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Tag: WRC, Rally
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Meeke, Nagle win Rally Mexico; third winner in three rounds
Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle took a dramatic first win of the season at Rally Mexico, bringing a third different winning crew, and manufacturer, to the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship in as many events.
However, after a faultless rally, in which they led for all but the two Mexico City stages, it was far from a relaxing ride to the finish. The Citroën C3 WRC pairing went into the closing live TV Power Stage with what looked like an unassailable 37.2 second advantage but, with the finish line in sight, incredibly the pair went off the road. Losing precious time trying to get back on to the stage from a parking area, they astonishingly reached the finish line 13.8 seconds ahead of their rivals in one of the most dramatic finishes in recent times.
“I got caught out on a bump after the jump,” said a shell-shocked Meeke. “I’m a lucky, lucky boy. That’s certainly one way to finish a rally!”
The Mexico win marks Meeke and Nagle’s fourth WRC victory, but it was an important first win for the new Citroën C3 WRC which showed so much pre-season promise and had yet to truly deliver. In Meeke’s hands this weekend, however, the multiple Championship-winning Citroën team proved it is back in the fight.
Second position was taken by the M-Sport crew of Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. The French duo were happy to maintain position for the sake of solid Championship points and their result sees them back at the top of the Drivers’ standings three events into the season. Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul finally got some decent points on the board for third overall and the Belgian duo also picked up an additional five points for winning the Power Stage.
Ott Tänak finished just off the podium in fourth for the first time this season and Hayden Paddon was fifth. After their overheating problems on Friday, Toyota as good as achieved its pre-event expectations with Jari-Matti Latvala in sixth, his team-mate Juho Hänninen seventh after battling against illness all weekend. Misfire problems dropped Dani Sordo down the order on Friday night, but the Spaniard reached the finish in eighth. Elfyn Evans was ninth, his event compromised from the outset when he picked up a five minute penalty for a pre-start engine change.
The fight in the FIA WRC 2 Championship was intense between Pontus Tidemand and Eric Camilli. The Swede went into the day with two seconds in hand to the Frenchman, but two stage wins assured Tidemand and co-driver Jonas Andersson a second consecutive category win.
In the FIA World Rally Championship, Ogier has an eight point advantage over Latvala with Tänak third a further 10 points adrift. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, M-Sport’s haul of podium places over the first three events sees it head the standings by 36 points over newcomers Toyota GAZOO Racing. Hyundai Motorsport is however only two points behind the Japanese manufacturer.
The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now return to Europe for the first pure asphalt rally of the season, Rallye de France Tour de Corse (6-9 April).
Rally Mexico – Official Final Classification (subject to further checks to be carried out by the FIA on the gearbox of car No. 1, Ogier/Ingrassia)
1. Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle Citroën C3 WRC 3hr 22min 04.6sec 2. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 22min 18.4sec 3. Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 23min 04.3sec 4. Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 24min 22.9sec 5. Hayden Paddon / John Kennard Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 25min 37.5sec 6. Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 26min 44.9sec 7. Juho Hänninen / Kaj Lindström Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 27min 10.8sec 8. Dani Sordo / Marc Martí Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3hr 27min 27.3sec 9. Eflyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 30min 46.4sec 10. Pontus Tidemand / Jonas Andersson Škoda Fabia R5 3hr 32min 56.5sec eom/FIA press release
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Sweden win pushes Latvala to table top: WRC
For the first time since Rally China in 1999, Toyota has won a round of the FIA World Rally Championship: on only the second event for the all-new Yaris WRC. Jari-Matti Latvala inherited the lead after yesterday’s super special stage, when the former leader broke his steering. Latvala then won all three stages today to extend his advantage and claim the first rally win for Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team. Juho Hänninen had a trouble-free day and scored more manufacturer points, meaning that Toyota Gazoo Racing is now second in the manufacturers’ championship, while Latvala heads the drivers’ standings, having sealed his 17th career win, his fourth in Sweden, and his first since Mexico 2016. In total, Jari-Matti won six stages: SS1, SS4, SS13, SS16, SS17 and SS18.
Double podium for M-Sport: Meanwhile, as the Ecoboost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC secured a second successive double podium, M-Sport have strengthened their lead at the head of the manufacturers’ standings – holding a 20 point advantage over their closest rivals, adds an M-Sport release.
Having won four stages and delivered an impressive performance over the course of the weekend, Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja were just 3.8 seconds adrift of the lead going into the final-day showdown.
Ultimately however, the pairing struggled to find the confidence-boosting rhythm they had previously enjoyed and had to settle for second place – reserving an elusive first victory for another day.
In the sister M-Sport Fiesta WRC, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia secured a fine third place overall after being hampered by a less than perfect road position throughout much of the event.
Biding their time, the Frenchmen did what they do best and secured a strong haul of points for their championship defence.
Toyota release adds: Latvala started the day with just a 3.8-second advantage over the second-placed man but won all three stages (including the power stage) to seal an emotional victory, having experienced no problems at all. Hänninen finished just outside the top 20, continuing to test settings for future rallies.
