Handbrakes & Hairpins Issue 332

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Ford Fiesta R2 for sale Technical Specification Donor vehicle: Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sport, 5 door Engine: 1.6 Zetec 16V – 1598cc – Ti-VCT; 4 cylinders in line; DOHC; 16 valves; alloy cylinder head and block; variable cam timing.

Power: 170 PS @ 7,500 rpm from 97 octane fuel Torque: 182 Nm @ 5,700 rpm Transmission: Five speed sequential gearbox developed by Sadev with plated limited slip differential and uprated driveshafts. ECU developed by Pi with flat shift feature with full throttle closed loop control shift.

Suspension: Reiger adjustable dampers with Eibach springs, spherical jointed top mounts front and rear. Front dampers adjustable for bump and rebound. Standard rear beam with uprated mounts. 2-bolt clamped front upright.

Adaptor pin mounted in uprights with spherical bearing connecting the lower arm. Five stud hub.

Brakes: Gravel (front): 285 mm AP ventilated discs with four piston competition calipers.

Rear: 280 mm AP ventilated discs with single piston calipers, hydraulic handbrake.

Steering: Electric power-assisted steering.

Wheels: Gravel: OZ 6”x15” Gravel Bodyshell: Welded T45 steel multipoint rollcage. Optimised seat position and integrated dash bar. Jacking points optional and seam welded.

Electronics: Bespoke instrument cluster by Visteon in the same style as the standard series cluster.

Dimensions: Length: 3953mm. Width: 1722mm. Height: 1481mm. Wheelbase: 2490mm. Weight: 1030kg.

Price: R 695 000 excluding 14% VAT Various optional extras fitted, list available on request.

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS (PTY) LTD 30 Schoongezicht Road Bergbron 1709 Johannesburg South Africa Private Bag X26 Auckland Park 2006 South Africa TEL: +27 (0)11 670 8400 – FAX: +27 (0)11 673 5185 WEBSITE: www.fiestar2.co.za

ISSUE 332/CONTENTS 01/ Cover 02/ ATS 03/ Editorial Information 04/ Opening Shot 05/ Between the Stages: News 09/ Making of #Titanak 13/ Rallying the Lowveld 15/ Closing Shot

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Editor/ Evan Rothman Photojournalist/ Eva Kovkova Contributors/ Liga Stirna, Kris Karnitiss

CONTACT INFORMATION E-mail us/ evan.hhmag@gmail.com Call us/ +27 83 452 6892 Surf us/ http://wp.me/pkXc All content copyrighted property of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS, 2007-14. 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.

YOUR insight into the world of RALLY!

OPENING SHOT

Team Peugeot-Hansen’s Supercar must be the most aggressivelooking rally car...in the world!

Picture: World RX

BETWEEN THE STAGES

HYUNDAI STEPS UP TESTING Words: H&H Picture: Hyundai Motorsport/McKlein Images The Hyundai Motorsport team recently completed a four-day test of the their new-spec i20 WRC car in the Spanish region of Almeria. The car will, however, only make its competitive debut in 2016.

Work focused on engine and chassis development, as well as altitude testing with the latest iteration of the car, which has been upgraded compared to the version used in previous tests.

Plans to compete with the new-spec car have been scuppered to changes in the homologation and production schedules. The team will now shift the target to debut the New Generation i20 WRC at the start of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January.

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2015 WORLD RX IS HERE! Words: H&H Pictures: World RX This week the World RX showcased its 2015 proponents to international media. Eight permanent World Championship team and two permanent drivers will feature, as well new development teams and drivers in this evergrowing series.

One of the biggest announcements from Barcelona was the reveal of the new SDRX team, which sees reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg join Britain’s Liam Doran in a pair of Monster Energy-backed Citroen DS3 Supercars.

Reinis Nitiss and Andreas Bakkerud will once again drive with Ford Olsbergs MSE to defend their FIA World Rallycross Teams’ title in a pair of bold red Ford Fiesta ST Supercars.

