Rally News

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

but they don't say he is a factory driver, just that he is driving a factory car as he is driving the same car as Loeb or Ogier.

You're right. It could be understood as the driver is a privateer but the car not. It keeps being quite confusing but it could even be an advantage when it comes to Citroën team orders.

we might get some pics from the service park before shakedown... just 3 weeks to wait...

Nah, I'm sure they will cover the car and hide it just to annoy me

Not just you!

[sleenster]

[luieluv]

Renault considers WRC

News20th January 2011
By Giles Wade

Renault has been tipped for a return to top-level rallying, as the company scales down its involvement in Formula One.

The French giant is now involved in Grand Prix racing principally as an engine supplier, with the former Renault F1 team now known as Lotus-Renault.

The sale of the team to investors has freed up a sufficient amount of budget for the manufacturer to look at other forms of motorsport: specifically rallying. A new two-litre Megane Group N car will be homologated early this year – the most powerful Renault rally car since the legendary Maxi Megane of the 1990s – and the Clio R3 one-make series has also expanded its reach. Renault recently homologated an R2 and an R1 Twingo as well.

Renault is currently conducting a feasibility study to consider a possible entry onto the WRC – most likely with the Megane Coupe or next generation Clio – which would allow it to compete head to head against volume rivals such as Citroen and Ford.

A source close to Renault said: “In some shape or form, Renault has always been involved in rallying, but the change in regulations certainly make it easier to participate at the top level. The prospect of being represented at every level is very interesting for Renault.”

The French manufacturer, which has recently made some key new appointments in its motorsport department, is set to finalise its strategy in the coming months.

http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/rena ... iders_wrc/

[momo]

Very interesting article, thanks a lot luieluv!!

[luieluv]

Citroen's driver strategy puts the sport first

Citroen will prioritise the interests of the sport over an easy working life by placing Sebastien Ogier as equal number one with Sebastien Loeb this year.

The French make has won six out of the last eight manufacturers’ titles, including the last three championships in a row with Dani Sordo as team-mate to Loeb.

Sordo, who will switch to the rival MINI WRC Team, has never beaten Loeb on pace throughout his four years of employment with Citroen, but proved to be the perfect team player by regularly scoring manufacturer points. Now though, Citroen is prepared to run the risk of Loeb and Ogier taking points off each other - with neither driver willing to agree to a supporting role.

“Of course, when you have won a certain number of rallies and championships, it would be hard to accept being a number two,” said Loeb. “Instead, I would rather stop.”

Unlike Sordo though, Ogier has ruled out simply becoming Loeb’s understudy. “As far as I am concerned, we start off equal now,” said the winner of the World Championship rounds in Portugal and Japan last year. “I’m determined not to slip into the number two role.”

Team principal Olivier Quesnel has admitted that there is a risk of friction between his two French stars, but he insists that a healthy competitive environment is more important than the convenience of his team.

“This year can be interesting with the two Sebs,” said Quesnel. “But it is very important for Citroen for both drivers to know that they start the year equal. After that, we will see how the season goes, but I think it will be a good story.”

This year’s Citroen crews form the most competitive line-up for the French team since 2003, when Loeb, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz all drove the factory Xsaras.The firm will launch its new-for-2011 DS3 WRC at its Paris headquarters on Monday (24 January).

http://www.wrc.com/news/citroens-driver ... ?fid=14045

[F1Fan88]

thanks for the updates

[luieluv]

Richards: We can take Sordo to top of podium

Prodrive chairman David Richards asserts that away from Citroën and Sébastien Loeb, Dani Sordo can thrive and unleash his full potential with MINI - and finally break his World Rally Championship duck

David Richards is adamant that in the right environment this year, Prodrive can extract the very best from Dani Sordo and develop him into a multiple World Rally Championship winner – although he advises that the Spaniard will be kept on his toes by MINI team-mate Kris Meeke.

Prodrive is the operation behind the return of MINI to the WRC in 2011, and the car will make its competitive debut at an undisclosed date later on in the campaign [see separate story – click here]. A WRC regular since 2006, Sordo has 29 podiums to his name – all with Citroën – but no victories, with the French manufacturer seemingly unable to get the best out of him and his confidence ostensibly suffering alongside record-breaking seven-time world champion Sébastien Loeb.

Richards, however, assures that the talent is there and that all Sordo needs is the right atmosphere in which to thrive and really fulfil his potential.

“That I believe is one of the strengths at Prodrive, of actually putting drivers into an environment that they can excel in and deliver the best performance,” the Welshman told Crash.net at the annual pre-season Autosport International show. “Dani has been in the world championship for a number of years now; he's got 29 podiums to his name, and yet hasn't been on the top step.

“He has partnered the best driver in the world, though, and I think if we take him out of that environment and we put him into a place where we can nurture him properly with the right car – and he's driven the car already and speaks glowingly of it – then I'm convinced that he can challenge for world championship wins very quickly.”

As to Meeke, meanwhile, Richards acknowledged that the Ulsterman – 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) Champion – has impeccable credentials for his big break on the world stage, and suggested that the 31-year-old can go far.

