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Issue 180 • 29 April 2011
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Snyders’ claims maiden S1600 win Start Ramp Service Park Parc Ferme
2012 WRC calendar unveiled Henning Solberg’s 100th WRC event BRC Pirelli Int’l Rally previewed
A career at the pinnacle of any sport is challenging to maintain. To be at the forefront of your sport is yet harder - Henning Solberg, p6.
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Editorial Information Editor Evan Rothman
04 News 04 05
Start Ramp - News Shorts Andreucci wins Rally Mille Miglia
Features s 06 Feature Photojournalist Eva Kovkova
06 08
Henning’s 100th WRC start Subaru steps up participation in IRC
10 Events Contributors RallyBuzz, Motorpics, Newspress, Liga Stirna and Olivia Gauch. All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-11. 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.
10 12 13
SARC: SASOL Rally review, part 2 MERC: Jordan Rally review BRC Pirelli Int’l Rally preview
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Welcome to H&H! Welcome to issue 179 of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, your FREE weekly insight into the world of rallying. Yours in Rallying, Evan and Eva
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Team News Videos
Financial bonanza for Dundee area of KwaZulu-Natal
determine grid positions for the race will start at 12h00 on Friday 20 May, and race at 08h30 on Saturday 21 May. Public access to race headquarters, the start/finish, the designated service point (DSP) and spectator areas along the route is free of charge. H&H
Words: Staff Writer The historically rich area of Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal is in for a financial bonanza with the running of the Atlas Copco 400, Round Three of the Absa Off Road Championship, on 20 and 21 May. It is estimated that centres hosting events in the Absa championship benefit from a financial injection of between R2 to R2.5 million. The Atlas Copco 400 is a selected event where a round of the KwaZulu-Natal regional championship will be run in conjunction with the national race, and around 80 teams will converge on Dundee and surrounding areas. Hotels, motels, lodges, guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments are major beneficiaries as teams, family members, media and off road enthusiasts snap up available accommodation. Filling stations, restaurants, take away outlets, entertainment facilities and small business entrepreneurs all benefit from team spending power. “There are further spin offs in that team members and enthusiasts are exposed to tourist attractions and the opportunities that regions offer as holiday destinations,” said South African National Off Road Racing Association president Richard Schilling. “Off road enthusiasts love to explore South Africa and find new places to visit. Events like the Atlas Copco 400 expose them to new areas of possibility.” In this respect coal rich Dundee, nestling in the Biggarsberg mountains, offers huge potential. The area is steeped in South African history and Dundee is the central point to the Blood River and Isandlwana battlefields and Rorkes Drift, while numerous other places of historical interest are in Dundee or within easy reach of the town. Race headquarters, the start/ finish and the designated service point for the Atlas Copco 400 will be at the aptly named Battlefields Lodge approximately seven kilometres from Dundee. The Donaldson Prologue to
Burns’ career in spotlight at Salon Privé Words: Staff Writer To commence a major campaign of fund-raising to mark the 10th anniversary of his landmark 2001 World Championship, Salon Privé will be hosting the Richard Burns Foundation Dinner in aid of the Brain and Spine Foundation, on Friday 24 June 2011. Hosted in the opulent surroundings in the parkland of Syon House in Chiswick, London, home to His Grace The Duke of Northumberland, this select gathering of motoring and motorsport society is one of the summer season’s most prestigious events. To support a worthy cause and to celebrate a significant contribution to Britain’s status as the cradle of international motorsport, the dinner is attracting the attentions of the stars of circuit and stage as well as the charitable support of a range of celebrities and patrons. Proceeds from the event mark the start of a new campaign to help the Brain & Spine Foundation achieve its ambition of a nationwide network of brain centres in the UK. Inspired by the leadership of Richard’s surgeon, Peter J Hamlyn, MB BS, BSc, MD, FRCS, FISM, who is also the Founder Trustee of the Brain & Spine Foundation, Richard’s charity will help to address the startling lack of neurological provision in the UK. The evening’s three course