The opening round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship will take place in Montalegre, Portugal from 24-26 April.

2015 World RX Permanent Teams & Drivers: SDRX: P. Solberg & L. Doran Ford Olsbergs MSE: R. Nitiss & A. Bakkerud Marklund Motorsport: T. Heikkinen & PG Andersson Team Peugeot-Hansen: T. Hansen & D. Jeanney VW Team Sweden: J. Kristofferson & T. Linnerud EKS: M. Ekstrom, A. Marklund & E. Sandstrom ALL-INKL.COM: R. Muennich & A. Danielsson World RX Team Austria: M. Stohl & M. Pucher Individual entries: T. Timerzyanov & R. Larsson 07 H&H

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SKODA FABIA R5 IS READY Words: H&H Pictures: “Loaned” from the Internet Tthe FIA has granted Skoda’s new Fabia R5 its homologation passport. It has been a 15 monthlong and 10,000km development process to ensure this latest R5 racer is race-ready and able to best its rivals.

“We are happy that we now have the homologation from the FIA under our belt,” Škoda motorsport director Michal Hrabánek admitted, “The development of our new rally hope was a tiring process and a major challenge for the entire team at Škoda Motorsport, to whom I would like to say a big thank you.”

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THE MAKING OF #TITANAK

“If you are in a lake, close to the limit of your life and fighting for it, when you finally win that fight it’s an amazing feeling” - Ott Tänak.

Words: H&H Pictures: M-Sport/McKlein Images When Ott Tänak’s Ford Fiesta RS WRC left the road and became submerged at the bottom of a reservoir at FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally Mexico no one thought it could be salvaged, but the M-Sport World Rally Team proved them wrong.

Effecting one of the greatest repairs in the history of the sport, “TiTänak” made it to the end of the rally with a Championship point in tow.

The Initial Incident: Friday 6 March • 09:24 - The #6 Ford Fiesta RS WRC left the road 2.6km into SS3 and became submerged at the bottom of a five-metre-deep reservoir.

• 09:30 - When the following car cleared the stage, it became evident that there had been a serious problem and the team contacted all relevant organisations to discover what had happened as quickly as possible.

• 09:38 - The stage was stopped and the Rapid Intervention Vehicle was sent in, confirming that both driver and co-driver were okay with no serious injuries.

• 10:17 - The crew arrived back at the service park having been flown in by helicopter. They were then taken back to the hotel and given a full check by the team doctor. Molder also started the lengthy process of drying his pacenotes, page by page.

• 12:09 - The crew came back to service to complete media interviews and the team sent the mechanics out to supervise the recovery of the Fiesta.

• 16:30 - The stage was closed and the recovery vehicles were permitted to enter. The organisers sent the first divers down to locate the car – it was no longer on its wheels.

• 17:45 - The Fiesta emerged from the watery depths and was pulled up onto the embankment.

• 18:00 - The car was loaded onto the recovery

truck and Raigo Mõlder’s mobile phone was retrieved from the car, still working!

• 20:15 - The Fiesta returned to the service park and the team immediately started assessing the damage.

The Mega Service: Friday 6 March • 21:30 - Work began with a three hour Rally 2 giving a deadline for finishing the repair at 00:30.

• 21:55 - 25 minutes into the three-hour service, the technicians had stripped the car practically down to its shell – removing the windscreen, wings, bumpers, drivers’ door, full rear suspension, full front suspension, gearbox, turbo and full cooling package.

• 22:00 - Work was temporarily halted as regulations only allow one mechanic to work on the fuel system during the service. Following the fuel tank inspection it was decided to replace it.

• 22:03 - With the workforce back up to full numbers, the tank was removed as well as all of the interior: seats, electronics, radios and dashboard.

• 22:15 - The technicians started removing the standing water from inside the cockpit.

• 22:25 - The team produced an expert fix on a damaged engine block, and drained the engine of excess water.

