Motor rally (WRC)
Rally Raid
Street Racing
Other rally
Henning Solberg tried to struggle with Daniel Sordo in the first day of the race, but could not compete with the Spaniard on Saturday when that has increased his speed. After that the Norwegian for the first time acting on the Japanese ground, has decided to go extremely cautiously to guarantee to himself the second during the season hit on a podium which he has earned in the upshot.
This rally has been noted by a decent cruelty towards the participants acting on WRC cars. The first serious victim became the leader of championship Marcus Gronholm who has crashed shortly after has intercepted leadership from Latvala on morning section on Friday. And though he has lost only one minute and could reach service, damages of a safety framework on his car were too serious to admit Finn to start on the following special parts. Gronholm's retirement has given to Loeb an excellent opportunity to count on recapturing the initiative in struggle for the champion title.
However, the current champion also has been taken off from the track on the thirteenth special part because of his navigator's mistake that was made while reading the stenograph, having specified speed of entering the curve approximately on thirty kilometers higher than it was necessary. Unlike Gronholm, Loeb could return to the race next day under the SupeRally regulations and even has established the best time on four special parts. But on a penultimate section of a distance on the Frenchman's car engine there were problems with oil pressure, and the team has made the decision to be out. Citroen leader's result, or rather its absence, meant, that "Blue Oval" continued to take priority over both offsets of the championship.
But among all WRC participants the greatest disappointment was felt by Subaru team, for which Japan rally is in some measure home rally. Already towards Saturday morning all team's crews were registered in a rank of retained. Chris Atkinson and Xavier Pons have stopped the fight because of their own mistakes, and Petter Solberg's successful performance has been prevented the gear box which has broken on road section. Australian's car has been damaged too strongly to have time to repair it, but the Norwegian and the Spaniard have taken advantage of SupeRally regulations and have finished 17-th and 37-th, accordingly. "I am very disappointed by that we could not achieve better results on Subaru fans' eyes", - Solberg have sadly noticed on finish.
Comments
During the technical commission, hold after the Portugal rally finished, the pilots of the Ford team have been punished 5 minutes. The punishment has been fixed after it turned out that the Ford team performed with rear window that doesn't meet the standards. That decision means that Marcus Gronholm moved down to the 4th position in the absolute of the 5th stage WRC'07 and has given up his leadership in the pilots' championship to Sebastien. Comments
So, the Pirelli company won a tender regarding the tyres supply on the monopolistic market during the three seasons- 2008, 2009 and 2010. Comments
Marcus Gronholm had his 26th victory in his career and the 5th in Sweden, when he won in the final rally special circuit. This fact permitted him to become equal with the recordsman of the lap, Stig Blomcuist. On the rally finish, Finn didn’t express much of his emotions, he just said: “Great week end. The car was good, however, not, the car was excellent!” Comments
Motor rally in Switzerland and Norway - It will be snowing! Comments
The season of international rally championship has started. It takes place in Monte Carlo, where there is the most well known and one of then most difficult race circuit. In winter, this circuit has some unpredictable areas: some are covered with water, some with snow or ice; meanwhile some other areas are completely dry. However, this fact never stopped the racers, on the contrary, it inflamed their spirit and made for the true contest. Comments
So, it was announced the official list of the participant teams of the World Championship in Motor Ralli 2007. As before under the first two numbers will participate the Cytroen team. Under the third and fourth numbers will participate the Ford teams. The fifth and sixth numbers has been taken away by OMV Kronos Citroen from Subaru team which won the contest last time. Comments
Before the last stage of the championship start we already know the winners of three out of four titles. Sebastien Loeb won the champion title in Drivers' class in Rally Australia. After New Zealand Rally it became obvious that in Manufacturers' Championship the champion will be Ford and in the Production class it will be Nasser Al-Attiyah. The fourth title may have been predetermined as well but for the case about the disqualification of Per-Gunnar Andersson was decided and he was eliminated from the race he won't certainly become the champion. Wales Rally is also the final stage of BRC the winner of which (Marc Higgins) is already known as well.
Thus, the teams on the last stage can finally give a free hand to their drivers to show all their best in wet and cold conditions of Wales. Comments
Mikko Hirvonen won his first rally (Australia Rally) having shown the best time at the last stage. Mikko had a lead of 2.6 seconds over his major rival Petter Solberg and, as a result, Mikko Hirvonen was 37,1 seconds ahead in the final points-scoring position. Comments
World Rally Championship happens to be quite boring and predictable this year. It is quite evident that Sebastien Loeb has advantage over his rivals and the struggle for win or better to say the illusion of struggle takes place only at some stages… It is hardly may be called a competition when only two drivers out of several dozens compete for a win and the winner of the third prize comes 5 minutes later than the first prize winner. The winner of the championship seemed to be predetermined long before the end of the season. Nevertheless…yesterday when riding a mountain bike Loeb somehow contrived to break his right arm near the shoulder joint. And all this when he needed only 5 points to win the championship!!!
