came here last time and I had everything to learn. This year we have some notes and it’s a good thing to be here. We want more experience from this race.
    Q:
    Rally Finland 2013Jussi, you are competing in WRC 3 and join the Citroën Top Driver series for the first time this weekend. You are the only Finnish competitor in the scheme – what is your objective here?
    JV:
    This is my first time here in Jyvaskyla and in the WRC – it will be a big race to win it. I have a lot to learn here. I have to challenge the fast drivers, we will try to race and be at the finish and make good stage times.
    Q:
    How much preparation have you done?
    JV:
    Not much! I drove the car for a few kilometres and then the shakedown. I don’t have much knowledge for the car, this is a big race. I have to be smart.
    Q:
    How was the recce?
    JV:
    The recce did go well, I guess. There were a few special stages which were a bit tricky, but that’s Jyvaskyla. Ouninpohja is a fantastic stage!
    Q:
    Will we see you on any more WRC rounds in a Citroën?
    JV:
    I don’t know. I take one step to the next and see where it leads. I am here in this race this year and maybe next year we do a couple more races in WRC.
    FIA JUNIOR WRC CHAMPIONSHIP
    Present:
    Niko Nieminen
    Sander Pärn
    Q:
    How special is it to be driving at home, Niko?
    NN:
    I like driving in Finland, like always. It’s my third time here, we will see, I will do my best.
    Q:
    How was your pre-event test?
    NN:
    I did not get [the] good feeling. I have the same set-up as my own car, but the feeling is not the same.
    Q:
    I understand you have a new co-driver for this event, how difficult will that be and how is the relationship developing?
    NN:
    Yes. It’s the first time we are here together and I hope it will go okay.
    Q:
    Tell us about the stages here in Finland…
    NN:
    Finland stages are fantastic and very fast, very much jumps!
    Q:
    Can you win here?
    NN:
    Flat out or off…
    Q:
    Sander, you are currently third in the Junior WRC Championship. This is also your first season, what have you thought of your performance so far?
    SP:
    Actually I am not satisfied with Portugal – it was a disaster for me to retire on day one. Greece was much better and third in the season is good. In Estonia I found some good speed.
    Q:
    Can you win here?
    SP:
    I think there is a chance, but it won’t be easy. There are so many other good competitors and there are tough stages. I would like to be on the podium, so why not the win? The roads are like Estonia.
    Q:
    Are you happy with the car?
    SP:
    Yesterday, we had a test and I am quite satisfied with today’s speed, it is better than Portugal and Greece. When I won’t make any mistakes then everything is possible.
    Q:
    We have seen you compete on lots of events at home and at Rally Estonia – how similar are the stages in Estonia to here?
    SP:
    The roads in Estonia are a little bit similar, but the surface is much harder here.
    Q:
    What are your hopes here?
    SP:
    It’s my third time, so it’s a bit easier and some stages are quite familiar here. But the other guys are all very fast – everybody can be fast here.

  • Raj Bharath finishes third in Race 1: Formula Masters

    Ordos (China), 7 July 2013: After qualifying third at Ordos International Circuit, Indian racing driver Raj Bharath rounded off his race weekend with a podium finish in Race 1  while engine issues in Race 2 didn’t allow him to finish better than sixth at round three of Formula Masters China. He came third.

    Driving for Meco Motorsport, the Bangalore lad had posted his maiden win of the season on the last outing at Shanghai International circuit. At Ordos though, mechanical issues which first surfaced in qualifying, prevented him from showing his pace. But the 19-year old manage to hold on through the opening race of the weekend to finish third, a Meco Motorsports release said.

    “The car seemed to lack acceleration out of corner exits, so I was losing speed on the straights and couldn’t catch up to my rivals ahead”, conceded Raj.

    Things took a turn for worse in race two and Raj found it difficult to maintain his position, having started third. So despite a bout of defensive driving, he could only cross the line in sixth.

    “It was much harder in the second race as drivers behind me were quicker, as our issues had become more pronounced”, he said.

    “I did the best I could but there was no way of holding them back when you’re lacking a lot of speed on the straights”, he added disappointingly.

    Race three of the weekend was cancelled due to some safety issues on the circuit, which turned out be a blessing in disguise as it limited the amount of points that could have been further lost in the championship standings.

    The cancelled race will be held at the championship’s next outing scheduled at Inje Circuit in Korea.

    “Honestly it was a relief that one race got postponed, so hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of the issues and we’ll be back to our usual competitiveness in Korea”, concluded Raj.

    Round four of the Formula Masters Championship is scheduled at Inje Circuit from 2-4 August.

    ABOUT RAJ BHARATH:

    Born November 20, 1994 in Bangalore, Raj took his first steps in motorsport with karting in 2008 – like all aspiring F1 drivers. Then aged 14, he immediately showed glimpses of his potential in his debut year, winning the trophy for the ‘Most promising rookie of the year’ in the National Karting championship.

    He eventually won the title in 2010 and progressed to Formula BMW Asia in 2011 followed by the Ferrari Academy supported Formula Pilota in 2012.

    For 2013, Raj aims to participate in the Formula Masters China and win the championship before moving to Europe in 2014, and getting closer to his aim of making it to Formula 1. He posted his first victory of the season at the Shanghai International Circuit in May.

    endsRaj at Ordos International Circuit

  • Raj Bharath qualifies third at Ordos Circuit in China

    Raj Bharath photo by Meco Motorsports.
    Raj Bharath photo by Meco Motorsports.

    Ordos (China) 5 July 2013: Having clinched his first win of the season at Shanghai International Circuit in May, Indian youngster Raj Bharath qualified third at round three of Formula Masters China at Ordos International Circuit.

    Backed by Bangalore-based real estate developer Embassy Group and driving for Indian outfit Meco Motorsport, Raj will start from the second row of the grid for two out of three races of the weekend, a Meco Motorsports release said.

