| STiMULi | 03-01-2006 11:21 AM |
Rally Mexico Updates
�
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[B][SIZE=5]Stohl, Solberg confident of flying high[/SIZE].[/B]
[img]http://i.eurosport.com/2006/01/16/242179-753902-317-238.jpg[/img]
The third round of the 2006 World Rally Championship presents the OMV Peugeot Norway team with its third different challenge of the season, having already conquered the icy tarmac of Monte Carlo and the snows of Sweden.
The team lies an impressive third in the manufacturers' rankings after the opening two events of the season, having already scored ten points, and admits that its goal this weekend is to defend that position. With lead driver Manfred Stohl the only team driver slated to compete on the following two rallies, the squad will only be able to score driver's points, giving Corona Rally Mexico a whole new perspective.
The event is the season's first gravel event and, even though it is not included amongst the championship's classic rallies, still poses a new challenge for Austrians Stohl and Ilka Minor, and Norwegian duo Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud.
Even though Rally Sweden was almost a 'home' rally for Solberg, the Norwegian is looking forward to Mexico and, buoyed by his recent success on WRC candidate Rally Norway, is confident that he can add to the single championship point already gained this year.
"We already had a pretty good grip on the car in Sweden, and then we won Rally Norway, where we gained further experience," he explained, "I'm really looking forward to this rally, despite having never yet competed in Mexico, as gravel is among my favourite surfaces.
"Everything is highly professional here. I can focus solely on driving, which makes each kilometre almost count double. The Peugeot performs admirably on gravel, which will be a great advantage in Mexico."
Aside from the route itself, the event's high altitude poses completely different technical challenges to the cars, with WRC cars losing approximately one per cent engine power for every 100 metres altitude difference. With host city Leon lying at about 2500 metres above sea level, the drivers will have to get used to running with just about three-quarters of the power usually available to them.
"It will be decisive which team is best able to adapt to these circumstances, and get the best possible performance out of the car," Stohl admitted, "However, I'm sure that Bozian Racing has prepared the Peugeot 307 WRC perfectly, and we will be able to compete with the best. My two fastest stage best times in Monte Carlo have given me confidence, and I want to compete right at the top."
The Austrian, who was among the surprise packages of 2005, has already competed in Mexico, running in the Production Car World Rally Championship two years ago, but is determined to go back an rewrite his previous record there.
"We already had problems on the first day, and then had to retire on leg two," he recalled, "Even though I've almost forgotten this incident, I still would like to wipe the mistake from my memory."
Prior to leaving for Mexico, the team carried out a string of gravel tests close to Bozian headquarters in Lyon, with Stohl particularly happy with the way the 307 handled.
"It was exceptional," he enthused, "We've really got a grip on the Peugeot now - and we are much further on than we were at this point last year."
[url]http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Stohl--Solberg-confident-of-flying-high-~cid~4~id~125918.htm[/url]
[img]http://i.eurosport.com/2006/01/16/242179-753902-317-238.jpg[/img]
The third round of the 2006 World Rally Championship presents the OMV Peugeot Norway team with its third different challenge of the season, having already conquered the icy tarmac of Monte Carlo and the snows of Sweden.
The team lies an impressive third in the manufacturers' rankings after the opening two events of the season, having already scored ten points, and admits that its goal this weekend is to defend that position. With lead driver Manfred Stohl the only team driver slated to compete on the following two rallies, the squad will only be able to score driver's points, giving Corona Rally Mexico a whole new perspective.
The event is the season's first gravel event and, even though it is not included amongst the championship's classic rallies, still poses a new challenge for Austrians Stohl and Ilka Minor, and Norwegian duo Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud.
Even though Rally Sweden was almost a 'home' rally for Solberg, the Norwegian is looking forward to Mexico and, buoyed by his recent success on WRC candidate Rally Norway, is confident that he can add to the single championship point already gained this year.
"We already had a pretty good grip on the car in Sweden, and then we won Rally Norway, where we gained further experience," he explained, "I'm really looking forward to this rally, despite having never yet competed in Mexico, as gravel is among my favourite surfaces.
"Everything is highly professional here. I can focus solely on driving, which makes each kilometre almost count double. The Peugeot performs admirably on gravel, which will be a great advantage in Mexico."
Aside from the route itself, the event's high altitude poses completely different technical challenges to the cars, with WRC cars losing approximately one per cent engine power for every 100 metres altitude difference. With host city Leon lying at about 2500 metres above sea level, the drivers will have to get used to running with just about three-quarters of the power usually available to them.
"It will be decisive which team is best able to adapt to these circumstances, and get the best possible performance out of the car," Stohl admitted, "However, I'm sure that Bozian Racing has prepared the Peugeot 307 WRC perfectly, and we will be able to compete with the best. My two fastest stage best times in Monte Carlo have given me confidence, and I want to compete right at the top."
The Austrian, who was among the surprise packages of 2005, has already competed in Mexico, running in the Production Car World Rally Championship two years ago, but is determined to go back an rewrite his previous record there.
"We already had problems on the first day, and then had to retire on leg two," he recalled, "Even though I've almost forgotten this incident, I still would like to wipe the mistake from my memory."
Prior to leaving for Mexico, the team carried out a string of gravel tests close to Bozian headquarters in Lyon, with Stohl particularly happy with the way the 307 handled.
"It was exceptional," he enthused, "We've really got a grip on the Peugeot now - and we are much further on than we were at this point last year."
[url]http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Stohl--Solberg-confident-of-flying-high-~cid~4~id~125918.htm[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-01-2006 11:24 AM |
[B][SIZE=5]Demaison joins Subaru[/SIZE][/B]
[img]http://i.eurosport.com/2006/02/28/257461-870454-460-235.jpg[/img]
Subaru have continued their restructuring on the eve of this weekend's Mexico Rally by confirming that former Peugeot chief engineer Francois Xavier Demaison will join the Banbury-based team with immediate effect. Demaison, who holds the title of senior engineer, will overlook Petter Solberg's car.
Demaison, the former engineer of Marcus Gronholm at Peugeot, was expected to follow the Finn to Ford before contract negotiations broke down.
[I]"This will be the first event for our new senior engineer, Fran�ois-Xavier Demaison," confirmed SWRT's director of engineering, Steve Farrell. "Pierre Genon is moving to a new position as chief engineer, test and development and there will be a period of transition while Pierre shows him the ropes.
"In the fullness of time FX will take over as Petter's engineer," [/I] he confirmed. [I]"We're confident he'll fit in well and are looking forward to a good season together.�[/I]
[url]http://www.eurosport.com/rally/mexico/2006/sport_sto842554.shtml[/url]
[img]http://i.eurosport.com/2006/02/28/257461-870454-460-235.jpg[/img]
Subaru have continued their restructuring on the eve of this weekend's Mexico Rally by confirming that former Peugeot chief engineer Francois Xavier Demaison will join the Banbury-based team with immediate effect. Demaison, who holds the title of senior engineer, will overlook Petter Solberg's car.
Demaison, the former engineer of Marcus Gronholm at Peugeot, was expected to follow the Finn to Ford before contract negotiations broke down.
[I]"This will be the first event for our new senior engineer, Fran�ois-Xavier Demaison," confirmed SWRT's director of engineering, Steve Farrell. "Pierre Genon is moving to a new position as chief engineer, test and development and there will be a period of transition while Pierre shows him the ropes.
"In the fullness of time FX will take over as Petter's engineer," [/I] he confirmed. [I]"We're confident he'll fit in well and are looking forward to a good season together.�[/I]
[url]http://www.eurosport.com/rally/mexico/2006/sport_sto842554.shtml[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-01-2006 06:37 PM |
[B][SIZE=5]2006 Rally Mexico - 2 - 5 March Part 1[/SIZE][/B] (Round 3 of 16)
__________________________________________________________________
Rally Preview
Three weeks after leaving the snow-bound forests of Sweden, the FIA
World Rally Championship heads to the warmer and sunnier conditions of
central Mexico for the next event. Rally Mexico starts on Thursday 2
March and is based in the city of Leon. The World Championship�s only
round on the North American continent will be the third round of the
16-event series.
After two specialist asphalt and snow events, Mexico brings a return to
gravel roads and is often regarded as the first �proper� rally of the
year. The medium to high speed gravel roads climb up the side of
spectacular valleys, with some peaking at over 2,700 metres above sea
level. Now in its third year of inclusion in the WRC calendar, the route
takes crews to the highest stages of the season.
The hard-packed roads vary in character and call for a versatile car
set-up that gives drivers sure-footed handling in all conditions. The
high altitude brings additional challenges for engineers as the thin air
saps power from engines. As a result, average speeds are far lower than
on rallies run over similar terrain.
With no stages further than 50km away from the single rally HQ in Leon,
the route is one of the most compact in the championship. Commencing on
Thursday 2 March with a ceremonial start in the World Heritage town of
Guanajuato, the route will cover 17 special stages and 359.54
competitive kilometres. The stages remain largely unchanged from 2005,
but this year the route includes a Superspecial stage, constructed at
the nearby Puebla motor racing circuit.
Team Previews:
1. Kronos Total Citroen
For the North American round of the championship, the Kronos Total
Citro�n World Rally Team, currently second in the Manufacturers�
standings, enters two 2006 Xsara WRCs which will be driven by S�bastien
Loeb/Daniel Elena and Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio. For the World
Champion car, Citro�n Sport has homologated on the 1st of March a new
front bumper in the aim of improving the engine�s cooling system but
also its reliability and its longevity. Thanks to his Spanish supports,
who were overwhelmed by his Monaco and Swedish performance, reigning
Junior World Champion Dani Sordo rents a 2005 Xsara WRC to Kronos Racing
which he enters under his own name. As usual he benefits from the
experience of c o-driver Marc Marti.
S�bastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: At these altitudes, where people would ski
in Europe, even turbocharged engines gasp for breath in the rarefied
air, a consideration which calls for specific mapping . �The obvious
loss of power is surprising at the beginning� explains S�bastien Loeb .
�You feel it even more because you tend to over think about it� Then you
get used to it and you forget. In any case, we are all faced to the same
problem�� �It�s true that we haven�t been really lucky here so far!
However it is quite high in my personal rankings. The stages are not
narrow and I like this as it gives you the choice of driving line. The
stages are all different, sometimes very fast and sometimes very
technical. The weather is usually very nice, the landscape beautiful and
people are warm and friendly. The main concern remains with the stones
which have caused some much damage in the last two editions. Since two
years, we experienced such problems already at the shakedown and we took
part in the ceremonial start in Guanajuato by foot two years in a row. I
also retired in 2004 after the sump broke on an impact on one of those
stones. The solution? You need to remain extremely focused during the
recce to locate a maximum of them.�
Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio: �Mexico is a wonderful country! And here
we speak Spanish; it�s a bit like home. It is right that I have competed
here in 2004 and 2005. Really, it�s a great event but also where it�s
easy to make a mistake. The rally route changes all the time with some
fast and some slow sections. What is surprising at the start is the loss
of power due to the high altitudes�� �The rally route is demanding and
most of the competitive kilometres are covered during the first two
legs. Generally, I like the Mexican tests� In fact I like all the
World�s stages (laugh) but liking them is one thing and performing the
best way possible in them is another� To be a bit more serious, Mexico
rally is a fantastic event.�
2. OMV-Peugeot Norway
The World Rally Cars lose about one percent engine power per 100 metres
altitude difference. The vicinity of Leon (approximately 3500 kilometres
north of Mexico City) lies at about 2.500 metres sea level, which means
� of the usual engine power. Even though the Sweden Rally was almost a
home rally for Henning Solberg, the Norwegian is yet looking forward to
Mexico. Having already won one WRC-point, Manfred Stohl�s OMV teammate
is confident that he will also be able to score at the premiere in
Mexico. Prior to the departure to Mexico, gravel tests had been
scheduled for last weekend in France (close to the Bozian Racing
headquarters in Lyon). On a length of 120 kilometres, OMV drivers Stohl
and Solberg were able to get acquainted with the gravel performance of
the Peugeot. In the manufacturer�s ranking the OMV Peugeot Norway World
Rally Team lies in excellent third place with 10 points. The goal is to
defend this place in Mexico since only Manfred Stohl will be competing
in the following two WRC-runs, which means that the results will only be
valid for the driver�s ranking but not for the manufacturer�s WRC.
Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor: "It will be decisive which team will be best
able to adapt to these circumstances and get the best possible
performance out of the car. But I�m sure that Bozian Racing has prepared
the Peugeot 307 WRC perfectly and we will be able to compete with the
best�, explains OMV driver Manfred Stohl. The Austrian had already
competed in Mexico two years ago � back then in the FIA Production Car
World Rally Championship. Stohl: "We already had problems on the first
day and then had to retire on leg two. Even though I�ve almost forgotten
this incident I still would like to wipe out this mistake. "The OMV Team
is well aware that they will have to put their foot down from kilometre
one. Stohl: "My two special stage best times in Monte Carlo give me
confidence � I want to compete right at the top." Re testing: "It was
exceptional. We�ve really got a grip on the Peugeot now. And we are much
further than we were at this point last year. The main focus was on
shocks-testing. I�m sure we were very successful.�
Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: "We already had a pretty good grip on the
car in Sweden. Shortly thereafter we won the Rally Norway where we
gained further experience. I�m really looking forward to this rally
despite having never yet competed in Mexico. Especially since gravel is
among my favourite surfaces.� Re testing: "Everything is highly
professional. I can focus solely on driving which makes each kilometre
almost count double. The Peugeot performs admirably on gravel, which
will be a great advantage in Mexico.�
3. BP-Ford
The unbeaten BP-Ford World Rally Team will take its lead in the FIA
World Rally Championship to Mexico next week as the series moves for the
first time onto the gravel roads which are the dominant surface of the
season. After victories for BP-Ford on the two most specialised rounds
of the series, the Rally Mexico is the first of 11 gravel events in the
16-round series and will offer the best guideline so far for the year
ahead. Both Gr�nholm and Rautiainen and team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and
Jarmo Lehtinen have good records on a rally which has made a strong
impression in only two years in the championship. Gr�nholm scored
points on both previous outings, with a best result of second last year,
while Hirvonen finished fifth on his only start in 2004.
Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen: As championship leader, 38-year-old
Gr�nholm will be first to start the stages on Friday's opening leg. Hot
weather and little recent rain mean the tracks could be covered in
slippery loose gravel, which would hinder the early starters. "I don't
remember how much of a difficulty it has been in previous years," said
Gr�nholm. "But Sebastien Loeb, who is our closest rival in the
championship, starts only one car behind us so he won't have much of an
advantage if there is loose gravel. But Petter Solberg could benefit a
lot because he will start well down the order. It will only affect us
for three stages on Friday morning because the afternoon stages are
repeats. "Mexico is quite a normal gravel rally. It's not particularly
technical but has a good combination of fast and slower sections. The
stages are held on a good surface, which is quite smooth, but cars tend
to pick up quite a bit of damage and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's a
combination of high speeds and stones coming through the surface during
the second run over roads. "Testing has gone well and I'm confident the
car will be as competitive on gravel as it has been on asphalt and snow.
I have a few small things to sort out with the brakes, but that's
because I left-foot brake a lot," added Gr�nholm, who is recovering from
'flu which sidelined him during a ski-ing holiday in northern Finland.
Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: Hirvonen's two-day gravel test this week
in Spain left the Finn full of confidence for Mexico. "The feeling with
the Focus was very good and provided a huge boost ahead of Mexico. In
fact, I was quite surprised just how good it felt considering this was
my first test in the car on smooth gravel. Before this week I had only
driven the Focud on rough gravel and that was a reliability test. I
developed a good base setting from which I can work for all the gravel
events. I will work with the engineers to concentrate on the small
details and to fine-tune the settings," he said. "Mexico has a little of
everything. It's surprisingly fast and I remember driving flat out for
long sections. The surface can be abrasive and as the temperatures will
be quite high, I think it could be hard for tyres, but I 'm sure that
BFGoodrich will be well prepared. It's my first gravel rally since
Japan last year but I've competed in Sweden and tested in both France
and Spain on the loose so I don't see any problems in returning to the
surface in competition," added 25-year-old Hirvonen.
4. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford
The privately run Stobart-VK-M-Sport Ford Rally Team has entered two
2004-specification Focus RS WRCs. Britain's Matthew Wilson / Michael
Orr and Argentines Luis Perez Companc / Jose Maria Volta will be the
drivers, the first time Perez Companc has been nominated for points.
Irish crew Gareth MacHale / Paul Nagle will drive a privately-entered
similar car. Britain�s youngest-ever full-time professional rally
driver, 19-year-old Cumbrian Matthew Wilson, will take on the third
round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Mexico next week. The Ford
driver arrives in Leon, north of Mexico City, on a high, after scoring
his first WRC point for the Stobart VK M-Sport team on the previous
round in Sweden, early last month. Like the first two rounds of the
championship, Rally Mexico will be completely new for Matthew. And this
time he won�t have a more experienced team-mate to talk tactics with �
as Luis Perez-Companc has never contested the rally before either. Both
drivers will set out with the aim of furthering the team�s points tally
in the FIA Manufacturers� Championship, particularly as the Stobart VK
M-Sport arrive in central America just one point behind Subaru World
Rally Team.
Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr: �I said from the start of this season that
the first two rallies were always going to be quite tough for me; I
didn�t know too much about Monte Carlo and its ever-changing grip levels
and I didn�t know much more about Sweden and driving on snow. But, I do
know a bit about gravel. The 2005 Focus is just an amazing car to drive
on any surface � but on gravel, it�s absolutely fantastic. I did a
two-day test before this event, with both my rally engineer and Roman
Kresta (2005 Ford Team RS driver). Both of them were fantastic, so much
help. I worked on all sorts of settings for the car through the two
days, and then on each afternoon, Roman got in the car with me and
helped me with my driving. We were doing the kind of stuff you just
can�t do on a rally � things like going through corners on totally
different lines to see which was the quickest, it was really interesting
and tremendously helpful to be able to compare the data.�
Luis Perez-Companc/Jose Maria Volta: �I�m really looking forward to
getting back in the car after Sweden. My first snow rally was really
tough. I had a small accident, which didn�t help, but apart from that it
was a really enjoyable event. I�ve never contested Rally Mexico before,
either, but at least I�ve driven on gravel plenty of times � so I know a
bit more about what to expect. It�s such an experience driving the Focus
on these rallies.�
5. 555 Subaru
The Subaru World Rally Team will enter two cars in Rally Mexico driven
by Petter Solberg (co-driven by Phil Mills) and Chris Atkinson
(co-driven by Glenn Macneall). Petter won Rally Mexico in 2005 by a
margin of 34.5 seconds, having led the event from start to finish. The
Norwegian will be looking to repeat the success and score his first
points of the 2006 season. This year�s event will be Chris� second Rally
Mexico.
Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: Well, we�ll try again in Mexico! We�ll try
very hard to get some points by finishing on the podium, but winning is
the goal. I hope everything will be in good shape � the car, the tyres
and me. We�ve got a good starting position and I hope we can go well on
all three days. The team is very confident and we had a good test in
Sardinia. There�s so much more to come from us.�
Chris Atkinson/Glen MacNeall: It�s exciting to get back to Mexico where
we made our World Rally Championship gravel debut. We had a good run
last year where we set some encouraging split times and matched the pace
of other more experienced drivers. Based on this performance and the
fact we know the event now we�re looking for a good result, hopefully
top five. After Sweden I did some testing with the new car. We�re still
learning about the Impreza WRC2006, but things are definitely going in
the right direction.�
6. Red Bull-Skoda Team
The Red Bull-Skoda team are not competing in Mexico.
__________________________________________________
RallyeNewsletter - [url]http://www.rallye-newsletter.com/[/url] : MEX 06
__________________________________________________________________
Rally Preview
Three weeks after leaving the snow-bound forests of Sweden, the FIA
World Rally Championship heads to the warmer and sunnier conditions of
central Mexico for the next event. Rally Mexico starts on Thursday 2
March and is based in the city of Leon. The World Championship�s only
round on the North American continent will be the third round of the
16-event series.
After two specialist asphalt and snow events, Mexico brings a return to
gravel roads and is often regarded as the first �proper� rally of the
year. The medium to high speed gravel roads climb up the side of
spectacular valleys, with some peaking at over 2,700 metres above sea
level. Now in its third year of inclusion in the WRC calendar, the route
takes crews to the highest stages of the season.
The hard-packed roads vary in character and call for a versatile car
set-up that gives drivers sure-footed handling in all conditions. The
high altitude brings additional challenges for engineers as the thin air
saps power from engines. As a result, average speeds are far lower than
on rallies run over similar terrain.
With no stages further than 50km away from the single rally HQ in Leon,
the route is one of the most compact in the championship. Commencing on
Thursday 2 March with a ceremonial start in the World Heritage town of
Guanajuato, the route will cover 17 special stages and 359.54
competitive kilometres. The stages remain largely unchanged from 2005,
but this year the route includes a Superspecial stage, constructed at
the nearby Puebla motor racing circuit.
Team Previews:
1. Kronos Total Citroen
For the North American round of the championship, the Kronos Total
Citro�n World Rally Team, currently second in the Manufacturers�
standings, enters two 2006 Xsara WRCs which will be driven by S�bastien
Loeb/Daniel Elena and Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio. For the World
Champion car, Citro�n Sport has homologated on the 1st of March a new
front bumper in the aim of improving the engine�s cooling system but
also its reliability and its longevity. Thanks to his Spanish supports,
who were overwhelmed by his Monaco and Swedish performance, reigning
Junior World Champion Dani Sordo rents a 2005 Xsara WRC to Kronos Racing
which he enters under his own name. As usual he benefits from the
experience of c o-driver Marc Marti.
S�bastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: At these altitudes, where people would ski
in Europe, even turbocharged engines gasp for breath in the rarefied
air, a consideration which calls for specific mapping . �The obvious
loss of power is surprising at the beginning� explains S�bastien Loeb .
�You feel it even more because you tend to over think about it� Then you
get used to it and you forget. In any case, we are all faced to the same
problem�� �It�s true that we haven�t been really lucky here so far!
However it is quite high in my personal rankings. The stages are not
narrow and I like this as it gives you the choice of driving line. The
stages are all different, sometimes very fast and sometimes very
technical. The weather is usually very nice, the landscape beautiful and
people are warm and friendly. The main concern remains with the stones
which have caused some much damage in the last two editions. Since two
years, we experienced such problems already at the shakedown and we took
part in the ceremonial start in Guanajuato by foot two years in a row. I
also retired in 2004 after the sump broke on an impact on one of those
stones. The solution? You need to remain extremely focused during the
recce to locate a maximum of them.�
Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio: �Mexico is a wonderful country! And here
we speak Spanish; it�s a bit like home. It is right that I have competed
here in 2004 and 2005. Really, it�s a great event but also where it�s
easy to make a mistake. The rally route changes all the time with some
fast and some slow sections. What is surprising at the start is the loss
of power due to the high altitudes�� �The rally route is demanding and
most of the competitive kilometres are covered during the first two
legs. Generally, I like the Mexican tests� In fact I like all the
World�s stages (laugh) but liking them is one thing and performing the
best way possible in them is another� To be a bit more serious, Mexico
rally is a fantastic event.�
2. OMV-Peugeot Norway
The World Rally Cars lose about one percent engine power per 100 metres
altitude difference. The vicinity of Leon (approximately 3500 kilometres
north of Mexico City) lies at about 2.500 metres sea level, which means
� of the usual engine power. Even though the Sweden Rally was almost a
home rally for Henning Solberg, the Norwegian is yet looking forward to
Mexico. Having already won one WRC-point, Manfred Stohl�s OMV teammate
is confident that he will also be able to score at the premiere in
Mexico. Prior to the departure to Mexico, gravel tests had been
scheduled for last weekend in France (close to the Bozian Racing
headquarters in Lyon). On a length of 120 kilometres, OMV drivers Stohl
and Solberg were able to get acquainted with the gravel performance of
the Peugeot. In the manufacturer�s ranking the OMV Peugeot Norway World
Rally Team lies in excellent third place with 10 points. The goal is to
defend this place in Mexico since only Manfred Stohl will be competing
in the following two WRC-runs, which means that the results will only be
valid for the driver�s ranking but not for the manufacturer�s WRC.
Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor: "It will be decisive which team will be best
able to adapt to these circumstances and get the best possible
performance out of the car. But I�m sure that Bozian Racing has prepared
the Peugeot 307 WRC perfectly and we will be able to compete with the
best�, explains OMV driver Manfred Stohl. The Austrian had already
competed in Mexico two years ago � back then in the FIA Production Car
World Rally Championship. Stohl: "We already had problems on the first
day and then had to retire on leg two. Even though I�ve almost forgotten
this incident I still would like to wipe out this mistake. "The OMV Team
is well aware that they will have to put their foot down from kilometre
one. Stohl: "My two special stage best times in Monte Carlo give me
confidence � I want to compete right at the top." Re testing: "It was
exceptional. We�ve really got a grip on the Peugeot now. And we are much
further than we were at this point last year. The main focus was on
shocks-testing. I�m sure we were very successful.�
Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: "We already had a pretty good grip on the
car in Sweden. Shortly thereafter we won the Rally Norway where we
gained further experience. I�m really looking forward to this rally
despite having never yet competed in Mexico. Especially since gravel is
among my favourite surfaces.� Re testing: "Everything is highly
professional. I can focus solely on driving which makes each kilometre
almost count double. The Peugeot performs admirably on gravel, which
will be a great advantage in Mexico.�
3. BP-Ford
The unbeaten BP-Ford World Rally Team will take its lead in the FIA
World Rally Championship to Mexico next week as the series moves for the
first time onto the gravel roads which are the dominant surface of the
season. After victories for BP-Ford on the two most specialised rounds
of the series, the Rally Mexico is the first of 11 gravel events in the
16-round series and will offer the best guideline so far for the year
ahead. Both Gr�nholm and Rautiainen and team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and
Jarmo Lehtinen have good records on a rally which has made a strong
impression in only two years in the championship. Gr�nholm scored
points on both previous outings, with a best result of second last year,
while Hirvonen finished fifth on his only start in 2004.
Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen: As championship leader, 38-year-old
Gr�nholm will be first to start the stages on Friday's opening leg. Hot
weather and little recent rain mean the tracks could be covered in
slippery loose gravel, which would hinder the early starters. "I don't
remember how much of a difficulty it has been in previous years," said
Gr�nholm. "But Sebastien Loeb, who is our closest rival in the
championship, starts only one car behind us so he won't have much of an
advantage if there is loose gravel. But Petter Solberg could benefit a
lot because he will start well down the order. It will only affect us
for three stages on Friday morning because the afternoon stages are
repeats. "Mexico is quite a normal gravel rally. It's not particularly
technical but has a good combination of fast and slower sections. The
stages are held on a good surface, which is quite smooth, but cars tend
to pick up quite a bit of damage and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's a
combination of high speeds and stones coming through the surface during
the second run over roads. "Testing has gone well and I'm confident the
car will be as competitive on gravel as it has been on asphalt and snow.
I have a few small things to sort out with the brakes, but that's
because I left-foot brake a lot," added Gr�nholm, who is recovering from
'flu which sidelined him during a ski-ing holiday in northern Finland.
Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: Hirvonen's two-day gravel test this week
in Spain left the Finn full of confidence for Mexico. "The feeling with
the Focus was very good and provided a huge boost ahead of Mexico. In
fact, I was quite surprised just how good it felt considering this was
my first test in the car on smooth gravel. Before this week I had only
driven the Focud on rough gravel and that was a reliability test. I
developed a good base setting from which I can work for all the gravel
events. I will work with the engineers to concentrate on the small
details and to fine-tune the settings," he said. "Mexico has a little of
everything. It's surprisingly fast and I remember driving flat out for
long sections. The surface can be abrasive and as the temperatures will
be quite high, I think it could be hard for tyres, but I 'm sure that
BFGoodrich will be well prepared. It's my first gravel rally since
Japan last year but I've competed in Sweden and tested in both France
and Spain on the loose so I don't see any problems in returning to the
surface in competition," added 25-year-old Hirvonen.
4. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford
The privately run Stobart-VK-M-Sport Ford Rally Team has entered two
2004-specification Focus RS WRCs. Britain's Matthew Wilson / Michael
Orr and Argentines Luis Perez Companc / Jose Maria Volta will be the
drivers, the first time Perez Companc has been nominated for points.
Irish crew Gareth MacHale / Paul Nagle will drive a privately-entered
similar car. Britain�s youngest-ever full-time professional rally
driver, 19-year-old Cumbrian Matthew Wilson, will take on the third
round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Mexico next week. The Ford
driver arrives in Leon, north of Mexico City, on a high, after scoring
his first WRC point for the Stobart VK M-Sport team on the previous
round in Sweden, early last month. Like the first two rounds of the
championship, Rally Mexico will be completely new for Matthew. And this
time he won�t have a more experienced team-mate to talk tactics with �
as Luis Perez-Companc has never contested the rally before either. Both
drivers will set out with the aim of furthering the team�s points tally
in the FIA Manufacturers� Championship, particularly as the Stobart VK
M-Sport arrive in central America just one point behind Subaru World
Rally Team.
Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr: �I said from the start of this season that
the first two rallies were always going to be quite tough for me; I
didn�t know too much about Monte Carlo and its ever-changing grip levels
and I didn�t know much more about Sweden and driving on snow. But, I do
know a bit about gravel. The 2005 Focus is just an amazing car to drive
on any surface � but on gravel, it�s absolutely fantastic. I did a
two-day test before this event, with both my rally engineer and Roman
Kresta (2005 Ford Team RS driver). Both of them were fantastic, so much
help. I worked on all sorts of settings for the car through the two
days, and then on each afternoon, Roman got in the car with me and
helped me with my driving. We were doing the kind of stuff you just
can�t do on a rally � things like going through corners on totally
different lines to see which was the quickest, it was really interesting
and tremendously helpful to be able to compare the data.�
Luis Perez-Companc/Jose Maria Volta: �I�m really looking forward to
getting back in the car after Sweden. My first snow rally was really
tough. I had a small accident, which didn�t help, but apart from that it
was a really enjoyable event. I�ve never contested Rally Mexico before,
either, but at least I�ve driven on gravel plenty of times � so I know a
bit more about what to expect. It�s such an experience driving the Focus
on these rallies.�
5. 555 Subaru
The Subaru World Rally Team will enter two cars in Rally Mexico driven
by Petter Solberg (co-driven by Phil Mills) and Chris Atkinson
(co-driven by Glenn Macneall). Petter won Rally Mexico in 2005 by a
margin of 34.5 seconds, having led the event from start to finish. The
Norwegian will be looking to repeat the success and score his first
points of the 2006 season. This year�s event will be Chris� second Rally
Mexico.
Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: Well, we�ll try again in Mexico! We�ll try
very hard to get some points by finishing on the podium, but winning is
the goal. I hope everything will be in good shape � the car, the tyres
and me. We�ve got a good starting position and I hope we can go well on
all three days. The team is very confident and we had a good test in
Sardinia. There�s so much more to come from us.�
Chris Atkinson/Glen MacNeall: It�s exciting to get back to Mexico where
we made our World Rally Championship gravel debut. We had a good run
last year where we set some encouraging split times and matched the pace
of other more experienced drivers. Based on this performance and the
fact we know the event now we�re looking for a good result, hopefully
top five. After Sweden I did some testing with the new car. We�re still
learning about the Impreza WRC2006, but things are definitely going in
the right direction.�
6. Red Bull-Skoda Team
The Red Bull-Skoda team are not competing in Mexico.
__________________________________________________
RallyeNewsletter - [url]http://www.rallye-newsletter.com/[/url] : MEX 06
| STiMULi | 03-01-2006 06:39 PM |
[B][SIZE=5]2006 Rally Mexico - 2 - 5 March Part 2[/SIZE][/B] (Round 3 of 16)
Event Timetable
Thursday 2 March: Ceremonial Start
Start Guanajuato 21.00
Friday 3 March: Leg 1 Le�n - Le�n
Start Le�n 09.00
SS1 Ibarrilla 1 22.41km 09.37
SS2 Guanajuato 1 28.87km 11.00
SS3 El Cubilete 1 21.61km 11.51
Serv A Le�n (30 mins) 13.21
SS4 Ibarrilla 2 22.41km 14.28
SS5 Guanajuato 2 28.87km 15.51
SS6 El Cubilete 2 21.61km 16.42
Serv B Le�n (30 mins) 17.57
SS7 Nextel Superspecial 1 4.42km 19.17
Serv C Le�n (45 mins) 19.47
Finish Le�n 20.32
Saturday 4 March: Leg 2 Le�n - Le�n
Serv D Le�n (10 mins) 09.00
SS8 El Zauco 1 25.23km 10.08
SS9 Duarte 1 23.75km 11.26
SS10 Derramadero 1 23.27km 12.17
Serv E Le�n (30 mins) 13.42
SS11 El Zauco 2 25.23km 15.10
SS12 Duarte 2 23.75km 16.28
SS13 Derramadero 2 23.27km 17.19
Serv F Le�n (30 mins) 18.29
SS14 Nextel Superspecial 2 4.42km 19.49
Serv G Le�n (45 mins) 20.19
Finish Le�n 21.04
Sunday 5 March: Leg 3 Le�n - Le�n
Serv H Le�n (10 mins) 07.45
SS15 Leon 37.99km 08.28
SS16 Silao 18.01km 10.11
SS17 Nextel Superspecial 3 4.42km 11.26
Serv I Le�n (20 mins) 11.56
Finish Le�n 12.30
Event Statistics
- After applying for WRC status in 2001, the Corona Rally M�xico was
accepted as a round of the World Championship for the first time in
2004. Since 1998, the event has been based in Le�n (350 km north-west of
Mexico City) in the state of Guanajuato.
- In Le�n, the clocks are set at GMT -6. The difference with
continental Europe (GMT +1) is therefore seven hours which must be added
to the times listed below to obtain Continental European time.
- Le�n will host the single service park in the enormous,
air-conditioned Poliforum Expo Center (18,000 sq. metres) which is the
only completely covered service park of the championship!
- The Rally Mexico still features a very compact format thanks to the
proximity of the mountains: the total length is 1002.47 km, including
359.54 km divided into 17 stages (9 different).
- Recce takes place over Tuesday February 27th (9:00 � 18:00) and
Wednesday March 1st (07:00 � 19:00).
- The shakedown (Thursday March 2nd from 8:00 till 12:00) changes its
location. A 6,48 kilometres loop will be situated around fifteen
kilometres of the Poliforum, west of Le�n close to Alfaro. A section of
the 2005 stage of �Alfaro-El Establo� will also be used.
- The ceremonial start (Thursday, 19:00 till 21:00) will again be held
in front of the Teatro Juarez in the historic town of Guanajuato for the
greatest pleasure of a huge, popular, colourful party.
- Tyres: on January 17th, the teams communicated the lists of 60
bar-code references corresponding to each driver's choice (only one type
of pattern authorised). In the course of the rally, the drivers may use
35 of their individual quota of 60 tyres.
- The engine which will be used in Mexico should be also used in
Argentina.
- Leg 1. Friday March 3rd: 452.70 km including 150.20 competitive (7
SS). Start in Le�n (Poliforum) at 9:00. SS1 �Ibarilla 1� (22.41 km) �
SS2 �Guanajuato 1� (28.87 km) � SS3 �El Cubilete 1� (21.61 km) �
Regroup, Poliforum (13:06/15 min) - Service A (13:21/30 min) � SS4
�Ibarilla 2� � SS5 �Guanajuato 2� � SS6 �El Cubilete 2� � Service B
(17:57/30 min) � SS7 �Nextel Superspecial 1� (4.42 km) � Service C
(19:47/flexi-service 45 min). TC in parc ferm� of Le�n before 23:00.
- Leg 2. Saturday March 4th: 397.70 km including 148.92 competitive
kilometres (7 SS). Start in Le�n at 9:00. Service D (9:00/10 min) � SS8
�El Zauco 1� (25.23 km) � SS9 �Duarte 1� (23.75 km) � SS10 �Derramadero
1� (23.27 km) � Regroup (13:27/15 min) � Service E (13:42/30 min) � SS11
�El Zauco 2� � SS12 �Duarte 2� � SS13 �Derramadero 2� � Service F
(18:29/30 min) � SS14 �Nextel Superspecial 2� � Service G
(20:19/flexi-service 45 min). TC in parc ferm� of Le�n before 23:30.
- Leg 3. Sunday March 5th: 152.07 km including 60.42 competitive
kilometres (3 SS). Start in Le�n at 7:45. Service H (7.45/10 min) � SS15
�Le�n� (37.99 km) � SS16 �Silao� (18.01 km) � SS17 �Nextel Superspecial
3� � Service I (11: 56/20 min) � Final podium from 12:30.
- Changes: A Superspecial stage will be completed at the end of all
three legs. Even if some stages names have changed, they remain the same
as last year. In the same order on Friday (�La Esperanza� becomes
�Guanajuato�) and Saturday. With a permutation on Sunday, �Alfaro�
becomes �Le�n� (minus 5.8 km) will be run before �Silao�
(ex-�Comanjilla�).
RallyeNewsletter - [url]http://www.rallye-newsletter.com/[/url] : MEX 06
Event Timetable
Thursday 2 March: Ceremonial Start
Start Guanajuato 21.00
Friday 3 March: Leg 1 Le�n - Le�n
Start Le�n 09.00
SS1 Ibarrilla 1 22.41km 09.37
SS2 Guanajuato 1 28.87km 11.00
SS3 El Cubilete 1 21.61km 11.51
Serv A Le�n (30 mins) 13.21
SS4 Ibarrilla 2 22.41km 14.28
SS5 Guanajuato 2 28.87km 15.51
SS6 El Cubilete 2 21.61km 16.42
Serv B Le�n (30 mins) 17.57
SS7 Nextel Superspecial 1 4.42km 19.17
Serv C Le�n (45 mins) 19.47
Finish Le�n 20.32
Saturday 4 March: Leg 2 Le�n - Le�n
Serv D Le�n (10 mins) 09.00
SS8 El Zauco 1 25.23km 10.08
SS9 Duarte 1 23.75km 11.26
SS10 Derramadero 1 23.27km 12.17
Serv E Le�n (30 mins) 13.42
SS11 El Zauco 2 25.23km 15.10
SS12 Duarte 2 23.75km 16.28
SS13 Derramadero 2 23.27km 17.19
Serv F Le�n (30 mins) 18.29
SS14 Nextel Superspecial 2 4.42km 19.49
Serv G Le�n (45 mins) 20.19
Finish Le�n 21.04
Sunday 5 March: Leg 3 Le�n - Le�n
Serv H Le�n (10 mins) 07.45
SS15 Leon 37.99km 08.28
SS16 Silao 18.01km 10.11
SS17 Nextel Superspecial 3 4.42km 11.26
Serv I Le�n (20 mins) 11.56
Finish Le�n 12.30
Event Statistics
- After applying for WRC status in 2001, the Corona Rally M�xico was
accepted as a round of the World Championship for the first time in
2004. Since 1998, the event has been based in Le�n (350 km north-west of
Mexico City) in the state of Guanajuato.
- In Le�n, the clocks are set at GMT -6. The difference with
continental Europe (GMT +1) is therefore seven hours which must be added
to the times listed below to obtain Continental European time.
- Le�n will host the single service park in the enormous,
air-conditioned Poliforum Expo Center (18,000 sq. metres) which is the
only completely covered service park of the championship!
- The Rally Mexico still features a very compact format thanks to the
proximity of the mountains: the total length is 1002.47 km, including
359.54 km divided into 17 stages (9 different).
- Recce takes place over Tuesday February 27th (9:00 � 18:00) and
Wednesday March 1st (07:00 � 19:00).
- The shakedown (Thursday March 2nd from 8:00 till 12:00) changes its
location. A 6,48 kilometres loop will be situated around fifteen
kilometres of the Poliforum, west of Le�n close to Alfaro. A section of
the 2005 stage of �Alfaro-El Establo� will also be used.
- The ceremonial start (Thursday, 19:00 till 21:00) will again be held
in front of the Teatro Juarez in the historic town of Guanajuato for the
greatest pleasure of a huge, popular, colourful party.
- Tyres: on January 17th, the teams communicated the lists of 60
bar-code references corresponding to each driver's choice (only one type
of pattern authorised). In the course of the rally, the drivers may use
35 of their individual quota of 60 tyres.
- The engine which will be used in Mexico should be also used in
Argentina.
- Leg 1. Friday March 3rd: 452.70 km including 150.20 competitive (7
SS). Start in Le�n (Poliforum) at 9:00. SS1 �Ibarilla 1� (22.41 km) �
SS2 �Guanajuato 1� (28.87 km) � SS3 �El Cubilete 1� (21.61 km) �
Regroup, Poliforum (13:06/15 min) - Service A (13:21/30 min) � SS4
�Ibarilla 2� � SS5 �Guanajuato 2� � SS6 �El Cubilete 2� � Service B
(17:57/30 min) � SS7 �Nextel Superspecial 1� (4.42 km) � Service C
(19:47/flexi-service 45 min). TC in parc ferm� of Le�n before 23:00.
- Leg 2. Saturday March 4th: 397.70 km including 148.92 competitive
kilometres (7 SS). Start in Le�n at 9:00. Service D (9:00/10 min) � SS8
�El Zauco 1� (25.23 km) � SS9 �Duarte 1� (23.75 km) � SS10 �Derramadero
1� (23.27 km) � Regroup (13:27/15 min) � Service E (13:42/30 min) � SS11
�El Zauco 2� � SS12 �Duarte 2� � SS13 �Derramadero 2� � Service F
(18:29/30 min) � SS14 �Nextel Superspecial 2� � Service G
(20:19/flexi-service 45 min). TC in parc ferm� of Le�n before 23:30.
