H&H-153 by HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS

s e k a r b d Han s n i p r i a H & ld of rallying r o w e h t o t in t h ig your ins

Cover

Loeb, Elena and Citroen WRC Champions!

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

Features

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New generation WRC cars, P6

News

Events RRC, CC, P1 P10

Advertising special, P9

RRL,L P16

L’Estage in CARS rally action USA rallying news and updates WRC and IRC W nnews updates

Contents / Issue 153 Editorial Information

News

Editor Evan Rothman Photojournalist Eva Kovkova Contributors RallyBuzz, Motorpics.

Features

06 07 08

2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC 2011 Citroen DS3 WRC 2011 MINI Countryman WRC

All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 200710. This publication is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the editor. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information from sources and given to readers, the editor cannot accept responsibility for any inconvenience or damage that may arise therefrom.

Events

10 12 13 14 16

RallyCar Rallycross #2 CARS Pacific Forest Rally MacHale wins IRTC 2010 / Gravel for DS3 WRC Rally France Rally Latvija 2010

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Welcome to issue 153 of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly insight into the world of rallying. This week’s issue proves that the world of rallying is still very much alive, even though the year is fast coming to a close. As always, I hope you enjoy this week’s exciting edition. Yours in Rallying, Evan Rothman

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING

RallyBuzz.com features European rally championships, British rallying, RallyCar events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.

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For your convenience, here are the news items in this easy-toclick menu page:

Todt endorses adventure in WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-207

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP Villagra scores best result on asphalt: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zo Wilson secures eighth in Strasbourg: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zm Petter on the podium in France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zj Solid points for Sébastien Ogier: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zh Gassner satisfied after French rally: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zc Loeb takes WRC crown: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z9 Sandell wins S-WRC of Rally France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z6 Latvala impresses on French asphalt: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z3 WRC Rally France - Overall Results: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z1 Block wins Spirit of the Rally Award: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZP Ford Fiesta RS WRC in Cumbria: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZT Block blasts back at France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-204 No pressure on Raikkonen: http://wp.me/ppkXc-20a Pons holds top spot in S-WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zq Hunt secures his second FSTi victory: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zu

INTERNATIONAL RALLYING AND OFF-ROAD RACING Barker looks for redemption: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZJ RSport Rally wins regional rally: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZM Cox prepares for Paihia debut: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZW USA AND RALLYCAR RALLY NEWS AND EVENTS L’Estage wins Pacific Forest Rally: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zs Foust takes win in U.S. rallycross: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZA L’Estage/Richard dominateat PFR: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zx Footage of US Rallycross Round 1: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZD

EUROPEAN AND INTERCONTINENTAL RALLY CHALLENGE SERIES Martin patron of Burns Foundation: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZZ BRITISH AND IRISH RALLYING MacHale/Murphy ITC Champs: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZR AFRICAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN RALLYING AND OFFROAD RACING

THIS WEEK’S BEST VIDEOS << Here’s footage of the all-new Ford Fiesta RS WRC testing in the forests and gravel roads around Cumbri in Great Britain: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZT At the top of each page, a tabbed section contains video clicks we recommend viewing. In other tabbed sections, we have linked articles posted on our website that will add more perspective and insight into the article it accompanies. Together with the videos, HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS aims to offer readers a fully-interactive reading experience. Send evanrothman@gmail.com your favourite rally-related videos to to be featured in this section.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING

RallyBuzz.com features European rally championships, British rallying, RallyCar events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.

www.RallyBuzz.com

NEWS

Features

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

Events

Watch the video of the Citroen DS3 WRC being unveiled: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1WB

Download the iRally app for your iPhone here for FREE!

Watch Evgeniy Novikov in a dramatic jump in Finland! Brilliant video clip! Seen other like it? Send to evanrothman@gmail.com! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOrfx3IidTA

HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS NOW AVAILABLE IN SEVEN LANGUAGES! The power and universal appeal of both the Internet and rallying around the world has prompted me to offer H&H’s website in seven different languages. Simply visit the website, scroll down to find you favoured language (represented by a country’s flag) and select. It is that easy!

The iRally App is produced by Crown House Media, the wellknown UK TV and radio agency which created, owns and operates the popular World Rally Radio internet radio station. It is supported by Ford and is available to download FREE of charge via iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/irally-2010wrc-irc/id347126364?mt=8 from the App Store on the iPhone.

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Rally cartoon launched: RUSTY RIMS by Evan Rothman

With the recent news that MINI and Prodrive had signed with WRCs bosses to enter the World Rally Championship for 20111, the hnt for suitable drivers began minutes after the announcement was made. Marcus Gronholm, Kris Meeke, Kevin Abbring jr, P-G. Andersson and even Petter Solberg’s name has been mentioned in the press. With Kris Meeke at the forefront of this supposed race for the seat, RUSTY RIMS was created. View and read this cartoon on H&H’s website at: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Ky

With the ever-increasing number of events and news items being published on a daily basis, HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS has published relevant news items to its website and Facebook Page, and we also feature breath-taking videos from YouTube!

