Rally News

[Julia]

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....

well starting to see it as very unlikely if he doesnt drive in the pace of the big boys in sweden... I mean his dad has in the last two months signed a ford contract with two new young guns/future stars: Ostberg and Tanak who both actually are in Wilson Jr age (23) and if you even include Jari-Matti in that group you realize Ford has 4 drivers almost in the same age... looks like they are very much in search for a future successor for mikko in the long run... but very unlikely they are going to stick to all four in many years...

[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....

well starting to see it as very unlikely if he doesnt drive in the pace of the big boys in sweden... I mean his dad has in the last two months signed a ford contract with two new young guns/future stars: Ostberg and Tanak who both actually are in Wilson Jr age (23) and if you even include Jari-Matti in that group you realize Ford has 4 drivers almost in the same age... looks like they are very much in search for a future successor for mikko in the long run... but very unlikely they are going to stick to all four in many years...

I think it's likely that he will be measured against Ostberg in Sweden and depending on how that goes, that might influence how many rallies he gets to do for the rest of the season...

[sleenster]

Ken Block's article in Italian Playboy

Over the top

Ken Block is one who in life has always pushed to the limit. Especially the speedometer and the accelerator pedal. After a successful career as a manager, he now lives at high speed between drifting videos rich in adrenaline and rally races

The smell of the ocean filters through a slightly open window while I push the accelerator on this motorway in southwest France. Through the green pastures of Gascogne scattered in the land of Bordeaux. It seems like a 1980s joke: an Italian onboard a French car is approaching and interviewing an American driver.

He was born in Long Beach on November 21, 1967 and grew up under the California sun. In 1994 he founded DC Shoes, one of the most famous brands of sneakers in the world of action sports. After having designed every single collection, he stops the role of marketing guru and successful manager to finally wear his fireproof suit, sitting at the wheel of a gem worth a million dollars.

Ken Block entered then world of professional rallying in 2005, and after only five years gained international respect and fame thanks to a series of adrenaline-filled videos shot in disused industrial areas. In this case, words would not be able to give you an idea. Excessive speed, driving to the limit, counter steering, worn tires, glowing brake discs. A quick tour of YouTube will help those who are not familiar to become an avid fan. Playboy got in the car with him and after a whole day of drifting, we have asked some questions while sitting comfortably in his motorhome.

Seeing you at work live on the Magescq track has been phenomenal and we could get in the car with you, it was really fun, I never thought that we could feel so safe!
Well, in fact we were not sure not at all (laughs)! There is a lot of difference between watching it from the outside and being inside the car... right?

Absolutely yes, the bucket seat, the helmet, the seat belts and a champ like you to help give you a huge sense of security, you hardly notice the speed. All is calm inside, while outside a perfect storm. But now I ask the questions (both laugh). Your latest drifting video (Gymkhana 3) has just come out, you have been to the X-Games bringing home some medals, you have participated in the WRC and you have even taken the time to demonstrate your talent in Top Gear (famous English motoring programme). Not bad for a Californian of 43 years!
(laughs) I really can't complain. Around the world doing what I love and trying to enjoy every minute of this fantastic job.

Now I understand why one of your main sponsors is Monster because the energy drink flows in your veins, you are the secret ingredient (both laugh)! Among all the things I just mentioned which one gave you the most satisfaction this year?
To be honest the thing that gratifies me most is being able to compete in the WRC. Reaching that level is a great satisfaction. Although for the moment I have not had stellar results, I still proved to be fast enough to keep pace with the more experienced drivers. I look forward to the next season. Most people know my name, thanks to the drifting videos that I make with DC Shoes, but I hope that in the future more and more people can get excited by my racing and my performance in the WRC.

Let's go over your career quickly. In 1994, you founded DC Shoes, in 2004 you sold your business to Quiksilver. In 2005 you began competing professionally and at the same time you started making high impact adrenaline videos through which you become a real celebrity. Are you going to conquer the whole world?
For all these years I tried to push myself to the limit and improve my skills. I work very hard and I am grateful to every fan for their support and tenacity for this video and for following my every crazy idea that comes to mind. I do not do this for fame or to become a celebrity, I feel very lucky to do this "work" and the only reason why I call it work is because there are sponsors involved, and to earn money. I love driving in the car and I would not choose to do anything else in life.

Tell us about your past.
I grew up in a family that had no economic problems. I was involved in skateboarding, snowboarding and motocross, but as a child I was taught that I had to work hard to earn what I wanted, I have never been given anything and I think that this discipline has been inculcated in me was my luck. I've never been a spoiled young as many of my friends have and I thank my parents for this because I learned that hard work always brings great satisfaction.