- Leg 3. Sunday March 5th: 152.07 km including 60.42 competitive
kilometres (3 SS). Start in Le�n at 7:45. Service H (7.45/10 min) � SS15
�Le�n� (37.99 km) � SS16 �Silao� (18.01 km) � SS17 �Nextel Superspecial
3� � Service I (11: 56/20 min) � Final podium from 12:30.
- Changes: A Superspecial stage will be completed at the end of all
three legs. Even if some stages names have changed, they remain the same
as last year. In the same order on Friday (�La Esperanza� becomes
�Guanajuato�) and Saturday. With a permutation on Sunday, �Alfaro�
becomes �Le�n� (minus 5.8 km) will be run before �Silao�
(ex-�Comanjilla�).
RallyeNewsletter - [url]http://www.rallye-newsletter.com/[/url] : MEX 06
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 01:55 AM |
[img]http://www.rally-america.com/Archives/2005/100_Acre_Wood/day/data/mt86-tire.jpg[/img]
[B][SIZE=5]Rally Mexico: BFGoodrich preview[/SIZE][/B]
Date 2006-03-01
The land of BFGoodrich's first motor sport successes BFGoodrich returns to Mexico -- the country that has provided the backdrop to some of its finest moments in motor sport -- as provisional leader of the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship. Indeed, last November saw BFGoodrich tyres collect their twentieth consecutive victory in North America's legendary off-road competition, the Baja 1000. This weekend, however, it's neither buggies nor pickups that BFGoodrich will be supplying on Maya soil but WRC machinery, and the tyre challenge will obviously be very different. Over the wide, technically demanding stages of the Leon region, the aim will be to optimise traction and to limit by how much the cars slide. As the first gravel round of the 2006 season, Rally
Mexico is eagerly awaited by WRC followers to see if a tendency emerges for the campaign ahead. Despite the two successes so far of Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen and their Ford Focus WRC/BFGoodrich, the Monte Carlo and Swedish Rallies were both so untypical of the rest of the calendar that it is difficult to read any sort of definitive pattern into their results. Rally Mexico, which is based in Leon and the mining town of Guanajuato, a UNESCO world heritage site, features high altitude stages (culminating at 2,737m) and wide tracks that permit spectacular power slides.
However, although welcomed by spectators, such slides can cost valuable time?
"For Mexico, the drivers want tyres that give good traction with no variations in wheelspin even at high angles of steering lock," says Aim� Chatard, BFGoodrich's Rallies Programme Manager. "Maintaining the ideal speed enables them to control how much the car's rear slides by adjusting the amount of power being delivered to the wheels. That said, a car that slides, even progressively, is often a car that is not at its most effective, and therefore not at its quickest."
Drivers with an asphalt style who like near-racing lines want rear-end stability and therefore seek to restrict how much the rear slides to be able to re-accelerate early out of corners. BFGoodrich's tyres won over the drivers during testing by their ability to do just this.
[B]
RALLY MEXICO?[/B]
SEEN BY S�BASTIEN LOEB (Citro�n/BFGoodrich)
"This is an event that has yet to go well for me. In 2004, I was leading when I damaged my sump after a heavy landing. Last year, a suspension mounting broke shortly after the start, although I succeeded in fighting back from 18th to 4th place overall. For this rally's wide stages, I want my tyres to be progressive, with good lateral bite, especially at the rear. This year, we will also have to manage tyre wear since not having active differentials promises to be more of a handicap on the loose. That said, our tests with the g-Force Gravel in Spain proved very encouraging."
[B]
BFGOODRICH NEWS[/B]
[B]QUOTA[/B] -- Manufacturer 1 and 2 entered drivers have a total quota of 60 tyres each, 35 of which may be used during the event (rally + shakedown). Just one type of pattern is authorised, compared with two last year. Tyres were nominated on January 17th.
[B]
PATTERN/CONSTRUCTION[/B] -- While the tread needs to be capable of cutting through the loose top-coating to enable the compound to heat up and provide grip, the construction must cope with the acceleration and braking forces to combat the centrifugal forces that tend to deviate the car from its line... HOT! -- At the end of the 73km loop, the temperature of the tread band surface could well reach 110�C.
[B]
TESTING OUTLAWED IN MEXICO [/B]-- With overseas testing prohibited, pre-event tests for Rally Mexico took place in Spain in January and February. It was difficult however to test products in identical conditions (different temperatures, type of surface, altitude, etc.). FINAL TESTS -- Marcus Gr�nholm drove his Ford Focus WRC06 on BFGoodrich's g-Force Gravel tyre on the loose for the first time in Spain on February 22- 23. The test base was reasonably similar to the Mexican stages, but temperatures only got up to 8�C! FORD/BFGOODRICH -- The last two Baja 1000s have been won by Troy Herbst's Smith Built Ford/BFGoodrich. The 2006 event (15-18 November) will be based in Ensenada.
[B]ROUTE NOTE CREW[/B]S -- BFGoodrich will provide its partners with detailed and general descriptions of stage surfaces and conditions thanks to its own route note crew.
[B][SIZE=5]Rally Mexico: BFGoodrich preview[/SIZE][/B]
Date 2006-03-01
The land of BFGoodrich's first motor sport successes BFGoodrich returns to Mexico -- the country that has provided the backdrop to some of its finest moments in motor sport -- as provisional leader of the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship. Indeed, last November saw BFGoodrich tyres collect their twentieth consecutive victory in North America's legendary off-road competition, the Baja 1000. This weekend, however, it's neither buggies nor pickups that BFGoodrich will be supplying on Maya soil but WRC machinery, and the tyre challenge will obviously be very different. Over the wide, technically demanding stages of the Leon region, the aim will be to optimise traction and to limit by how much the cars slide. As the first gravel round of the 2006 season, Rally
Mexico is eagerly awaited by WRC followers to see if a tendency emerges for the campaign ahead. Despite the two successes so far of Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen and their Ford Focus WRC/BFGoodrich, the Monte Carlo and Swedish Rallies were both so untypical of the rest of the calendar that it is difficult to read any sort of definitive pattern into their results. Rally Mexico, which is based in Leon and the mining town of Guanajuato, a UNESCO world heritage site, features high altitude stages (culminating at 2,737m) and wide tracks that permit spectacular power slides.
However, although welcomed by spectators, such slides can cost valuable time?
"For Mexico, the drivers want tyres that give good traction with no variations in wheelspin even at high angles of steering lock," says Aim� Chatard, BFGoodrich's Rallies Programme Manager. "Maintaining the ideal speed enables them to control how much the car's rear slides by adjusting the amount of power being delivered to the wheels. That said, a car that slides, even progressively, is often a car that is not at its most effective, and therefore not at its quickest."
Drivers with an asphalt style who like near-racing lines want rear-end stability and therefore seek to restrict how much the rear slides to be able to re-accelerate early out of corners. BFGoodrich's tyres won over the drivers during testing by their ability to do just this.
[B]
RALLY MEXICO?[/B]
SEEN BY S�BASTIEN LOEB (Citro�n/BFGoodrich)
"This is an event that has yet to go well for me. In 2004, I was leading when I damaged my sump after a heavy landing. Last year, a suspension mounting broke shortly after the start, although I succeeded in fighting back from 18th to 4th place overall. For this rally's wide stages, I want my tyres to be progressive, with good lateral bite, especially at the rear. This year, we will also have to manage tyre wear since not having active differentials promises to be more of a handicap on the loose. That said, our tests with the g-Force Gravel in Spain proved very encouraging."
[B]
BFGOODRICH NEWS[/B]
[B]QUOTA[/B] -- Manufacturer 1 and 2 entered drivers have a total quota of 60 tyres each, 35 of which may be used during the event (rally + shakedown). Just one type of pattern is authorised, compared with two last year. Tyres were nominated on January 17th.
[B]
PATTERN/CONSTRUCTION[/B] -- While the tread needs to be capable of cutting through the loose top-coating to enable the compound to heat up and provide grip, the construction must cope with the acceleration and braking forces to combat the centrifugal forces that tend to deviate the car from its line... HOT! -- At the end of the 73km loop, the temperature of the tread band surface could well reach 110�C.
[B]
TESTING OUTLAWED IN MEXICO [/B]-- With overseas testing prohibited, pre-event tests for Rally Mexico took place in Spain in January and February. It was difficult however to test products in identical conditions (different temperatures, type of surface, altitude, etc.). FINAL TESTS -- Marcus Gr�nholm drove his Ford Focus WRC06 on BFGoodrich's g-Force Gravel tyre on the loose for the first time in Spain on February 22- 23. The test base was reasonably similar to the Mexican stages, but temperatures only got up to 8�C! FORD/BFGOODRICH -- The last two Baja 1000s have been won by Troy Herbst's Smith Built Ford/BFGoodrich. The 2006 event (15-18 November) will be based in Ensenada.
[B]ROUTE NOTE CREW[/B]S -- BFGoodrich will provide its partners with detailed and general descriptions of stage surfaces and conditions thanks to its own route note crew.
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 01:59 AM |
[B][SIZE=5]Solberg sets the pace in Shakedown[/SIZE][/B]
Mexico : Shakedown
[img]http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/photos/imgactu/zoom06/psolberg-sued-z-07_050206.jpg[/img]
[B]Solberg satisfied after the Shakedown[/B]
The 2006 edition of Rally Mexico will get underway tomorrow with the first leg of the race but this morning the drivers got the opportunity to fine-tune their cars during the shakedown, the final test before the actual race.
The 6.8 km shakedown course � based in part on the 2005 Alfaro-Establo stage - is considered to be rougher than most of the rally's timed events but it is still a good indication of the conditions for the race, especially to adapt to the loss of power created by the high altitude.
The dry, warm and sunny weather conditions were nearly perfect and at the end of the session, Petter Solberg finished at the top of the time sheets. Here are the comments of some of the drivers after the shakedown:
Sebastien Loeb (Xsara WRC)
�I really like Rally Mexico and I feel quite confident although it was difficult to see how it will be during the rally because shakedown was quite different to the stages.�
Xavier Pons (Xsara WRC)
�It's my third time in Mexico � once with a Group N and then with a Peugeot 206 � but it may be slightly different this year because the stages seem to be drier than ever.�
Marcus Gronholm (Focus WRC)
�Because of the altitude it means you need to drive the car a bit differently. It's almost about taking more speed into the corners� almost� This car is good � I am really happy.�
Mikko Hirvonen (Focus WRC)
�At this altitude, the power of the engine we have here is reduced by about 20% and it will be reduced by more in the mountains. It means you have to drive with more care to not lose time� like going sideways.�
Petter Solberg (Impreza WRC)
�OK, shakedown was a bit rough at the end but was representative in the beginning. It was OK for me because at this time, I was the fastest. The first three stages will be important and the plan is to try and gain a big advantage there because the of the running order.�
Chris Atkinson (Impreza WRC)
�My first gravel rally was in Mexico last year and I learned then that it is very important to try to miss the many rocks on the stages. In the mountains, we have about 30% less power which means you don't drive so aggressively. Last year, the engine was equipped with water injection, but this is not allowed by the regulations this year. However, so many improvements have been made to the engine that I don't think the response feels any different.�
Manfred Stohl (307 WRC)
�Although I came to Mexico two years ago, I find the stages this year quite difficult because it's hard to find a good set-up compromise between the fast and slow sections.�
Henning Solberg (307 WRC)
�Having won Rally Norway helps me because this rally will be the fourth time I have run the 307 and I have a good knowledge of how it works.�
Matthew Wilson (Focus WRC)
�It feels better now I have experienced the big loss of power due to altitude. Otherwise, no problem during recce and the stages seem quite interesting.�
Luis Perez-Companc (Focus WRC)
�I came to Mexico in 2004 but retired at the end of the first day. Some stages are similar to Argentina, so I am quite confident. The fact that I have been nominated to score points for the team will not affect my attitude.�
Dani Sordo (Xsara WRC)
�Shakedown seemed a big rough but I was told it would be smoother on the rally stages, which suits me quite well. My first aim is to be at the finish and treat this year as a learning experience.�
Hugo GIGUERE
Source Corona Rally Mexico
[url]http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/en/index.html?http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/en/headlines/news/detail/060302214303.shtml[/url]
Mexico : Shakedown
[img]http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/photos/imgactu/zoom06/psolberg-sued-z-07_050206.jpg[/img]
[B]Solberg satisfied after the Shakedown[/B]
The 2006 edition of Rally Mexico will get underway tomorrow with the first leg of the race but this morning the drivers got the opportunity to fine-tune their cars during the shakedown, the final test before the actual race.
The 6.8 km shakedown course � based in part on the 2005 Alfaro-Establo stage - is considered to be rougher than most of the rally's timed events but it is still a good indication of the conditions for the race, especially to adapt to the loss of power created by the high altitude.
