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sleenster
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Re: Rally News

Post by sleenster » 03 Feb 2011, 19:47

Sordo Cautious on MINI WRC

Dan | Feb 03, 2011

At the launch of the MINI Countryman rally car in Monaco this week, I spoke to new signing Dani Sordo to get his thoughts on his new team, the development of the MINI WRC car and the forthcoming season.

"At the moment, I'm really happy with the car," said Sordo. "It's a new team, a new challenge, but everything is going in the right direction.

"I've not done many kilometres yet, but we're still working in testing. Everything on the car now is very good, but it doesn't have one [outstanding quality]. Now we need to work hard and develop it more."

Sordo's early testing work was carried out in the first Countryman test mule. Prodrive has since built a second car, in Super Production guise, which benefits from many improvements over the preceding version. One such example is the engine, which has recently been upgraded, with a further upgrade expected before the team makes its debut in Sardinia: "It feels much, much better with this engine."

As a former Citroen works driver, Sordo carried out substantial testing work on the new DS3 WRC; this is certainly one of the major advantages of bringing him into the squad: "The cars are very different, because we are in a different situation with the car. Everything is really new [on the MINI] and the DS3 has covered many more kilometres, but both are really good.

"I will try to score podiums on tarmac [this year], and on gravel if it's possible, but to be honest we need to keep taking the car in the right direction and work hard on the suspension. Honestly, I don't know [when we'll be able to fight for wins]. Everything is new, every car is new; maybe we'll arrive this year and be in the fight with the others, but I'm sure next year we will be.

"I want to win the championship with MINI; why not? We are here to do that, so we'll try."

Naturally, Sordo spoke with all the consideration of a media trained rally driver. He seemed genuinely encouraged by the MINI WRC's potential, but left the impression that it is currently far from where it needs to be to compete with the Citroen DS3 WRC with which he is so familiar.

There is one point that will be encouraging for the whole team; Prodrive has managed to get its car under the FIA's 1200kg weight minimum (which will later be met with usefully placed ballast). Of this challenge, Ford technical director Christian Loriaux last week said "It has been difficult to get down to that figure," without explicitly stating that his team had managed to do so…

The new car is currently en route to a gravel test facility in Spain, where Sordo will drive for the next few days before Kris Meeke takes over next week.

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http://www.mudsnowandtar.com/featured/s ... n-mini-wrc

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apple
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Re: Rally News

Post by apple » 07 Feb 2011, 11:54

Simo Aaltonen was very critical about these new cars in TS interview. He says the cost reduction is bs as the teams have to use the gear and hydraulics components that FIA has approved. It means more costs.
Also he was worried about the centre differential as its now mechanical and there is no centre lock. It means a lot of testing as this type of solution is practically impossible in rally car. It means more technical dnf:s and teams need more testing to get this work.
as Solberg said the car is nervous on slippery road and its the concequence of this solution.

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Re: Rally News

Post by Kriss » 07 Feb 2011, 12:04

apple wrote:Simo Aaltonen was very critical about these new cars in TS interview. He says the cost reduction is bs as the teams have to use the gear and hydraulics components that FIA has approved. It means more costs.
Also he was worried about the centre differential as its now mechanical and there is no centre lock. It means a lot of testing as this type of solution is practically impossible in rally car. It means more technical dnf:s and teams need more testing to get this work.
as Solberg said the car is nervous on slippery road and its the concequence of this solution.
thanks apple, not very good news :(

and Kimi hasn't even properly tested his car :pray:

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Re: Rally News

Post by Kriss » 07 Feb 2011, 12:45

planetemarcus tweeted
#Wrc - Ken Block Ford Fiesta Wrc 2011 livery [PHOTO] http://twitpic.com/3xdi9d
great car :thumbsup:

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Re: Rally News

Post by Claudie_Schnaudie » 07 Feb 2011, 18:01

Kriss wrote:
apple wrote:Simo Aaltonen was very critical about these new cars in TS interview. He says the cost reduction is bs as the teams have to use the gear and hydraulics components that FIA has approved. It means more costs.
Also he was worried about the centre differential as its now mechanical and there is no centre lock. It means a lot of testing as this type of solution is practically impossible in rally car. It means more technical dnf:s and teams need more testing to get this work.
as Solberg said the car is nervous on slippery road and its the concequence of this solution.
thanks apple, not very good news :(

and Kimi hasn't even properly tested his car :pray:
thx Apple! Yep guess that the lack of testing might be a problem for him
Kimi Kimi gimme just a little smile :)

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Re: Rally News

Post by Julia » 08 Feb 2011, 10:30

Kriss wrote:
apple wrote:Simo Aaltonen was very critical about these new cars in TS interview. He says the cost reduction is bs as the teams have to use the gear and hydraulics components that FIA has approved. It means more costs.
Also he was worried about the centre differential as its now mechanical and there is no centre lock. It means a lot of testing as this type of solution is practically impossible in rally car. It means more technical dnf:s and teams need more testing to get this work.
as Solberg said the car is nervous on slippery road and its the concequence of this solution.
thanks apple, not very good news :(

and Kimi hasn't even properly tested his car :pray:
thanks!

that doesnt sound god at all, Im also worried when they say that the car i nervous to drive... doesnt sound like a easy car to handle.

