INDIA in F1

Tag: WRC, Rally

  • Latvala-Anttila lead Rally de Espana ahed of Ogier-Ingrassia: FIA WRC

    Latvala-Anttila lead Rally de Espana ahed of Ogier-Ingrassia: FIA WRC

    Latvala-Anttila lead WRC on Saturday. An FIA image

    During an afternoon where tyre choice and weather conditions played their part, Jari-Matti Latvala now heads the Rally de España leaderboard, the Finn overhauling Dani Sordo for what could be his first win in the FIA World Rally Championship since Sweden last year. In an entirely shuffled leaderboard, title contender Sebastien Ogier has moved into second, 3.3 seconds ahead of third-placed Sebastien Loeb as no fewer than six drivers battle for honours in Spain.

    Latvala went into the afternoon loop of stages trailing Sordo by a mere three-tenths of a second, but the Finn instantly laid down his intention by jumping into the lead by nearly four seconds. He marginally extended his advantage over the following two stages before heading to the short Salou street stage and ultimately coming back for the overnight halt with a 4.7 second lead going into Sunday’s closing four stages. Tyres played their part, particularly in the final long stage when rain started to fall for some of the later contenders, which is what ultimately shuffled the pack. Ogier, on full wets, was getting used to the tyres for the first time in the opener and even though he ran in the dry all afternoon, the Frenchman moved from fifth to second in the middle long stage as others dropped time. Loeb had a tricky first stage with a couple of mistakes but he too benefitted as others flailed and the nine-time FIA World Rally Champion climbed from fourth to third over the course of the afternoon, a stage win aiding his challenge.

    Elfyn Evans managed to extend his advantage over Loeb in the first of the four stages but then slipped back to fourth overnight. He is however only 9.8 seconds off the lead and has Championship contender Thierry Neuville closing in. The Belgian is also within striking distance of the lead after two fastest times this afternoon and he will be focused on closing the gap to Ogier tomorrow to keep the Championship fight as tight as possible. Having led going into the afternoon, Sordo dropped to sixth in the final long stage, a combination of weather conditions and muddy roads hampering his assault. He too is still only 16.5 seconds off the lead. Esapekka Lappi was lucky to escape a high speed spin that took him broadside down the last stage; the young Finn is seventh after a stall in the street stage, with Ott Tänak eighth. Despite trying to move back up the leaderboard, the Estonian’s position meant the roads were getting dirtier and dirtier with the passage of cars and this, coupled with a spin has not helped him get his title assault back on track. He did however win the Salou stage. Craig Breen had a 360 degree spin in the second stage, a stall in the final stage and is ninth with Andreas Mikkelsen and Teemu Suninen 10th and 11th respectively.

    Kalle Rovanperä continues to head the FIA WRC 2 Championship, the 18-year-old Finn fighting with Jan Kopecký and Nil Solans who shared this afternoon’s stage wins. Enrico Brazzoli is looking good for the WRC 3 category victory, the Italian well ahead of Taisko Lario and Louise Cook.

    Rally de España – Unofficial results after Section 7

    1 Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 35min 01.8sec
    2 Sebastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 35min 06.5sec
    3 Sebastien Loeb / Daniel Elena Citroen C3 WRC 2hr 35min 09.8sec
    4 Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 35min 11.6sec
    5 Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 35min 14.5sec
    6 Dani Sordo / Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 35min 18.3sec
    7 Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 35min 48.3sec
    8 Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 36min 02.5sec
    9 Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroen C3 WRC 2hr 36min 39.7sec
    10 Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2hr 37min 09.1sec
  • ŠKODA at Rally RACC Catalunya-Espana: New WRC 2 champion Kopecký wants to crown season with another win

    ŠKODA at Rally RACC Catalunya-Espana: New WRC 2 champion Kopecký wants to crown season with another win

    WRC 2 leaders Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler (ŠKODA FABIA R5) want to crown a successful season
    with a WRC 2 victory. Photo: Skoda Auto

    Mladá Boleslav, 24 October 2018: ŠKODA’s Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler will enter this weekend’s Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España as newly crowned WRC 2 champions. With only two rallies left in the 2018 season, the Czech duo is uncatchable in the WRC 2 overall standings. Also, ŠKODA Motorsport already secured the WRC 2 Championship for Teams.