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2011 FORD FIESTA RS WRC: ITS HERE! Words: Evan Rothman Pictures: WorldRallyPics With the unveiling last week of its latest machine to eager journalists at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Ford has strongly signalled its intent on winning more silverware with its Fiesta RS WRC. For the glaring lights, the camera flashes and hundreds of thousands Paris Motor Show goers, Ford of Europe’s design team finished off this model in blue and grey livery, accentuating its aggressive lines and performance bulges. For the 2011 World Rally Championship season, its will be stickered up in the BP Ford Abu Dhabi colours and will look even more menacing H&H thinks. The Ford and M-Sport (Ford’s rally partner) have used the Fiesta S2000 as its base for the new WRC 2011 specification WRC cars, but have fine-tuned the styling and aerodynamic package to maximise every ounce of performance to be gained from the new 2011 specification engine. As with the record-breaking Focus RS WRC and other WRC cars, the Ford Fiesta RS WRC 2011 will be a four-wheel driven beast powered by a mighty 1.6-litre turbocharged motor. This engine, as in-line with new regulations, is based on a production car’s Ford EcoBoost 1.6-litre powerplant. It also features direct petrol injection and the turbocharger will further boost

performance and efficiency. The masters at fettling with these motors are French tuning firm Pipo Moteur, and they have breathed their expertise and knowledge onto this 1.6-litre unit. “The introduction of Ford’s latest engine technology to its rally programme reinforces further our commitment to motorsport. It also demonstrates our continued support for affordable competition by using an off-the-shelf production engine on which to base our WRC power plant,” said Mike Norton, Ford of Europe’s Motorsport Manager. Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Motorsport chief, has overseen the Ford development programme throughout 2010 and says: “We’re delighted to preview the Ford Fiesta RS WRC in such a prominent Motor Show as Paris. There are significant visual differences from the Fiesta S2000 base car as well as major changes under the skin. The biggest, of course, is the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo engine - the original version of which was developed by Ford’s Powertrain Engineering team.” M-Sport managing director and BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson is equally enthusiastic about the new car. “This is a thrilling time for everyone involved in the car’s development,” Wilson affirms. “Countless hours have gone into the Fiesta RS WRC to reach this point, and for the car to be unveiled in public for

the first time is a proud moment for us. We are right on track with our development and the team is delighted with testing to date. Another major step forward will be taken at the start of October when the car tests in full 2011 technical specification for the first time. The Fiesta RS WRC will replace the record-breaking Focus RS WRC next season; the Focus RS WRC won backto-back WRC Manufacturers’ crowns in 2006 and 2007, and in New Zealand this year Jari-Matti Latvala and Miika Anttila gifted Ford its 75th WRC win to make it the most successful manufacturer in the sport’s history. With their new platform car for rallying, Ford has in the Fiesta already established a winning machine. On its international motorsport debut in the Monte Carlo Rally, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen brought this car first across the finish line in an easy drive to the finish; in the S-WRC, the support S2000 WRC championship, Xevi Pons is leading the standings thanks to his Ford Fiesta S2000; the highlysuccessful Fiesta R2 has surprised even M-Sport’s Malcom Wilson with not only its performance but its demand from privateer crews the world over; a gold and silver medal was also won in the X Games 16 recently, giving the Ford Fiesta its first ever, and Ken Block pilots a tricked-out Fiesta in the RallyCar series; Conrad Rautenbach powered his Fiesta S2000 to its debut win in South H&H Africa straight out the box.

News

FEATURES

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

Events

• MINI’s WRC Countryman: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1WG • Citroen’s DS3 WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Wp • Photo Gallery: Citroen DS3 WRC unveiled!: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Wg • Photo Gallery: Ford Fiesta RS WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1W0 • FIRST LOOK: Ford Fiesta RS WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1VT

UNVEILED: CITROEN DS3 WRC Words: Evan Rothman Picture: Citroen Racing Citroen’s new rally machine for 2011 is here; behold the new DS3 WRC. The task of replacing the mighty Citroen C4 WRC with an all-new machine to continue the French car maker’s domination of the top step of the winners’ podium as was achieved for much of the last seven years is a tall order. The new-for-2011 WRC regulations meant that Citroen had to use their more compact road car, the DS3, as the base for their rally machine. The DS3 WRC, as revealed to the world at the Paris Motor Show, is compact, sports a dynamic stance and an aggressive design language. This is thanks to the redesigned bumpers, widened wings and the detailed aerodynamic features to enhance its slipperiness to eke out that extra tenth of a second per stage that is needed to claim a stage win at the World Rally Championship level. Built using a production body shell (albeit heavily modified to withstand the rigours and demands of