• 22:30 - With two hours to go, they started reassembling the car. Every part which had been taken from the Fiesta RS WRC was replaced as new – everything except the seats, belts, bonnet and toolkit.

• 23:00 - With one hour to go, the technicians cranked the engine for oil pressure.

• 00:05 - With 25 minutes to go, she roared back to life.

• 00:10 - For the final 20 minutes, the team fitted the bonnet, ran through the gears and even had time to give the car a polish – the number six Fiesta RS WRC leaving service well within time.

Tänak and Mõlder delivered the car to parc

fermé. The entire job was completed within the maximum three hour time limit.

The Second Service: Saturday 7 March • 08:30 - Tänak and Mõlder went to collect the Fiesta RS WRC from parc fermé, only to discover that it kept cutting out – the result of being stood overnight.

• 08:31 - The team’s quick thinking meant that as soon as the crew had pushed the car out of the holding area, a technician was waiting with a recce car to tow it back to service.

• 08:32 - The car was pushed into its service bay to the applause of the other manufacturer teams.

• 08:33 - The technicians adjusted the Fiesta’s geometry, changed the spark plugs, changed the electronic coils (twice) and managed to bring the Fiesta back to life.

• 08:49 - Tänak drove the car out of service and into refuel. Unfortunately, she came to a halt shortly after the refuel zone.

• 09:25 - Tänak and Mõlder were able to get the Fiesta up and running again, but the time allocated to get them to the start of the first stage has elapsed.

The Rally 2.1: Saturday 7 March • 10:28 - The crew drove the car back to service, where she was left to bathe in the Mexican sun – drying all of the components ready for Rally 2.1.

• 15:10 - Rally 2.1 began with another three hour deadline. The technicians changed all of the fuel pressure sensors as well as the full engine loom.

They also changed the oil and further adjusted the geometry.

• 16:25 - The engine was restarted and the engine engineer checked the data. Following this, it was decided to change the ECU as a precaution.

• 17:12 - Following a few start-ups to ensure there were no recurring issues, the number six Fiesta RS WRC was driven into parc fermé – ready to fight another day.

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“I didn’t care how hard it was, I just had to get out. It was really on the limit.” - Ott Tanäk

RALLYING THE LOWVELD

RALLYING IN THE MIST Words: H&H Pictures: Motorpress Round Two of the South African National Rally Championship heads to the Mpumalanga Lowveld for the Sasol Rally, its 24th edition. This is also the second round of the FIA African Rally Championship.

South African rally legend Sarel van der Merwe gave title sponsor Sasol a fairy-tale start to their involvement with local rallying by winning the inaugural event in 1992 in a Sasol-backed Ford Laser. The 11-times South African rally champion repeated this feat in 1993, while the following year it was team-mate Enzo Kuun who gave Sasol and Ford a hat-trick of wins.

But it is multiple South African rally champion Jan Habig who is the most successful driver in the rally’s history, with six wins in an eight year period from 1999 to 2006, all in Volkswagen Polos. Kuun, also in a Volkswagen, won the event five times while Toyota-stalwart Serge Damseaux was victorious on four occasions.

The familiar gravel forest roads in the Sabie, Graskop, Pilgrim’s Rest, White River and Hendriksdal areas will again form the heart of the rally.

There will be a total of 15 special stages over the two days, seven on Friday 17 April, and eight on Saturday 18 April. Five of these will be tarmac stages. The total stage distance is approximately 206km with road conditions expected to be excellent, thanks to the on-going maintenance efforts of York Timbers and the forestry company MTO, who as usual are completely on-board and as enthusiastic and helpful as always.

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CLOSING SHOT The M-Sport World Rally Team’s car #6 of Ott Tanak/Raigo Molder has seen enough action for a season already. But, this combination will be looking for a top five place come WRC Rally Argentina later this month.

Picture: M-Sport/McKlein Images