Quotes:
Akio Toyoda (Team chairman)
“It’s a great feeling to win a round of the World Rally Championship after a break of 17 years. I have always been looking forward to this moment, but I never imagined that it would come so soon. A special thanks not just to each and every member of the team, but also to all the fans who have been waiting for our return and shared the joy with us. So I’d like to share with everyone a discussion I had with Tommi and Jari-Matti before the start of Rally Sweden about communication with cars. Jari-Matti said he tries to communicate with them with love, and drive them with care. Tommi said he can have a good understanding of how to drive them faster because he loves cars. Their words, full of love for cars, touched me because I feel the same. So my wish is for us all to keep on enjoying this feeling and facing the challenges together to make the Yaris an ever-better car.”Tommi Mäkinen (Team principal)
“It’s very hard to find the words to describe what I am feeling right now: what we are all feeling. Monte-Carlo was an unexpected result, but this is beyond unexpected. Of course we were lucky to have this win, but it’s also a huge tribute to the talent of Jari-Matti and the united team work that has taken place in Finland, Germany and Japan. It’s an incredible feeling and I just want to thank everybody who has made it possible: especially our chairman Mr Toyoda for his faith in us, Jari-Matti, Miika, Juho, and Kaj. This is a special day that we are all going to remember for a very long time, but at the same time we will keep our feet on the ground now and continue to work as hard as always.”Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 10)
“I am so, so happy. For a new team and new car to win its second rally: I really have no words. I think I drove my best power stage ever today. Huge thanks to all the team. Now we are super-motivated to continue like this: I just can’t wait to get to Mexico. It’s fantastic to win but I also feel very sorry for Thierry Neuville, who lost the lead yesterday at the super special stage. I have been in a similar situation myself in the past, so I completely understand how he must be feeling now. We know we were lucky, so we need to carry on improving and working for our goal.”Juho Hänninen (Driver car 11)
“I am so proud to be part of this team of dedicated and hard-working people and so happy. This is an amazing result for all of us. From our point of view we spent the rally recovering from our mistake on Friday, but we completed plenty of useful testing and I increased my time and confidence in the car.”Provisional final result, Rally Sweden:
1 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miika Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) 2h36m03.6s
2 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Ford Fiesta WRC) +29.2s
3 Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) +59.5s
4 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +2m11.5s
5 Craig Breen/Scott Martin (Citroen C3 WRC) +2m51.2s
6 Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +5m26.6s
7 Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +5m31.2s
8 Stephane Lefebvre/Gabin Moreau (Citroen DS3 WRC) +7m14.7s
9 Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson (Skoda Fabia R5) +9m11.1s
10 Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula (Ford Fiesta R5) +10m02.9s
23 Juho Hänninen/Kaj Lindström (Toyota Yaris WRC) +23m05.6s2017 FIA World Rally Championship for drivers after round two:
1 Jari-Matti Latvala 48
2 Sebastien Ogier 44
3 Ott Tanak 33
4 Dani Sordo 25
5 Craig Breen 20
6 Elfyn Evans 18
7 Stephane Lefebvre 10
8 Thierry Neuville 8
9 Hayden Paddon 7
10 Andreas Mikkelsen 6
12 Juho Hänninen 32017 FIA World Rally Championship for manufacturers after round two:
1 M-Sport World Rally Team 73
2 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 53
3 Hyundai Motorsport 40
4 Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 26
(Results as of 16:00 on Sunday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com )What’s next?
The next stop on the World Rally Championship, round three, is Rally Mexico from March 9-12. This will be the first gravel round of the year and the first run in high temperatures, with the stages at high altitude as well, which deprives the engine of oxygen. As a result it represents another brand new challenge for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.eom/Toyota Gazoo Racing press release with inputs from M-Sport for 2nd and 3rd places
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Day 1: Thierry, Nicolas top the timesheets by 28s
Against a perfect snowy backdrop, Rally Sweden began its first complete day of action on Friday morning with our three crews raring to go.
Fresh from a Super Special Stage at the Karlstad trotting track on
Hyundai i20 WRC of Thierry and Nicolas leads after full Day 1 (SSS on Thurs) on Friday in Rally Sweden. A Hundai WRC team image evening, held in front of a crowd of passionate fans, it was all systems go for the first full loop of the rally.
Our Belgians Thierry and Nicolas wasted no time getting back to the speed they showed during the season-opener at Monte-Carlo in January. The #5 crew claimed victory in the opening two stages – the classic Röjden and the all-new Hof-Finnskog – that crossed over the Norwegian border.
Opening the Door
Despite an initial close battle for the lead of the rally with the Toyota of Jari-Matti Latvala, it was in the afternoon loop where our Belgians showed their real potential. They added three more stage wins in succession and built up a lead of 28 seconds – despite the door of their car coming open on the final run!
“It’s been a good day’s work for us,” said Thierry. “To lead the rally by such a margin is obviously very encouraging, but we’re not getting carried away. My door kept opening slightly on the final stage, which was a distraction, but otherwise the car has been working very well.”
Lunchtime Transformation
Hayden and John had a tough morning but a detailed discussion at lunchtime helped them get to grips with Sweden’s fast and furious terrain. After finishing second at this event last season, they plan to make up ground on Saturday.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s not been the start we wanted,” admitted Hayden. “Things were not coming very naturally. I sat down with my engineer at service and he suggested some changes. That really helped. I had more confidence and felt that I was driving the car, not the other way around.”