    At the start of the weekend, the 3.7-kilometre layout was extremely dusty as expected but given the large number of races scheduled for the weekend, the track gripped up in no time.

    Throughout the free practice sessions, Raj was continuously in the top five and the team managed to make a step forward for qualifying, even though the session didn’t go smoothly due to yellow flags.

    “There was a yellow flag at the first corner due to some incident and it happened so that I got my fastest first sector on that lap. I backed off but next time around the yellow was still there and I posted my fastest lap on that lap”, clarified Raj.

    Six other drivers went through the same routine and had their fastest qualifying laps cancelled as a result. Luckily though, Raj’s consistency paid off as his second fastest-qualifying time was just one-tenth off his best time and he didn’t lose any grid positions as a result.

    “The grid is so tight, if I had been three-tenths or so slower on my second best lap, I would’ve lost at least three positions. So from where we are now, we can still hope to get on to the podium and even win”, he surmised.

    Race one and two are scheduled for Saturday with race three on Sunday.

    ABOUT RAJ BHARATH:

    Born November 20, 1994 in Bangalore, Raj took his first steps in motorsport with karting in 2008 – like all aspiring F1 drivers. Then aged 14, he immediately showed glimpses of his potential in his debut year, winning the trophy for the ‘Most promising rookie of the year’ in the National Karting championship.

    He eventually won the title in 2010 and progressed to Formula BMW Asia in 2011 followed by the Ferrari Academy supported Formula Pilota in 2012.

    For 2013, Raj aims to participate in the Formula Masters China and win the championship before moving to Europe in 2014, and getting closer to his aim of making it to Formula 1. He posted his first victory of the season at the Shanghai International Circuit in May.

    Career highlights:

    2008       Most promising rookie in the JK Rotax Karting championship.
    2009       Second runner-up in JK Rotax Max Karting championship.
    2010       Rotax Max Karting NATIONAL CHAMPION.
    2011       Debut in Formula BMW Asia Pacific – five top ten finishes.
    2012       Formula Pilota China – 10 podium finishes and three wins.

    Formula Masters China car specifications

    Chassis: Tatuus FA010, FIA F3 homologated
    Engine:     Volkswagen Formula EVO 2.0
    Gearbox: Six-speed sequential with LSD
    Power:     180 PS
    Torque:     200Nm
    Suspension: Double-wishbone with pushrod activation
    Brakes:     Four-pot Dixcel calipers
    Tyres:     Front – 180/550 R13
    Rear – 240/570 R13
    Weight:     540kg with driver

    Formula Masters calendar

    Zhuhai (China)                  10-12 May
    Shanghai (China)                 24-26 May
    Ordos (China)                        05-07 July
    Inje (Korea)                            2-4 August
    Sepang (Malaysia)              13-15 Sep
    Shanghai (China)                 25-27 Oct
    Macau Grand Prix                 8-10 Nov

    ends

  • Volkswagen leads at halfway mark: WRC

    The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is in its summer break, with the next highlight – the Rally Finland – scheduled for the start of August. After seven of the thirteen races, Volkswagen boasts an impressive record: a significant lead in the WRC Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships, victories in over 57 per cent of this season’s special stages so far, and five wins in seven rounds of the World Championship. The start of the Volkswagen works team’s debut season in the World Rally Championship has been better than even the boldest optimists had expected. As such, the team enters the second half of the season, which consists of a further six rallies, full of confidence.

    After the latest success in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC for Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia (F/F) at the Rally Italy in Sardinia, the Volkswagen works team leads the Manufacturers’ Championship on 220 points. In the Drivers’ standings, Ogier is currently top dog with 154 points, a whole 64 points ahead of team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) who recently finished third in Sardinia. It bodes well for the Frenchman: in the last five years, the driver leading the overall standings at the halfway point of the WRC has gone on to claim the title come the end of the year.

    Volkswagen has also clocked the fastest time on 69 of the season’s 120 special stages so far in the Polo R WRC – a remarkable success rate of 57.5 per cent. Furthermore, at least one Volkswagen Motorsport driver has stood on the podium at every round of the WRC this year – predominantly Ogier, who has won four of the seven WRC races so far and finished runner-up in a further two rallies.

    “We are very happy with the results, as we have far exceeded our original goals,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “However, we cannot afford to take our foot off the gas, but must remain just as focussed in the second half of the season if we want to win the World Championship. We still have six races to overcome – a challenge we are looking forward to facing. Our focus for now is on the Rally Finland, the next event at the start of August. That is followed by the Rally Germany – another highlight, the home race for Volkswagen, and our first real asphalt rally. We are already looking forward to the second part of the WRC season and to the sporting challenges that it throws up.”

    The next iconic rally on the calendar is the Rally Finland, from 01 to 03 August. Extremely high speeds and spectacular jumps on Finland’s gravel roads make the eighth round of the season another highlight for teams and rally fans alike. The drivers must complete 23 special stages with 332.14 kilometres against the clock. Only three weeks later comes the Rally Germany (22–25 August), which this year starts in Cologne for the first time, before the 16 stages and 371.92 kilometres of special stage take place in the Mosel region around Trier.

    Classic stages like “Arena Panzerplatte” and the “Dhrontal” power stage have been hugely popular with the fans in Germany for years. The fact that the surface alternates between asphalt and concrete also makes the Rally Germany a first-class challenge for the drivers and teams. After Volkswagen Motorsport’s home event, the WRC circus heads overseas to the Rally Australia (12–15 September), before returning to Europe for the Rally France (3–6 October) and the Rally Spain (24–27 October) and the season finale at the Rally Great Britain (13–17 November).

    ends

    Sebastian Ogier leads his teammate Jari-Matti Lattvala at the halfway mark of WRC: File photo by Volkswagen team
    Sebastian Ogier leads his teammate Jari-Matti Lattvala at the halfway mark of WRC: File photo by Volkswagen team

  • Ogier-Ingrassia dominate Rally Sardinia for 5th WRC win

    Sardinia, 22 June 2013: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) won the rally in Sardinia in their Polo R WRC with a lead of 1m 16.8s over their closest competitor, Thierry Neuville (Ford).