    ŠKODA junior Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen (FIN/FIN) compete for the first time in Spain and aim for another top result after their maiden WRC 2 win for ŠKODA at the recent Wales Rally GB.

    ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek is more than happy with his team’s 2018 season: “We saw a fantastic fight between Pontus Tidemand and Jan Kopecký for the WRC 2 championship. We equally granted six rallies to both drivers. Jan is doing his rally number six in Spain. He can’t be caught by Pontus anymore, because he has already done six events.

    “We are very proud that we could defend both WRC 2 Championship titles for drivers and teams, ŠKODA crews winning 10 out of 11 rounds of the WRC 2 championship 2018 so far. We warmly welcome Volkswagen entering the R5 competition for the first time with the Polo in Spain.”

    For ŠKODA Motorsport, Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España marks the end of a successful season. The final round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Australia, never was part of the team’s 2018 program.

    Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen aim for another top result in Spain. Photo: Skoda Auto

    One of the toughest rivals for Kopecký will be Rovanperä who recently won the WRC 2 category at Wales Rally GB right after his 18th birthday. “The victory in Wales was great. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum into the Spanish WRC round to finish the season on a high,” said the young Finn.

    Nevertheless, Kopecký also looks forward to Spain’s championship round with optimism. “I have a really fantastic season so far and could win every rally I was competing in, in total five WRC 2 events and six rallies of the Czech Rally Championship. Last year, I missed the victory in Spain. After all the championship pressure is gone now, I will try my best to settle that bill,” emphasized the Czech champion

    As 12th round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España offers a special challenge for the 21 WRC 2 crews, among them nine competing in a ŠKODA FABIA R5. The Spanish WRC round is the championship’s only mixed surface rally.

    The first leg on Friday is held on gravel roads with some tarmac sections. On Saturday and Sunday, all stages are entirely run on asphalt. In total, the teams have to face 18 special stages over 331.58 Kms. The winner will reach the podium at the rally’s host town Salou in the south of Catalunya’s capital Barcelona on Sunday.

    A few interesting facts about Rally Catalunya-Espana

    • The WRC event in Spain/Catalunya is the only one which features a mix of gravel stages during leg one and asphalt stages during legs two and three.
    • On Friday evening the service time is 1:15 hours and thus 30 minutes longer than usual, allowing the teams to convert the cars from gravel into tarmac spec.
    • The spectacular Barcelona street stage is back as opener of Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España on Thursday evening.
    • Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España was first run in 1957, became a round of the European Rally Championship (ERC) in 1975 and in 1991 for the first time was part of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)
    • At Rally RACC Catalunya-Rally de España the cars in WRC 2 category are allowed to use a maximum of 10 gravel tyres and 24 asphalt tyres plus an extra of four tyres for shakedown?
    • World Theme Park, featuring the spectacular Dragon Khan roller coaster with eight loops and a top speed of more than 110 kph
  • Polo GTI R5 set for its WRC debut in Spain for a one-off Works outing

    Polo GTI R5 set for its WRC debut in Spain for a one-off Works outing

    Polo GTI R5 set for WRC debut. A VW Motorsport image

    Wolfsburg, 22 Oct 2018: After about two years of development and over 10,000 kilometres of testing, the Polo GTI R5 will make its competitive debut in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) at the Rally Spain to be run from October 25 to 28. The 200-kW (272-PS) Polo GTI R5 will be driven by the Norwegian duo of Petter Solberg and Veronica Engan (car number 49) and Frenchmen Eric Camilli and co-driver Benjamin Veillas (car number 47).

    The Volkswagen Motorsport team, which won a clean sweep of titles in the highest class of the World Rally Championship on four occasions between 2013 and 2016, will run the new customer car when it makes its one-off works outing in Spain.

    “Two years after Volkswagen’s last WRC title, we are all looking forward to the Rally Spain, even if it is only a one-off comeback for our team and the Polo GTI R5 will be run by customer teams in the future,” stresses Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. “With 21 competitors, the WRC 2 category has a large and a strong field and that makes us determined to get a good result.”