WRC), the DS3 WRC is equipped with a new 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol engine. This opens up new possibilities for the development of racing engines, especially in terms of fuel consumption. Dismissing fears that these new generation WRC machines will be greatly slower than the outgoing monsters, the new 2011 WRC cars still develop a healthy 300bhp as with the outgoing engines. Only torque has decreased, due to the smaller engine capacity. Not only is the engine size smaller, but so are the overall dimensions of this car. It is smaller than the C4 WR and the Citroen Racing engineers have been working feverishly at finding the optimum weight balance for the car as well as finding an ideal centre of gravity position. Interestingly, this DS3 WRC has taken safety levels to new heights: a staggering 40 metres of steel tubing has been used to construct the roll cage! The 1.6-litre powerplant develops a heady 300bhp at 6,000rpm and generates 350Nm of Torque from 3,250rpm. This is transferred to the four wheels via a six-speed sequential Sadev

gearbox and through the front and rear mechanical auto-locking differential. The same suspension setup as the C4WRC has been used for the DS3 WRC, a McPherson strut-type system. In terms of lengths and widths, the DS3 WRC is 3,948mm in length, 1,820mm wide, a wheelbase of 2,461mm, a track 1,618mm (front and rear), a fuel tank capacity of 75 litres and a weight of 1,200kg (including the driver and co-driver). This new charger from Citroen has already been tested extensively, as has its rivals from Ford and MINI, but with their successful background in recent years in rallying, one would place a bet in favour of the DS3 WRC claiming the first win of the 2011 season in H&H Sweden…

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

News

On board with Bruno Magalhaes in the IRC’s Rallye Sanremo 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjWU5ODMXS8

FEATURES

Events

This video was created by Peugeot UK for their IRC Rallye Sanremo 2010 Day One highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvXu0UChjAQ

CONFIRMED: MINI COUNTRYMAN WRC Words: Evan Rothman Picture: Newspress After months of speculation, the long-awaited reveal of the MINI WRC machine broke cover at the Paris Motor Show. In addition, Kris Meeke, the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge Champion, has been confirmed to pilot the new WRC entrant. Prodrive was appointed MINI’s rally partner, and extensive testing and development has already been carried out on the MINI Countryman WRC. For its first WRC season, the MINI WRC will only contest six rounds of the WRC’s 13 rounds in 2011 and will challenge all rounds in 2012. Additionally, Prodrive plans to make available customer versions to independent teams for use in the WRC. MINI is no stranger to the sport of rallying, with the MINI Cooper S taking numerous international and national rally victories in the 1960s. “MINI can look back on a successful tradition in rallying,” says Dr Wolfgang Armbrecht, Senior Vice President Brand Management MINI. “The interest in motorsport among the present

generation of MINI customers is massive. The WRC provides an excellent communications platform for the MINI Countryman, upon which the MINI WRC is based.” “This project is a truly passionate opportunity,” believes David Richards, head of Prodrive. “MINI is a cult brand which left a lasting impression during its previous motorsport campaigns. We are both extremely happy and proud to be on board as a partner when MINI returns to rallying. We aim to use 2011 as a preparatory year, amassing experience in order to ensure we are fully competitive from the start of the following season. But let’s not underestimate the task ahead of us nor the stiff competition we will face on the way, however our target is firmly set on winning the World Championship title again with MINI.” The British firm Prodrive was founded in 1984 and has quickly established itself as one of motorsport’s leading teams. It currently employs over 500 staff, and its success record is impressive: six World Rally Championships, five British Touring Car crowns, three class victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Driver Kris Meeke is the first driver confirmed for the MINI WRC project. Hailing from Great Britain, he first came to prominence whrn he won the British Junior Rally Championship in 2002. Meeke was also mentored by the late great Colin McRae, and he has gone on to record many wins and titles since 2002, including the IRC crown last year. Meeke will be contesting the MINI Countryman, the car brand’s latest model to go on sale internationally. It will also be the first MINI model to be equipped with an all-wheel drive system, making the WRC project more logical. The MINI Countryman Cooper S is the base model for this MINI WRC project, and is powered by a 1.6litre turbocharged motor. The power transmission takes place via an Xtrac H&H six-speed, sequential gearbox.