It appears that your marketing past has been of considerable help to reach a wider audience.
It is absolutely true. The worlds of rally and Formula 1 in some aspects were really of the stone age. In the U.S. the worlds of supercross, motocross or Nascar racing do a tremendous job in order to create and maintain a well-defined identity where the fans can recognize features that you grow fond of. Think for example the fact that the rally drivers change their number every year, so it becomes difficult for fans to follow their heroes. Think about the evocative power of numbers (such as 46 for Valentino Rossi), which are as important as the color of a jersey for a football or soccer team. I did the same with the number 43, it is my lucky charm.

You have a beautiful wife and two daughters, it must not be easy to keep a family together when you spend so much time away from home.
Fortunately my wife loves to come to each competition or event, and follows me everywhere which helps to maintain balance in our relationship.

It's really amazing how you look when you're driving, first calm and relaxed, then as soon as you turn on the engine out comes your wild and reckless side.
Surely it looks impressive from the outside, but for me it's just the way I like to drive, I do not become another person, I become one with the car and the engine and I enjoy it very much.

What kind of preparation you do before a race?
Obviously I have to train, be fit, be careful how I eat, constantly prepare for each trip, adapt to changes in climate and time in various countries where we are going to compete, but the most important thing is not physical, it is mental. A single mistake at 180 km/h could cost you your life when you drive on a trail overlooking the sea.

His car is equipped with Italian rubber and also his Italian co-driver, Alex Gelsomino from Palermo, who has followed Ken Block since his first race in Tennessee. Alex, in addition to being an expert co-driver with hundreds of races of experience, was the first to believe in him and recognize his talent. The Italian is good luck for this Californian, the combination of Italy/USA works really well and the results are there, in fact, our Alex became the first Italian to collect more than one medal in the famous X-Games.

Seeing Ken Block driving up close made me realize why he chose this profession... because this type of driving is absolutely hilarious. But in the best traditions, remember: Do not try this at home folks!

[luieluv]

A tweet from WRCgerardquinn

Fiesta RS WRC will not be competing at the Artic Rally this weekend.

[sleenster]

Really glad to know that they are OK

Ford switches Fiesta RS WRC test plans for Arctic Rally

Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team has dropped plans to debut its all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car in Finland's Arctic Lapland Rally (28 - 29 January) next weekend.

Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were scheduled to drive a leg each in the two-day snow and ice rally based in Rovaniemi. It was due to be the final part of the squad's pre-season test programme before next month's opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Sweden.

However, a heavy accident on the second day of the team's test in Sweden at the weekend forced the team to revise its plans and drop its appearance at the Arctic Rally. Latvala and Anttila were unhurt in the 150kph crash but the Fiesta RS WRC requires extensive repair work before the test can continue.

The same car was to be used in the Arctic Rally, but there is insufficient time to repair the damage and complete the Swedish test programme before travelling to Rovaniemi for the rally. The team has revised its schedule and the car will now remain at the test location to finalise preparations for next month's Rally Sweden (10 - 13 February).

"We will repair the damage to the car before continuing our testing in Sweden later this week," explained Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson. "We're confident we can complete all our scheduled test work this week, but unfortunately we need to sacrifice our appearance at the Arctic Lapland Rally to do that.

"I'm sorry for all the fans there who were looking forward to seeing Mikko and Jari-Matti in action in the Fiesta RS WRC, but completing our work in Sweden is the best option to ensure our preparations are completed for Rally Sweden," added Wilson.

Latvala explained the accident happened over a sixth gear crest. "It was my error," he admitted. "I tried to use the snow banks to slow the car, but it rolled in the road before vaulting the snow banks and hitting some trees. The Fiesta RS WRC stood up to the impact remarkably well and Miikka and I escaped unhurt. The fact that the team can repair it and we can continue to test this week shows just how strong it is."

http://www.m-sport.co.uk/index.php/news ... ctic-rally

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

aaa shame! But yeah glat that they are okay

[luieluv]

Don't miss our first quad split onboard!
- http://www.youtube.com/user/wrc?feature=mhum

Excellent Stuf. Ahuge huge thumbs up.

[luieluv]

Live tweet updates from citroenracing - Live from the launch of DS3

Citroën Racing has entered two crews: Sébastien Loeb-Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia.


Private crews. Three more Citroën DS3 WRCs will be driven by privateers.


DS3 WRC. P.Solberg will start 13 rounds, K.Räikkönen will take part in 10 events while P.van Merksteijn will begin their season in Portugal.


S. Loeb: The DS3’s shorter and so it’s more agile in the tight corners, but it’s also twitchier in the faster sections.

O.Quesnel: The team has fixed itself an aim as simple as it is ambitious - retain its Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles!