    Solberg and Camilli will not be competing for overall victory in Spain, as the new Polo GTI was developed and prepared according to R5 regulations. Cars in this class have roughly 100 PS less than World Rally Cars. They are aimed at customer teams and privateers. Furthermore, their technology is based far more closely on production technology and is also significantly more affordable.

    A unique combination of gravel and tarmac stages

    In total, the Rally Spain comprises 18 special stages and a total distance of 331.58 kilometres. The combination of gravel and tarmac is unique within the world championship. “This is another reason why we selected the Rally Spain for the competitive debut of the Polo GTI R5,” explains Gerard-Jan de Jongh, technical project leader for the Polo GTI R5 and former race engineer for world rally champion Sébastien Ogier.

    Round 12 of the 2018 WRC season kicks off on Thursday with a spectacular special stage around the Montjuic area in the heart of Barcelona. The first full day on Friday takes in some very tough and dusty gravel routes, while the stages on Saturday and Sunday are held on winding and smooth tarmac roads in the mountains to the south of Salou. This represents a special challenge for the mechanics: at the end of the gravel day, they have just 75 minutes to convert the complete car from gravel to tarmac set-up at the evening service. “Among other things, we swap the chassis, brakes and gearbox,” says de Jongh, explaining the complicated challenge awaiting the mechanics.

    The comeback: Former world champion Petter Solberg returns

    It could be the comeback of the motorsport year! 43-year-old Norwegian Solberg won 13 rallies during his time in the World Rally Championship. He then switched to Rallycross with his own team in 2013, since when he has twice been crowned world champion (2014 and 2015). Three titles in two different disciplines governed by the International Automobile Federation FIA is a unique achievement in the world of motorsport. Solberg’s PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team currently runs two Polo R Supercars in the World Rallycross Championship (WRX). This season, the team successfully defended the Team title it won in 2017.

    “Spain was the venue of my last WRC rally in 2012,” says an emotional Solberg. “It feels great to be heading back there now. Particularly with this car and this team. The combination of gravel and tarmac will be a big challenge for me. After all, it is six years since I drove in a WRC rally. However, one way or another, it will be a fantastic weekend – with old rally friends and passionate fans out on the route.”

    Solberg, one of seven test drivers, took the Polo GTI R5 out for the first time on ice and snow in Sweden at the start of the year. Back then, however, he was not planning a comeback. The second test came just last week in Spain, together with team-mate Eric Camilli.

    From test driver to race driver: Eric Camilli

    Like Solberg, Camilli is one of the test drivers who was heavily involved in the development of the Polo GTI R5 for Volkswagen Motorsport – as well as Raimund Baumschlager, Emil Lindholm, Dieter Depping, Pontus Tidemand and former world champion Marcus Grönholm. The 31-year-old Frenchman is also one of the most experienced drivers in the R5 class. In 2017 he finished second in the WRC 2 class at the end of the season. Since making his world championship debut in 2014, Camilli has competed in 37 WRC rallies.

    “It is a great honour for me to be involved in Spain. I have completed a lot of test kilometres and am really looking forward to finally getting to drive the Polo GTI R5 at a rally,” says Camilli. “The first outing with a completely new car is always very special, and you have to be ready for anything. However, I know that we have prepared as well as possible and do not believe that we need to fear our more established opponents.”

    First 15 Polo GTI R5 already accounted for

     Immediately after the competitive debut of the Polo GTI R5, work will begin in Hannover on an assembly of the first 15 customer cars – a further 30 to 40 are to follow in 2019. “The first Polo GTI R5 will be handed over to customers after the Rally Spain,” says Smeets. “There is far greater demand than we can meet. We are overwhelmed by the huge interest.”

    Figuratively speaking, the Polo GTI R5 is the “big brother” of the Polo GTI1. Although the road-going version of the Polo may look more reserved than its rally counterpart, there are still many parallels. For example, the engine, which stems from the basic EA888 engine in both the production Polo and the Polo GTI R5.

