Rally of Turkey 2010

[ReAlien]

The local weather forecast predicts a 20% chance of rain on Friday and temperatures in the region of 11 degrees Centigrade.

Damn, it's cold out there. We are more than 1000 km to the north and we have sunny 15-18 C for two weeks now.

[Kinga]

Thanks, Kriss!

See Moominpappa, Kaj said some nice things again! Let's hope that there won't be any rain during the weekend and that Kimi won't get carried away too much with the "fast and wide stuff"!

[Kriss]

Block is freezing

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=10 ... old+Turkey

Block feeling confident despite cold Turkey
Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block says that he’s feeling confident heading into the Rally of Turkey - despite the fact that the last time he sat in a World Rally Car was on the final stage of Rally Mexico last month.

Since then, the American has been busy with various commitments in the United States, meaning that he has not had time to test his Ford Focus RS WRC.

Nonetheless, Block says that his performance in Mexico - where he proved capable of setting top-10 times - gives him far more confidence on the second round of his seven-event programme in Turkey.

“The way we went in Mexico answered a few questions; the same questions I was asking of myself,” said the 42-year-old. “I think we showed that we could run with some of the more experienced guys and that puts my mind at rest more as we come here. Of course I’ve still got so much to learn, but I know that if things go well we should be able to have a decent pace.”

Block also said that he learned a valuable lesson in Mexico after retiring from the second day when he damaged a wheel.

“I’m quite annoyed by that, so the priority is obviously to finish the event,” said Block. “From what I can see of the rally I like it, but I’m surprised at just how cold it is: I was expecting it to be a lot warmer! Coming here with no testing is obviously a bit of a handicap, but it was good to get a bit of mileage in the shakedown and luckily I can benefit from the advice of everybody else in the Ford team.”

[Moominpappa]

The local weather forecast predicts a 20% chance of rain on Friday and temperatures in the region of 11 degrees Centigrade.

Damn, it's cold out there. We are more than 1000 km to the north and we have sunny 15-18 C for two weeks now.

Here is 8 degrees right now Not bad. There is still snow on our garden

[Kinga]

The local weather forecast predicts a 20% chance of rain on Friday and temperatures in the region of 11 degrees Centigrade.

Damn, it's cold out there. We are more than 1000 km to the north and we have sunny 15-18 C for two weeks now.

Here is 8 degrees right now Not bad. There is still snow on our garden

Here it is 8-10 degrees but no snow. But lots of rain!!!

[ReAlien]

The local weather forecast predicts a 20% chance of rain on Friday and temperatures in the region of 11 degrees Centigrade.

Damn, it's cold out there. We are more than 1000 km to the north and we have sunny 15-18 C for two weeks now.

Here is 8 degrees right now Not bad. There is still snow on our garden

Isn't it quite normal for Finland?

We are lucky this year, usually, like in Hungary now, we have around 8-10 C at this time of year and lots of rains.

[Kriss]

Ceremonial start list
http://www.rallyofturkey.org/images/doc ... lStart.pdf

Day1 Start list
http://www.rallyofturkey.org/images/doc ... rtList.pdf

[Moominpappa]

Isn't it quite normal for Finland?

We are lucky this year, usually, like in Hungary now, we have around 8-10 C at this time of year and lots of rains.

Yes, here is typical 5-14 at this time. Nights temperature are often less than zero.

[ReAlien]

Ceremonial start list
http://www.rallyofturkey.org/images/doc ... lStart.pdf

Day1 Start list
http://www.rallyofturkey.org/images/doc ... rtList.pdf

Only 40 drivers in rally? I see no usual P-WRC and S-WRC names...

[Anelise]

Courtesy MomoD OF
Press Conference - Pre-Event

Q: Kimi, we are now on round four of the Championship, how are you enjoying your WRC experience so far?

KR: Yes. I mean, for sure it has been very challenging, I knew that before, so it’s not a big surprise. We will look for more points if we finish the races. I am learning all the time. It’s getting a little bit easier.