The dry, warm and sunny weather conditions were nearly perfect and at the end of the session, Petter Solberg finished at the top of the time sheets. Here are the comments of some of the drivers after the shakedown:
Sebastien Loeb (Xsara WRC)
�I really like Rally Mexico and I feel quite confident although it was difficult to see how it will be during the rally because shakedown was quite different to the stages.�
Xavier Pons (Xsara WRC)
�It's my third time in Mexico � once with a Group N and then with a Peugeot 206 � but it may be slightly different this year because the stages seem to be drier than ever.�
Marcus Gronholm (Focus WRC)
�Because of the altitude it means you need to drive the car a bit differently. It's almost about taking more speed into the corners� almost� This car is good � I am really happy.�
Mikko Hirvonen (Focus WRC)
�At this altitude, the power of the engine we have here is reduced by about 20% and it will be reduced by more in the mountains. It means you have to drive with more care to not lose time� like going sideways.�
Petter Solberg (Impreza WRC)
�OK, shakedown was a bit rough at the end but was representative in the beginning. It was OK for me because at this time, I was the fastest. The first three stages will be important and the plan is to try and gain a big advantage there because the of the running order.�
Chris Atkinson (Impreza WRC)
�My first gravel rally was in Mexico last year and I learned then that it is very important to try to miss the many rocks on the stages. In the mountains, we have about 30% less power which means you don't drive so aggressively. Last year, the engine was equipped with water injection, but this is not allowed by the regulations this year. However, so many improvements have been made to the engine that I don't think the response feels any different.�
Manfred Stohl (307 WRC)
�Although I came to Mexico two years ago, I find the stages this year quite difficult because it's hard to find a good set-up compromise between the fast and slow sections.�
Henning Solberg (307 WRC)
�Having won Rally Norway helps me because this rally will be the fourth time I have run the 307 and I have a good knowledge of how it works.�
Matthew Wilson (Focus WRC)
�It feels better now I have experienced the big loss of power due to altitude. Otherwise, no problem during recce and the stages seem quite interesting.�
Luis Perez-Companc (Focus WRC)
�I came to Mexico in 2004 but retired at the end of the first day. Some stages are similar to Argentina, so I am quite confident. The fact that I have been nominated to score points for the team will not affect my attitude.�
Dani Sordo (Xsara WRC)
�Shakedown seemed a big rough but I was told it would be smoother on the rally stages, which suits me quite well. My first aim is to be at the finish and treat this year as a learning experience.�
Hugo GIGUERE
Source Corona Rally Mexico
[url]http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/en/index.html?http://rally.racing-live.com/wrc/en/headlines/news/detail/060302214303.shtml[/url]
| Chromer | 03-03-2006 10:48 AM |
And the 1st stage is hot!
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/StageTimes/0,,10111~200613,00.html[/url]
Watch this ^^ page...
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/StageTimes/0,,10111~200613,00.html[/url]
Watch this ^^ page...
| rupertberr | 03-03-2006 11:05 AM |
All info including spoilers about Rally Mexico is supposed to go here:
[url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=935098&page=1&pp=25[/url]
but what do I know about rules... :confused:
[url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=935098&page=1&pp=25[/url]
but what do I know about rules... :confused:
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 01:22 PM |
That thread got way OT so I will include what I find elsewhere here.
| Slick33 | 03-03-2006 03:22 PM |
Preview vid is starting to find it's way onto the 'net...
[url]http://rally.stanis.info/index.php?sort=date[/url]
[url]http://rally.stanis.info/index.php?sort=date[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 08:43 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Gronholm top in Mexico shakedown[/B][/SIZE].
Ford team leader Marcus Gronholm set the pace in the shakedown for the Corona Rally Mexico Thursday, the Finn completing the 6.48 km Poliforum test in 4 minutes 29.4 seconds.
Gronholm, who has won both the opening two events, was understandably delighted: "This car is good. I am really happy."
Gronholm was 1.4 seconds quicker than Petter Solberg's Subaru, while Chris Atkinson was third in the sister Impreza.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS1.[/B][/SIZE]
SS1 - Ibarrilla 1 (22.41 km): Solberg fastest through SS1; Hirvonen second; Loeb third; Gronholm fourth; Atkinson fifth; Sordo sixth; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 6.1seconds.
[B]
[SIZE=5]Rally Mexico: SS2.[/SIZE][/B]
SS2 - Guanajuato 1 (28.87 km): Solberg fastest through SS2; Hirvonen second; Gronholm third; Loeb fourth; Atkinson fifth; Stohl sixth; Pons stopped in the stage - 12 kilometres from the start; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 8.1seconds.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS3.[/B][/SIZE]
SS3 - El Cubilete 1 (21.61 km): Solberg fastest through SS3; Hirvonen second; Gronholm third; Henning Solberg fourth; Loeb fifth; Stohl sixth; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 10.4seconds.
[SIZE=5][B][COLOR=Navy]Three in a row puts Solberg in P1[/COLOR][/B].[/SIZE]
Subaru team leader, Petter Solberg has begun the Corona Rally Mexico in style by winning the opening three tests on Friday.
The Norwegian, who is gunning for his second consecutive win in Mexico after a disastrous start to the season, which has seen him failed to score points in either of the opening two events, finished the first test 6.1 seconds up on Mikko Hirvonen. He then proceeded to stretch his advantage in SS2, to 8.1 seconds, before increasing it further in SS3. The Norwegian goes into the first service of the day with a comfortable 10.4 seconds lead.
"I could have been even faster but I made several mistakes on SS3. The car is working well and I have a good hard compound on my tyres," said 'Hollywood'.
[SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico: SS4.[/B][/SIZE]
SS4 - Ibarrilla 2 (22.41 km): Solberg fastest through SS4; Hirvonen second; Loeb third; Henning Solberg fourth; Sordo fifth; Gronholm out - rolled 9 km in and went into a ditch; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 11.5seconds.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS5[/B][/SIZE].
SS5 - Guanajuato 2 (28.87 km): Loeb fastest through SS5; Hirvonen second; Petter Solberg third; Sordo fourth; Stohl fifth; Atkinson rolled 6kms into the stage - crew ok; Perez-Companc stopped in stage; Arai heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 10.7seconds.
[SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico: SS6[/B][/SIZE].
SS6 - El Cubilete 2 (21.61 km): Loeb fastest through SS6; Hirvonen second; Stohl third; Petter Solberg fourth - despite going off in the stage and damaging the rear of the car; Sordo fifth; Arai heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 3.6seconds.
[COLOR=Navy]
[SIZE=5][B]Solberg top in Mexico.[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
Subaru number one driver, Petter Solberg leads the Corona Rally Mexico following SS6 - the third round in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship.
The Norwegian began the day by winning the opening three tests to build a 10.4 second lead over Mikko Hirvonen. Solberg though slipped back this afternoon, and while he was quickest in SS4, he was third in SS5 and fourth in SS6, the final proper test of the day, after a 'little off', which saw him complete the test with the back bumper hanging off the rear of the Impreza. As such his advantage has been more than halved and he now leads by less than 4 seconds.
Hirvonen meanwhile is second, the Finn having been 'Mr Consistent' all day in his Ford Focus, second quickest through every single test.
Ford team leader Marcus Gronholm set the pace in the shakedown for the Corona Rally Mexico Thursday, the Finn completing the 6.48 km Poliforum test in 4 minutes 29.4 seconds.
Gronholm, who has won both the opening two events, was understandably delighted: "This car is good. I am really happy."
Gronholm was 1.4 seconds quicker than Petter Solberg's Subaru, while Chris Atkinson was third in the sister Impreza.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS1.[/B][/SIZE]
SS1 - Ibarrilla 1 (22.41 km): Solberg fastest through SS1; Hirvonen second; Loeb third; Gronholm fourth; Atkinson fifth; Sordo sixth; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 6.1seconds.
[B]
[SIZE=5]Rally Mexico: SS2.[/SIZE][/B]
SS2 - Guanajuato 1 (28.87 km): Solberg fastest through SS2; Hirvonen second; Gronholm third; Loeb fourth; Atkinson fifth; Stohl sixth; Pons stopped in the stage - 12 kilometres from the start; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 8.1seconds.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS3.[/B][/SIZE]
SS3 - El Cubilete 1 (21.61 km): Solberg fastest through SS3; Hirvonen second; Gronholm third; Henning Solberg fourth; Loeb fifth; Stohl sixth; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 10.4seconds.
[SIZE=5][B][COLOR=Navy]Three in a row puts Solberg in P1[/COLOR][/B].[/SIZE]
Subaru team leader, Petter Solberg has begun the Corona Rally Mexico in style by winning the opening three tests on Friday.
The Norwegian, who is gunning for his second consecutive win in Mexico after a disastrous start to the season, which has seen him failed to score points in either of the opening two events, finished the first test 6.1 seconds up on Mikko Hirvonen. He then proceeded to stretch his advantage in SS2, to 8.1 seconds, before increasing it further in SS3. The Norwegian goes into the first service of the day with a comfortable 10.4 seconds lead.
"I could have been even faster but I made several mistakes on SS3. The car is working well and I have a good hard compound on my tyres," said 'Hollywood'.
[SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico: SS4.[/B][/SIZE]
SS4 - Ibarrilla 2 (22.41 km): Solberg fastest through SS4; Hirvonen second; Loeb third; Henning Solberg fourth; Sordo fifth; Gronholm out - rolled 9 km in and went into a ditch; Latvala heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 11.5seconds.
[SIZE=5]
[B]Rally Mexico: SS5[/B][/SIZE].
SS5 - Guanajuato 2 (28.87 km): Loeb fastest through SS5; Hirvonen second; Petter Solberg third; Sordo fourth; Stohl fifth; Atkinson rolled 6kms into the stage - crew ok; Perez-Companc stopped in stage; Arai heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 10.7seconds.
[SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico: SS6[/B][/SIZE].
SS6 - El Cubilete 2 (21.61 km): Loeb fastest through SS6; Hirvonen second; Stohl third; Petter Solberg fourth - despite going off in the stage and damaging the rear of the car; Sordo fifth; Arai heads the PCWRC category; Solberg leads the overall event by 3.6seconds.
[COLOR=Navy]
[SIZE=5][B]Solberg top in Mexico.[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
Subaru number one driver, Petter Solberg leads the Corona Rally Mexico following SS6 - the third round in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship.
The Norwegian began the day by winning the opening three tests to build a 10.4 second lead over Mikko Hirvonen. Solberg though slipped back this afternoon, and while he was quickest in SS4, he was third in SS5 and fourth in SS6, the final proper test of the day, after a 'little off', which saw him complete the test with the back bumper hanging off the rear of the Impreza. As such his advantage has been more than halved and he now leads by less than 4 seconds.
Hirvonen meanwhile is second, the Finn having been 'Mr Consistent' all day in his Ford Focus, second quickest through every single test.
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 10:20 PM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_133.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-03-2006 10:31 PM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_123.jpg[/IMG]
| greg donovan | 03-04-2006 02:58 AM |
[QUOTE=STiMULi][IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_123.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
that is an amazing amount of travel on the rear suspenion! that tire is still touching the ground.
that is an awesome photo.
that is an amazing amount of travel on the rear suspenion! that tire is still touching the ground.
that is an awesome photo.
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 12:19 PM |
[B][SIZE=5]SS:8 Drama Starts Early[/SIZE][/B]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has taken the lead at the Corona Rally Mexico. On the opening stage of Leg two, Loeb posted the quickest time, edging out Petter Solberg by nearly 10 seconds on the stage. Loeb now leads the event by .7 secondsI over Petter Solberg. Solberg commented that the tyre choice was the reason for his slower time. "If the positioning is not there, its very difficult," said Solberg.
BP-Ford WRT driver Mikko Hirvonen went off the stage and, at this moment, looks as though a crane will be needed to get the car back onto the road. It is unclear if he will be able to rejoin the field for stage nine.
[B][SIZE=5]Stage claims two Fords[/SIZE][/B]
Despite a relaxed 10am start to the day's rallying, the first stage of Leg Two caught out two drivers.
Mikko Hirvonen was the leading competitor to suffer. He went over a crest about 1.7kms into the stage and rolled the car. While the crew were okay and the car was not badly damaged, they were unable to move the car back onto the stage and continue. Hirvonen was second outright at the start of this stage.
Matthew Wilson, one of the drivers in the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team, also went off the road in this stage. Wilson was sixth outright when he started the stage.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has taken the lead at the Corona Rally Mexico. On the opening stage of Leg two, Loeb posted the quickest time, edging out Petter Solberg by nearly 10 seconds on the stage. Loeb now leads the event by .7 secondsI over Petter Solberg. Solberg commented that the tyre choice was the reason for his slower time. "If the positioning is not there, its very difficult," said Solberg.
BP-Ford WRT driver Mikko Hirvonen went off the stage and, at this moment, looks as though a crane will be needed to get the car back onto the road. It is unclear if he will be able to rejoin the field for stage nine.
[B][SIZE=5]Stage claims two Fords[/SIZE][/B]
Despite a relaxed 10am start to the day's rallying, the first stage of Leg Two caught out two drivers.
Mikko Hirvonen was the leading competitor to suffer. He went over a crest about 1.7kms into the stage and rolled the car. While the crew were okay and the car was not badly damaged, they were unable to move the car back onto the stage and continue. Hirvonen was second outright at the start of this stage.
Matthew Wilson, one of the drivers in the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team, also went off the road in this stage. Wilson was sixth outright when he started the stage.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 12:47 PM |
[B][SIZE=5]STAGE 8: LOEB IN LEAD[/SIZE][/B]
Sebastien Loeb has taken the overall lead from Petter Solberg. Loeb put in a blistering Stage 8 to finish 10.2 seconds ahead of second fastest Solberg; 20.5 seconds aheah of Gronholm in third. Loeb leads overall from Solberg by 0.7 seconds and Stohl comes in third a further 2:07.5 behind.
Ford lost two cars, namely previously second placed Mikko Hirvonen (BP-Ford WRT) and youngster Matthew Wilson (Stobart VK M-Sport Ford RT). While the neither car was badly damaged the drivers were not able to get the cars back onto the track.
Marcus Gronholm (Ford) rejoins the rally in Leg 2, twenty minutes off the pace.
[url]http://www.eurosport.com/rally/mexico/2006/sport_sto844733.shtml[/url]
Sebastien Loeb has taken the overall lead from Petter Solberg. Loeb put in a blistering Stage 8 to finish 10.2 seconds ahead of second fastest Solberg; 20.5 seconds aheah of Gronholm in third. Loeb leads overall from Solberg by 0.7 seconds and Stohl comes in third a further 2:07.5 behind.
Ford lost two cars, namely previously second placed Mikko Hirvonen (BP-Ford WRT) and youngster Matthew Wilson (Stobart VK M-Sport Ford RT). While the neither car was badly damaged the drivers were not able to get the cars back onto the track.
Marcus Gronholm (Ford) rejoins the rally in Leg 2, twenty minutes off the pace.