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Re: Rally News

Post by Julia » 08 Feb 2011, 10:32

Novikov is driving a storbart ford WRC at the rally mexico. The entry list is very,very short, just 25 names (and no Kimi of course)

http://planetemarcus.free.fr/entrylistmexico11.pdf

does anybody know more about his program? Is this just one on -off or?
Last edited by Julia on 08 Feb 2011, 12:55, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Rally News

Post by Julia » 08 Feb 2011, 12:54

Block is taking part in 9/13 rallies:
Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino are due to contest nine of this season’s 13 rounds having decided to skip the rallies in Jordan, Sardinia, Greece and Finland. They took part on seven events in 2010, which Block said was his “toughest season ever” in DC Shoes’ ‘Ken Block’s 2010 Season: Win of Fail?’ film, which is currently on YouTube.
if you are interested to hear his thoughts before sweden and what he is this time STOKED :lol: about read here:
http://www.wrc.com/news/block-stoked-by ... ?fid=14086

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Re: Rally News

Post by Denorth » 10 Feb 2011, 10:07

Julia wrote:Novikov is driving a storbart ford WRC at the rally mexico. The entry list is very,very short, just 25 names (and no Kimi of course)

http://planetemarcus.free.fr/entrylistmexico11.pdf

does anybody know more about his program? Is this just one on -off or?
he is planning to take part in 7 races.
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Re: Rally News

Post by Kriss » 10 Feb 2011, 20:07

World Rally Championship gets Nitro boost in Spain

World Rally Championship fans in Spain can look forward to comprehensive television coverage of the 2011 and 2012 seasons thanks to a new broadcast deal announced today with the Spanish adventure and sports channel, Nitro.

WRC promoter North One Sport has reached an exclusive agreement with Spanish broadcast group Antena 3 to show the complete range of WRC shows on its Nitro channel for the next two years as well as news bulletins and highlights on other channels in the Antena 3 network. All channels are free-to-air.

The new agreement begins on 11 February with coverage from Rally Sweden, the opening round of the 2011 WRC season, and includes live coverage of the new Power Stages on up to 13 rallies.


Renowned for their passion for rallying, Spanish WRC fans have plenty to look forward to this season. RACC Rally of Spain, the penultimate round of the WRC season, takes place between 20 and 23 October, while the country’s most prominent rally driver, Dani Sordo, will head up the all-new MINI WRC Team following his switch from Citroen.

Simon Long, CEO of North One Sport, said: "We are delighted to be supplying the Antena 3 broadcast network with our new range of WRC programmes, including from this season the live Power Stages. Star drivers like Carlos Sainz and Dani Sordo have helped create a huge following for the WRC in Spain and I’m delighted we can give fans living there this level of coverage.”

The director of digital channels at Antena 3 Group, Bernd Reichart, added: “The acquisition of the World Rally Championship is a move to position Nitro as the channel of action, adventure and sport, as represented by the WRC. I’m delighted with the agreement and to assume the challenge of providing a high level of coverage for the public and fans of the sport on Nitro. It’s our ambition to continue growing this day by day.”

http://www.rallybuzz.com/wrc-tv-spai/

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Re: Rally News

Post by Julia » 11 Feb 2011, 14:45

Denorth wrote:
Julia wrote:Novikov is driving a storbart ford WRC at the rally mexico. The entry list is very,very short, just 25 names (and no Kimi of course)

http://planetemarcus.free.fr/entrylistmexico11.pdf

does anybody know more about his program? Is this just one on -off or?
he is planning to take part in 7 races.
he is continue driving a ford i Guess?

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Re: Rally News

Post by Denorth » 11 Feb 2011, 15:31

Julia wrote:
Denorth wrote:
Julia wrote:Novikov is driving a storbart ford WRC at the rally mexico. The entry list is very,very short, just 25 names (and no Kimi of course)

http://planetemarcus.free.fr/entrylistmexico11.pdf

does anybody know more about his program? Is this just one on -off or?
he is planning to take part in 7 races.
he is continue driving a ford i Guess?
he is driving Ford Fiesta (but why 'continue'? I didn't follow him before, but in 2009 he was on C4)
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Re: Rally News

Post by Sébastien Loeb » 19 Feb 2011, 07:33

Thanks for news

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Re: Rally News

Post by Sébastien Loeb » 19 Feb 2011, 07:53

Novikov back and his car is ford fiesta

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Re: Rally News

Post by Mar » 20 Feb 2011, 17:34

Loeb hopes for Solberg help

20th February 2011
By Anthony Peacock

Seven-time World Champion Sebastien Loeb believes that Petter Solberg will be his ally as the Frenchman bids for his eighth title this year.

Solberg finished fifth on Rally Sweden, one place ahead of Loeb, but Citroen’s number one driver sees the Norwegian as a source of help rather than a threat.

“Petter is very conscientious: he tends to analyse absolutely everything on video about Citroen and Ford, every single small bit and detail,” said Loeb. “He’s going to come out with a few ideas for us, I’m sure about that.”

Loeb has admitted that the DS3 WRC came as something of a culture shock after the comparatively civilised C4 WRC.

“The DS3 WRC is more reactive and that has its advantages but also its disadvantages: the car is more precise and reactive but also less stable,” he said. “You have to be more aggressive with it as the engine is less powerful; with the manual gearbox you also have to be more brutal.”

Loeb is renowned for his smooth driving style, which on the face of it could be at odds with the more physical technique required to hustle a new generation World Rally Car. But the 36-year old says that he is not worried. “Our car is born well,” he concluded. “I’ll be interested to see how the others get on now.”
http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/loeb ... berg_help/

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