  • FIA World Rally Championship: 14 rounds in 2019, season to begin in January; WRC 3 dropped

    FIA World Rally Championship: 14 rounds in 2019, season to begin in January; WRC 3 dropped

    Paris, 13 October 2018: The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council which met here on Friday, approved a 14-round calendar for the World Rally Championship while dropping the WRC 3 category from the programme, while the total distance of Special Stages has been reduced from a maximum of 500 to a maximum of 350 Kms.

    The 2019 FIA World Rally Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:

    27 January: Rally Monte Carlo

    17 February: Rally Sweden

    10 March: Rally Mexico

    31 March: Rally France

    28 April: Rally Argentina

    12 May: Rally Chile

    2 June: Rally Portugal

    16 June: Rally Italy

    4 August: Rally Finland

    25 August *: Rally Germany

    15 September: Rally Turkey

    6 October *: Rally Great Britain

    27 October *: Rally Spain

    17 November *: Rally Australia

    * Date subject to confirmation

    DECISIONS IN A NUTSHELL

    In order to give consistent identity to drivers and assist with promotion, Priority 1 drivers will be free to choose their permanent car number from 2019, except number 1, which will always be reserved for the reigning World Rally Champion.

    As part of an overall cost reduction plan aimed at removing or reducing the cost of elements that do not add to the spectacle of the Championship, the number of test days will be reduced from 55 to 42 for WRC Manufacturer teams. The total distance of special stages has been reduced from a maximum of 500 to a maximum of 350 kilometres.

    From 2019, the support championships will be restructured to help increase the number of entrants in Manufacturer Championships, to boost the number of factory supported drivers and cars, and further encourage private competitors to the WRC 2 and Junior WRC Championships. Building on the success of the R5 car, a new WRC 2 Pro Championship for Drivers, Co-Drivers and Manufacturers will be created as a platform for registered R5 manufacturers.

    The same specification R5 car will continue to be used in the FIA WRC 2 Championship. This championship will be solely for private entrants, with the intention being to attract more drivers from national and regional championships.

    In order to continue supporting the progression of young talent in the sport, the format of the Junior WRC Championship will remain unchanged. The WRC 3 Championship will cease from 2019 although competitors in two-wheel drive cars are still eligible to enter events.

    The Championships will therefore be as follows:

    FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers, Co-drivers and Manufacturers
    FIA WRC 2 Pro Championship for Drivers, Co-drivers and Manufacturers
    FIA WRC 2 Championship for Drivers and Co-drivers
    FIA Junior WRC Championship for Drivers, Co-drivers and Nations.

    – Source: fia.com

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

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

    Gaurav Gill and MRF Tyres had plenty to cheer after finishing 12th in RC2 at the Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing

    Llandudno, 7 October 2018: Gaurav Gill and MRF Tyres had reasons to feel satisfied after finishing 12th in the RC2 class in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship which ended here on Sunday with Sébastien Ogier winning the title after a pulsating final leg.

    Gill and MRF who are focusing more on tyre development in preparation for a full WRC 2 season next year, maintained good pace, if opting to err on the side of caution in view of the treacherous conditions.

    Yet, Gill, partnered by Australian Glenn Macneall and driving the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, was on anything but a leisurely Sunday drive as he progressed through the standings, moving from overall 15th to 14th to 12th over three consecutive Stages before holding position in SS-22. MRF did not run SS-23, the concluding test, following changes in the wake of a motorbike accident not related to the rally.

    “It is great to reach the end of the rally – it has been a challenging rally because of the slippery conditions and the changing weather,” Gill said. “Wales Rally GB is much different to Rally Finland and Rally Italy so it was a new experience for us and the team.”

    Gaurav Gill negotiating a treacherous section. Photo: MRF Racing

    The crews did not return to service on Sunday, rather relying on a tyre fitting zone, meaning that any damage would have to be repaired by the crews. For Gill and Macneall, they would not have to worry about this as they skilfully navigated their way through the stages.

    “Like the other days, today was tricky because of the narrow and slippery muddy stages,” Gill said. “We concentrated on getting through the stages and getting the data needed to develop our product.

    “It is a shame we didn’t get to do the second run on Great Orme Llandudno due to the injury of a bike rider and our thoughts are with him. However, it was great to be able to rally in front of the massive Welsh crowd.”