[url]http://www.eurosport.com/rally/mexico/2006/sport_sto844733.shtml[/url]
| Subaru_555 | 03-04-2006 01:13 PM |
Solberg now leads again! My e-mail was read on rally radio! To listen click here: [URL=http://mfile.akamai.com/13590/live/reflector:39499.asx?bkup=39500]WRC Rally Radio[/URL]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 01:20 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS9: Let the Battle Begin[/B][/SIZE]
Stage nine, the 23.75 kilometer Duarte, was the second stage to take place during Leg two of the Corona Rally M�xico. Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb captured the lead during the first stage of the day and at the beginning of stage nine held first position by only seven-tenths of a second over rival Petter Solberg.
[B]Petter Solberg recaptured first, and now holds a slim 3.5 second lead over Sebastien Loeb.[/B] Solberg complained earlier that he had made the wrong choice for tyre, and that Loeb was in a better tyre position until service later this afternoon.
BP-Ford's Marcus Gronholm finished the stage third, 14.4 seconds off of pace. Manfred Stohl finished the stage fourth. Chris Atkinson finished the stage fifth after returning today under SupeRally rules. Dani Sordo rounded out the top six 34.6 seconds behind stage leader Petter Solberg.
Stage nine, the 23.75 kilometer Duarte, was the second stage to take place during Leg two of the Corona Rally M�xico. Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb captured the lead during the first stage of the day and at the beginning of stage nine held first position by only seven-tenths of a second over rival Petter Solberg.
[B]Petter Solberg recaptured first, and now holds a slim 3.5 second lead over Sebastien Loeb.[/B] Solberg complained earlier that he had made the wrong choice for tyre, and that Loeb was in a better tyre position until service later this afternoon.
BP-Ford's Marcus Gronholm finished the stage third, 14.4 seconds off of pace. Manfred Stohl finished the stage fourth. Chris Atkinson finished the stage fifth after returning today under SupeRally rules. Dani Sordo rounded out the top six 34.6 seconds behind stage leader Petter Solberg.
| Subaru_555 | 03-04-2006 01:21 PM |
Must be awesome to have a rally-live subscription
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 01:26 PM |
[QUOTE=Subaru_555]Must be awesome to have a rally-live subscription[/QUOTE]
About $70 per year
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/RallyLive/0,,10111,00.html[/url]
About $70 per year
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/RallyLive/0,,10111,00.html[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:03 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Crash.net Rally Radio report [/B][/SIZE]
[B]Rally Mexico Leg one Report[/B]
[url=http://www.crash.net/uk/en/services/radio/radioplayer~csp~0~radioUrl~2086.wma.htm][b][u]Click here for Audio[/b][/u][/url]
Short report that reverts to Crash (music) Radio afterwards.
Will include Motorsports Reports from time to time. 60 minutes of motorsports reporting that just started.
[B]Rally Mexico Leg one Report[/B]
[url=http://www.crash.net/uk/en/services/radio/radioplayer~csp~0~radioUrl~2086.wma.htm][b][u]Click here for Audio[/b][/u][/url]
Short report that reverts to Crash (music) Radio afterwards.
Will include Motorsports Reports from time to time. 60 minutes of motorsports reporting that just started.
| Subaru_555 | 03-04-2006 02:07 PM |
hey can you post some rally-live videos by any chance?
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:15 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico Day One BitTorrent[/B][/SIZE]
Requires BitTorrent Client (If you don't know what that means search Google)
[URL=http://ts.searching.com/torrent/576000/WRC_2006_Mexico_Day_1][b][u](click here) Rally Mexico Day One Video[/b][/u][/URL]
Keep track of the videos as they are posted [URL=http://ts.searching.com/search.asp?h=&query=wrc&submit.x=22&submit.y=8]by using this link.[/URL]
Requires BitTorrent Client (If you don't know what that means search Google)
[URL=http://ts.searching.com/torrent/576000/WRC_2006_Mexico_Day_1][b][u](click here) Rally Mexico Day One Video[/b][/u][/URL]
Keep track of the videos as they are posted [URL=http://ts.searching.com/search.asp?h=&query=wrc&submit.x=22&submit.y=8]by using this link.[/URL]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:23 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS10: Loeb takes stage[/B][/SIZE]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb won stage 10 during Leg two of the Corona Rally M�xico, the last stage before the afternoon's service. Sebastien Loeb finished the stage with a time of 14:03.6. Only 1.5 seconds ahead of last year's winner and rally leader Petter Solberg. [B]Solberg's lead has now been reduced to a mere 2 seconds.[/B]
Dani Sordo finished the stage third, gaining ground on Stohl. Chris Atkinson finished the stage in fifth, after returning for Day two under SupeRally rules. Manfred Stohl was fifth, as he worked toward his first podium finish of the year. Rounding out the top six was BP-Ford WRT driver Marcus Gronholm, who is now in the hunt for manufacturer's points
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb won stage 10 during Leg two of the Corona Rally M�xico, the last stage before the afternoon's service. Sebastien Loeb finished the stage with a time of 14:03.6. Only 1.5 seconds ahead of last year's winner and rally leader Petter Solberg. [B]Solberg's lead has now been reduced to a mere 2 seconds.[/B]
Dani Sordo finished the stage third, gaining ground on Stohl. Chris Atkinson finished the stage in fifth, after returning for Day two under SupeRally rules. Manfred Stohl was fifth, as he worked toward his first podium finish of the year. Rounding out the top six was BP-Ford WRT driver Marcus Gronholm, who is now in the hunt for manufacturer's points
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:32 PM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapoa_115.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:38 PM |
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I am driving as fast as possible and the difference between myself and Petter depends to some extent on tyre choice. I have the harder compound so sometimes it�s better for me and sometimes it�s better for him.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s not so funny to be sweeping again on the road. I went straight on into a corner, had to reverse and lost some time. But the car is OK.
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�It isn�t easy to keep the tyres alive because it is definitely too warm in the stages. I will try to go as fast as possible.�
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�I am enjoying the stages and trying to push. It�s not easy to be 100 percent committed when you are out of the game but I�ll try for Manufacturers� points anyway.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�The car is better than yesterday but still slightly difficult to drive. I will try my best.�
[B]8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I have brake problems on every stage but now I am getting used to it. I am not pushing because I have a good position and I want to finish to score points.�
[B]10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The car is OK but the stages are complicated and I am trying to cope with the brake problem.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�I was not 100% confident in SS9 but it was much better in this stage. The car is OK now. I am trying to chase Stohl��
[B]15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�I had a spin in the stage and seem to have a problem with the rear left wheel.�
[B]31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�It�s OK. I had a bit of a problem with stones on the windscreen.�
Note: Co-driver, Tony Sircombe has a pain in his back from a jump in yesterday�s stages.
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�There are some problems with the differential and also some big problems with fuel pressure. I lost more than two minutes in the stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�No problem, we have a good pace.�
[B]
COMMENTS[/B]
As the temperatures continue to rise on the second leg of Corona Rally Mexico, so the battle hots up between Citro�n�s S�bastian Loeb and Subaru�s Petter Solberg. Loeb was fastest through the stage, clocking up a time of 14:03.6 which has reduced the gap between him and rally leader, Petter Solberg to just 2 seconds.
Manfred Stohl still lies ahead of Daniel Sordo and Henning Solberg lies in fifth overall.
Toshi Arai has increased his lead over Nasser Al-Attiyah in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship and was also tenth fastest through the stage with a time of 15:24.9.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1206[/url]
�I am driving as fast as possible and the difference between myself and Petter depends to some extent on tyre choice. I have the harder compound so sometimes it�s better for me and sometimes it�s better for him.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s not so funny to be sweeping again on the road. I went straight on into a corner, had to reverse and lost some time. But the car is OK.
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�It isn�t easy to keep the tyres alive because it is definitely too warm in the stages. I will try to go as fast as possible.�
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�I am enjoying the stages and trying to push. It�s not easy to be 100 percent committed when you are out of the game but I�ll try for Manufacturers� points anyway.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�The car is better than yesterday but still slightly difficult to drive. I will try my best.�
[B]8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I have brake problems on every stage but now I am getting used to it. I am not pushing because I have a good position and I want to finish to score points.�
[B]10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The car is OK but the stages are complicated and I am trying to cope with the brake problem.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�I was not 100% confident in SS9 but it was much better in this stage. The car is OK now. I am trying to chase Stohl��
[B]15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�I had a spin in the stage and seem to have a problem with the rear left wheel.�
[B]31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�It�s OK. I had a bit of a problem with stones on the windscreen.�
Note: Co-driver, Tony Sircombe has a pain in his back from a jump in yesterday�s stages.
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�There are some problems with the differential and also some big problems with fuel pressure. I lost more than two minutes in the stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�No problem, we have a good pace.�
[B]
COMMENTS[/B]
As the temperatures continue to rise on the second leg of Corona Rally Mexico, so the battle hots up between Citro�n�s S�bastian Loeb and Subaru�s Petter Solberg. Loeb was fastest through the stage, clocking up a time of 14:03.6 which has reduced the gap between him and rally leader, Petter Solberg to just 2 seconds.
Manfred Stohl still lies ahead of Daniel Sordo and Henning Solberg lies in fifth overall.
Toshi Arai has increased his lead over Nasser Al-Attiyah in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship and was also tenth fastest through the stage with a time of 15:24.9.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1206[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 02:41 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Frantic antics for Atkinson[/B][/SIZE]
Chris Atkinson creates a frenzy wherever he goes. Yesterday it was his fast stage times that impressed the Subaru World Rally Team, who had only expected him to finish fifth outright.
Then his Impreza rolled on stage five yesterday creating much damage to the car. But the car only returned to service at 11pm that evening and the dedicated SWRT technicians worked till 1am to ensure the Australian could start Leg Two under SupeRally regulations.
The frantic Atkinson action actually began before the rally. Before the start of Corona Rally Mexico, Atkinson was in America checking out the Nascar racing series and exploring the Colorado Rockies. And the action won't let up; six days from now, Atkinson will be taking the start line of the WRC candidate event, Rally Ireland to gain tarmac experience in the Impreza. Let's hope his car's technicians manage to get a break in between?
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797737,00.html[/url]
Chris Atkinson creates a frenzy wherever he goes. Yesterday it was his fast stage times that impressed the Subaru World Rally Team, who had only expected him to finish fifth outright.
Then his Impreza rolled on stage five yesterday creating much damage to the car. But the car only returned to service at 11pm that evening and the dedicated SWRT technicians worked till 1am to ensure the Australian could start Leg Two under SupeRally regulations.
The frantic Atkinson action actually began before the rally. Before the start of Corona Rally Mexico, Atkinson was in America checking out the Nascar racing series and exploring the Colorado Rockies. And the action won't let up; six days from now, Atkinson will be taking the start line of the WRC candidate event, Rally Ireland to gain tarmac experience in the Impreza. Let's hope his car's technicians manage to get a break in between?