In the #6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Dani and Marc also endured some difficulties. A missed hairpin in SS4 (the morning’s 24.88km Svullrya test) saw them lose 20 seconds of time and drop to seventh place.
Dani said: “We had a good morning loop, generally speaking. The car was working well and I enjoyed the stages a lot. I just got distracted in SS4 and we lost a lot of time recovering. I couldn’t get back into the rhythm after that.”
Building on Success
We finished on the Swedish podium in 2015 with Thierry and Nicolas, and again last season with Hayden and John, so there’s plenty of hope to make it three in a row by Sunday. But it’s never guaranteed, as our Team Principal Michel warns: “We have been successful in Sweden in recent years. After the performance we showed in Monte, we had hopes of fighting at the front. With ten stages still to run, we’ve got a long way to go, and lots more work to do,” he said.
Those remaining stages get underway on Saturday morning with a repeat loop that includes the 31.6km run at Knon, a 15.87km test at Hagfors and the famous Vargåsen. Why famous? Because it contains the legendary Colin’s Crest jump, for which we won the award for longest jump in 2014 and 2015!
Overall Classification after Day One
1. T. Neuville / N. Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) 1:16:24.7
2. J. M. Latvala / M. Anttila (Toyota Yaris WRC) +28.1
3. O. Tanak / M. Jarveoja (Ford Fiesta WRC) +49.7
4. K.Meeke / P.Nagle (Citroën C3 WRC) +51.8
5. S. Ogier / J. Ingrassia (Ford Fiesta WRC) +55.7
6. H. Paddon / J. Kennard (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +1:17.8
7. D. Sordo / M. Martí (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) +1:40.3
8. C. Breen / S. Martin (Citroën DS3 WRC) +1:54.3
9. E. Evans / D. Barritt (Ford Fiesta WRC) +3:01.05
10. S. Lefebvre / G. Moreau (Citroën C3 WRC) +3:23.6eom/Hyundai WRC team release
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The car is big and it is an awesome feeling: Craig Breen, on his switch to C3
Present:
Craig Breen, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai Motorsport
Ott Tänak, M-Sport World Rally Team
Juho Hänninen, Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally TeamQ:
Craig, great start to the season for you in the older DS3 but now you switch to the C3 – will expectations be high?
CB:
Now I get to try the big car and it’s an awesome feeling, the car is fantastic to drive. It’s starting a new chapter in my career.Q:
You are the driver with the most experience here in Sweden out of the team. Were you aware of that? Does that add more pressure?
CB:
It is actually something we only figured out last night. It’s the rally where I have the most experience and that in theory should mean I should do something special, but at the same time it’s a big step up. Now I just want to get started.Q:
This is a moment you have been waiting for for quite a while, does that make you nervous or are you calm about it?
CB:
I’ve waited all my life for a chance like this so of course I’m a bit nervous, but whenever the nerves kick in I think how a chance like this is so rare and there’s no point letting the stress get to me but that I might just as well enjoy it.Q:
Your pace in Monte-Carlo was something special; can you replicate that pace here on snow?
TN:
The pace in Monte-Carlo somewhat surprised me, but everything came together in a good way and made me feel confident and comfortable. The opening of the season is always special.Q:
Thierry, how has the new Hyundai been performing on snow in testing? How many kilometres have you covered on this surface?
TN:
For sure it’s been better than before Monte-Carlo. I’m really happy and have been able to do two full days in good snow conditions. The conditions this year look so much better than last year.Q:
You mentioned yesterday that you feel that the pace at the top will be closer here in Sweden than in Monte-Carlo. Why is that?
TN:
In Monte-Carlo the guy with the most confidence is leading the rally, but here I think we’re going to see more of the real speed from the teams. I expect a much tougher and more difficult fight.Q:
So who do you think will win?
TN:
It’s a tough question, we saw some surprises in Monte-Carlo, but I think we will have a more regular race this weekend. Ogier will be strong and some other guys too and we will try to keep pace with all of them. There’s going to be a few of us fighting it out.Q:
Ott, you had a great start to the season in Monte-Carlo. Does that bring you confidence coming here to Sweden?
OT:
Obviously Monte-Carlo was a good event for us and now we’re here with some good points and it feels nice to start like this.Q:
The route has been altered this year, what are your thoughts on the stages? What could we see being the toughest aspect of this event this year?
OT:
It looks quite nice, it’s a lot better than last year and from the outset it looks good. Obviously we miss some snowbanks but it looks very nice out in the forests.Q:
So without those snowbanks you have to be more precise out there?
OT:
Well, it’s like a normal gravel rally [without the snow banks] and I think in the end it’s still the sameQ:
What’s the aim here for you? Are you targeting the top step of the podium?
OT:
This is one of my favourite rallies and especially this year with some really fast and smooth stages. Normally I feel confident here and now I just want to enjoy it.Q:
Toyota achieved a podium in Monte-Carlo with Jari-Matti but it was you who opened up the event with strong pace Juho. Were you surprised at the pace or did you know the car would be on par?