Q: You said at the start of the year this would be your biggest career challenge to date, is it proving to be?

KR: All of the time it changes, the surface, the stages, everything is coming at a similar level of difficulty. I have no idea for more or less [difficulty on] any rallies; it’s not one thing which is more difficult than others. I just have to drive.

Q: What about this rally?

KR: It’s a bit easier than the previous rally – very fast and quite rough in places. I guess that’s rally. I hope we can go well.

Q: Was Jordan the toughest?

KR: Yes. It was probably the most difficult thing so far, in that way this event looks slightly more easy.

Q: How are your pace notes progressing?

KR: It’s the same story as driving: I have to do every event with new notes, so I am learning all of the time. It gets easier, but for sure, there is still lots to learn. This is one of the most important parts of the weekend, it’s experience and more to learn.

Q: We passed the F1 track on the way to shakedown this morning. Do you miss F1?

KR: No. I don’t miss it. If I missed it I wouldn’t be here, I’d be there. This is something I chose for myself and I’m enjoying it.


QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:
Fred Billet Echappement, France

Q: Kimi, will you commit to the WRC for several seasons?

KR: Like I said before, I haven’t made my kind up for next year and I’m not in a hurry to decide. Like I said, so far, I enjoy the challenge. It’s going to be difficult to learn everything, but we are learning

Q: Kimi, what do you think of the tactics?

KR: I don’t have to worry about those things, hopefully at the end of the year maybe I will have to worry about them! All the motor sport has those things, this is part of the game. You can make the rules, but there are many ways to go around the rules.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pr ... conf1.aspx

[Ploert]

Citroen duo quickest in Turkey Shakedown

Defending World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb was the fastest driver at the pre-event shakedown for Rally of Turkey earlier today, with his Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo his closest rival.

The four-hour test took place on a 4.75km stage in Kadilli, 28km east of the main Service Park in Pendik. Weather conditions were dry and sunny throughout with a temperature peaking at 17 degrees Celsius.

Loeb was the first driver to tackle the stage - giving himself a taste of what the conditions will be like on Friday when, as championship leader, he is stage opener. The Frenchman drove the stage four times, setting his best time - 2min 30.8sec - on his final pass.

Underlining the road cleaning effect, Sordo's second-fastest time (2min 31.1sec) also came on his fourth and final run. BP Ford Abu Dhabi Team driver Mikko Hirvonen rounded off the top three times, punching in a 2min 31.7sec run on his fourth attempt.

Kimi Raikkonen's rally got off to an encouraging start. The winner of the 2005 Formula One race in Turkey was joint seventh-fastest on gravel today, setting the same time as factory Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala.

After a ceremonial start in the Istanbul this evening, the opening stage of the rally, the 15.66km Darlik, gets underway at 0903hrs on Friday. Follow this link to find out how to follow the rally LIVE and FREE here on wrc.com.

Here are the Shakedown times of the WRC drivers:

1. LOEB. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:30.8
2. SORDO. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:31.1
3. HIRVONEN. Ford Focus RS WRC 09. 2:31.7
4. H.SOLBERG. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:32.2
=5. P. SOLBERG. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:32.5
=5. OGIER. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:32.5
=7. RAIKKONEN. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:33.1
=7. LATVALA. Ford Focus RS WRC 09. 2:33.1
9. VILLAGRA. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:33.7
10. WILSON. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:35.2
11. BLOCK. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:38.5

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=10 ... Shakedown+

[ish678]

"KR: No. I don’t miss it. If I missed it I wouldn’t be here, I’d be there."
That made me chuckle

Thanks Anelise!

[dindi]

^ Hahaha same here! Classic Kimi.

[Anelise]

Courtesy denise OF
Live stream for the opening ceremony
http://www.trt.net.tr/Canli/canli.aspx?kanal=TV2&slv=0

[Moominpappa]

This was good

KR: I don’t have to worry about those things, hopefully at the end of the year maybe I will have to worry about them! All the motor sport has those things, this is part of the game. You can make the rules, but there are many ways to go around the rules.