    At the halfway point of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Volkswagen dominates the proceedings with its fifth win in seven rallies. The Volkswagen team has also comfortably extended its lead in this, the most prestigious motorsport world championship after Formula 1.

    The two Frenchmen have therefore extended their lead in the driver/co-driver rankings to 64 points. Their Volkswagen team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) demonstrated an impressive final spurt to likewise make it onto the podium, finishing in third place, in spite of having dropped back to twelfth place due to a flat tyre during the first stage. This puts the two Finns in second place in the driver/co-driver world championship rankings. They also played a major part in enabling Volkswagen’s 315 hp four-wheel drives to further extend the car make’s lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

    Andreas Mikkelsen, who celebrated his 24th birthday on theSaturday of the rally in Sardinia, again missed out on a good result together with his co-driver Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) – on the third from last stage of the rally, they were instructed by the team to take all available risks in order to secure fourth place overall, but a slip-up then cost them this ranking. Mikkelsen/Markkula veered off the track on a slow corner and caused only light damage to the suspension – but then had to retire from the rally early.

    Volkswagen put on a strong team performance in the seventh of 13 events in the WRC season, in front of Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, the member of the Board of Management for the Volkswagen brand who is responsible for development. “It was a great success for the whole of the team and being there to see it was a fantastic experience,” said Dr Hackenberg. “This was actually my last rally as the head of development at Volkswagen, but I will no doubt visit a few more rallies some time. I have put a lot of heart and soul into this project and that doesn’t simply evaporate when you move to pastures new.”

    The driver factor: outstanding performances from Ogier and Latvala

    13 fastest times in 16 special stages, seven of which were scored by Sébastien Ogier and six by Jari-Matti Latvala – once again, Volkswagen was able to put its faith in strong drivers in Rally Italy. One of them was in the lead right from the start, while the other one compellingly continued to gain ground – Ogier and Latvala acclimatised perfectly to the tough conditions in Sardinia. Consistency and speed were also the order of the day, with the overall leader Ogier dominating the front position in the WRC pack from the very first stage on Friday and refusing to forfeit it all the way to the finishing line on Saturday. The key to the 29-year-old Frenchman’s fourth win of the season was his clever driving style that went easy on his tyres, which placed him among the top three drivers no less than 14 times in the 16 special stages. His team colleague Jari-Matti Latvala was absolutely on a par with him, himself achieving 14 recorded times that were among the top three. Incidentally, even with his damaged tyre, which cost him 1m 56.4s, Latvala was still only 1m 48.0s behind Ogier after driving 304.50 timed kilometres.

    Unfailing teamwork: mechanics a huge support to Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen

    With just two days of rallying in Sardinia, making this the most compact WRC event of the year, the whole team needed to put in a good performance. The Volkswagen team provided the three pairs of drivers with major support during the rally’s six services, with their meticulous and reliable work meaning that Ogier, Latvala und Mikkelsen were working with the perfect materials at all times. On the Saturday, Sébastien Ogier’s mechanics sent the Polo R WRC out on the final four special stages with a subframe that had been replaced just to be on the safe side together with power steering. This involved some incredible work, with two mechanics replacing the component in just eight minutes.

    Intense heat: challenging conditions in Sardinia

    Rally Italy once again made huge demands of the drivers, with the extreme temperatures on the one hand and very narrow tracks lined with natural rocks on the other. A combination of gravel and a loose layer of sand on top made the first time of driving the eight special stages, each of which was driven twice, a highly slippery affair. These conditions meant the drivers had to use all their concentration and skills to use their tyres wisely. Even the slightest of errors could have brought things to an end for a driver at any time or could have cost them some precious time.

    The Power Stage advantage: bonus points for Volkswagen drivers

    For the fifth time out of six occasions so far, ‘Mr Power Stage’ Sébastien Ogier and Volkswagen achieved the fastest time in the Power Stage, during which bonus points are awarded to the top three drivers. His team colleague Jari-Matti Latvala likewise picked up some bonus points by finishing third in the 22.25-kilometre stage. This means a unique run of success for Volkswagen continues, with the brand having achieved all of the fastest times in the Power Stages contested in 2013.

    Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships: Ogier, Ingrassia and Volkswagen in the lead

    Volkswagen picked up a maximum amount of points in Sardinia, while the current overall leader Sébastien Ogier extended his lead in the drivers’ rankings, with his co-driver Julien Ingrassia doing the same in the corresponding co-driver rankings. The pair now have a lead of 64 points over their team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila, who are ranked second. Volkswagen is also at the top of the Manufacturers’ Championship thanks to its two strong duos and was able to extend its lead over the defending champions Citroën to 46 points as a result of Rally Italy.

    Statements, day 2, Rally Italy
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
    “Third place is a fantastic result overall – but we could have done better. The flat tyre in the first stage was nobody’s fault but our own – we should have been more observant during the recce and should have had that spot of the track in our pace notes. Losing two minutes as a result was disappointing at first. But on the other hand, it also gave us the opportunity to attack without any pressure and to challenge our competitors. Our speed was very good throughout the rally, and that’s what allowed us to grapple our way back up from twelfth to third place. The team played a big part in that too, so thanks for that, guys. I really felt at home in the Polo R WRC and will tackle my home rally in Finland filled with confidence.”