JH:
I knew that the car was good and I was confident with it, but at the same time, yes, it was a surprise since we didn’t have any idea where we stood compared to the other cars. So it was a big thing for the entire team, having put in so much work and getting results straight away.Q:
How much testing have you done on snow? Are you happy with the setup? What areas still need more work?
JH:
I did three days last week in Finland. The conditions were a little bit different than here but the set-up of the car is not all that far from the gravel set-up which I did quite a bit of testing with last year. I’m really happy with the car.Q:
What areas of the car would you say still need development work on them?
JH:
We’ve been quite lucky from the start of the project with the car. There are no weak areas or points, so it’s more a case where all areas can be improved a bit but it’s getting more and more close to finished. But at the same time it’s only the second rally for us so we just need to stay calm.Q:
How quick do you think you will be here?
JH:
I honestly have no idea. It’s been three years since I last competed here so it’s difficult to say. The main thing is to relax and the results will come.Q:
Is it a different atmosphere now in the team after Monte-Carlo? Is it more relaxed?
JH:
It’s difficult to be more relaxed, but the feeling is we have something unique and I’m very happy with the team.
FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIPPresent:
Pontus Tidemand, Skoda Motorsport
Emil Bergkvist
Teemu Suninen, M-Sport World Rally TeamQ:
Pontus, how are you feeling ahead of this year’s event? We’ve seen some success from you in the past here, what’s the objective this time around?
PT:
I feel very good for this event. For me it’s the highlight all year round and I really enjoy this road and the surface. I’ve had good preparations and the car is very good but for sure it’s a very hard competition in this class. For sure it will be a good fight but I’m ready for it and I’m really looking forward to the start tonight.Q:
You’re talking about good preparations, how much in terms of testing have you been able to do?
PT:
Two days of test, last weekend and this weekend also, so for me the team has done very good preparations as always so they’ve done their work from last year so I think we have the best chance to, yeah, take this rally. But for sure we need to stay focused, that’s the key point.Q:
You mentioned that there is strong competition in WRC 2, and it certainly is at this event. How much are you willing to risk out there Pontus, to get maximum points?
PT:
It’s hard to say. It’s a long championship and in this rally there are many drivers that can do really well, lots of Norwegian drivers and some more. We just need to start and see where we are and I think it’s important to be on the spot from the beginning and avoid any mistakes. Thirty seconds in one snow bank I think can be the difference between, maybe a podium place here so it’s the main thing I think.Q:
I’m guessing this season is very important for you, aiming for the WRC 2 Championship title?
PT:
Yes, that’s the main target this year so me and the team will give 100 percent for this. That’s what we’re working hard for every day.Q:
What do you feel that you’ve learned from last year?
PT:
Obviously you learn and get better on everything, but for sure you need to finish the rallies. That’s very important if you’re going to have a chance to take the title in WRC 2. If you have two-three results out of the normal points obviously it’s very tough so that’s what you learn.Q:
Pontus is obviously confident, how about yourself, how are you feeling ahead of the rally Emil?
EB:
We have quite a good feeling. It’s my third time here so, yeah, it feels great actually. We had a good test as well, which is important, but like Pontus said, there are a lot of fast drivers here and it’s important to be on it from the beginning on the stages in Norway. But we will try.Q:
Now we do see changes to the route here in Rally Sweden this year. What are your thoughts on the new stages we’ve seen, the new sections?
EB:
On the recce it looked quite okay actually. This stage, Knon, is a quite fast stage I would say and the organisation has done a really good job to put everything together for us, and yeah, I think a lot of drivers are happy to get out on the stages.Q:
Being your home event, would you say this is your best opportunity, your best advantage here for you to get maximum points?
EB:
Yeah, I think so. Okay, we did some WRC 2 events last year but we had some struggles in many ways. But I feel well prepared for this rally and I think this our biggest chance to get a great result.Q:
Is this going to be a full season in WRC 2 this year?
EB:
Not at the moment, but if we do a good result here I think it can help us. If we can do some more rallies it would be great.Q:
So at the moment, this is the only event you’ll be competing in?
EB:
No, also France, Portugal and Germany.Q:
From a sponsorship point, getting a good result here would obviously help those sponsors to maybe give you more funding to help you get more events?
EB:
Yeah, I hope so. If you show that you can be among the fast guys, it’s helpful.Q:
The Swedes are on form. Are you confident as well Teemu?
TS:
Yeah, quite confident. Of course we have a new car and have done testing, and I’m really happy for the car, but as always when something is new it means new challenges.Q:
How many kilometers testing have you done?
TS:
200.Q:
Do you feel that was enough for you to adapt to the new car?
TS:
Yeah, that’s enough.Q:
What’s your opinion of the stages? You were successful here last year, do you feel that the stages are going to favour you this year?
TS:
I think so. This year the stages are in good condition, good ice on the ground, so I think it will be faster than last year.Q:
So, you’re aiming for the top spot on the podium?
TS:
I’m aiming for a better result than last year.Q:
Well you were second here last year so that will be the top of the podium you’re aiming for then. What about the season ahead, I know you’re doing a lot of WRC 2 events in Europe, but there is a possibility of seeing you in a WRC car as well this year. What’s happening with that?