    Next up for Team MRF Tyres is Kennards Hire Rally Australia on more familiar roads. Joining Gill and Macneall in action on MRF Tyres will be the Australian Rally Championship, where MRF Tyres is the control tyre supplier.

    SEBASTIEN OGIER HANGS ON TO POUCH TITLE 

    Sebastien Ogier had every reason to smile after winning the Wales Rally GB. Photo: WRC

    Meanwhile, in the WRC battle, Jari-Matti Latvala snatched Ogier’s slender overnight lead before the Frenchman fought back to regain the initiative in the penultimate speed test and win the four-day gravel road encounter by 10.6sec in a Ford Fiesta.

    Latvala, driving a Toyota Yaris, finished 24.5sec ahead of team-mate and fellow-Finn Esapekka Lappi.

    In the battle for the FIA World Rally Championship, Thierry Neuville’s final day surge to fifth left him with a seven-point advantage (189-182) over Ogier with two rounds remaining.

    After narrowing Ogier’s overnight lead to 1.7sec with second fastest time in the opening Elsi speed test, Latvala threw caution to the wind in the following Gwydir special stage to move into a 3.6sec lead and claim maximum bonus points.

    Ogier fought back in the following asphalt Great Orme Llandudno test to claim fastest time and defeat the Finn by 3.4sec – reducing the Toyota Yaris pilot’s advantage to a tantalising 0.2sec with two stages remaining.

    The gravel forest roads were treacherously slippery after cold overnight temperatures and Latvala’s face at the finish of Gwydir revealed just how much of a roller coaster ride it was.

    “An extremely difficult stage. It was very, very low grip and on the asphalt there was a lot of mud. I went flat over a crest, the car was already sideways and I thought I was going to hit the impact, but luckily I got away with it. It was a big push,” he said.

    Ogier, who was third in both forest tests, admitted: “It was a difficult morning, the feeling wasn’t really great in the first two stages so I couldn’t push. The Toyota is very strong but we’re going to keep pushing until the end.”

    Lappi was fastest in Elsi and the Yaris driver watched the lead battle from a safe third place after Craig Breen’s hopes of a podium took a knock when the Irishman spun his Citroën C3 in Gwydir and dropped 10sec.

    Andreas Mikkelsen overhauled Mads Østberg to climb to fifth in his Hyundai i20, while team-mate Thierry Neuville’s scramble for vital championship points improved when he moved ahead of Hayden Paddon by a tenth of a second into seventh. He trails Østberg by 6.9sec.

    After yesterday’s problems Ott Tänak and Neuville were desperate for Power Stage points to boost their three-way championship battle with Ogier. Tänak fared best to claim four bonus points while Neuville took two, one fewer than Ogier.

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

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

    Gaurav Gill on way to consolidating his gains. Photo: MRF Racing

    Deeside Rally Village, 6 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill showed plenty of pluck and pace to survive tricky conditions to finish Leg 2 15th in the RC2 category for R5 cars and 24th Overall in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB on a marathon Saturday that also witnessed overnight WRC leader Ott Tanak retiring to leave Sebastien Ogier in the lead, albeit by just 4.4 seconds.

    It was an eventful Saturday for Team MRF Tyres as the day’s running saw 150km competitive over nine stages with packed spectator areas on the legendary stages of Sweet Lamb Hafren and Myherin.

    Gaurav Gill negotiates treacherous conditions. Photo: MRF Racing

    Conditions were challenging with the morning being run on wet and slippery stages before the afternoon weather cleared, providing a much drier surface. The challenge was compounded by the drivers not returning to service, rather having to make any changes themselves at a tyre zone between the two loops.

    For the driver combination of Gill and his Aussie co-driver Glenn Macneall, who were in a M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5 car, it was important make the most of the stage conditions and gain valuable experience.

    “It was a tough day – rallying for nine stages without coming back to service is tough so we were careful in the morning,” Gill said. “The wet conditions made the first look quite slippery and we had to be careful not to damage the car in any way.”