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Interviews Exclusive columnists In-depth articles

FOUST POWERS TO WIN SECOND RALLYCROSS IN USA Words: Staff Writer Pictures: RallyCar, SRTUSA Tanner Foust wins the second round of the 2010 RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship after a dramatic A Main final event at the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) in Millville, NJ. Foust drove his Rockstar Ford Fiesta in rainy conditions to place a time of 05min 47.6sec in the A Main, 6.37sec over Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra and 16.2sec over the UK’s Liam Doran. The All-wheel Drive class A Main had to be re-started after Liam Doran crashed his Citroen C4 into a tirewall near Turn 1 on the second lap due to a tyre puncture. Liam’s crash caused track officials to red flag the course and regrid the group, placing Doran at the very back. Mirra, who showed remarkable pace during practice, qualifying and Heat

runs, was leading the A Main before the course was red-flagged. Mirra eventually secured second overall in AWD, his highest rally car racing career finish ever. Mirra’s teammate, Travis Pastrana, did not finish A Main before the restart due to a blown engine caused by mud caked his radiator and overheated. Despite being fast in his Heat races, Pastrana had suffered the same problem with overheating earlier in the day. On the second start of the A Main, Foust got the jump off the line and stayed dominant throughout the race. This is Foust’s second AWD Class win in the new RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship and he was especially happy with his result amidst all the drama. Foust said, “It was chaos, but that’s what this sport’s about. It’s even more rewarding to come out on top when there’s so much going on. It was good fun, though!”

Three-time European Rallycross Champion, Jussi Pinomaki, placed fourth overall in his U.S. debut. Pinomaki drove an Olbergs MSE 2006 Ford Fiesta competitively throughout the Main event races, proving to be a challenge to Foust, Mirra, and Doran. Another notable AWD entry was 2005 Formula DRIFT champion Rhys Millen, who made his first U.S. Rallycross appearance in a 2002 ex-WRC Hyundai Accent. Millen had some teething issues with the car throughout the weekend but still managed to secure fifth overall in the AWD class. Millen stated that he had a fun weekend and expects to come back to compete in the third U.S. Rallycross round of 2010 in November. Rally America’s 2010 2WD National Champion, Chris Duplessis, placed sixth overall in the AWD A Main in a rally car that was underpowered compared to the other competitors’ cars. NOS Energy driver Andrew “ACP”

News

Features

EVENTS

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

• L’Estage wins Pacific Forest Rally: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zs • Foust takes win in U.S. rallycross: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZA • L’Estage/Richard dominateat PFR: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zx • Footage of US Rallycross Round 1: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZD

Comrie-Picard retired from the event during the Heat races, after experiencing mechanical issues that began with breaking a transfer case during Saturday’s qualifying session. In the 2WD class, drivers from the South dominated the podium. Returning to rally racing from a yearlong absence, Matthew Johnson from Apex, NC, claimed top 2WD honors in his Nitro Circus sponsored 1978 Ford Fairmont station wagon. Johnson showed speed all weekend placing many of the fastest times of the 2WD competitors. Johnson’s Fairlmont boasts a bored 348cc engine that was built as a track car by a friend “with a sense of humor”, says Johnson. “I also have a sense of humor, so it was an obvious choice of what I wanted to race in.” Johnson normally campaigns All-Wheel-Drive Subarus in Stage Rally, but tried his hand at Rallycross in the Fairmont and placed first after

overcoming muddy conditions in the entertaining and hotly-contested 2WD Main event. “This was the first time I piloted a two-wheel-drive car in competition,” exclaimed Johnson. Coming back from a disappointing outing at the first U.S. Rallycross Championship event, Dillon Van Way from Carencro, LA, almost overtook Matthew Johnson in the A Main, but finished in second place in his 2002 Ford Focus. Van Way looked strong all weekend posting many of the fastest 2WD qualifying and Heat lap times. Previous Rallycross #1 2WD Class winner, Josh Wimpey from Harrisburg, VA, landed the final podium spot and extended his lead towards taking the overall 2WD U.S. Rallycross Championship at NJMP on 5 - 7 November. Round 3 of the U.S. Rallycross Championships will take place at the New Jersey Motorsports Park on

November 6-7. Tickets are available at H&H www.NJMP.com.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AWD A Main: 01) T. Foust - 05m 47.669s 02) D. Mirra - 05m 54.044s 03) L. Doran - 06m 03.914s 2WD A Main: 01) M. Johnson - 07m 07.965s 02) D. Van Way - 07m 08.622s 03) J. Wimpey - 07m 16.087s

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

News

Patrick Richard is seen here, blasting through the stages: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdkRSZVzB3Q

Features

EVENTS

Antoine L’Estage’s brake discs are glowing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grSk1r1t_BU