Loeb. Mikko Hirvonen that has taken the 3rd place before the punishment moved down to the 5th place. Jari-Matti Latvala has lost his 6th place taking the 8th. Thus Petter Solberg has won the 2nd place and Dani Sordo the 3rd. Ford has accepted the punishment and has declared that they won't contest the FIA decision.
It is curious the fact that the only competitor for the italian tyres company was the French company BFGoodrich, a filial of Michelin. And now after the contract termination of the Pirelli with Subaru, it was the only provider of the tyres for World Ralli Championship.
The representants of Michelin already expressed their indignation regarding the World Motorsport Counsel decission which had proclamed the Pirelli company as a winner in the tender.
In particular, the director of the sport department, Frederic Henry-Biabaud pointed that the Counsel decission has nothing common with the auto sport interests.
The sport success of Pirelli looks not very impressive.
The only consolation is that now allthe cars which will participate in the competiotions “will be provided with shoes from Pirelli”, that means taht all will be in equal status.
Sebastien Loeb was the 9th on the final special circuit, but the in rally he succeeded to come on the 2nd place. Thanks to this result, the Frenchman preserves his leadership in the championship with 2 points, what is more than Marcus Gronholm had. Sebastien was very glad and satisfied with his car, as his friend- opponent, when giving the interview on the finish stage. He said that C4 is a very prompt car and it is very easy to drive.
The third place of Micco Heervonen let to the Ford team to catch up Citroen in the commercial pass. Before the next lap they differ just with one point.
Last week was snowing for the first time in Karlstade town, the town where the rally take place. The thiknes of the snow was of 15/25 cm. After the meteorological prognoses, this week will be till - 20 degrees frost. This is very favorable for snow rally.
The snow and the ice are the basical components of the rally in Switzerland. The soil should be hard enough for this kind of undertakings, otherways it could bring serious damages to the environment. If the weather is not cold enough the snow rally could be interdicted, as it happens in 1990.
The abundant snow and low temperature are the ideal conditions for snow rally. Some more snow will be very opportunely, but nevertheless the soil is hard enough and the roads are covered with a thick ice crust.
Monte Carlo has one of the oldest and prestigious rallies in the world. The first rally here was organized in the 1911. From this very point rally becomes on of the most favorite sport event, attracting every year more participants. Every competitor comes with a fixed idea - to win and to set down among the all winners.
Here is some basic information about rally 2007:
-This year rally is the 75th, what makes it the oldest one.
-The rally center is in Valence and the special circuits are in Alps in France, Overnie. In Monaco passes just the final ceremony and the largest special circuits.
-The first two rally circuits were on Thursday and represented the night races. The main fight will pass on Friday and Saturday, when six special circuits will be the in past.
-The last circuit has 2,8 km length. It will be passed on Sunday morning, but at 3 p.m., the winners rewarding will take place.
So, guys, the circuit is open, attention and march!
That means that the Subaru racers will participate under the seventh and eighth numbers.
Further lasts the Stobart M-Sport Ford team and one more Argentinian team, participating on Focus cars – Munchi’s. The leader of these two teams has not been announced yet, but it is already obvious that it will became the Norvegian racer – Henning Solberg. Also it was announced that on the March, 12 th., 2007 it will continue the enrolment of the participants, but they will participate under the numbers 13 and further.
Most probably the participants of this teams will be the partialy manufactured Mitsubishi and Bozian Racing, which has been left withaut sponsor support. Mitshubishi could get its numbers right now, but it took a long time till the official name of its team has been anounced.
The point is that Mitsubishi is now refusing from this project, arguing this by the fact that since the company quitted the sports before 2008 they keep their word and there will be no team with the trade name of Mitsubishi in the rally.
1 CITRO¨N TOTAL WRT Sebastian Loeb (France)
2 CITRO¨N TOTAL WRT
3 BP-FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM Marcus Gronholm (Finland)
4 BP-FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM
5 OMV KRONOS CITRO¨N WRT Manfred Shtol (Austria)
6 OMV KRONOS CITRO¨N WRT
7 SUBARU WORLD RALLY TEAM Petter Solberg (Norway)
This year Wales Rally will again take place at the beginning of December. That means cold and humid weather and short day.
One of the most spectacular event of this race will probably be the special stage on Millennium Stadium which will take place on the evening of the 2nd of December.
Besides, Mikko was the only one to break up the monopoly of Loeb and Gronholm on the victories in this season. Petter's second place may be considered as an excellent result, especially, taking into consideration a series of failures he experienced during the last rallies. "I'm glad for myself, for the mechanics, for the whole team who worked day and night to make our success".
The fact that Sebastien Loeb became three times champion staying at home and not participating in rally can be called one more significant event of this rally. This happened because Marcus Gronholm who was the only one to challenge Sebastien Loeb due to his error on the first day of rally couldn't finish at the top position and thus lost his chances to get a title.
Today one thing is obvious - he will not participate in Turkey Rally. Besides, his participation in 3 other races of this year is doubtful. However, personally I am sure that he will toe to the starting line and will get this 5 points even with his left hand…by the way, Loeb is a lefthander
What concerns me, I long already for the next championship. I'm a fan of Subaru team which has already been experiencing a severe crisis within two years. So I live only in hope for the next season and new Subaru…God bless it.