TS:
I think we will get the new WRC car for Poland and Finland. I’ll try to learn and get a good result from here to be able to be fast in the WRC car.Q:
So how much are you thinking about the WRC 2 season, Teemu, how focused are you on that knowing that you’re actually going to get into a WRC car?
TS:
Both of them are really important. I’ll try to do my best here and then move my focus in two rallies, then back to WRC 2.eom/FIA press release
WRC file photo courtesy FIA. 9 Feb 2017 -
Interview with Chris Williams, the man behind the Ford Fiesta WRC
Head of Rally Engineering at M-Sport and the man behind the all-new Ford Fiesta WRC, Chris Williams gives us his thoughts ahead of Rallye Monte-Carlo.
When did work begin on the Ford Fiesta WRC?
“We’ve had people working on the concept since the middle of 2015. As with any new car, the first job is to get an understanding of the regulations and where we can explore new ideas or make changes. This was particularly hard at the outset as the regulations were very fluid.”
How much freedom did the new regulations allow?
“These new regulations have definitely provided greater scope for doing something different – and you can see that in the aerodynamics alone. Working in secrecy each team has come up with something slightly different, although there are some themes that are common amongst cars.
“We set an aero balance target and we’ve achieved that. You constantly have to balance the equation of drag, downforce, durability and robustness. We’re looking for efficiency all around and everyone has had to calculate what risks they’re willing to take when it comes to the balance between performance and durability.”
How much of the Fiesta WRC has been designed from scratch?
“A lot is the simple answer. Almost every part of the car has been specifically optimized for this project with very little if any compromise. We’ve been focused to build the best car we possibly can and we’ve had everything we needed to get the job done.
“If we take the transmission as an example, the old unit was taken from the Ford Fiesta S2000 and developed for use in WRC. This year, the transmission has been specifically designed and optimised purely as a component for this car and the new regulations.”
Has the development process gone to plan?
“It’s involved a lot of hard work. We have a small, but strong team of people working around the clock behind the scenes. The design guys have been flat-out and we are pretty hopeful we can punch above our weight.
“We implemented as much as we possibly could. With any new car there are always a few areas that you would have liked to have investigated further if time allowed, but I think that is the same for everyone. Anything that we thought we had an advantage on has been incorporated.
“We have put absolutely everything we could into this project. At this point it’s hard to gauge how competitive the car will be, but we will soon see! We’ve definitely made a huge step up from our previous car.”
What’s it like to have the four-time World Champion behind the wheel of the Fiesta WRC?
“It brings a lot of pressure for sure, but it also brings a massive opportunity. The motivation here has stepped up two or three notches and everyone is extremely driven to deliver the very best over the course of the season.
“I think it’s probably fair to say that everyone was in need of a little boost at the end of last year, and Sébastien [Ogier] and Julien [Ingrassia] have certainly provided that. They got in the car and said yes, that’s a 2017 world rally car, so that’s a very good start.”
What will the atmosphere in the team by like at the start of Rallye Monte-Carlo?
“I don’t think we’ll sleep at all before the rally starts! Waiting for that first split time to come through will be a very anxious moment and it will be interesting to see if it will be a straight fight or if the conditions play a deciding factor.
“But, we’ve got the best chance that we’ve had in years. We’ve got the best drivers that we could possibly get and we need to go out there and do well. It’s as simple as that, we need to deliver, so the pressure is on!”
eom/David
Seb Ogier will be behind the wheel of an all-new Ford Fiesta for the WRC 2017 season with M-Sport. An M-Sport image -
Karna-Nikhil duo are INRC 2016 champions
By David Bodapati
Bengaluru, 18 Dec 2016: Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil Pai of Team Yokohama R2 became the National champions in the Indian National Rally Championship for the year 2016 despite finishing sixth overall in the MRF 42nd K1000 Rally 2016 which concluded near Hosadurga, about 220 kms from here.
Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik drove in a steady and cautious manner to bag the coveted K1000 rally with a time of 51 minutes, 40.2 seconds. This is the second time that the Team Mahindra Adventure driver has won India’s oldest rally in the country, the last one being in 2013. The Ghosh duo became the only son and father pair to win the popular K1000. Amittrajit’s father and chief of current INRC promoter RRPM, Arindam Ghosh won the K1000 in 1981. He was one of the aggressive bunch of speed masters in early 80s who clinched the Karnataka 1000 in a Fiat over 1000 miles of rough and tumble.
Phalguna V Urs and Chandramouli finished second a time of 53:38.1 while Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek Bhatt came third clocking 54:30.5.
Favourite Gaurav Gill of Team Mahindra Adventure dropped out in the very first stage with a driveshaft failure. Arjun Rao was another prominent casualty who had a gearbox failure while running third.
Talking to India in F1, Arindam Ghosh, Director, Ramakrishna Race Performance Management (RRPM), the promoters of the Indian Natinal Rally Championship said: “It has been a lovely year of rallying and it can only get better from here. We promise to bring back an even better championship next year”. Earlier, he hinted that the INRC may use the Saturday for some night rallying, running a loop of special stages on Saturday nights instead of extending the event by another day which has financial and logistical implications. For the first time INRC, became a one-day event with rallying only on Sunday. Till 2015, the National Championship used to run for three or two days with a Super Special Stage either on Friday or Sunday.