ANTOINE L’ESTAGE STORMS TO LEAD CANADIAN SERIES Words: Staff Writer Pictures: Andrew Harvey Photography Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard took the early lead at the Pacific Forest Rally, and won the event with more than a minute advantage over their closest competitors. The rally is the fifth event of the Canadian Rally Championship, presented by Subaru and supported by Yokohama. “This was a very important win for us,” said L’Estage. Counting events he has run in the United States of America, L’Estage has won five of the last six rallies he has entered. “It was a real win, fair and square and now we lead the Canadian Rally Championship. The Rockstar EVO X has been great and John Buffum has built it into an excellent rally car.” L’Estage and Richard now lead the championship by two points. The team has already been crowned 2010 Rally America champions and won the North American Rally Cup. L’Estage also won a bronze medal in Rally Car Racing at X Games. Pat Richard and Alan Ockwell of Subaru Rally Team Canada suffered multiple problems throughout the rally, yet were still able to finish second overall. The two are also second place in the championship standings. “It is good points for the championship,” said Richard. “We had

problems all rally but to come away with second place is pretty good. Subaru is leading the Manufacturer’s Championship, which was a big goal for this weekend.” Third went to Leo Urlichich and Chrissie Beavis. After a nearly trouble free run, the last two stages of the event threw multiple challenges at the team, costing time but not positions. “We couldn’t make it boring,” joked Urlichich. “We had some throttle problems, and brake problems and a flat tire, but we had a great rally.” Urlichich has also managed to put himself into the thick of things for third place in the championship. Bruno Carré and Yvan Joyal, of Team Swap Shop came to the Pacific Forest Rally in a close championship battle, along with teammates Craig Henderson and Lyne Murphy. Both teams suffered severe problems, and only Henderson was able to complete the rally, finishing in a disappointing sixth place. Two wheel drive went to Jan and Jody Zedril in their Mitsubishi Lancer. The brothers have also secured the two wheel drive championship for drivers and co-drivers as well as the manufacturer’s two wheel drive title for Mitsubishi. “We came and did what we had to do,” said Jody. “There is so much to learn in two wheel drive, and it’s a great place to perfect skills before moving on

to the bigger cars.” The 2010 edition of the Pacific Forest Rally featured a reworked schedule with two new stages that were a hit with drivers. Nighttime stages and dusty conditions proved to be a challenge through the weekend, demanding the utmost of drivers and codrivers. “We’re delighted with how the rally has gone,” said Paul Westwick, organiser of the 2010 Pacific Forest Rally. “We had amazing conditions, and the new roads proved to be a great addition.” The final round of the Canadian Rally Championship, the Rally of the Tall Pines, is staged in the twisty roads surrounding Bancroft, ON, just three hours from Toronto. Known for winter roads and summer ditches, drivers must be at their peak in order to win the event. With tight battles overall and across classes, teams will be pushing flat H&H out to win the title of Champion.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) A. L’Estage/N. Richard – 01h 20m 13.0s 02) P. Richard/A. Ockwell – 01h 21m 37.4s 03) L. Urlichich/C. Beavis – 01h 26m 57.7s 04) S. Trinder/R. Trinder – 01h 29m 05.5s 05) H. Schmidtke/A. Vokes – 01h 30m 25.2s 06) C. Henderson/L. Murphy – 01h 33m 33.9s 07) JC. Bourgeois/J. Hall – 01h 35m 00.6s 08) J. Zedril/J. Zedril – 01h 35m 49.3s 09) G. Cavett/E. Lyden – 01h 35m 51.0s 10) M. Goodwin/M. Burnley – 01h 36m 34.0s

News

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Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

Watch Peter Horsey in action on the BRC International Rally Yorkshire stages in preparation for his Pirelli Star Driver campaign events on the WRC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVTS4sSQ7Sc

Jason Pritchard has finished on the podium, and it was a hard-fought season for the youngster. Watch him fly through the BRC’s International Rally Yorkshire stages this past weekend in this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW67QQWLRrk

MACHALE WINS 2010 IRISH TARMAC RALLY TITLE Words: www.RallyBuzz.com Gareth MacHale sealed his maiden Citroën Irish Tarmac Rally Championship trophy with victory at last weekend’s Cork ‘20’ International Rally! In what transpired to be a thrilling finale, the Dubliner followed in his father’s footsteps by securing the prestigious title with victory at the Cork event alongside navigator Brian Murphy. It was in 1983 that Gareth’s father, Austin, claimed his maiden Irish Tarmac Championship trophy by winning the Cork ‘20’ International Rally. 27 years later, Gareth has managed to achieve the same feat and bring the 2010 Citroën ITC crown back home to the MacHale dynasty. Gareth only needed to finish third to secure the title, so he was relatively happy to let Tim McNulty and Paul Kiely lead from the start in their Impreza WRC. Then disaster struck the McNulty crew, as an altercation with a bank just a few stages from home resulted in McNulty losing almost 30 seconds to his pursuers. Sniffing potential victory, MacHale capitalised on his rival’s misfortune. He entered the final stage 5.8 seconds adrift of the leaders, but he was determined to win the Championship in style and he finished the test 1.9 seconds in front to win the event! For experienced navigator Brian Murphy, it is his third Irish Tarmac Championship success, having sealed the 1997 and 1998 titles alongside Austin MacHale. A disappointed Tim McNulty had to settle for second in the event, while third overall for Craig Breen in his Super 2000 Ford Fiesta propelled him to second in the championship standings ahead of Alastair Fisher. Fisher finished fourth on the event and an excellent third in the