Event News Breaking News
fine dining will include an address from a number of legends from motorsport, and an auction of motorsport ephemera, collectibles and money-can’t-buy experiences kindly donated by Formula One and World Rally Teams. The evening will conclude with music and dancing until 1am. Join the Celebrities, VIPs and media as they celebrate the UK’s most exclusive motoring event, with the prestige supercar, classic car and luxury brands set against the stunning backdrop of the Syon House. Tickets for the Richard Burns Foundation Dinner, which includes a Pommery champagne reception and full access to the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance are priced at £195 per person or £1,995 for a table of 10. H&H
2012 WRC calendar reveals surprise new events for fans Words: Staff Writer Following a fax vote by the members of the World Motor Sport Council, the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship calendar will be a mix of traditional and new format events. The calendar includes events in the following locations: Abu Dhabi * Argentina (long distance event) Finland France Great Britain * Germany Greece Mexico New Zealand Portugal Spain Sweden - Norway * Subject to confirmation and approval of the Event Business Plan and format The event dates are to be confirmed based on logistical considerations and minimising clashes with Formula 1. As more information becomes available, reader of Handbrakes & Hairpins will be the first to know. H&H
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Issue 180 • 29 Apr 2011 • Page 05
Paolo Andreucci shines once more in Italy’s Mille Miglia Rally Words: Staff Writer Last weekend saw Paolo Andreucci and co-driver Anna Andreussi claim the top spot on the winners’ podium once more in 2011 when they dominated the second round of the Italian Rally Championship. The Mille Miglia Rally, an allasphalt event, was based in Brescia and is most certainly one of the most recognisable names in motorsport history. Andreucci took charge of the event from Day One on Friday and maintained his control on the event to its finish on Saturday evening. It must be noted that while of the rest of Europe embraces Spring, this event experienced rain and even light snow. This historic event, a famous road race once won by Sir Stirling Moss, is now dominated by Andreucci with this latest victory on its stages his fifth. Andreucci, who is also Pirelli’s test driver, said: “This is a very important win for me, but I want to
dedicate it first of all to my co-driver Anna Andreussi, who celebrated her birthday afterwards. It’s been a fantastic way to mark the occasion. This was a controlled win, which we were able to achieve without taking any unnecessary risks. Really we built the foundations of this victory on the opening day, which was damp and slippery. This made the tyre choice particularly crucial, but the Pirelli PZero tyres gave us plenty of grip even under these difficult circumstances. On the second day, it was all about controlling our advantage, which we were able to do to the finish.” Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “Many congratulations to Paolo and Anna for their second consecutive victory, which underlines once more the strength and pure performance of our tyres, in some extremely challenging conditions. The fact that we won all the major classes as well, in such a prestigious event as the Mille Miglia Rally, also demonstrates the adaptability of our tyres to a wide variety of different vehicles: values that
are also reflected in our range of Ultra High Performance tyres for the road.” Andreucci, after also winning the opening round of the Italian Rally Championship, now holds a firm grasp over his rivals. The next event on their calendar is the Rally Costa Smeralda on 07 May 2011. H&H
OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) P. Andreucci/A. Andreussi Peugeot 207 S2000 - 02hr 56min 43.9s 02) L. Rossetti/M. Chiarcossi Abarth Grande Punto S2000 + 33.4s 03) R. Travaglia/L. Granai Skoda Fabia S2000 + 01min 50.7s 04) A. Perico/F. Carrara Peugeot 207 S2000 + 02min 13.2s 05) G. Cunico/R. Pollet Peugeot 207 S2000 + 03min 06.5s 06) L. Betti/M. Barone Peugeot 207 S2000 + 04min 01.5s 07) E. Chentre/A. Canova Peugeot 207 S2000 + 04min 38.9s 08) A. Pisi/F. Cadore Peugeot 207 S2000 + 06min 55.7s 09) D. Iliev/Y. Yanakiev Skoda Fabia S2000 + 07min 51.4s 10) S. Campedelli/D. Fappani Citroen DS3 R3 + 07min 52.6s
THIS WEEK’S BEST VIDEO << Watch Ken Block and Mikko Hirvonen in action at the recent Dirt 3: Gymkhana Uncovered launch at London’s Battersea Power Station: http://youtu.be/FNCrh7hW_6I 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 rallyrelated videos to to be featured in this section. Or, send us a twitter to @Evan_Rothman or a message on Facebook.