S.Loeb: Beating Sébastien Ogier and Petter Solberg will be a tough challenge! That only serves to boost my motivation even more!

S Ogier : I want to score points in each rally, be among the front-runners and gain more experience in the WRC.


Partners. With Total and Red Bull, three brands will be back among Citroën’s partners, Michelin, Facom and Alcon.

[Mar]

Don't miss our first quad split onboard!
- http://www.youtube.com/user/wrc?feature=mhum

Excellent Stuf. Ahuge huge thumbs up.

The synchronisation between Sordo and Grönholm is amazing.

[Julia]

thanx for all the updates! but was it just me who actually thought we would see nice pictures of a new car livery at citroen?

not so much new news about Kimi just confirming information we already new...

[beefree88]

thanx for all the updates! but was it just me who actually thought we would see nice pictures of a new car livery at citroen?

not so much new news about Kimi just confirming information we already new...

Citroen DS3 WRC launch
http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/gall ... 4jan-1.php

[Kriss]

http://rally.madeinmotorsport.com/en/he ... 18079.html

WRC - The technical challenge of the new Citroen

Citroen Racing technical manager Xavier Mestelan-Pinon talks of the development of the new DS3 WRC challenger.

What’s happened since the unveiling of the Citroen DS3 WRC at the Paris Motor Show last October?

XMP: “Our priority has been to rack up the kilometres in testing in all kinds of conditions. Thanks to the construction of a second DS3 WRC for test purposes we’ve been able to organize a session every fortnight. These tests have allowed us to work on reliability, and also to get to know the car, how it reacts to setup changes etc.

"As time passed we froze the technical definition of the car. These past few weeks we’ve been concentrating on what might look like details, but which aren’t – quite the opposite, in fact - like the positioning of the safety equipment and the FIA management systems, the installation of the crews and training them how work on the car outside the service parks. Our main difficulty has been trying to find hot weather conditions to work in: we managed to find some heat in the south of Europe.”

Have you any worries about the car’s reliability?

XMP: “I think we’ve done a pretty good job considering the time we’ve had at our disposal to bring this project to fruition. Obviously, risks exist. Don’t forget that the DS3 WRC is a completely new car, unlike the C4 which was derived from the Xsara.”

The most recent change was the tyres. What impact has this had on the development of the car?

XMP: “As Michelin has been one of Citroen’s historic partners, first of all I have to say how delighted I am to be working with this manufacturer again and a part of its engineering team. This enthusiasm in no way detracts from how satisfied we feel about the three years we spent with our previous partner.

"The profile of the Michelin tyres is fundamentally different, so we‘ve had to revise quite a few things in the area of the geometry of the running gear, the stiffness of the suspension, camber, anti-roll bars etc. The Michelin tyres are quick and they behave very precisely, particularly on asphalt.”

Do you think that these new world rally cars will be more spectacular than the previous ones?

XMP: “The smaller size will reduce the inertia. With no central differential, the cars will move about more under braking, even on asphalt. The engine will rev higher and make more noise. The absence of the semi-automatic gear selection will oblige the drivers to battle a bit more with the steering wheel. I’d say that these cars will be more fun to watch for the spectators.”

[luieluv]

Pirelli targets 2012 WRC return

25th January 2011
By Giles Wade

Italian tyre firm Pirelli is targeting a return to the World Rally Championship in 2012.

Pirelli has a contract to compete for at least three years in Formula One, as well as in GP2 and GP3.

But the company’s motorsport director Paul Hembery has spoken of his desire to return to take on Michelin in the 2012 WRC.

“I want us to be back in the WRC in 2012,” said Hembery. “Once those regulations are out, we will study them carefully and begin - if the conditions are right - to prepare ourselves. We have a programme of continued development to maintain our knowledge in rallying through the season.”

Pirelli will remain in the WRC this season, continuing to supply rubber to the WRC Academy – which will incorporate the Pirelli Star Driver scheme.

“We have supported the WRC since its inception in 1973 and we still have a huge passion for the sport of rallying,” added Hembery. “Yes, we are back in Formula 1, but we’re certainly not about to forget about the WRC.”

As well as supplying the WRC Academy, Pirelli recently secured a deal to equip the Citroen Racing Trophy – a one-make series present in 10 countries this year – with tyres for the next three years.

http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/pire ... rc_return/

[Anelise]

Thanks lui!!

[Julia]

thanx for all the updates! but was it just me who actually thought we would see nice pictures of a new car livery at citroen?

not so much new news about Kimi just confirming information we already new...

Citroen DS3 WRC launch
http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/gall ... 4jan-1.php

thanx


but, but.. im disappointed, they just squished the same livery on the new car.. a new era in rallycars, where s the new livery?