Championship standings, having already secured the 2010 Group N title at the Ulster Rally. In the Modified Trophy, fifth overall in the Cork ‘20’ National Rally was enough for Mervyn Wedlock and Damien McCabe to seal the championship win in their superbly prepared Ford Escort. And in the historic category, Ray Cunningham had already wrapped up the historic title in his Mini Cooper ahead of the Cork event while Aidan O’Connor secured both the Classic and Post Historic Titles with a very fine drive. The final chapter of the 2010 Citroën Irish Tarmac Rally Championship has been written after a thrilling year long battle which was only concluded on the final round, and a new name has been etched on the series trophy. It has been another exciting year, and the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association is already looking forward to H&H more success in 2011!

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) G. MacHale/B. Murphy Ford Focus WRC - 02h 19m 11s 02) T. McNulty/P. Kiely Subaru Impreza WRC - 02h 19m 13s 03) C. Breen/G. Roberts Ford Fiesta S2000 - 02h 20m 24s 04) A. Fisher/R. Kennedy Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Gp N - 02h 22m 55s 05) D. Gass/S. Mullally Subaru Impreza WRC - 02h 26m 34s 06) S. Ling/A. Rees Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Gp N - 02h 27m 28s 07) O. Murphy/J. O’Brien Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Gp N - 02h 28m 29s 08) A. MacHale/E. O’Donnell Ford Focus WRC - 02h 30m 36s 09) R. Barrable/D. Connolly Citroen C2R2 Max - 02h 31m 49s 10) D. Henry/J. Rowan Citroen C2R2 Max - 02h 35m 02s

GRAVEL FOR DS3 R3 Words: www.RallyBuzz.com In a cloud of dust, the Citroën DS3 R3 will take the start of the Rallye des Cardabelles this weekend for its very first outing on gravel. Coming off the back of two wins on asphalt, the car will continue its high-speed demonstration run on a new surface while aiming for class victory. The Rallye des Cardabelles is the fourth round of the French Gravel Championship and a firm favourite with all the crews. The route, which takes in the picturesque countryside around Millau in the south of France, offers crews 160 competitive kilometres of challenging flat-out stages that are a big test for any car. This rally will form a key point in the evolution of the Citroën DS3 R3, which actually started out its development on gravel. In order to accomplish this latest mission, Citroën can rely on the experience of Marc Amourette and his co-driver Gwenola Marie, who currently sit at the top of the two-wheel drive standings in the French Championship. The consistency and reliability of the French crew, who usually drive the C2 S1600 or the C2-R2 MAX, is sure to showcase the new car’s qualities on the demanding gravel in the south of France. Alexis Avril, the chief engineer in charge of the Citroën DS3 R3 project, said: “We’re entering a new phase in the progression of the DS3 R3 and the whole team cannot wait to demonstrate the car’s potential on this new surface in competitive conditions. The DS3 will be equipped with the gravel kit that will soon be sold by Citroen’s parts department. Our overall goal on this event is to measure ourselves against the established opposition and to confirm all the work we have carried out during the development of the car, where we concentrated in particular on chassis and suspension. 160 competitors are expected to battle all weekend long.

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

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• Villagra scores best asphalt result: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zo

• Gassner satisfied after French rally: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zc

• Wilson secures 8th in Strasbourg: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zm

• Loeb takes WRC crown: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z9

• Petter on the podium in France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zj

• Sandell wins S-WRC of Rally France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z6

• Solid points for Sébastien Ogier: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zh

• Latvala impresses on asphalt: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z3

LOEB, ELENA AND CITROEN THE 2010 WRC CHAMPIONS Words: Evan Rothman; Pictures: WorldRallyPics, Citroen Racing, T. Welam When Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena stopped their Citroen Total C4 WRC in front of the French town Hageuenau’s town hall, motorsport history had just been recorded. Finishing the final stage of the WRC Rally France first overall handed Loeb/Elena their 60th WRC victory and their staggering seventh consecutive World Rally Championship title. The record-breaking duo made warmed the hearts of the 300 000 spectators lining the final 4.2km stage on the cold French day in this Loeb’s home town. To boot, team-mates Dani Sordo and Diego Vallejo finished the event in second overall to had the Citroen Total World Rally Team and Citroen its sixth