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797737,00.html[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 03:03 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Overall times after SS10:[/B][/SIZE]
1[B]. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 2hours 16mins 37.9secs M1[/B]
2. Sebastien Loeb Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC 06 +00mins 02.0secs M1
3. Manfred Stohl OMV Peugeot Norway 307 WRC +02mins 44.8secs M2
4. Daniel Sordo Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +03mins 11.6secs
5. Henning Solberg OMV Peugeot Norway 307 WRC +07mins 56.7secs M2
6. Gareth MacHale Ford Focus RS WRC 05 +09mins 25.9secs
[B]7. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza STI +11mins 48.8secs P[/B]
8. Ricardo Trivino Peugeot 206 WRC +13mins 08.0secs
[B]9. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza STI +13mins 52.6secs P[/B]
10. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +14mins 53.1secs M1
11. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +16mins 19.9secs P
[B]12. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +16mins 51.0secs M1[/B]
13. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 05 +17mins 44.5secs M2
14. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +18mins 11.4secs P
[B]15. Sergey Uspenskiy Subaru Impreza STI +20mins 36.2secs P[/B]
16. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +20mins 57.3secs M1
[B]17. Leszek Kuzaj Subaru Impreza STI +21mins 25.8secs P[/B]
18. Stepan Vojtech Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII +21mins 41.5secs P
19. Luis Perez Companc Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 05 +22mins 41.4secs M2
[B]20. Jari-Matti Latvala Subaru Impreza STI +27mins 44.1secs P[/B]
[SIZE=5][B]
Overall PCWRC after SS10:[/B][/SIZE]
[B]
1. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza STI 2hours 28mins 26.7secs P
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza STI +02mins 03.8secs [/B]P
3. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +04mins 31.1secs P
4. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +06mins 22.6secs P
[B]5. Sergey Uspenskiy Subaru Impreza STI +08mins 47.4secs P[/B]
1[B]. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 2hours 16mins 37.9secs M1[/B]
2. Sebastien Loeb Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC 06 +00mins 02.0secs M1
3. Manfred Stohl OMV Peugeot Norway 307 WRC +02mins 44.8secs M2
4. Daniel Sordo Kronos Citroen Xsara WRC +03mins 11.6secs
5. Henning Solberg OMV Peugeot Norway 307 WRC +07mins 56.7secs M2
6. Gareth MacHale Ford Focus RS WRC 05 +09mins 25.9secs
[B]7. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza STI +11mins 48.8secs P[/B]
8. Ricardo Trivino Peugeot 206 WRC +13mins 08.0secs
[B]9. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza STI +13mins 52.6secs P[/B]
10. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +14mins 53.1secs M1
11. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +16mins 19.9secs P
[B]12. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 +16mins 51.0secs M1[/B]
13. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 05 +17mins 44.5secs M2
14. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +18mins 11.4secs P
[B]15. Sergey Uspenskiy Subaru Impreza STI +20mins 36.2secs P[/B]
16. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +20mins 57.3secs M1
[B]17. Leszek Kuzaj Subaru Impreza STI +21mins 25.8secs P[/B]
18. Stepan Vojtech Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII +21mins 41.5secs P
19. Luis Perez Companc Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 05 +22mins 41.4secs M2
[B]20. Jari-Matti Latvala Subaru Impreza STI +27mins 44.1secs P[/B]
[SIZE=5][B]
Overall PCWRC after SS10:[/B][/SIZE]
[B]
1. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza STI 2hours 28mins 26.7secs P
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza STI +02mins 03.8secs [/B]P
3. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +04mins 31.1secs P
4. Mirco Baldacci Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +06mins 22.6secs P
[B]5. Sergey Uspenskiy Subaru Impreza STI +08mins 47.4secs P[/B]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 03:13 PM |
[IMG]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/alonsospeed/second%20album/uiyugvgukyuk3.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 03:16 PM |
[QUOTE=Subaru_555]Must be awesome to have a rally-live subscription[/QUOTE]
Sorry I misread your post
Rally Live is $90
WRC+ is about $70
Sorry I misread your post
Rally Live is $90
WRC+ is about $70
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 03:41 PM |
[B][SIZE=5][B]SERVICE FLASH - E[/B][/SIZE][/B]
(3/4/2006 2:24:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Service: E (Le�n)
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I am not surprised to have lost time in the second stage because the surface was very smooth. Last year, I lost 20 seconds in the same stage so I am quite relieved to be only four seconds behind Petter in that one! It will be very tight this afternoon because today, the surface of the stages are not as aggressive as they were yesterday.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It seems to be very difficult to be first on the road in this rally. It is so slippery and I don�t enjoy it at all. I even missed a braking point in stage ten, went straight and had to reverse.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�I changed the central differential mapping and damper set-up after stage eight and after this it was better. �
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�It is OK, we have no need to push. I was a little bit too cautious in the first stage but I will not increase my pace dramatically. We are fifth in the Manufacturers� points and this is what we have to keep.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I am not pushing any more. I just go through the stages. I started quickly in stage eight then I started to lose the brakes, so I lifted off. [B][COLOR=DarkRed]It is not at all funny.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�Very rough and tricky stages and we had a brake problem in the last one.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�I had no confidence in stage nine. The two others were OK. I have a feeling that my driving is improving on gravel. It was the first time through for me, we�ll see this afternoon.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�No problem. We tried to avoid the stones that are in the middle of the road.�
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�A very big problem in stage ten. Something to do with the fuel pump. There is something wrong inside the tank so I changed the fuel pump after the finish. It seems to be OK but I have lost so much time.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�This was a good morning and I am now second (in the FIA Production World Rally Car Championship). I try to keep my position. I will change nothing on the car, I am happy.�
[B]
36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�The car is pulling to the left and that makes steering and driving very hard. The rest of the car is OK!�
[B]
42. USPENSKIY / EREMEEV[/B]
�Everything is good, all is working according to plan. There were just some pace note errors in stage eight.�
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?f=releases&id=1209[/url]
(3/4/2006 2:24:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Service: E (Le�n)
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I am not surprised to have lost time in the second stage because the surface was very smooth. Last year, I lost 20 seconds in the same stage so I am quite relieved to be only four seconds behind Petter in that one! It will be very tight this afternoon because today, the surface of the stages are not as aggressive as they were yesterday.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It seems to be very difficult to be first on the road in this rally. It is so slippery and I don�t enjoy it at all. I even missed a braking point in stage ten, went straight and had to reverse.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�I changed the central differential mapping and damper set-up after stage eight and after this it was better. �
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�It is OK, we have no need to push. I was a little bit too cautious in the first stage but I will not increase my pace dramatically. We are fifth in the Manufacturers� points and this is what we have to keep.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I am not pushing any more. I just go through the stages. I started quickly in stage eight then I started to lose the brakes, so I lifted off. [B][COLOR=DarkRed]It is not at all funny.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�Very rough and tricky stages and we had a brake problem in the last one.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�I had no confidence in stage nine. The two others were OK. I have a feeling that my driving is improving on gravel. It was the first time through for me, we�ll see this afternoon.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�No problem. We tried to avoid the stones that are in the middle of the road.�
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�A very big problem in stage ten. Something to do with the fuel pump. There is something wrong inside the tank so I changed the fuel pump after the finish. It seems to be OK but I have lost so much time.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�This was a good morning and I am now second (in the FIA Production World Rally Car Championship). I try to keep my position. I will change nothing on the car, I am happy.�
[B]
36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�The car is pulling to the left and that makes steering and driving very hard. The rest of the car is OK!�
[B]
42. USPENSKIY / EREMEEV[/B]
�Everything is good, all is working according to plan. There were just some pace note errors in stage eight.�
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?f=releases&id=1209[/url]
| Rice & Gravy | 03-04-2006 03:57 PM |
[QUOTE=STiMULi][SIZE=5][B]Rally Mexico Day One BitTorrent[/B][/SIZE]
Requires BitTorrent Client (If you don't know what that means search Google)
[URL=http://ts.searching.com/torrent/576000/WRC_2006_Mexico_Day_1][b][u](click here) Rally Mexico Day One Video[/b][/u][/URL]
Keep track of the videos as they are posted [URL=http://ts.searching.com/search.asp?h=&query=wrc&submit.x=22&submit.y=8]by using this link.[/URL][/QUOTE]
Thanks.
Requires BitTorrent Client (If you don't know what that means search Google)
[URL=http://ts.searching.com/torrent/576000/WRC_2006_Mexico_Day_1][b][u](click here) Rally Mexico Day One Video[/b][/u][/URL]
Keep track of the videos as they are posted [URL=http://ts.searching.com/search.asp?h=&query=wrc&submit.x=22&submit.y=8]by using this link.[/URL][/QUOTE]
Thanks.
| Subaru_555 | 03-04-2006 04:18 PM |
yes i know about that website, but i was just looking for interviews or rally features specific to rally-live
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 04:40 PM |
Raly-Live is weak on videos...
Here is a list of some of the selections
Best Of testing
17/01/2006
Time : 3 min
Testing Citroen C4 WRC
12/01/2006
Time : 5 min
Clio S1600 Testing
12/01/2006
Time : 2 min
Testing Ford C4 WRC
11/01/2006
Time : 3 min
Peugeot 307 WRC testing
11/01/2006
Time : 4 min
Ford Focus WRC + Subaru WRC testing
10/01/2006
Time : 4 min
Here is a list of some of the selections
Best Of testing
17/01/2006
Time : 3 min
Testing Citroen C4 WRC
12/01/2006
Time : 5 min
Clio S1600 Testing
12/01/2006
Time : 2 min
Testing Ford C4 WRC
11/01/2006
Time : 3 min
Peugeot 307 WRC testing
11/01/2006
Time : 4 min
Ford Focus WRC + Subaru WRC testing
10/01/2006
Time : 4 min
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 04:43 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]A duel for the lead[/B][/SIZE]
Mexico : SS 10 - 23.27 km
[B]
Loeb keeps the pressure on Solberg[/B]
Derramadero is located about halfway between Leon and Guanajuato. This stage starts at an altitude of nearly 2400 metres but mostly goes downhill until the finish. The course is fast and includes high-speed jumps, tricky corners and a view of the Chichimequillas dam.
The duel between Petter Solberg and Sebastien Loeb was just as close in this stage. This time Seb got the upper hand by 1�5 over his opponent but it wasn't enough to catch Solberg in the overall results. The two men are nearly 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the field in this stage...
Dani Sordo achieved his best result of the race by setting the third fastest time, three seconds better than Chris Atkinson's performance in fourth position. Manfred Stohl accomplished another good stage time to clinch fifth place in SS10, 1�2 slower than Atkinson. The Austrian driver is third in the race standings, 26�8 in front of Sordo.
Toshi Arai is dominating the Production class. The Japanese driver is seventh overall and more than two minutes ahead of Nasser Al Attiyah, both men driving Subaru Imprezas.
[url]http://www.rally-live.com/[/url]
Mexico : SS 10 - 23.27 km
[B]
Loeb keeps the pressure on Solberg[/B]
Derramadero is located about halfway between Leon and Guanajuato. This stage starts at an altitude of nearly 2400 metres but mostly goes downhill until the finish. The course is fast and includes high-speed jumps, tricky corners and a view of the Chichimequillas dam.
The duel between Petter Solberg and Sebastien Loeb was just as close in this stage. This time Seb got the upper hand by 1�5 over his opponent but it wasn't enough to catch Solberg in the overall results. The two men are nearly 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the field in this stage...
Dani Sordo achieved his best result of the race by setting the third fastest time, three seconds better than Chris Atkinson's performance in fourth position. Manfred Stohl accomplished another good stage time to clinch fifth place in SS10, 1�2 slower than Atkinson. The Austrian driver is third in the race standings, 26�8 in front of Sordo.
Toshi Arai is dominating the Production class. The Japanese driver is seventh overall and more than two minutes ahead of Nasser Al Attiyah, both men driving Subaru Imprezas.
[url]http://www.rally-live.com/[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 06:01 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS11: Loeb holds tight[/B][/SIZE]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver [B]Sebastien Loeb closed the gap between he and Subaru World Rally Team driver Petter Solberg to a slim 1.7 seconds.[/B] Loeb took the fastest time on stage 11, beating Solberg by 0.3 seconds. Stage 11 is Loeb's fifth stage victory.
BP-Ford's Marcus Gronholm finished the stage third 12.6 seconds off the pace after sweeping the stages all day. Atkinson and Stohl complete the top six positions. Manfred Stohl finished with a time of 16:46.6, holding on to his third position overall. Sordo finished the stage with the fourth fastest time.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE FLASH - SS11[/B][/SIZE]
(3/4/2006 4:10:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Special stage: 11 (El Zauco 2)
Distance: 25.23 km
Weather: Sunny and hot
Road conditions: Dry and fast
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I drove very well in the stage.�
[B]
3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s good to learn about the tyres and everything. The car is good, there have been no technical problems whatsoever, just a small mistake by the driver.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�Yeah, it�s not bad to drop .3 of a second to Sebastien. I just have to see whether the tyres last on the next one. �
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�We had a problem in service with the brakes which delayed us starting the stage.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�It is difficult, I just don�t have the feeling with the car.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I didn�t lose the brakes here because it�s a fast stage. I am very concerned that I may lose them on the next stage and it is something I am always considering in my mind.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The car is OK and I have the feeling for driving it.�
[B]
14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�The stage was OK. I don�t know Stohl�s time but I made no mistakes so it should be OK.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Running in sixth overall and I shall just try and take it easy.�
[B]31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�The car�s going well but I think it�s softer. It may be that this stage has a hard surface.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�Yeah, good! No problems, everything OK and the car is good.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
The second sweep through El Zauco saw the crews putting in considerably faster times than those of this morning on this 25.23 kilometer stage.
Petter Solberg still holds on to the lead of Corona Rally Mexico but S�bastien Leob isn�t far behind; 1.7 seconds is all that separates the two battling drivers after Loeb set the fastest time through the stage and Solberg, the second.
Manfred Stohl remains in third place with Daniel Sordo some 26 seconds behind.
Marcus Gr�nholm set the third fastest stage time and moves from 16th up to 14th overall.
In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai is till leading with Nasser Al-Attiyah some way behind him.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1211[/url]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver [B]Sebastien Loeb closed the gap between he and Subaru World Rally Team driver Petter Solberg to a slim 1.7 seconds.[/B] Loeb took the fastest time on stage 11, beating Solberg by 0.3 seconds. Stage 11 is Loeb's fifth stage victory.
BP-Ford's Marcus Gronholm finished the stage third 12.6 seconds off the pace after sweeping the stages all day. Atkinson and Stohl complete the top six positions. Manfred Stohl finished with a time of 16:46.6, holding on to his third position overall. Sordo finished the stage with the fourth fastest time.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE FLASH - SS11[/B][/SIZE]
(3/4/2006 4:10:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Special stage: 11 (El Zauco 2)
Distance: 25.23 km
Weather: Sunny and hot
Road conditions: Dry and fast
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I drove very well in the stage.�
[B]
3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s good to learn about the tyres and everything. The car is good, there have been no technical problems whatsoever, just a small mistake by the driver.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�Yeah, it�s not bad to drop .3 of a second to Sebastien. I just have to see whether the tyres last on the next one. �
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�We had a problem in service with the brakes which delayed us starting the stage.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�It is difficult, I just don�t have the feeling with the car.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I didn�t lose the brakes here because it�s a fast stage. I am very concerned that I may lose them on the next stage and it is something I am always considering in my mind.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The car is OK and I have the feeling for driving it.�
[B]
14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�The stage was OK. I don�t know Stohl�s time but I made no mistakes so it should be OK.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Running in sixth overall and I shall just try and take it easy.�
[B]31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�The car�s going well but I think it�s softer. It may be that this stage has a hard surface.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�Yeah, good! No problems, everything OK and the car is good.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
The second sweep through El Zauco saw the crews putting in considerably faster times than those of this morning on this 25.23 kilometer stage.
Petter Solberg still holds on to the lead of Corona Rally Mexico but S�bastien Leob isn�t far behind; 1.7 seconds is all that separates the two battling drivers after Loeb set the fastest time through the stage and Solberg, the second.
Manfred Stohl remains in third place with Daniel Sordo some 26 seconds behind.
Marcus Gr�nholm set the third fastest stage time and moves from 16th up to 14th overall.
In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai is till leading with Nasser Al-Attiyah some way behind him.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1211[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 06:45 PM |
[B][SIZE=5]SS 12: Solberg falls behind Loeb[/SIZE]
Solberg falls behind Loeb by 4.8 seconds overall by losing 6.5 seconds in SS 12 against the new leader[/B]
Solberg falls behind Loeb by 4.8 seconds overall by losing 6.5 seconds in SS 12 against the new leader[/B]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 07:01 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS12: Loeb Retakes Lead[/B][/SIZE]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has captured the lead position after stage 12. Loeb edged out Subaru's Petter Solberg by 6.5 seconds. Loeb now leads the Corona Rally Mexico over Solberg by 4.8 seconds.