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
    “It feels fantastic to be back on top of the podium again! I was really beginning to miss that feeling after the last two rallies. I’m simply delighted – the team did a fantastic job and the Polo ran like a dream all weekend. We now have a very comfortable lead in the Drivers’ Championship rankings. The rally was incredibly demanding physically, due to the high temperatures, and it sometimes got as hot as 45 degrees in the cockpit. On the second day in particular, you came close to your limits and you easily lost three to four litres of fluid. So I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to our team members who look after us and to the physiotherapy team, who did a great job of taking care of us. The heat really takes it out on the tyres and the car too. My tyre-friendly driving style was no doubt one of the reasons for my victory. I was especially pleased to once again win the Power Stage. I had a tough fight on my hands there with Thierry Neuville, who was incredibly fast during that stage, as he was throughout the rally.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “I’m extremely disappointed, of course, because we got off to a very good start in Rally Italy and I think we put in a good performance. That is, until our slip-up today. We wanted to go in for the kill and clinch fourth place. In the afternoon session, I had already made good eight seconds on Dani Sordo in the first of the four remaining stages. I only needed around twelve more seconds to pass him, so we went for broke in the following stage too. But then I braked too late on a slow corner and we slid and hit a tree stump, which tore off our tie rod. So that was the end of that. I had hoped for a slightly different outcome on my birthday. But I think we were again able to gain a lot of important experience during this rally.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “What more could we ask for? Rally Italy was a resounding success for Volkswagen and marks another milestone in our first season in the World Rally Championship. If somebody had said ahead of the season that we would be leading in all three championship categories and that we would win five out of the seven events in the first half of the season, we most certainly wouldn’t have believed them. Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala delivered nothing but top performances here in Italy. The same goes for Andreas Mikkelsen too, even though he had to retire just before the end of the rally. He was endeavouring to turn our instructions into deeds by going all out to take fourth place, and had a bit of bad luck in the process. But that certainly doesn’t remotely detract from his achievements as far as the team is concerned. I am proud of all three drivers. They have really earned their summer break. All the same, we are already looking forward to the next rally in Finland at the end of July.”
    And then there was …
    … the dual role of ‘FX’. Volkswagen’s Technical Project Manager for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), François-Xavier Demaison – or ‘FX’ for short –, not only has overall technical responsibility for all three of the Polo R WRC vehicles; he is also acting as the vehicle engineer for Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila in Italy. Fabrice van Ertvelde, who has worked with the Finnish pair in the rallies already gone and who will also be working with them during the six WRC rallies still to come, had a very good reason not to be there in Italy: he and his girlfriend are expecting the birth of their child this weekend. Van Ertvelde is a veritable old hand at Volkswagen: he was the engineer for Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz during Volkswagen’s very first win in the Dakar Rally back in 2009.
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
    Rally Italy – results
    Friday.
    21 June 2013    		 km #7
    Latvala/
    Anttila    		 #8
    Ogier/
    Ingrassia    		 #9
    Mikkelsen/
    Markkula
    SS 01 Monte Lerno 1 31.08 P12
    (+ 1m 56.4s)    		 P01 P07
    (+ 29.5s)
    SS 02 Castelsardo 1 14.00 P01 P02
    (+ 2.2s)    		 P07
    (+ 14.0s)
    SS 03 Tergu–Osilo 1 14.93 P02
    (+ 0.3s)    		 P01 P07
    (+ 14.4s)
    SS 04 Castelsardo 2 14.00 P04
    (+ 2.2s)    		 P02
    (+ 1.4s)    		 P05
    (+ 4.3s)
    SS 05 Tergu–Osilo 2 14.93 P03
    (+ 1.4s)    		 P02
    (+ 0.2s)    		 P06
    (+ 8.4s)
    SS 06 Monte Lerno 2 31.08 P02
    (+ 4.3s)    		 P01 P07
    (+ 21.0s)
    SS 07 Gallura 1 13.55 P01 P02
    (+ 10.9s)    		 P07
    (+ 18.8s)
    SS 08 Gallura 2 13.55 P01 P03
    (+ 5.9s)    		 P06
    (+ 25.6s)
    Overall classification P05
    (+ 1m 44.0s)    		 P01 P06
    (+ 1m 55.4s)
    Saturday.
    22 June 2013    		 km #7
    Latvala/
    Anttila    		 #8
    Ogier/
    Ingrassia    		 #9
    Mikkelsen/
    Markkula
    SS 09 Monte Olia 1 19.27 P03
    (+ 5.4s)    		 P04
    (+ 6.1s)    		 P05
    (+ 18.3s)
    SS 10 Terranova 1 14.82 P03
    (+ 3.3s)    		 P01 P05
    (+ 7.2s)
    SS 11 Monti di Alà 1 22.25 P02
    (+ 6.5s)    		 P01 P04
    (+ 13.7s)
    SS 12 Coiluna–
    Loelle 1    		 22.35 P01 P02
    (+ 2.1s)    		 P03
    (+ 5.7s)
    SS 13 Monte Olia 2 19.27 P01 P04
    (+ 2.9s)    		 P02
    (+ 0.2s)
    SS 14 Terranova 2 14.82 P03
    (+ 1.4s)    		 P01 DNF
    SS 15 Monti di Alà 2 22.25 P03
    (+ 4.5s)    		 P01
    SS 16 Coiluna–
    Loelle 2    		 22.35 P01 P03
    (+ 6.4s)
    Overall classification P03
    (+ 1m 48.0s)    		 P01 DNF
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Italy – final result
    1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 3h 22m 57.9s
    2 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Ford + 1m 16.8s
    3 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 1m 48.0s
    4 Daniel Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (E/E), Citroën + 3m 19.2s
    5 Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (CZ/CZ), Ford + 8m 34.1s
    6 Elfyn Evans/Giovanni Bernacchini (GB/I), Ford + 11m 51.8s
    7 Michal Kościuszko/Maciej Szczepaniak (PL/PL), Ford + 11m 52.7s
    8 Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Ford + 13m 21.5s
    9 Robert Kubica/Maciek Baran (PL/PL), Citroën + 16m 47.6s
    10 Khalid Al Qassimi/Martin Scott (UAE/GB), Citroën + 17m 19.9s
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Italy – result power stage
    1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 13m 03.6s
    2 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Ford + 1.0s
    3 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 4.5s
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), points standings
    Drivers’ classification
    Points
    1 Sébastien Ogier 154
    2 Jari-Matti Latvala 90
    3 Thierry Neuville 70
    4 Sébastien Loeb 68
    5 Mikko Hirvonen 61
    6 Daniel Sordo 59
    7 Mads Østberg 50
    8 Martin Prokop 37
    9 Evgeny Novikov 31
    10 Nasser Al-Attiyah 30
    11 Andreas Mikkelsen 25
    Manufacturers classification
    Points
    1 Volkswagen Motorsport 220
    2 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT 174
    3 Qatar WRT 89
    4 Qatar M-Sport WRT 89
    5 Jipocar Czech National Team 39
    6 Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT 33
    7 Volkswagen Motorsport II 26
    8 Lotos WRC Team 20

  • Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila fastest

    A perfect start: Volkswagen has got itself into an excellent position for Rally Italy. In the qualifying session for the seventh event of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, the three pairs of Volkswagen drivers all earned themselves the right to choose a good starting position in the start of the rally on Friday. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), who recently scored a victory in Rally Greece, achieved the fastest time in the qualifying session and elected to start the rally last, in 13th place. The current overall leaders Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) recorded the third best time and chose to start the rally from position eleven. Their team colleagues Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) qualified in eighth place and will compete from position six on Friday.

    The starting positions in the field of World Rally Cars are a key success factor in Rally Italy in Sardinia. A layer of sand on top of the gravel means that the driving conditions will be slippery at the start of the special stages. But once this sand has been ‘swept away’, the vehicles’ grip improves tremendously. Volkswagen is now in an excellent position in Rally Italy, thanks to the results of the qualifying session and the driver pairs’ starting position choices.

    Statements, Rally Italy qualification 

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
    “I’m obviously very happy with having achieved the fastest time, which gives us a great position to start from. I had a good feeling about the qualifying session, having already tried out the soft tyres in the morning. Choosing to start as the last World Rally Car in our Polo R WRC wasn’t remotely difficult, considering the hot and dry weather conditions. Tomorrow, we will have to try to always stay on the clean part of the course. The tracks are very narrow and there are lots of large rocks and boulders scattered along the sides. We still have our sights set on making it onto the winners’ rostrum – but we’ll have to see how things shape up in the rally, because this is a very tough one for the drivers and co-drivers, as well as for the vehicles and tyres.”

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
    “I’m pretty happy with the qualifying session. I had aimed to finish among the top three, and I managed to do this. Being the first to hit the gravel tracks here in Sardinia is never easy because you will always lose a little time. So it was important to be fast in the qualifying session, to be able to choose a starting position at the back of the field. Congratulations to Jari-Matti Latvala, who did a great job. As far as the rest of the rally is concerned, we will have to be very focused, because the narrow gravel tracks don’t leave any scope for errors. There’s one thing that’s definitely just right – the Polo is driving nicely. And hopefully my luck will return.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “I could have done a lot better than eighth place. I chose to use hard tyres in the practice session, and didn’t switch to soft tyres until we came to the qualifying session. I didn’t think there would be such a big difference, but the car really did feel different when running on soft tyres. And then I nearly stalled the engine in a hairpin bend. I didn’t lose much time as a result of that, but it was enough to drop back a few positions in this tight field of competitors. All the same, it doesn’t look too bad for tomorrow. We’ll just have to see what we can get out of our starting position.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “With a stony substratum and a soft, sandy top layer, being able to start from the back is hugely important here in Italy. So we are obviously very happy with positions one, three and eight in the qualifying session. All three pairs of drivers and co-drivers delivered top performances at the right time today. Jari-Matti Latvala’s fastest time was the icing on the cake, and Sébastien Ogier is right up there at the front too, in this incredibly close field. Both of them have good starting positions for the rally tomorrowthat will allow them to follow a clear line in the special stages. Today, Andreas Mikkelsen found out just how tight things are at the top and what difference a minor error can make – something tiny knocked him back a few places. But his starting position is still good. All in all, we put on a solid team performance today.”

    And then there was …

    … a rally trip into the past. Jari-Matti Latvala will be getting behind the wheel of a historic Audi for the Rally Estonia. The vehicle belonging to the Volkswagen Group brand Audi made its debut at Rally Monte Carlo in 1981. Are there parallels with the premiere of the Polo R WRC this season? Just like the original quattro, the Polo R WRC recorded the fastest time in its very first special stage. Any other similarities? The 1981 Audi and the 2013 Polo R WRC both won the second rally, in Sweden. And as is the case with Volkswagen, the two Audi vehicles were driven by a French pair and a Finnish pair. For Latvala, competing in the Audi quattro is something of a dream come true: “I’ve never driven a first-generation four-wheel drive before. I have always wanted to compare a vehicle like this one with a modern-day World Rally Car such as the Polo – and now I have the opportunity to do just that.”
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Italy – TV broadcast
    Western Europe
    Andorra (Canal +); Austria (LAOLA1.tv, ORF, ServusTV); Belgium (RTBF); Denmark (VIASAT); Finland (MTV3, YLE Sport); France (Canal +, France TV, Léquipe 21, TF1); Germany (Sport1, RTL, n-tv, LAOLA1.tv, ServusTV); Greece (OTE); Ireland (Setanta); Italy (RAI, Canale Italia, Sportitalia); Monaco (Canal +, France TV, Léquipe 21, TF1); Netherlands (RTL 7); Norway (VIASAT); Portugal (Sport TV, RTP); Spain (Canal +); Sweden (SVT); Wales (S4C)
    Eastern Europe
    Czech Republic (Czech TV, Sport 5); Poland (TVP, TV4, TV6); Romania (Dolce Sport); Russia (Auto Plus); Slovakia (Czech TV, Sport 5); Ukraine (First Automotive Channel)
    Asia Pacific
    Malaysia (Astro); Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam (ESPN Star); Japan (J Sports); New Zealand (Sky Sports); Australia (Speed TV); Thailand (Truevision)
    North and Latin America
    Argentina (Channel 12); Brazil (ESPN); Latin America (Fox Sports)
    International
    Worldwide (Reuters, SNTV)

  • Latvala-Anttila of VW win WRC Round 6

    2 June 2013:

    Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC win the sixth round, the Rally of Greece on Sunday after the protest was cleared by FIA.
    Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC win the sixth round, the Rally of Greece on Sunday after the protest was cleared by FIA.