Interviews Features
Profiles Technical
Jordan Rally - Henning’s 100th WRC start Words: Evan Rothman Picture: WorldRallyPics A career at the pinnacle of any sport is challenging to maintain. To be at the forefront of your sport is yet harder. After several years in the cuthroat World Rally circus, a sense of humour is needed to balance the pressures, hardships and successes: no other personality in the World Rally Championship can match that of Henning Solberg. The Norwegian rally ace, brother to 2003 World Rally Champion Petter, started the Jordan Rally, over a decade after his WRC debut, to mark his 100th such rally. Henning’s World Rally career started in 1998 in Sweden when he piloted a Shell Norge-sponsored Toyota.
He has since gone on to take to the start of many a demanding event over the world’s fastest, roughest and most technical rally roads. He is now of the 20 most loyal drivers in World Rally’s history. Looking back at Henning’s career thus far, the Scandinavian driver has thrilled rally fans wih his competitive nature, sideways driving style and charisma. He has the silverware to prove his credibility: he has claimed the Norwegian Rally Championship title five times, between 1999 and 2003. He stepped up his involvement in the WRC from 2004, when he took to the stages in a Bozian-Esso-liveried Peugeot 206 WRC, then the following season in a Ford Focus before he returned to the French marque for 2006 to pilot a Peugeot 307 WRC. In that
same year he recorded his first podium result (at the WRC Rally Turkey) and then also third place at the WRC Rally Norway in a Ford Focus WRC in 2007. He has since been an integral part of the M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team, and has scored a bevy of points for the squad. H&H
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Issue 180 • 29 Apr 2011 • Page 8
Subaru steps up participation in IRC Words: Evan Rothman Pictures: IRC Series Subaru will enter a brace of Impreza WRX STIs, conforming to the new R4 technical regulations, on selected rounds of this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge for respected Japanese drivers Toshi Arai and Fumio Nutahara. Arai, 44, will begin his programme on next month’s Tour de Corse-E.Leclerc before entering July’s Sata Rallye Acores, the Mecsek Rally in Hungary in mid-September, October’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland and the IRC season-closing Cyprus Rally in November. Forty-seven-year-old Nutahara, meanwhile, will contest three events:
Azores, Barum Czech Rally Zlin and Scotland. Both drivers will use Yokohama tyres. The R4 regulations have been developed by the FIA, motorsport’s world governing body, to increase the competitiveness of Group N cars against the pacesetting Super 2000 machines. This has been made possible by allowing weight saving, improved cooling, enhanced engine performance and modified suspension. Subaru’s participation in the IRC dates back to 2010 when it registered as an official manufacturer for the first time. As part of its involvement in the series, the company launched the Subaru Individual Award to support Subaru customers contesting the IRC. Arai made his IRC debut on last
June’s Geko Ypres Rally in an Impreza. Nutahara tackled his first IRC event on Barum Czech Rally Zlin last August in a Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer. H&H
G.B.S Survivors’ Network Southern Africa
Reaching out. Connecting survivors. This support group offers patients and survivors of G.B.S. (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) and C.I.D.P. (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) with: • emotional support and informational booklets • hospital/rehab visits to patients (when possible) • online network at http://gbsrsa.wordpress.com Your South African GBS/CIDP Foundation International Chapter is led by: •Evan Rothman •http://gbsrsa.wordpress.com •evanrothman@gmail.com •083 452 6892 GBS/CIDP Foundation International 104 1/2 Forest Avenue The Holly Building Narberth, PA 19072 www.gbs-cidp.org
Event Reports Results
Snyders wins maiden S1600 event Words: Evan Rothman Pictures: Evan Rothman This the second round of the South African Rally Championship, held at rhe SASOL Rally, was yet another nail-biting, dramatic and high-speed round of the Junior Championship. The brother-and-sister Snyders pairing (Volkswagen Polo S1600) won the Super 1600 Class, battling with Port Elizabeth’s Morne Janse van Rensburg/ Rikus Fourie (GC Diesel Volkswagen Polo Vivo S600) and Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Toyota RunX