    Gaurav Gill ups the ante. Photo: MRF Racing

    Fortunately for the crews, the change in the weather coincided with the tyre fitting zone so the team could fit a fresh set of MRF Tyres for the sunny afternoon loop. “The conditions for the second loop were very different from the first. It is unusual to have such sunny weather in Wales for this rally and the road conditions changes a lot from the first run to the second run.

    “I am happy with our progress and we are learning a lot new about rallying in these WRC conditions and gaining data for the development of MRF Tyres.”

    After the first loop, the Gill and Macneall were sitting in 15th in the RC2 class and 24th overall. They were able to consolidate their position by the end of the day.

    The final day on Sunday will feature five stages over 55.64 Kms of competitive running, including two new speed tests in Snowdonia one of which – Gwydir, close to Betws-y-Coed – acts as the event’s critical Power Stage. This offers the fastest five drivers extra championship points which could prove pivotal in this year’s edge-of-the-seat WRC title race.

    SEBASTIEN OGIER PROFITS AS OTT TANAK RETIRES

    Sebastien Ogier on a charge. Photo: WRC

    Ogier enjoyed a dream day in the penultimate leg, climbing from fifth to grab top spot in his Ford Fiesta when title rival and overnight leader Tänak parked his Toyota Yaris with mechanical problems.

    The top four drivers are blanketed by just 14.5sec, but Thierry Neuville, the third man in the captivating FIA World Rally Championship battle, is not among them. The series leader slid into a ditch and is scrabbling for vital points in eighth.

    Tänak’s overnight lead was almost doubled when second-placed Neuville dropped 45sec while his Hyundai i20 was lifted out of a boggy Sweet Lamb Hafren gully this morning. “At one point it has to come when you’re driving on the edge since the beginning of the year. I made a mistake and paid for it,” he admitted.

    Tänak was more than 40sec clear when he stopped 4km into the afternoon repeat of the same speed test. The reason was unconfirmed, but it is believed a heavy landing may have damaged his car’s sump guard and broken the radiator.

    His demise was Ogier’s delight. Three wins from nine increasingly drying gravel forest road special stages left the Frenchman 4.4sec clear of Latvala, an unlikely prospect little more than 24 hours earlier when first and second gears broke.

    “It’s a big fight since the beginning of the day. I’m flat out and happy with what I’ve done. I gave it everything I have and will carry on tomorrow. It’s a shame for Ott, he was definitely on another level this weekend,” said Ogier.

    Esapekka Lappi. Photo: WRC

    Toyota’s Latvala overhauled team-mate Esapekka Lappi this morning and remained on Ogier’s heels all day. He ended frustrated after losing vital seconds when blinded by the sun at the start of the last stage and stalling his engine.

    Lappi trails his fellow Finn by 7.4sec with Craig Breen also in contention a further 1.7sec behind in a Citroën C3.

    Team-mate Mads Østberg was fifth after winning a stage this morning, while a rejuvenated Andreas Mikkelsen climbed to sixth at the head of a trio of i20s. The Norwegian won three stages to head Hayden Paddon and Neuville.

    WRC 2 leader Kalle Rovanperä and Skoda Motorsport team-mate Pontus Tidemand completed the leaderboard.

    Sunday’s final leg comprises five stages covering 55.64km in north Wales and unusually the live TV Power Stage takes place in the second test in Gwydir. The rally culminates with a second pass over the asphalt Great Orme Llandudno stage, which winds around the coastal headland before diving into Llandudno’s streets to finish on the promenade.

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

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

    Ott Tanak….a dominant show on Friday. Photo: WRC

    Deeside Rally Village (Wales), 5 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill and Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall of MRF Tyres made steady progress to be placed 14th in the RC2 category and 23rd Overall at the end of Leg 1 in the Dayinsure Wales Rally GP, the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship on Friday.

    Meanwhile, Ott Tänak mastered wet and muddy conditions to dominate Friday’s proceedings as he chased a fourth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship victory.

    Tänak, who won the previous rounds in Finland, Germany and Turkey, ended a tough day in the north Wales forests with a 28.8sec lead in his Toyota Yaris over series leader Thierry Neuville.