    Victory for the boys in blue: Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) won the Acropolis Rally in Greece in the Polo R WRC. Volkswagen’s fourth win this season in the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) marked the duo’s first triumph for Volkswagen. Two other points finishes gave the factory team from Wolfsburg further reason to celebrate: Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) claimed fourth place with an impressive final spurt – in just their third event as the crew of a Polo R WRC. Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia defended their lead in the WRC Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ Championship by coming from behind to snatch tenth place. On top of all that, Volkswagen is still leading in the Manufacturer’s Championship.

    Everything falls into place – Jari-Matti Latvala’s firsts and successes
    Jari-Matti Latvala first took on the “Acropolis” at the age of 18 and achieved his first win ten years later, claiming victory in one of the classic events of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) – the Rally Greece. And he stood at the top of the podium for the first time in Volkswagen’s racing colours. It was the 28-year-old’s eighth race win in the World Championship and his third podium finish, having claimed third place in Portugal and Argentina. Latvala won four of the 14 stages in Greece. So far, the Finn has achieved 276 SS best times. Latvala succeeded in adapting the Polo R WRC to his style of driving by changing the set-up of the differential at the Rally Argentina and making a number of minor adjustments in Greece. This paved the way for his success. Consistency, speed and perfectly calculated risk-taking enabled Latvala to bag his first win at the “Acropolis”. 

    The ultimate acid test – clouds of dust and melon-sized rocks
    The Rally Greece is considered the ultimate acid test in the World Rally Championship. Thick dust, soaring temperatures, no end of coarse gravel and melon-sized rocks all put the three Volkswagen Polo R WRCs and the Volkswagen crews to the test. Although this season’s Rally Greece was shorter than in previous years, it remained just as punishing from start to finish for the cars in 2013. Deep grooves in soft sand alternated with rougher sections. Given the difficult conditions, the drivers’ starting positions on the three days of rallying played a crucial role in determining their chances. 

    A real fighter – Sébastien Ogier’s setback and fightback
    It started out as a small problem but it had a big impact: on the very first day, fuel pressure issues cost Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia their chance of securing another top finish. A cable connection came loose, interrupting the supply of power to the fuel pump. The Volkswagen team replaced the wiring loom in the Polo R WRC #8 just to be on the safe side. Having achieved five podium finishes in the first five rallies – including three wins – this setback in the very first stage of the “Acropolis” earned the pairing a ten-minute time penalty. Sébastien Ogier restarted under the Rally 2 regulations and fought his way into tenth place in the Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday, thereby winning one point for the overall standings in the Drivers’ Championship. Ogier also managed to secure three points by achieving the best time in the so-called Power Stage – when additional points are awarded for first, second and third – despite being at a disadvantage because he had to open the route. With this performance, Ogier defended his lead in the WRC. Now, almost halfway through the season, he is 52 points ahead of his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, who edged up to second position by winning in Greece.

    A steep learning curve – Andreas Mikkelsen develops positively and puts in a final spurt
    Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) also contributed towards Volkswagen’s success at the Rally Greece. Fourth place overall is not just Mikkelsen’s biggest success in his career to date, it is also indicative of a new level of maturity. The “Acropolis” was only Mikkelsen’s third rally behind the wheel of the Polo R WRC. From tyre damage and brake problems to SS best times and playing catch-up – the Rally Greece proved a real emotional roller coaster for Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula. The highlight came right at the end for the Norwegian/Finnish duo. After having to pay tribute to the toughness of the “Acropolis” on Saturday – an air hose came loose and punched through a brake pipe on the front right-hand side of the car, then a puncture cost them more valuable time – Volkswagen’s junior driver could do no wrong on Sunday. With three best times in the Special Stages – his first solo in the WRC – Mikkelsen fought his way from fifth place to fourth and bagged an extra point in the final Power Stage. Mikkelsen secured his place in the WRC record books at the Rally Germany back in 2008 at the same time as record-breaking World Champion Sébastien Loeb and Petter Solberg (SS 19, “Circus Maximus”) when he became the youngest driver ever to win a Special Stage.

    Quotes following day three of the Rally Greece
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
    “I’m absolutely thrilled and I’d like to dedicate this win to the whole Volkswagen team. The new season got off to a very difficult start for me, but the team always believed in me and supported me really well. I’m delighted to see so many happy faces now. Winning the Rally Acropolis also means a lot to me because it’s extremely tough and it’s a real classic. Ever since I entered the event for the first time here at the age of 18, I’ve dreamed of winning it one day. The last stage felt like the longest and hardest for a some time – I felt every single stone and jolt in the car and couldn’t wait for the finishing line to come into sight. Today is a day for celebrating!”