“I expect him to be the equal of Dani,” asserted the former WRC title-winning co-driver. “He might lack a little experience in the World Rally Championship, but he's got great experience himself, he's an engineer in his own right and he's been getting a lot of mileage in the car.”

by Russell Atkins

http://www.crash.net/world+rally/news/1 ... odium.html

[sleenster]

Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo

The Spaniard Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo in WRC. The lack of financial agreement with Diego Vallejo was the reason for the change.

http://www.rallyes.net/20110121/carlos- ... ani-sordo/

[Kriss]

Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo

The Spaniard Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo in WRC. The lack of financial agreement with Diego Vallejo was the reason for the change.

http://www.rallyes.net/20110121/carlos- ... ani-sordo/

is it a good news or a bad one for Dani

[sleenster]

Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo

The Spaniard Carlos del Barrio is the new co-driver of Dani Sordo in WRC. The lack of financial agreement with Diego Vallejo was the reason for the change.

http://www.rallyes.net/20110121/carlos- ... ani-sordo/

is it a good news or a bad one for Dani

I don't think 3 co-drivers in 6 months is a good thing, he will keep having to get used to a new co-driver because they will have to learn his pacenote system.

[sleenster]

Maybe it's not so bad because it seems like Dani has worked with this co-driver before

Google+babelfish translate:

Carlos del Barrio will be the co-driver of Dani Sordo in the World Rally Championship

The Spaniard did not reach a financial agreement with his former co-driver, Diego Vallejo.

The paths of Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio have been reunited. The Spanish co-driver, who accompanied Sordo on previous occasions, will be the new co-driver to Dani Sordo, after not having come to a financial agreement with his former co-driver, Diego Vallejo.

The Galician co-driver became the partner of the Cantabrian Sordo last season when he decided to switch from Marc Marti in Citroën. Everything was going perfectly until now. There was understanding between both and good personal relations. The decision of the Galician was taken by surprise by Dani. This season, by joining Mini, Sordo receives a salary from the German brand, but he must pay his co-driver. Therefore he put himself in contact with him, but he did not reach an agreement. Vallejo demanded more money than Sordo was prepared to pay him.

Once he knew the decision from his usual co-driver, he telephoned the Spaniard Carlos del Barrio, who from the beginning and without asking about his salary, said yes to the new World Rally Championship adventure.

It won't be the first time that they compete in a same car. Their relationship dates back to the 2003 season when Daniel drove a Citroen Saxo Kit Car at the Rally Malaga, in the Spanish Rally Championship. The following year, they competed together all season and even took part in four rounds of the World Rally Championship. In 2004, Del Barrio changed course and went to the WRC with the Catalan Xevi Pons.

Their paths crossed again in 2005. The co-driver of Sordo then was Marc Marti, who was called by Carlos Sainz to the Rally of Turkey. This caused Del Barrio to accompany Sordo in a race. However, their last appearance together was in November 2009. With the Citroën C2 Super 1600 of the Auto Gomas, they won the Rally de Torrelavega in the regional championship. In addition, during all these years they have continued collaborating. Several times Del Barrio has done “ouvreur” - the one that inspects the sections - and also has been the co-driver in long sessions of tests.

http://www.eldiariomontanes.es/v/201101 ... 10122.html

[Mar]

Yep, Sordo and del Barrio know well each other and del Barrio is also a top co-driver. As far as I know, Dani wanted to keep on working with del Barrio but Citroën (and Carlos Sainz) imposed him Marc Martí.

Diego Vallejo has also made some statements and he has also confirmed the main problem has been the money and also that Dani’s program for this year in the championship is much reduced. In 2011, Vallejo will co-drive Llovera in the world championship and his brother in the Spanish national championship.

[Julia]

Citroen's driver strategy puts the sport first

http://www.wrc.com/news/citroens-driver ... ?fid=14045

... hmm... Peugeot driver tactic seems to be the god old points with all costs to the maindriver -> a little jekyl and hyde effect maybe?... hmmm... interesting how this is going to work in the competitions? i can think that he is not going to get Ogier to give away a position but hard to believe that Quesnel is never going to tell his drivers to keep their positions?

[Julia]

ford has a new five year plan...

http://www.motorstv.com/car/rally/wrc/2 ... sport-deal

Estonia's 'New Marko Martin' gets long-term Ford gig

Estonian youngster Ott Tanak has signed a five-year deal with M-Sport that will see the 23-year-old make his WRC debut this season.

The former Pirelli Star Driver will tackle seven rounds of the Super 2000 championship in an MM Motorsport-prepared Ford Fiesta S2000, beginning with Rally Mexico in March, before possibly graduating to the WRC’s premier class in 2012 at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Fiesta RS.

Tanak, who proved his prowess on gravel last season with Group N wins in Finland and Britain, admitted that his deal with M-Sport represented a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

“It’s incredible that I have this opportunity,” he said. “In the current climate these kinds of opportunities just don’t come along with the likes of M-Sport. I am very happy to be in a very fortunate position, and now I have to make the most of it.”

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson added: “We’re looking long term with Ott. He’s a very exciting driver and he has impressed me. He’s not going to start with a full programme, but that’s the goal eventually.”
Fellow Estonian Marko Martin, a former WRC rally winner with Ford, will run his protégé’s programme in 2011.

...its going to be crowded to the two "storbart" seats in 2012 ... henning, ostbeg, wilson jr and now tanak...

[sleenster]

ford has a new five year plan...

http://www.motorstv.com/car/rally/wrc/2 ... sport-deal

...its going to be crowded to the two "storbart" seats in 2012 ... henning, ostbeg, wilson jr and now tanak...

Is there really still going to be a Wilson Jr driving for Stobart in 2012?

He hasn't gotten his full season for 2011 together, don't know how likely it is that he will still be there in 2012....