Rallye de France

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Ice-Ludy
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Re: Rallye de France

Post by Ice-Ludy » 29 Sep 2010, 14:39

Kimi Rally France preview
Vive la France!

Well, this is the rally we have been looking forward with very positive feelings since the rally-Bulgaria in mid-July.

We are heading for the second brand new tarmac rally of the WRC season. As well as we got some handicap in Bulgaria, I expect having a tiny advantage in our side against the frontrunners in Rally France, too.

Obviously, the other drivers won't be benefitting that much of the pace notes from the last ten years and the familiarity of the roads. This time we are all starting more or less from the same level and all of us has to learn all the stages from now on.

We didn't have a test session after Rally Japan, but, instead, we went to the local French Rally of Vosgien. It was good practise and good fun. We achieved some good results, we found some good things in the car and we got a good feel with the French roads similar we are gonna have in the WRC rally this weekend.

Me and my co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were happy with the work we did and with the feeling we had with the car during those special stages. We started the rally with the basic set-up, moved to a wrong way, but coming back to the basics it went right and now we should have a solid foundation to start the real rally on Friday.

Obviously, it's very difficult to say anything beforehand how the rally goes this time. We have to wait until we get there in the area and starting pushing. We go there to find the right rhytm quickly and to get things going smoothly since the very beginning this time.

To finish the rally without major errors is the target as always, but you never know, unfortunately, while I'm still lacking the long rally experience to score good results every time.

For the teams with Citroen WRC C4 cars, this will be a special weekend. While you drive a rally with a French car in France, you will get a lot of support and cheering from all the French fans. The French are real rally people like my Finnish compatriots. For sure, the atmosphere is going to be great - like in Finland.

Sebastien Loeb has a chance to clinch his world title. I don't know how many of them he has, I have lost in counting long time ago, but one thing I know - he's doing all he can to win his home rally and become a champion at home.

We hang on to do our very best. I still feel frustraded with some mistakes we had in the last couple of rallies. It feels just good to go back to tarmac, which gives me a cozy feeling every time.

We had a good training with a local rally in Italia before Bulgaria and that helped us there. I just hope the good feeling we got from Vosgien rally helps us in the same way this weekend in the Strasborg area as well.
EDIT: Sorry, just now I realized I posted in the wrong thread!! :lol: I will post in the right one now!!! :O
Last edited by Ice-Ludy on 29 Sep 2010, 17:04, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Rallye de France

Post by momo » 29 Sep 2010, 14:44

The Petter Solberg World Rally Team will field not one but two cars on Rallye de France this week.

Yvan Muller, world touring car champion in 2008 and a rally novice, will join the team on a one-off basis to pilot the Citroen Xsara WRC Solberg drove for much of last season on the all-asphalt event. Solberg, meanwhile, will continue at the wheel of his regular C4 WRC.

“I’m quite excited about another event on Tarmac,” said the 2003 WRC title-winner. “We have done a full day of testing before the event, with a good result. We know from both Bulgaria and Germany that we are competitive on Tarmac. I also think it will be good fun for all of us to have Yvan with us in the team this weekend, and I’m sure he will enjoy the rally, as the Xsara is amazing on Tarmac.”

Muller’s Xsara will be run in partnership with the French Automeca operation, which is managed by ex-WRC event winner Philippe Bugalski, who was responsible for carrying out much of the development work on the Xsara.

Like world championship leader Sebastien Loeb, Muller hails from the Alsace region of France and is expected to create significant interest when the rally gets underway on Friday morning with the first of 20 stages.

Solberg, currently fourth in the WRC drivers’ standings, showed his Tarmac prowess when he finished third on the sealed-surface Rally Bulgaria earlier this season, his first event with new co-driver Chris Patterson.
http://www.wrc.com/news/solberg-team-ex ... ?fid=13699

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by momo » 29 Sep 2010, 15:11

Despite a minor off while testing his Ford Focus WRC prior to the Rallye de France, American Gymkhana sensation Ken Block is feeling upbeat in the build-up to the French event, run for the first time in the Alsace region.

Block entered a fast left-hand curve on the test stage carrying slightly too much speed and then went off into a ditch. The damage to the Monster-backed car was only slight, so the American is now ready for action on the challenging French asphalt stages.

“We don’t have asphalt rallies in the United States, so Rally Germany is the only real experience we have on this surface,” said Block - who was nonetheless forced to retire from the German event on the final day due to mechanical failure. “Germany was actually better than I expected because the speed was good. So hopefully we can keep on making progress. Practice is everything: you can’t just jump in and drive.”

Block has recently been accumulating sealed-surface mileage by filming the latest of his Gymkhana series, where he put a 600-horsepower Ford Fiesta through its paces. The video, which has attracted more than seven million views on You Tube, will not prepare the American for the very specific demands of the Rallye de France though.

“It was just a bit of fun to show people the speed of the car and what it can do,” he said. “It took three days to film, and I actually had a serious fear of rolling. But any time spent in the car is good, although swapping between cars is always hard. The Focus I use on the WRC is the most awesome car I have ever driven.”