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
    “Tenth place and points for coming first in the Power Stage – that was the best we could do this time. Of course it’s frustrating to feel that both you and the car have what it takes for a podium finish, but a minor technical glitch with the power supply to the fuel pump thwarted us in the very first Special Stage. From that point on, it was all about maintaining a high speed, making it across the finishing line every day and being in the right place when our rivals were struggling. We defended our lead in the overall competition – now we have to look ahead to the coming rallies when we want to be back at the front of the pack again.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “What an incredible rally and what an incredible final day. Everything went in our favour today after yesterday’s difficulties. We got into a good rhythm and tried to put pressure on Nasser Al-Attiyah in fourth place. And it worked. I had caught up and even got just ahead of Nasser by the end of the first run through the stages this morning. The fact that we also scored no less than three best times in the Special Stages was the icing on the cake, of course. On balance, we’re satisfied with the outcome of the Rally Greece and our performance. It’s the best WRC result of my career, so I’m really pleased. And it’s thanks to my mechanics, who did outstanding work yesterday. All of that whets my appetite for more – I can’t wait for the next rally in Sardinia.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “Winning the Rally Greece is a success for the whole team. Jari-Matti Latvala put in an absolutely perfect performance and really earned this win with patience and calculated risk-taking at the right time. The fact that a puncture would have made the difference between a win and a medal-less fourth shows just how much credit is due for this performance. Three different manufacturers on the podium is evidence that the World Rally Championship is a very close-run thing. That’s why I’m proud of the whole team and absolutely delighted for Jari-Matti. I was also very impressed by Andreas Mikkelsen here in Greece – he overcame all the difficulties he faced and took fourth place at the end with an unstoppable final spurt. Sébastien Ogier also deserves a great deal of respect for his performance – despite technical difficulties on day one, he made the best of the situation and ultimately collected valuable points for both WRC championships. Following on from this great performance across the board, I’m already looking forward to the Rally Italy in Sardinia in three weeks’ time.”

    And then there was …
    … one Japanese fan’s tribute to “Mister Mysterios”. Inspired by Julien Ingrassia’s alter ego – the masked man “Mister Mysterio” who became a running gag with the help of a French journalist just over a year ago – Yukari Okamoto made a miniature model of the man in the wrestling mask and presented this “Mini Mysterio” to Sébastien Ogier’s co-driver. To see what the XXL and XXS versions look like together, go to www.facebook.com/elmistermysterio
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Greece – results
    Friday,
    31 May 2013    		 km #7
    Latvala/
    Anttila    		 #8
    Ogier/
    Ingrassia    		 #9
    Mikkelsen/
    Markkula
    SS 01 Kineta–Pissia 47.70 P03
    (+ 36.3s)    		 Retired P05
    (+ 54.4s)
    SS 02 Kineta 26.05 P02
    (+ 2.8s)    		 P07
    (+ 20.2s)
    Overall classification P03
    (+ 39.1s)    		 P05
    (+ 1m 14.6s)
    Saturday,
    01 June 2013    		 km #7
    Latvala/
    Anttila    		 #8
    Ogier/
    Ingrassia    		 #9
    Mikkelsen/
    Markkula
    SS 03 Klenia Mycenae 1 17.41 P01 P08
    (+ 22.3s)    		 P06
    (+ 17.7s)
    SS 04 Ghymno 1 17.61 P01 P04
    (+ 19.3s)    		 P07
    (+ 30.6s)
    SS 05 Kefalari 1 18.40 P01 P03
    (+ 9.3s)    		 P08
    (+ 41.3s)
    SS 06 Ziria 1 21.36 P02
    (+ 0.1s)    		 P04
    (+ 10.8s)    		 P09
    (+ 40.7s)
    SS 07 Klenia Mycenae 2 17.41 P01 P02
    (+ 3.7s)    		 P03
    (+ 4.5s)
    SS 08 Ghymno 2 17.61 P02
    (+ 4.6s)    		 P03
    (+ 15.0s)    		 P05
    (+ 19.0s)
    SS 09 Kefalari 2 18.40 P02
    (+ 1.5s)    		 P03
    (+ 5.8s)    		 P09
    (+ 14.6s)
    SS 10 Ziria 2 21.36 P03
    (+ 11.4s)    		 P01 P10
    (+ 35.5s)
    Overall classification P01 P10
    (+ 10m 29.5s)    		 P05
    (+ 04m 11.8s)
    Sunday,
    02 June 2013    		 km #7
    Latvala/
    Anttila    		 #8
    Ogier/
    Ingrassia    		 #9
    Mikkelsen/
    Markkula
    SS 11 Pissia 1 11.47 P05
    (+ 3.9s)    		 P03
    (+ 2.4s)    		 P01
    SS 12 Loutraki 1 30.14 P04
    (+ 5.5s)    		 P02
    (+ 0.7s)    		 P01
    SS 13 Pissia 2 11.47 P05
    (+ 5.7s)    		 P06
    (+ 6.0s)    		 P01
    SS 14 Loutraki 2 30.14 P04
    (+ 13.2s)    		 P01 P03
    (+ 11.6s)
    Overall classification P01 P10
    (+ 10m 10.3s)    		 P04
    (+ 03m 55.1s)
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Greece – final result
    1 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen 4h 31m 01.2s
    2 Daniel Sordo/Carlos Del Barrio (E/E), Citroën + 1m 50.0s
    3 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Ford + 2m 14.1s
    4 Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN), Volkswagen + 3m 55.1s
    5 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Giovanni Bernacchini (Q/I), Ford + 4m 12.6s
    6 Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Ford + 5m 48.7s
    7 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN/FIN), Citroën + 8m 00.7s
    8 Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (CZ/CZ). Ford + 8m 01.2s
    9 Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor (RUS/A), Ford + 8m 11.1s
    10 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen + 10m 10.3s
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
    Rally Greece – results powerstage
    1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 20m 38.5s
    2 Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor (RUS/A), Ford + 9.9s
    3 Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN), Volkswagen + 11.6s
    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), standings
    Drivers’ classification
    Points
    1 Sébastien Ogier 126
    2 Jari-Matti Latvala 74
    3 Sébastien Loeb 68
    4 Mikko Hirvonen 61
    5 Thierry Neuville 50
    6 Dani Sordo 47
    7 Mads Østberg 46
    8 Evgeny Novikov 31
    9 Nasser Al-Attiyah 30
    10 Martin Prokop 27
    11 Andreas Mikkelsen 25
    Manufacturers’ classification
    Points
    1 Volkswagen Motorsport 180
    2 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 162
    3 Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team 83
    4 Qatar World Rally Team 71
    5 Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team 29
    Jipocar Czech National Team 29
    7 Volkswagen Motorsport II 26
    8 Lotos WRC Team 12