    Gaurav Gill….Solid and steady. File photo: MRF

    The highpoint of Gill’s performance came in the afternoon when he clocked the fourth fastest time on the second loop of the 1.70 Kms-long Slate Mountain stage driving the Ford Fiesta R5. After the regroup, the competitors returned to the repeat three of the morning Stages with Gill clocking faster timings to finish the day on a satisfactory note.

    Through the day, Gill maintained a steady pace in the M-Sport prepared car and stepped it up during the second loop in the afternoon when he was noticeably quicker even as he shaved off precious seconds on his morning run.

    Tanak reeled off a hat-trick of speed test wins this morning, building a near-10sec cushion that allowed for caution in the next two foggy and rain-soaked tests. He won two more this afternoon when the first three stages were repeated.

    Frequent surface changes and inconsistent grip in the constantly changing conditions left drivers struggling for confidence on the predominantly gravel roads, but improved afternoon weather played into Tänak’s hands.

    “It was a really good day,” said the Estonian, whose recent form has propelled him into a three-way title fight with Neuville and five-time champion Sébastien Ogier. “It looks like we’ve made a good step with the car and in the really low-grip conditions we were competitive.”

    Local hero Elfyn Evans scored his maiden win here 12 months ago and was Tänak’s closest challenger until an engine misfire stopped his Ford Fiesta en route to the afternoon stages.

    Neuville capitalised to take second after a frustrating start in his Hyundai i20. The Belgian’s car would not handle as he wished and he overshot a junction and hit a chicane before set-up changes did the trick and he climbed from fifth.

    He headed a quartet of drivers covered by less than 10 seconds. Jari-Matti Latvala briefly held second in another Yaris, but ended 2.5sec behind Neuville after losing his rhythm in this afternoon’s long Brenig stage.

    Esapekka Lappi recovered from an early spin to make it three Yaris cars in the top four. The Finn was 4.6sec adrift of his fellow countryman and 2.3sec clear of Ogier’s Fiesta.

    Ogier was third until first and second gears broke which, combined with two spins, relegated him to eighth before a late recovery. Craig Breen completed the top six in a Citroën C3.

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

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

    Gaurav Gill – file photo courtesy MRF Racing

    Tir Prince (Wales), 5 October 2018: India’s Gaurav Gill of Team MRF Tyres, driving a M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5, finished a creditable tied 16th, just 4.5 seconds off the pace after completing last night’s 1.70 Kms Special Stage as the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, a round of the FIA World Rally Championship got off to a spectacular start.

    The action switches into the north Wales forests on Friday. Three early morning tests are repeated in the afternoon following mid-leg service in Deeside, with two short fan-friendly tests at Slate Mountain completing the pre-lunch loop. The eight stages cover 110.76km.

    Gill, partnered by his long-time Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall, clocked one minute, 28.3 seconds, the same as British pairing of Rhys Yates-Elliot Edmondson in a Skoda Fabia R5 while Skoda factory driver Kalle Rovanpera (Jonne Haltunnen) was the quickest in the RC2 group with 01:23.8.

    Meanwhile, Esapekka Lappi (01:21.6) headed a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 in the WRC category after edging team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala (01:21.9). Lappi completed the dusty 1.70km stage at the Tir Prince trotting track 0.3sec quicker than fellow Finn Latvala. Both were at the wheel of Yaris World Rally Cars.

    Championship leader Thierry Neuville matched Latvala’s time in his Hyundai i20 to tie for second, ahead of title rivals Sébastien Ogier (01:22.3) and Ott Tänak (01:22.5). Ogier finished 0.4sec behind the Belgian in a Ford Fiesta, with Estonian Tänak a further 0.2sec adrift in his Yaris.

    Tänak recovered from a frustrating start to the day when he crashed in his first pass at this morning’s shakedown test in Clocaenog. After missing the braking point on slippery gravel roads, he slid straight on into a bank and returned to the Deeside service park where his team replaced the cooling package.

    Thursday evening’s curtain-raiser was a short floodlit blast at Tir Prince trotting track and included a slalom section, donuts and two eye-catching jumps. After a high-speed lap around long and flowing bends of the oval horse racing track, the stage ended with a twisty section on adjoining roads.