Block will now complete the rest of the WRC season, driving on asphalt in Spain next month before returning to gravel for the Rally Great Britain.
http://www.wrc.com/news/block-looks-for ... ?fid=13697

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 29 Sep 2010, 15:36

Nice info ludy and momo.
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by Julia » 29 Sep 2010, 16:59

luieluv wrote:Nice info ludy and momo.
+1
thanx for putting it here for us others to read!

so tomorrow is already the shakedown, c'mon Kimi! you can do it! A clean rally and top five! (OK, rather a clean rally than top five and a crash if you have to choose...)

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by Ice-Ludy » 29 Sep 2010, 17:06

luieluv wrote:Nice info ludy and momo.
You're welcome Luie and Julia! And thanks Momo! :O
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Re: Rallye de France

Post by momo » 29 Sep 2010, 17:47

Ice-Ludy wrote:
luieluv wrote:Nice info ludy and momo.
You're welcome Luie and Julia! And thanks Momo! :O
:)

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by Acropolis » 29 Sep 2010, 17:57

Thanks all of you!!!!!

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 29 Sep 2010, 18:07

As Usual i would like to start the rally weekend with Iceman Cometh!! and for this rally Viva La France!!
Raikkonen targets top five finish in France

News29th September 2010
By Charlie Contadeli

Kimi Raikkonen is aiming for a top-five finish on Rallye de France: the home event for his Citroen Junior Team.

The Finn’s performance on the only other brand new all-asphalt event held this year, in Bulgaria, has given him cause for encouragement as he ran in the top four before an accident dropped him down the order.

“If we can get a similar sort of feeling as we had in Bulgaria, then I will be happy,” said the 2007 Formula One world champion. “It’s obviously easier for me that nobody else has done this rally before either. I think we can have the speed, but of course we have to get to the end without making any mistakes as well. If we can manage that, we can probably aim for the top five: that would be a good result.”

Citroen is expected to be the dominant force in France, but to finish fifth Raikkonen would still have to beat several more experienced drivers on what is still only his 10th WRC event in the C4 WRC.

“That’s obviously not an easy task and I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect this,” said Raikkonen. “But it’s what we’re aiming for. I wouldn’t say that I am more familiar with the rallies on asphalt, but it’s certainly something that feels less unfamiliar.”
Link:
http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/raik ... in_france/[/color]
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 29 Sep 2010, 19:05

Shakedown is Tomorrow :

10:00 / 12:00 Shakedown P1 & P2 + P3 drivers
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by ish678 » 29 Sep 2010, 22:18

I have to work tomorrow! Boo :( At least I can look forward to coming home to lots of pictures :)
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Re: Rallye de France

Post by SpaMaster » 30 Sep 2010, 01:53

luieluv wrote:As Usual i would like to start the rally weekend with Iceman Cometh!! and for this rally Viva La France!!
Raikkonen targets top five finish in France

News29th September 2010
By Charlie Contadeli

Kimi Raikkonen is aiming for a top-five finish on Rallye de France: the home event for his Citroen Junior Team.

The Finn’s performance on the only other brand new all-asphalt event held this year, in Bulgaria, has given him cause for encouragement as he ran in the top four before an accident dropped him down the order.

“If we can get a similar sort of feeling as we had in Bulgaria, then I will be happy,” said the 2007 Formula One world champion. “It’s obviously easier for me that nobody else has done this rally before either. I think we can have the speed, but of course we have to get to the end without making any mistakes as well. If we can manage that, we can probably aim for the top five: that would be a good result.”

Citroen is expected to be the dominant force in France, but to finish fifth Raikkonen would still have to beat several more experienced drivers on what is still only his 10th WRC event in the C4 WRC.

“That’s obviously not an easy task and I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect this,” said Raikkonen. “But it’s what we’re aiming for. I wouldn’t say that I am more familiar with the rallies on asphalt, but it’s certainly something that feels less unfamiliar.”
Link:
http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/raik ... in_france/[/color]
Apart from his "less unfamiliarity" with asphalt, another thing that is of big help to Kimi is his driving style that is kind on tyres. I think Kimi has an advantage in this area over other drivers. So if there are no mistakes, we can hope for top-5 finish for Kimi in this rally.
Curious case of Kimi Raikkonen..

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 30 Sep 2010, 06:20

A Tweet Update :

WRCgerardquinn
On way to Service Park. Shakedown starts in 20mins. Damp... Now raining and wet


citroenracing
Shakedown. The Citroën C4 WRCs left the Service Park.
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 30 Sep 2010, 06:20

citroenracing: Shakedown. The Citroën C4 WRCs left the Service Park.
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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Re: Rallye de France

Post by luieluv » 30 Sep 2010, 06:22

Shakedown Conditions Update : Now raining and wet
So its gonna be a mix of Ravishing Black and White for Kimi Raikkonen this season

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