Abhilash PG and Srikant Gowda took overall honors in Indian Rally Championship (IRC), run concurrently with the INRC, in 54:31.4, some 5 sconds ahead of Mohammed Kasim AA and Sanath G Ritesh. M Guttedar and Sheraz Ahmed were third timing 1 minute and 0.9 seconds.
Amittrajit and Ashwin took home Rs. 50,000/- in prize money.
Provisional Results: Overall winners: 1. Abhilash PG / Srikant Gowda GM (54:31.4); 2. Mohammead Asim AA / Sanath G (59:28.4); 3. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheraz Ahmed (1:00:00.9).
IRC: 1. Abhilash PG / Srikant Gowda GM (54:31.4); 2. Mohammead Kasim AA / Sanath G (59:28.4); 3. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheraz Ahmed (1:00:00.9).
INRC: 1. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin M Naik (51:40.2); 2. Phalguna V Urs / Chandramouli CM (53:38.1): 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Y Bhatt (54:30.5).
INRC 2000: 1. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Y Bhatt (54:30.5): 2. Bopaiah KM/ Gagan Karumbaiah (54:35.8): 3. Aroor Vikram Rao / Jeevarathinam J (54:56.0).
FMSCI Cup: 1. Sridhar N Urs / Roopesh BC (1:01:59.3); 2. Krishna Kant Yadav / Sagar M (1:06:32.3); 3. Ganapathy SC/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (1:12:21.7).
Support event: Gypsy Cup: 1. Sanjay Agarwal / Smitha N (1:03:37.4); 2. Shiv Kumar Reddy/ Vinay Prasad BK (1:07:45.8); 3. Nayan J Sharma /Shuchindra SP (1:11:09.6)
ends/david
Karna Kadur (left) and Nikhil Pai after winning title in Hosadurga on 18 Dec 2016. Image courtesy Red Rooster Perf.ormance -
Gill wins Coffee Day India Rally, creates history
Gaurav Gill who was fastest in all the 12 special stages run on Sunday. Image by Sanjay Sridhar Chikkamagaluru, 5 Dec 2016: India’s Gaurav Gill notched a historic win here today as he emerged champion in the Coffee Day India Rally, the concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.
It was 35-year old Gill’s sixth consecutive win in the APRC this season following his success in New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and Malaysia. In the process, the Delhi-based champion driver became the first person to win all rounds of an FIA championship on way to annexing the title. The 2016 title is his second after his maiden triumph in 2013.
In winning the Coffee Day India Rally, Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) amply demonstrated his driving prowess and had a lot to spare at the finish while clocking three hours, 39 minutes, 37.9 seconds over 17 Special Stages while Cusco Racing’s Michael Young (Malcolm Read) was a distant second, over 11 minutes behind and his team-mate Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) who came third (04:03:51.0).
Gill, who drove the super-quick Race Torque-prepared MRF Skoda Fabia R5, admitted it was befitting that he achieved the record in his home country and in front of a legion of adoring fans that thronged the three-day event, organised by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, in their thousands.
“Undoubtedly, this is my most satisfying win if only because it was achieved in India and here in Chikkamagaluru. Coming into this Rally with five wins out of five, there was pressure on me and high expectations. More importantly, I hope that my wins and the record make motorsport more popular in India and also attract manufacturers and sponsors.
“It was an extremely difficult and technical rally because of the narrow, twisting route with hundreds of corners which required,” said Gill who celebrated the rare feat with his young family.
Gill’s long-time partner Macneall also clinched the co-driver’s title while MRF took the team championship and Skoda pouched the manufacturer’s crown.
With his MRF team-mate and German champion Fabian Kreim (Frank Christian) not in the fray following a crash on Sunday, Gill, who led overnight by over seven minutes, pushed in the early part of the day, but with his car encountering some problems was forced to ease off. Yet, he thrilled the huge crowd with his craft.
While Gill cornered the limelight, Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) of Team Yokohama 2K took the honours in the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that was run concurrently after his nearest rival and overnight leader, Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) dropped out due to mechanical problems. Finishing second behind Kadur was Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) and team-mate Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt).
Kadur also topped in the INRC 2000 category for the second time this season while Takale won in the IRC class that he had also entered apart from APRC, and Jacob KJ (Manoj Mohanan) chalked up his fourth consecutive win in the FMSCI Cup to bag the championship with a round to spare.
The results (provisional, after Leg-2) APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF) (3hrs, 39mins, 37.9secs); 2. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing) (03:51:10.3); 3. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (04:03:51.0).
INRC Overall: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2); 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9).
INRC 2000: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2); 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9).
FMSCI Cup: 1. Jacob KJ / Manoj Mohanan (02:01:14.8); 2. Minchu Ganapathy / Venu Ramesh Kumar (02:01:25.8); 3. Fabid Ahmer / Arjun Dheerendra (02:06:06.7).
IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (01:48:59.2); 2. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheeraz Ahmed (02:01:12.3); 3. Byram Godrej / Ninad Mirajgaonkar (02:02:47.5).
Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1. Sanjay Agarwal /Smitha N (02:09:53.3); 2. Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Shetti (02:17:36.1); 3. Dheeraj KV / Ravi (02:39:03.7).
eom/Press Release
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Gill dominates Day 2, in line for a historic feat
Chikkamagaluru, 4 Dec 2016: Gaurav Gill of Team MRF is poised for an unprecedented clean sweep of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship as he surged to a commanding and unassailable lead at the end of Leg-1 in the Coffee Day India Rally here today.
Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall), who took rally driving to a level not seen before in India, ended the day with a handsome lead of seven minutes, 33.6 seconds over second-placed Michael Young (Malcolm Read) of Cusco Racing after team-mate Fabian Kreim (Frank Christian) crashed out early in the day.
Should 35-year old Delhi-based Gill, who has already sealed the 2016 APRC driver’s title his second since 2013, win on Monday when the Coffee Day Rally, organised by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, concludes, he will be the only competitor to achieve the rare feat of winning all the rounds of a FIA Rally championship en route to annexing the crown.
In sharp contrast to Gill’s absolute dominance, only seven seconds separated Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) of Mahindra Adventure and Team Yokohama 2K’s Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) in the battle for the INRC Overall honours in the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that was run over six Special Stages today. Kadur also led the INRC 2000 class where he was ahead of Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) by over three minutes.
The day clearly belonged to Gill who drove the MRF Skoda Fabia R5 with aplomb, negotiating the tight and twisty estate roads with rare mastery, especially in the unforgiving corners that flowed one into another.
“We had no problems with our car as such. The speeds were quite slow due to the nature of the route, but still it was quite challenging. Though we have a good lead, the R5 is built for speed and I have to be in my rhythm. So, there is nothing like easing off. May be, I can drive 97 per cent instead of 100,” said Gill
While Young was struggling with loss of power in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Kreim met with a misfortune early in the day when he crashed his R5 into a stone on a left-hander.
“We came over a crest and into a left-hander. I think I was carrying too much speed into the corner and crashed into the stone. Unfortunate, but that is the nature of motorsport. I will be driving tomorrow and hope to score some leg points,” said Kreim who won the German championship recently.
Placed third in the APRC was Pune-based Sanjay Takale (Nokiro Takeshita) of Cusco Racing while team-mate Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui) retired with a mechanical problem.
The results (provisional, after Leg-1): APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF) (02hrs, 42mins, 32.8secs); 2. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing) (02:50:06.4); 3. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (03:00:06.5).
INRC Overall: 1. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure) (01:19:34.6); 2. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:19:42.2); 3. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:21:17.1).
INRC 2000: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:19:42.2); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:21:17.1); 3. Philippos Mathaii / Harish KN (01:30:37.0).
FMSCI Cup: 1. Minchu Ganapathy / Venu Ramesh Kumar (01:26:34.4); 2. Jacob KJ / Manoj Mohanan (01:26:57.9); 3. Veeresh Prasad / Shahid Salman (01:28:44.2).
IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (01:12:08.1); 2. Amol Satoskar / Dr Dinesh (01:28:01.4); 3. Shafraz Junaid / Akhry Ameer (01:28:28.6).
Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1. Sanjay Agarwal /Smitha N (01:32:46.0); 2. Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Shetti (01:36:26.8); 3. Dheeraj KV / Ravi (01:46:39.5).
eom/AP Media Comm press release
Gaurav Gill who was fastest in all the 12 special stages run on Sunday. Image by Sanjay Sridhar ======
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Kreim clocks best time in SSS; Gill plays safe
Fabien Kreim of Team MRF who clocked the fastest time in the Super Special Stage on Saturday. Image by Anand Philar Chikkamagaluru, 3 Dec 2016: German champion Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) of Team MRF set early pace by topping the time charts in the Super Special Stage ahead of team-mate Gaurav Gill (Glenn Macneall) as the Coffee Day India Rally got off to a thrilling start here today.
The Coffee Day Rally, which is also the concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, and organized by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagalur, promises more exciting fare over the next two days when the 16 Special Stages will be run in the nearby estates of the Coffee Day Global as Kreim, running second in the championship will be seeking to hold off Gill who has already sealed the title with five wins in a row.
Ranged behind the two MRF Skoda Fabia R5 cars was Cusco Racing’s Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui), in the Subaru Impreza WRX STi while team-mates Michael Young (Malcolm Read) and Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) completed the APRC standings.
Kreim clocked two minutes, 17.8 seconds for the 2.12 Kms sprint that was watched by close to 10,000 spectators at the Amber Valley school grounds who braved persistent drizzle, while Gill had 02:18.5, well clear of Sumiyama (02:23.4).
In the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that is being run concurrently, Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) took a slender lead over leader Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Rajagopal) in the Overall category while young Dean Mascarenhas (Shanmuga SN) topped the INRC 2000 class and Vikram Gowda (Uday Kumar KV) led the FMSCI Cup category. Sanjay Takale, who is also taking part in the IRC class, was the fastest in this category.
The timings in the Super Special Stage are at best indicators of the pace of the cars, but the real battle begins on the morrow with rains providing a serious twist to the proceedings as Gill, who was the fastest in this morning’s Shakedown run, pointed out.