Manufacturers’ title. “There were people everywhere on the road, and at the stage,” said Sebastien Loeb. “It was rather moving.” As if to placate his rivals, Loeb admitted that he nursed his lead: “Without the splits we were racing blind, but I didn’t take the slightest risk in the very quick sections.” He added: “My first world title will always remain the best for me, but this one will have a special place in my heart. We won it after a very difficult race. It’s quite simply mind blowing to cross the finishing line in my home town, and it’s incredible to see so many people. I don’t think we’ve ever seen so many spectators at a rally.” “It’s good to get to the end,” said a breathless Daniel Elena. “This route was a real challenge, but we

managed to avoid the pitfalls to win the world titles for us and for Citroën.” Second-placed Sordo also had a big smile on his face: “First of all, I’d like to congratulate Seb and Daniel who were once again unbeatable this weekend. We too had a good rally and we’re proud to have helped contribute to Citroën’s sixth world title. I hope that I’ll be a prophet in my own country in a couple of weeks!” Olivier Quesnel, the Citroën Racing Team Principal, showed how proud he was of the work of his team and his crews: “What Loeb’s achieved this weekend is quite simply exceptional. Nobody can image the pressure on his shoulders. But he managed to ignore it when he had to concentrate on going for the quickest times. He didn’t really need to come first in this rally to become world champion, but the guy’s

News

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Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

• WRC Rally France - Overall Results: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Z1

• No pressure on Raikkonen: http://wp.me/ppkXc-20a

• Block wins Spirit of the Rally Award: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZP • Pons holds top spot in S-WRC: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zq • Ford Fiesta RS WRC in Cumbria: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1ZT

• Hunt secures second FSTi victory: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1Zu

• Block blasts back at France: http://wp.me/ppkXc-204

a born winner and he couldn’t just do the necessary. Once again, he proved that he’s the best driver in the world at present.” The rest of the field were locking in battles to score as many valuable WRC points as possible. Third place went to Petter Solberg/Chris Patterson (Citroen C4 WRC4), after duelling Sordo/Vallejo for of Day Two and Three. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miika Anttila (Ford Focus RS WRC) once again outperformed their pressure-riddled team-mates Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen, who finished in fourth and fifth, but were separated by minutes on the overall standings. A frustrating Day Two saw Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassi (Citroen C4 WRC) drop from third overall to

sixth, after an altercation with a tree. The subsequent damage, fortunately, did not leave the pair stranded on the side of the stages, and they brought their C4 home in sixth overall once more highlighting to next year’s teams to be wary of this young crew. Nowegian Patrik Sandell and co-driver Emil Axelsson (Skoda Fabia S2000) wrapped up the S-WRC class win here, while S-WRC Championship points leader Xevi Pons (Ford Fiesta S2000) finished second overall in a thrilling fight. Armindo Araujo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) won the P-WRC class and Jeremi Ancian won his first J-WRC trophy in his Suzuki Swift S1600. This weekend belonged to the Frenchman Loeb and his co-driver Elena and their mighty Citroen team. A win of this magnitude has never been recorded

before, and Loeb is as cool and collected as ever as he stood atop his car’s bonnet to spray the crowds with champagne. Congratulations to Seb, Daniel and H&H Citroen! OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) S. Loeb/D. Elena Citroen C4 WRC - 03h 05m 49.3s 02) D. Sordo/D. Vallejo Citroen C4 WRC + 35.7s 03) P. Solberg/C. Patterson Citroen C4 WRC + 01m 16.8s 04) J-M. Latvala/M. Anttila Ford Focus RS WRC + 01m 29.3s 05) M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen Ford Focus RS WRC + 03m 43.8s 06) S. Ogier/J. Ingrassia Citroen C4 WRC + 11m 5.9s 07) F. Villagra/D. Curletto Ford Focus RS WRC + 14m 15.4s 08) M. Wilson/S. Martin Ford Focus RS WRC + 14m 26.9s 09) H. Solberg/S. Prevot Ford Fiesta S2000 + 16m 48.9s 10) P. Sandell/E. Axelsson Skoda Fabia S2000 + 17m 12.3s

Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

News

Rally Latvija 2010 was fast and furious. Watch this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUrP6A-6ycY

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The WRC cars took on those of the Group N in Rally Latvija. and it was a close contest! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQhimA2VKLM

SUNNY END TO THE SEASON Words: Liga Stirna Pictures: Janis Barbars, Aigars Laurinovics (www.ralyemotions.lv) For Autumn it was unusually sunny and warm for the the last weekend of September when the final round of the 2010 Latvian Rally Championship was held. For Rally “Latvija 2010,” we had to find out who were to be champions and medal winners for this season. Before the rally, only Class N4 champions were already known: at the previous round, this title was claimed by Andis Neikšāns/Pēteris Dzirkals (LMT Rally Team). To be crowned the Latvian Champion once again, Ivars Vasaraudzis/ Pēteris Spredzis (Skandi Auto Rally Team) needed victory, and not even a second place in this rally. Considering that the last two events they for this crew ended in retirement, it was easy to understand their commitment and desire to win this event. This time, however, all went perfectly well and Ivars won all nine stages of this rally.