S1600). On the final gravel stage, in the heat of battle, Janse van Rensburg crashed out of the event to hand a somewhat more comfortable win to the Snyders’ crews. They now also lead the South African Junior Rally Championship. Henk Lategan/Pierre Jordaan (Q8 Oils Volkswagen Polo Vivo S1400) were the only finisher in the Super 1400 Class. The battle for Class honours began on SS1: there is no “watching and waiting” for rivals to make the first move, but it is maximum attack from the first corner of the first stage. Taking up
where they left off in Round One were S1600 winners Ashley Haigh-Smith/ Hilton Auffray (Castrol Edge – BP Ford Fiesta R2) claimed a convincing SS1 win. SS2 saw Tjaart Conradie/Kes Naidoo (Silverton Engineering Toyota Auris S1600) crash out of the rally. The crew emerged unscathed from the wreck, but their car blocked the road and the stage was stopped for 30min. All remaining cars in the Classes (S1600 and S1400) were given the same stage time. Unfortunately, Haigh-Smith/Auffray suffered unfortunate mechanical woes in SS3 and didn’t see the stage out
Issue 180 • 29 Apr 2011 • Page 11
as they were forced to retire from the rally. It was Morne Janse van Rensburg/ Rikus Fourie (GC Diesel Volkswagen Polo Vivo S1600) that powered to a record a scratch Class time in SS3 and in six other stages over the weekend. This young driver proved a tough competitor in this event and is certainly a future Class winner this season in his impressive Volkswagen Polo Vivo S1600. As explained above, his run in the SAOSL Rally 2011 came to an abrupt end in SS15. Clint Weston/Shaun Visser (Toyota RunX S1600), in only their second National outing, and Weston showed his trak racing pedigree by cleaning up on the four asphalt stages. The pairing’s pace has much improved since Round One and if this upward trend continues at this rate they will grab more podium positions in upcoming events.
Posting consistently fast stage times, were Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee (Team Total Evolution Toyota RunX S1600), finishing this gruelling event second in Class S1600. Never one to be underestimated, Trott once more showed his younger rivals that experience and not always speed leads to podium results. The Snyders crew incurred a 50sec time penalty omn Day One, and regardless of this added time they were still mightil quick through the stages. They claimed five stages on their way to finishing the event as the fastest 2WD competitors and new leaders of the Junior Championship. Their overall time saw them arrive in final Parc Ferme in 19th position overall, in the thick of the Class S2000 runners in their 1600cc machine. With two different winners from two events, the Championship will
be a closely fought affair all the way to the final stage of the final event thinsk Handbrakes & Hairpins. Round Three will take place on 13 – 14 May (venue to be confirmed), and we predict a third new winner of the season here. H&H
OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) C. Snyders/C. Snyders Volkswagen Polo S1600 - 02h 47m 56.1s 02) C. Trott/R. Coetzee Toyota RunX S1600 + 59.2s 03) C. Weston/S. Visser Toyota RunX S1600 + 10m 15.2s 04) G. Botterill/S. Vacy-Lyle Toyota RunX S1600 + 18m 34.5s 05) H. Lategan/P. Jordaan Volkswagen Polo Vivo S1400 + 40m 39.6s
Issue 180 • 29 Apr 2011 • Page 12
Al-Attiyah retires in Jordan, Al-Ketbi wins Words: Evan Rothman Picture: M-Sport The Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) held its third round in conjunction with the WRC Jordan Rally. The logistical nightmares suffered by the WRC teams (through no wrongdoing or poor planningby the organisers or teams) saw the rally’s Day One action cancelled. Day Two (which effectively became Day One) saw the MERC competitors struggle for supremacy, but it was Nasser Al-Attiyah (Ford Fiesta S2000) finish the first day with a resounding 10min 442.3sec lead over his rivals. Day Three, the final leg of the rally, took in eight stages. Al-Attiyah’s seemingly unchallengeable lead was cut down in one stage. Only 5km into the day’s first stage, Al-Attiyah’s Ford Fiesta was struck with engine problems. With a misfire that arose at the end of the