  • Matti Latvala-Anttila of Volkswagen take the lead

    1 June 2013: Jari-Matti Latvala of Volkswagen heads the leaderboard of the Acropolis Rally after 10 of the 14 stages in this, the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The Finn has stayed out of trouble throughout the day to pull out more than a minute advantage with just Sunday’s stages to run. Dani Sordo remains second and Thierry Neuville has climbed one position up the leaderboard to hold the final provisional podium position.
    Today’s route was the longest of one of the toughest events in the calendar and, like yesterday, the rough rock-strewn stages have taken their toll. In total, the route took in two identical loops of four stages covering 149.56 competitive kilometres. Yesterday’s sensation, Evgeny Novikov, maintained his overnight advantage through the opening stage, setting equal fastest time with Latvala. However, in the following stage the Russian hit a stone and broke a wheel, losing him over four minutes as he was forced to stop and change it. As a consequence, he dropped from first to eighth, handing the lead to stage winner Latvala. The Finn then won the following stage, gradually increasing his advantage over Sordo. He and third-placed Neuville have largely run without problems and while each has a reasonable advantage over the other, they remain well ahead of the chasing pack.
    Nasser Al-Attiyah has moved from sixth to fourth this evening and has been in the thick of a battle with Andreas Mikkelsen, although the Norwegian has been hampered by brake problems and a puncture in the final stage. Martin Prokop fought hard to maintain position ahead of Mads Østberg, whose bad luck continues. Suspension damage, steering problems and a puncture have all slowed his charge but he has nevertheless moved ahead of Prokop and from ninth to sixth this evening. Mikko Hirvonen has been lucky to escape with just a puncture and broken wheel today and Evgeny Novikov’s problems continued during the day; a broken brake disc, damaged suspension and a spin have all conspired to keep him in ninth position this evening. FIA World Rally Championship leader Sébastien Ogier started the day in 23rd position, having been forced onto the side-lines with fuel pressure problems yesterday, and has climbed into 10th overall. Eleventh is held by Formula One star Robert Kubica, the Pole also leading the FIA WRC 2 Championship category by more than two minutes.
    Acropolis Rally – Unofficial Results after Day 2
    1.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila
    2.   Dani Sordo/Carlos Del Barrio
    3.   Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul
    4.   Nasser Al-Attiyah/Giovanni Bernacchini
    5.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula
    6.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson
    7.   Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst
    8.   Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen
    9.   Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor
    10. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia
    Volkswagen Polo R WRC
    Citroën DS3 WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Volkswagen Polo R WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Citroën DS3 WRC
    Ford Fiesta RS WRC
    Volkswagen Polo R WRC
    2 hr 32 min 42.8sec
    2 hr 33 min 46.9sec
    2 hr 34 min 25.9sec
    2 hr 36 min 28.9sec
    2 hr 36 min 54.6sec
    2 hr 38 min 09.1sec
    2 hr 38 min 33.1sec
    2 hr 40 min 35.0sec
    2 hr 40 min 58.9sec
    2 hr 43 min 12.3sec

     

  • Ogier fastest in qualifying

    Excellent starting position for Volkswagen at the Rally Greece: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) set the fastest time in qualifying for the “Acropolis” to earn first choice of starting position. Their team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) were just behind in sixth and ninth in the remaining two Polo R WRCs. Sébastien Ogier opted to start the opening leg of the Rally Greece eleventh, making him the last of the drivers in the top WRC category. Jari-Matti Latvala will be the fourth man out onto the route, right behind Andreas Mikkelsen, who starts third.

    Note to editors: the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) starts with the opening two special stageson Friday evening. Volkswagen will provide further information and quotes from day one of the Rally Greece immediately after the “Kineta” night stage (start: 21:26 hrs local time).

    Quotes after qualifying for the Rally Greece    
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
    “Ninth is obviously not the result we were after. Unfortunately this means we will have to start very near the front of the field this evening, and will basically be sweeping the route clean for the cars after us. The qualifying stage was very sandy and soft, and deep ruts formed. I had problems steering and sticking to the ideal racing line in these ruts. That was my first time in the Polo R WRC on such soft ground, and we will have to reconsider the set-up of my car before the start.”

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
    “A good qualifying for us. We saw during the Recce just how important qualifying could be this time over the course of the rally. There is a lot of loose gravel on the special stages. As such, it is enormously important to have a clean line, particularly as the field only includes eleven World Rally Cars this time. I took a few more risks than usual and gave everything to ensure I was able to select the final starting position, and it paid off.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “Qualifying went well for us. A lot of dust found its way into the cockpit, which made it hard to see. At one point I veered off the line. Apart from that, it was a clean run. As such, sixth place is a good result for us. The Rally Greece is definitely the biggest challenge we will face this season. We are ready. I am particularly looking forward to this evening’s night stage, which is something very special. Over the course of the entire rally it will be important to find the fight balance between saving material and attacking. Our minimum goal is, obviously, to reach the finish here in Loutraki on Sunday.”

    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “We have made a successful start to the Rally Greece. Sébastien Ogier opened up with a perfect run and has chosen to start last. We face a big challenge for man and machine here at the ‘Acropolis Rally’. The starting order is extremely important. Compliments also to Andreas Mikkelsen, who is improving bit by bit. Sixth place is a fantastic result for him. With the team’s interests in mind and an eye on the Manufacturers’ Championship, he selected a poor start position in front of Jari-Matti Latvala, in order to allow his team-mate a better starting position. Jari-Matti Latvala was not particularly happy with the set-up today. Despite this, we are happy with the team result.”

    And then there was …
    … one section of the Rally Greece, which the competitors tackle four times on three different routes. On Friday, the World Rally Cars tackled the gravel route to the east of the rally base in Loutraki, between Platavos and Polita, as part of the first and the longest special stage of the “Acropolis”, the “Kineta-Pissia”. The evening’s shorter “Kineta” variant and Sunday’s “Loutraki”, which forms the twelfth and 14th stages, also take the drivers along the same stretch.

    ends