    Gaurav Gill’s Ford Fiesta R5 at the MRF  bay ahead of the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing

    A view of the MRF service bay at the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Photo: MRF Racing

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

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

    Photos: Courtesy MRF Racing

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

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

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

    Gaurav Gill….all set for Welsh challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Thrilling three-way battle involving Neuville, Tanak and Ogier

    Dayinsure Wales Rally GB: Thrilling three-way battle involving Neuville, Tanak and Ogier

    Photos: Courtesy Dayinsure Wales Rally GB official website

    Tir Prince, 4 October 2018: A dramatic opening night under the floodlights; challenging new speed tests in the legendary Welsh forests and a stunning finale with cars racing through the closed streets of Llandudno – the first free-to-attend WRC stage in the UK for more than 20 years. Then there’s the added excitement of thrilling three-way title fights for both Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ WRC Championships as well as a local Welshman – Elfyn Evans – gunning for back-to-back GB victories after his 2017 success. It all adds up to an absolutely unmissable sporting spectacle.

    More than 150 competitors will be based in the Deeside Rally Village with those contesting round 11 of this year’s 13-round FIA World Rally Championship facing 23 speed tests totaling nearly 200 miles (312kms) spread over four days of epic high-speed action.

    The introduction of an awesome new generation of turbocharged, four-wheel-drive cars attracted record crowds to last year’s event and, as a result, an even more fan-friendly route has been devised for 2018.

    It all blasts off under the lights at the Tir Prince Raceway on Thursday evening and concludes with the history-making Great Orme Llandudno Street Stage on Sunday morning – the first time World Championship motor sport has ever been seen on closed roads in Great Britain.

    “There really is something for everyone,” enthuses Ben Taylor, managing director of Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. “We have an unsurpassed breed of stunning cars, the most exciting title race in memory, a local hero in Elfyn Evans, all the classic stages in the Welsh forests plus an amazing finish on the streets of Llandudno – it adds up to an incredible four days of epic entertainment. Even the weather seems to be set fair!”

    The Welsh Government’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Lord Elis-Thomas, is equally excited. He says: “North Wales is very familiar with adventure, and for a weekend in October – Wales Rally GB becomes part of the family and adds to the adrenaline and excitement. Wales is home to some of the world’s most legendary rally stages – and this year’s route is a showcase of our fantastic Welsh scenery – with a spectacular finish along the coast during the Year of the Sea. We look forward to another successful event as some of the sport’s legendary drivers take on the challenges of the Wales Rally GB.”

    TITLE FIGHT REACHES FEVER PITCH

    Not for 15 years has the WRC produced such a captivating title battle among both drivers and manufacturers. With three rounds remaining on the 2018 calendar, just 24 points separate series leader Thierry Neuville, fast finishing Ott Tänak and five-time World champ Sébastien Ogier. With 90 points still on the table, the crown cannot be won in Wales, but, with time running out, all three protagonists will be flat-out in the forests.

    A campaign that appeared to be building towards a duel between defending champion Ogier and heir apparent Neuville has been gate-crashed by man-of-the moment Tänak. The Estonian arrives in Wales having won the previous three rounds in Finland, Germany and Turkey in his Toyota Yaris and now finally admits he’s a title threat. “We are in the fight now,” he acknowledges.

    Neuville still has his Hyundai’s nose in front but knows he has a battle on his hands. “We are fighting for the championship against some very hard guys to beat,” says the Belgian.

    “It’s a three-way fight,” agreed Ogier. “There are still three rallies to go and everything is possible. Nothing is finished yet.” Now fans in Wales can witness the next page-turning chapter in this WRC thriller.

    GOOD EVANS: A WELSH WINNER!

    While many eyes will be focused on the title fight, local fans will be hoping home hero Elfyn Evans can again upset the form book.

    Last year, the Welsh wizard from Dolgellau, made history by becoming the first Welsh driver ever to win a round of the World Rally Championship – a feat he’s now aiming to repeat. “Competing at home always bring a special motivation and we are targeting another victory,” he says. “The fans were amazing last year and I hope it’s going to be same again.”