previous day, his efforts came to nought as he was reduced to a spectator. AlKetbi (Skoda Fabia S2000) claimed the overall lead of the rally, 07min 45.9sec over Mubarak and then Al-Qassimi a very distant third. By the mid-day service, AlKetbi had survived a puncture and still enjoyed a cushion of 09min 36.3sec over his rivals. The Emirati driver coasted through the final stages to finish the event with a 10min 50.2sec lead. The punishing conditions for the WRC cars and WRC entries seemed to affect the regional runners too, despite them having more experience over these roads and in these unique conditions. Had the 2010 Dakar Rally Champion not have retired with engine woes, it wold have been interesting to see how much further he would have finished ahead of his rivals. However, this sport is highly unpredictable and that is what makes this sport as exciting
and captivating as it is. It is also interesting to note that this is Skoda’s first win in the MERC with their mighty Fabia S2000. H&H
OVERALL CLASSIFICATION 01) R. Al-Ketbi/K. Al-Kendi Skoda Fabia S2000 - 03h 19m 52.9s 02) A. Al-Qassimi/S. Lancaster Ford Fiesta S2000 - 03h 30m 43.1s 03) M. Mubarak/S. Al-Melaifi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X - 03h 33m 10.3s 04) M. Saleh/A. Ghaziri Subaru Impreza WRX STi - 03h 33m 35.5s 05) M. Tantash/Z. Abu Zeid Subaru Impreza WRX STi - 03h 34m 27.4s 06) E. Al-Nejadi/A. Al-Sharah Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX - 03h 39m 40.0s 07) M. Al-Nejadi/A. Al-Khrass Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX - 03h 41m 04.2s 08) N. Al-Majali/N. Shnoudeh Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX - 03h 51m 53.8s 09) R. Hijazi/R. Mansour Subaru Impreza WRX STi - 03h 59m 25.7s 10) M. Hatk/F. Hakki Fiat Stilo - 04h 24m 1.4s
Issue 180 • 29 Apr 2011 • Page 13
BRC youngsters set to continue charge Words: Staff Writer Pictures: Jakob Ebrey Photography Who could have predicted that the youngsters taking part in the 2011 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship would vow to provide such entertaining, nail-biting closefought rallying? Actually, if the form books are to be believed, anyone who has followed Britain’s premier rally series should have seen it coming. And while the battle for the Formula 2 title has been riveting after just two events, the battle for the overall title has been just as interesting. As the third round of the 2011 series, the Pirelli International Rally looms this weekend, its timing should allow anyone taking advantage of the additional bank holiday to watch the Royal nuptials and hope that Wills and Kate never lock horns like the protagonists in the BRC. Reigning Scottish Rally Champions with back-to-back titles under their belts, David Bogie/Kevin Rae were never conceited enough to simply expect victory in the BRC. Having competed here in previous seasons, the Scots were fully aware of the level of competition and on the opening round, Rallye Sunseeker in February, they were on the back foot after just two stages. However, their familiarity with their faithful Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX was such that they dug in and re-took the lead from BRC newcomer Tom Cave. Despite the gap being never more than a dozen seconds and at the midpoint as little as one, Bogie hung on to take his maiden BRC victory in front of thousands of fans. Their eventual second position in Wales had been in some doubt early on, but their tenacity and problems for other crews meant they secured enough points to take a two-point Championship lead to the Pirelli International Rally. Like in Bournemouth the gap between the top two Welsh podium steps was just a handful of seconds, but it was local crew Elfyn Evans/Andrew Edwards who were victorious on home soil. They had made an excellent debut in their Pirelli Star Driver prize year though, fighting from fifth place to take a well deserved podium on the Sunseeker. But their cool and calm approach in front of a home crowd was even more extraordinary. Their car set-up had been awry on round one, so the TEG Sport team listened and the Impreza was transformed. By half way they had moved into the lead and