“This was a very interesting rally,” said Ivars. “We succeeded in everything - the car worked without smallest problem, we didn’t allow a single driving error. Everything was great!” Silver medals in Class A Plus went to the Lithuanian father-anddaughter crew of Rokas and Inga Lipeiķis, while bronze was won by Raimonds Kisiels/Arnis Ronis (Skandi Auto Rally Team). For almost the whole rally Raimonds was in second place behind Vasaraudzis, but in the last loop of stages their Mitsubishi Lancer WRC was struck by technical problems and replacement of its ECU before start of penultimate stage did not even improve their situation. Kisiels finished sixth overall and fourth in Class A Plus, but it was enough to win a medal. The main protagonists in Class N4 were Jānis Vorobjovs/Guntars Zicāns (Vorobjovs Racing) and Maris Neikšāns (LMT Rally Team), who this time drove together with his brother Pēteris Dzirkalis. This battle, unfortunately, ended in SS3 when the orange Mitsubishi

of Māris slid into a ditch and spectators had to work for more than 12min to push the car back onto the road. “Even if we had not made an error in the third special stage, we could not fight with Jānis Vorobjovs,” Māris admitted. “After this failure we eased up a bit too. Thanks to all who supported us this year. Next season I promise to fight for the highest places!” Jānis Vorobjovs drove a brilliant rally again to score a Class N4 win abd claim silver medals. After Raimonds Kisiels and the guest star of this rally Toni Gardemeister were hit by technical problems, Jānis finished as high as second overall! For Andis Neikšāns this rally ended “on the rope”: before the last special stage, his car suffered an electric systems fault and the car was pulled into the service park... “ I really enjoyed this last race. We drove without tension, and tried to give a show for the spectators. In places where they were a lot, I drove attractively, which does not necessarily mean fast,” said Andis.

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Issue 153 • 07 - 13 Oct 2010

On-board with Rokas Kvaraciejus/Marius Samuolis on the Rally Latvija 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUK9XzAvZxo

“Also, we experimented with settings and gained a lot of useful information. It was fun! I’m sorry for our retirement, but it was not so sad comparing with this season accomplished: after 12 years of racing I have finally become Latvian Rally Champion! Moreover, in the most prestigious category in Latvian motorsport rallying in N4 class!” Even before the rally, it was clear that the Latvian Championship title for the 2WD class would go abroad, but we only had to know to where: to Lithuania with Rokas Kvaraciejus (Renault Clio) or to Estonia with Roland Murakas (Honda Civic Tyre P), as they were joint leaders in overall standings. Unfortunately, Muraks retired with engine trouble after SS2; also, for Kvaraciejus this rally wasn’t easy at all: third in class came hard with broken wheels and lost minutes. But he made it to the finish and won the Latvian 2WD Championship as well as the Junior Championship. The Super1600 Class Latvian Cup class victory went to the spectators’ favourites Ivo Ķilpis/Artis Ceriņš (Toyota

Here’s another clip of the Rally Latvija 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_48QvmHM08

Corolla). During the whole season they have experienced results in extremes: either victory or withdrawal. On Rally Latvia 2010, this crew ended with the victory and this gave them the title. Rally Latvija 2010 featured many foreign guests such as the famous Finn Toni Gardemeister, young British talent Tom Cave, British Champion Mark Higgins (this time in co—driver seat) and Ukrainian Olexander Saliuk famous for his jump in the WRC Rally Turkey this year. Toni Gardemeister proved his remarkable WRC experience and was running second overall, but the rally roads became too hard for his rented Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV. It completely lost front brakes and Toni lost one place to Jānis Vorobjovs, but secured second place in Class A Plus and third overall though. Tom Cave almost caused a sensation here. Driving the MML Sports Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X for the first time, the 18 year-old was on course for sixth place overall and second in Group N when he was forced to stop

and change a flat tyre. He lost more than four minutes as a consequence and finished just seventh place in Gp N4, but still happy with hisperformance. “This was a really good rally. The result doesn’t really justify how well I feel it went, but as we know all too well that’s how it goes sometimes,” Tom said. “Driving the Group N Evo X this weekend has given me an incredible amount of H&H food for thought...” OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) I. Vasrauadzis/P. Spredzis Mitsubishi Lancer WRC - 56m 56.68s 02) J. Vorobjovs/G. Zicāns Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 02m 14.55s 03) T. Gardemeister/T. Suominen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV + 02m 45.69s 04) M. Svilis/A. Aizsilnieks Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII + 02m 46.57s 05) O. Saliuk/P. Cherepin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX + 03m 37.45s 06) R. Kisiels/A. Ronis Mitsubishi Lancer WRC + 03m 40.55s 07) J. Feldmanis/A. Jesse Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 03m 45.36s 08) R. Lipeiķis/I. Lipeikyte Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII + 03m 57.35s 09) D. Butvilas/R. Vaitkevičius Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X + 04m 17.52s 10) G. Vecvagars/A. Stolders Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI + 04m 24.06s