“The Rally Stages are quite tight and twisty with about a 1000 corners requiring a 1000 gear shifts. The co-driver has to be spot on with his calls since one corner flows into the next. So, I will be driving totally on his calls.
“I expect it to be slow going, basically first and second gear run which will put a lot of strain on the engine and the brakes will get quite heated too. So, it could boil down to reliability of the car. The rains could also give it another twist with conditions turning slippery,” said Gill.
Looking ahead to the Rally, Kreim said: “It’s another new experience for me. The conditions are going to be very challenging with the narrow roads and as Gaurav said, with a 1000 corners. But I hope to do well as the car is set up nicely for the terrain,” said Kreim who made his APRC debut this season.
Gill warmed up this morning by setting the fastest time during the Shakedown that was run in mild drizzle by clocking one minute, 28.3 seconds over the 1.6 Kms long circuit.
The results (provisional, Leg-1, Section-1):
APRC: 1. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF) (02 mins, 17.8secs); 2.Gaurav Gill / Glenn Mcneall (Team MRF) (02:18.5); 3.Yuya Sumiyama / Takahiro Yasui (Cusco Racing) (02:23.4).
INRC Overall: 1.Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure) 02:37.9; 2. Arjun Rao / Satish Rajagopal (02:38.9); 3.Sunny Sidhu / Musa Sheriff (Mahindra Adventure) (02:40.0).
INRC 2000: 1.Dean Mascarenhas / Shanmuga SN (02:40.8); 2.Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Yokohama 2K) (02:42.6); 3.Rahul Kanthraj / Vivek Bhatt (Yokohama 2K) (02:42.7).
FMSCI Cup: 1.Vikram Gowda / Uday Kumar KV (02:49.5); 2.Michu Ganapathy SC / Venu Ramesh Kumar (02:52.8); 3.Fabid Ahmer / Arjun Dheerendra (02:55.6).
IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (02:28.0); 2. Younus Illyas / Nitin Jacob (02:42.8); 3. Ritesh Guttedar / Sheeraz Ahmed (02:45.4).
Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1.Sanjay Agarwal / Smitha N (02:59.6); 2.Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Setti (03:09.5); 3.Dheeraj KV / Ravi (03:15.7).
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Gaurav Gill looking for a clean sweep
Chikkamagaluru, 2 Dec 2016: The Coffee Day India Rally, country’s biggest motorsport event after Formula One Indian Grand Prix, gets rolling here tomorrow with Gaurav Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall of Team MRF Skoda headlining a 50-car combined grid. Gill, who won all the rounds till now to clinch the championship is looking for a clean sweep.
The three-day event, organized by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, doubles up as the sixth and concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, and Round-4 of the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship. In all, 10 crews are competing in the international section and 40 in the domestic championship.
After tonight’s ceremonial start in the town, the Rally gets down to business with a shakedown followed by Super Special Stage at the Amber Valley School grounds on Saturday before the cars head to the estates of Coffee Day Global, about 30 Kms away, for the Special Stages which will be run on Sunday and Monday. With the region not experiencing rains in the past few weeks, the tight and twisty terrain will be a dust bowl, while putting to test both man and machine.
Delhi-based Gill, who turned 35 today, and who has already sealed the 2016 APRC title, his second in three years, is on the verge of scoring a historic sixth consecutive win this season. If he succeeds, he will become the only driver ever to win all the rounds in this championship that in the past has produced several World champions.
“Though I have already taken the title this year, I still want to finish the season on a high with a win here in my home country in front of my family and friends,” said Gill on the eve of the Rally referring to the presence of his young family, including two sons besides a huge number of fans from all across India, expected to descend on this coffee town that has run out of hotel rooms.
While Gill, driving the super-quick MRF Skoda Fabia R5 is expected to dominate, his team-mate and German champion Fabian Kreim (co-driver Christian Frank) will be involved in a tight battle for the second spot in the championship with Cusco Racing’s Michael Young (Malcolm Read) who will be piloting the Subaru Impreza WRX STi, the same as his two team-mates Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) and Japan’s Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui).
Meanwhile, in the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship, Team Mahindra Adventure’s London-based Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik), who heads the Overall leaderboard driving the Mahindra XUV 500 and Mangaluru’s Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Rajagopal), in the more nimble Volkswagen Polo R2 are locked in a titanic battle, just one point separating the two as each won a round.
With Gill, who drove for Mahindra Adventure in the previous three rounds and won in Nashik, not in the fray in the National Championship here, both Ghosh and Rao have an excellent chance to consolidate their positions.
The position is similar in the INRC 2000 class where young Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) is just three points ahead of Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) while Jacob KJ (Manoj Manmohan) is comfortably placed in the FMSCI Cup category, having won all the previous three rounds.
In the IRC class, PG Abhilash (Srikanth Gowda) heads the championship following two wins, but he will be in a 2-wheel drive Cedia as his Mitsubishi Evo 8 could not be transported from Malaysia on time. He won two of the three rounds with a non-finish in the Delhi leg of the championship.
The APRC cars will cover a total distance of 519.02 Kms of which 225.26 Kms comprise 17 Special Stages while the National Championship vehicles will do 315.05 Kms with 102.14 Kms of Special Stages.
eom/AP Media Comm press release