with two stages to go had pulled nearly half a minute clear. Ignoring the tussle behind between Bogie and Adam Gould, they cruised to the finish with eighteen seconds in hand – not a massive margin, but more than enough to add another maiden winner to the 2011 BRC roster. Missing out on the champagne in the south of England, Gould/Seb Marshall had only taken delivery of their Subaru Impreza days before the event. Nevertheless they proved that their pace could be hot, setting two fastest stage times and finishing fourth. True to form they managed to carry the momentum to Wales, where they opened their account with a fastest time on the very first stage. It was a lead that they maintained until Evans overhauled them, struggling to turn the car in as the character of the stages changed. They slipped behind Bogie and despite a short-lived charge back to second, ended the day a disappointed third, thankful that a late broken oilcooler pipe and subsequent fire were not worse. Having led the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship for most of 2010, Jonny Greer/Dai Roberts were in no doubt of the mountain they had to climb this season. Getting to grips with a new steed in the form of a Škoda Fabia Super 2000 was never going to be easy and so it has proved. They have made progress though, improving from sixth place to fourth in two events and admitting that there’s plenty more to come from the car, if the driver can just find it in himself. Another learning a new car, but also hampered by learning new events in this first half of the season, is Tom Clark. At just seventeen, he joined the BRC in 2010 at the wheel of a Suzuki, but having only passed his UK driving test mid season, the jump to four wheel drive came after just four events. Yet he and Alistair Wyllie lie fifth in the overall standings and promise more to come as they learn their machinery. Tom Cave/Craig Parry deserve to be much higher up the tables after two events, taking the fight to Bogie on round one in their new Lancer Evo X. The Welsh duo has plenty of experience of International events despite Cave still being four years under the BRC average of 23. Maturity borne of contesting WRC events allowed them to settle for second on their BRC debut, but proving that conditions can catch anyone out a slippery corner just yards from the finish of the first stage in Wales put an end to
any chance of a return match. Cave is the first of a dozen crews with just one score from two events, all hoping to benefit from the dropped points at the end of the season. Daniel Barry/Gordon Noble struggled to get to grips with their hired Lancer Evo X first time out, but luck in the more familiar Lancer Evo IX deserted the Irishmen, mechanical gremlins ending their event after just two stages in Wales. Jason Pritchard/Robbie Durant were caught out mid way through Rallye Sunseeker, sliding into in a ditch after an excellent start, with a string of top three stage times that left them third early on. But ill health cost the Welshman a better result on home soil, taking scant consolation from fifth place, albeit less than ten seconds down on Greer by the Welshpool finish. Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly’s season started like Greer’s with almost identical new Škodas and just one place apart on their first event in the cars. However Bulldog Rally North Wales became something that other people attended when the oil pressure dropped to zero in his newly acquired Fabia. Unable to effect repairs himself he was forced to withdraw before the start of the event. Bad luck also befell Scots Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton who have two retirements from two starts. The first was caused by a melted piston in their Mitsubishi, the second by a rear suspension strut that burst its way into the car – not a good start to the seven event season. Bad luck, slippery conditions, wayward engines and any number of other incidents and accidents are, however what make rallying the edge-ofyour-seat sport that it is. So bring on the right Royal battle that is round three, the Pirelli International Rally and all that the infamous Kielder Forests can throw at them. The rally starts at 6.30pm this Friday from Carlisle Racecourse and just two stages will decide the running order for Saturday when the bulk of the mileage takes place. Re-seeded overnight, the crews face eleven stages and eighty miles (128km) before the finish back at the racecourse at just after 8pm. For more information on the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship 2011 series, please visit http://www.rallybrc.co.uk. H&H