Third position went to Petter Solberg's team-mate Chris Atkinson. Coming in at fourth was Marcus Gronholm, who returned to the day under SupeRally rules and is now looking to secure manufacturers' points. Daniel Sordo continues to have a fantastic event, finishing the stage in fifth, and Manfred Stohl completed the stage in sixth position.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has captured the lead position after stage 12. Loeb edged out Subaru's Petter Solberg by 6.5 seconds. Loeb now leads the Corona Rally Mexico over Solberg by 4.8 seconds.
Third position went to Petter Solberg's team-mate Chris Atkinson. Coming in at fourth was Marcus Gronholm, who returned to the day under SupeRally rules and is now looking to secure manufacturers' points. Daniel Sordo continues to have a fantastic event, finishing the stage in fifth, and Manfred Stohl completed the stage in sixth position.
[url]http://www.wrc.com[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 07:06 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE FLASH - SS12[/B][/SIZE]
(3/4/2006 5:28:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Flash N�: 17
Special stage: 12 (Duarte 2)
Distance: 23.75 km
Weather: Hot, dry and sunny
Road conditions: Clean and sandy
[B]
1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I tried very, very hard. I had to put the heater on in the car to cool down the engine� so the engine was cooler but we were much hotter!�
[B]
3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�Engine, brakes, driver and co-driver� everything is hot inside the car!�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]�I had awful wheelspin and the tyres are run out. It�s difficult to fight.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]6. ATKINSON / MACNEAL[/B]L
�I am on maximum attack and I�m quite happy.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�I tried my best but the stage was very, very difficult. The car is going better but not enough to beat Solberg so far.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�I have adjusted the pace notes from this morning and the stage was good.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�I am happy because we fine-tuned the set-up and the car is quite efficient at the moment.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�It was a tidy and hot stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON
[/B]�I try to keep and smooth and steady pace and not cut corners so as to avoid punctures - this strategy seems to pay off.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�I had a puncture and had to change the tyre in the stage.�
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�I nearly caught Toshi in the stage but there was a lot of dust and I was slowed down by it. I have no more fuel pressure problems but I am a bit worried because it happens when the tank is nearly empty so the last stage could be tricky.�
[B]36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�I am doing my best but the stage was very, very slippery.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]S�bastien Loeb retakes the lead of Corona Rally Mexico after Petter Solberg suffered from tyre problems.[/COLOR][/B] The Frenchman set the fastest time on the stage, some 6.5 seconds quicker than Solberg, affording him a lead of 4.8 seconds overall. [B]Petter hangs onto second place with Manfred Stohl nearly three and a half minutes adrift in third place.[/B]
Daniel Sordo stays in fourth place in his Citro�n Xsara having set the fifth fastest time through the stage.
Despite a puncture, Toshi Arai still leads the FIA Production Car World Championship with Nasser Al-Attiyah now 40.4 seconds behind him.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?f=releases&id=1213[/url]
(3/4/2006 5:28:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Flash N�: 17
Special stage: 12 (Duarte 2)
Distance: 23.75 km
Weather: Hot, dry and sunny
Road conditions: Clean and sandy
[B]
1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�I tried very, very hard. I had to put the heater on in the car to cool down the engine� so the engine was cooler but we were much hotter!�
[B]
3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�Engine, brakes, driver and co-driver� everything is hot inside the car!�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]�I had awful wheelspin and the tyres are run out. It�s difficult to fight.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]6. ATKINSON / MACNEAL[/B]L
�I am on maximum attack and I�m quite happy.�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�I tried my best but the stage was very, very difficult. The car is going better but not enough to beat Solberg so far.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�I have adjusted the pace notes from this morning and the stage was good.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�I am happy because we fine-tuned the set-up and the car is quite efficient at the moment.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�It was a tidy and hot stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON
[/B]�I try to keep and smooth and steady pace and not cut corners so as to avoid punctures - this strategy seems to pay off.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�I had a puncture and had to change the tyre in the stage.�
[B]32. LIGATO / GARCIA[/B]
�I nearly caught Toshi in the stage but there was a lot of dust and I was slowed down by it. I have no more fuel pressure problems but I am a bit worried because it happens when the tank is nearly empty so the last stage could be tricky.�
[B]36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�I am doing my best but the stage was very, very slippery.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]S�bastien Loeb retakes the lead of Corona Rally Mexico after Petter Solberg suffered from tyre problems.[/COLOR][/B] The Frenchman set the fastest time on the stage, some 6.5 seconds quicker than Solberg, affording him a lead of 4.8 seconds overall. [B]Petter hangs onto second place with Manfred Stohl nearly three and a half minutes adrift in third place.[/B]
Daniel Sordo stays in fourth place in his Citro�n Xsara having set the fifth fastest time through the stage.
Despite a puncture, Toshi Arai still leads the FIA Production Car World Championship with Nasser Al-Attiyah now 40.4 seconds behind him.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?f=releases&id=1213[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 07:12 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS13: Solberg another 23.7 seconds behind Loeb[/B][/SIZE]
[IMG]http://www.rallymexico.com/%5CGallery%5CPhotos%5CMiscellaneous%20%20(low%20res)%5CIMG_0266.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.rallymexico.com/%5CGallery%5CPhotos%5CMiscellaneous%20%20(low%20res)%5CIMG_0266.JPG[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 07:56 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS13: Solberg without power steering[/B][/SIZE]
[IMG]http://www.wrc.com/javaImages/57/c7/0,,10111~2869079,00.jpg[/IMG]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has extended his lead over rival Petter Solberg by nearly 28.5 seconds. S[B]olberg lost power steering on the final stage of the day before the Superspecial, now rests further back in second position. [COLOR=Navy]Solberg has four stages left to try and recapture the lead.[/COLOR]
[/B]
Second fastest time on the stage went to Marcus Gronholm, who is still trying to gain valuable manufacturers' points. Third fastest, Manfred Stohl, finished only one tenth of a second ahead of Subaru's Chris Atkinson. Fifth position went to Dani Sordo, who continues to have a wonderful event. The sixth fastest time on the stage went to Petter Solberg, who finished with a time of 14:13.8, over 22 seconds off pace.
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797815,00.html[/url]
[IMG]http://www.wrc.com/javaImages/57/c7/0,,10111~2869079,00.jpg[/IMG]
Kronos Total Citro�n World Rally Team driver Sebastien Loeb has extended his lead over rival Petter Solberg by nearly 28.5 seconds. S[B]olberg lost power steering on the final stage of the day before the Superspecial, now rests further back in second position. [COLOR=Navy]Solberg has four stages left to try and recapture the lead.[/COLOR]
[/B]
Second fastest time on the stage went to Marcus Gronholm, who is still trying to gain valuable manufacturers' points. Third fastest, Manfred Stohl, finished only one tenth of a second ahead of Subaru's Chris Atkinson. Fifth position went to Dani Sordo, who continues to have a wonderful event. The sixth fastest time on the stage went to Petter Solberg, who finished with a time of 14:13.8, over 22 seconds off pace.
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797815,00.html[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 08:05 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE FLASH - SS13[/B][/SIZE]
(3/4/2006 6:15:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Special stage: 13 (Derramadero 2)
Distance: 23.27 km
Weather: Sunny and hot
Road conditions: Dry
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
[B]�[COLOR=DarkGreen]In a straight where I should have been flat out, I had to drop down to second gear to go round some cows on the stage. [/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkRed]But they didn�t seem surprised to see me! [/COLOR][/B] The rest of the stage was fine.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�The second time through this stage was not so bad.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]Arrived totally exhausted at the end of the stage and the only thing he had to say was, �No power steering.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�My tyres are worn out.�
[B]
7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�I was so lucky� at full speed there were 10-15 cows in the middle of the road. I just managed to avoid them but it was quite frightening.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
Note: Had to use the handbrake to stop at the control. �I have problems with the brakes again but I don�t know why because I�m not pushing. Happily there is a big gap behind me.�
[B]10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�This was a much better day than yesterday. Very complicated because of the tricky stages, but good.�
[B]
14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�I spun in this one. I was a little late with the braking. I did not lose too much time though, maybe five seconds.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Very good day, no problems in that stage.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
Citro�n�s S�bastian Loeb continues to take advantage of Petter Solberg�s problems (tyres and power steering) and keeps his lead of Corona Rally Mexico. The Frenchman has pulled out a big lead over the Norwegian who is now some 28.5 seconds behind in second place.
[B]Manfred Stohl took the third fastest stage time and remains in third place overall with Daniel Sordo behind him in fourth.[/B]
[B]In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai still leads the pack[/B] with Nasser Al-Attiyah in second. Mirco Baldacci has overtaken Marcos Ligato however, and now lies in third place behind Al-Attiyah.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1214[/url]
(3/4/2006 6:15:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Special stage: 13 (Derramadero 2)
Distance: 23.27 km
Weather: Sunny and hot
Road conditions: Dry
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
[B]�[COLOR=DarkGreen]In a straight where I should have been flat out, I had to drop down to second gear to go round some cows on the stage. [/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkRed]But they didn�t seem surprised to see me! [/COLOR][/B] The rest of the stage was fine.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�The second time through this stage was not so bad.�
[B]5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]Arrived totally exhausted at the end of the stage and the only thing he had to say was, �No power steering.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�My tyres are worn out.�
[B]
7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�I was so lucky� at full speed there were 10-15 cows in the middle of the road. I just managed to avoid them but it was quite frightening.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
Note: Had to use the handbrake to stop at the control. �I have problems with the brakes again but I don�t know why because I�m not pushing. Happily there is a big gap behind me.�
[B]10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�This was a much better day than yesterday. Very complicated because of the tricky stages, but good.�
[B]
14. SORDO / MART�[/B]
�I spun in this one. I was a little late with the braking. I did not lose too much time though, maybe five seconds.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Very good day, no problems in that stage.�
[B]COMMENTS[/B]
Citro�n�s S�bastian Loeb continues to take advantage of Petter Solberg�s problems (tyres and power steering) and keeps his lead of Corona Rally Mexico. The Frenchman has pulled out a big lead over the Norwegian who is now some 28.5 seconds behind in second place.
[B]Manfred Stohl took the third fastest stage time and remains in third place overall with Daniel Sordo behind him in fourth.[/B]
[B]In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai still leads the pack[/B] with Nasser Al-Attiyah in second. Mirco Baldacci has overtaken Marcos Ligato however, and now lies in third place behind Al-Attiyah.
[url]http://www.rallymexico.com/newsReader.asp?id=1214[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 09:02 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Cows cause Chaos on Stage[/B][/SIZE]
Horse-power on stage 13 of Corona Rally Mexico was undercut by the presence of cows. A small herd of cattle wandered onto the stage and got in the way of some of the top drivers.
Manfred Stohl was very shaken at the end of the stage. He said that he was at full speed when he came across the ten to fifteen cows in the middle of the stage and found the experience very frightening.
Rally leader Sebastien Loeb also bumped into the bovines and had to drop into second gear when he said he should have been going flat out. The Frenchman told stage reporters that the cows did not seem surprised by the presence of the rally car. Chris Atkinson confirmed the relaxed response of the cattle; saying that he had to nudge them off the stage, losing his side mirrors in the act.
Cows weren't the only animals getting close to the action of Corona Rally Mexico; Petter Solberg had a close encounter with a dog on one of today's stages and some drivers reported seeing horses on other stages. Thankfully, no kangaroos were spotted by any drivers
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797826,00.html[/url]
[URL=http://images2.jokaroo.net/videos/rally_cow.wmv][b][u]Remember this? (Rally Cow Video)[/b][/u][/URL]
Horse-power on stage 13 of Corona Rally Mexico was undercut by the presence of cows. A small herd of cattle wandered onto the stage and got in the way of some of the top drivers.
Manfred Stohl was very shaken at the end of the stage. He said that he was at full speed when he came across the ten to fifteen cows in the middle of the stage and found the experience very frightening.
Rally leader Sebastien Loeb also bumped into the bovines and had to drop into second gear when he said he should have been going flat out. The Frenchman told stage reporters that the cows did not seem surprised by the presence of the rally car. Chris Atkinson confirmed the relaxed response of the cattle; saying that he had to nudge them off the stage, losing his side mirrors in the act.
Cows weren't the only animals getting close to the action of Corona Rally Mexico; Petter Solberg had a close encounter with a dog on one of today's stages and some drivers reported seeing horses on other stages. Thankfully, no kangaroos were spotted by any drivers
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797826,00.html[/url]
[URL=http://images2.jokaroo.net/videos/rally_cow.wmv][b][u]Remember this? (Rally Cow Video)[/b][/u][/URL]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 09:54 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Corona Rally Mexico - Leg 2 Report[/B][/SIZE]
Thirty-six cars were still running at the start of day two. Xavier Pons should have been first car on the road but his trouble yesterday prevented him from continuing on the rally. The Kronos Total Citroen team believe the engine problem was caused by a broken spark plug. After overnight repairs Marcus Gronholm, Chris Atkinson and Luis Perez Companc made the restart, and set about recovering from the penalties they incurred by missing stages the day before.
Gronholm (officially classified 23rd overall overnight) therefore was running first car on the road, for the second day in succession. Loeb set off running ninth car, Hirvonen 10th and Solberg 11th, so road cleaning would no longer play a role in the competition - but would play a major part in Gronholm's attempt to regain a championship points position by the end of the event!
On stage eight, Hirvonen (second overall) and Wilson (sixth) both went off the road and finished rallying for the day. Loeb attacked and momentarily took the lead.
[B]On the ninth stage, Petter Solberg damaged the front of his car when impacting a dog on the stage but regained the lead, both he and Loeb reported high water temperatures. [/B] On the 10th, Gronholm found a row of rocks laid out across the road in a fast blind bend, luckily being able to drive over them without damage. Companc lost his brakes as did Henning Solberg.
At the midday service halt, the gap between Solberg and Loeb had never been more than 3.5 seconds today! As the surface temperatures on the tracks would inevitably rise during the afternoon, both the Subaru and Kronos teams expected that tyre performance over the next three stages could define the results of the event. Gronholm was up to 16th, and already in the makes points regime. As soon as the recovery truck arrived back in Leon, Ford mechanics were set-to to make the cars of Hirvonen and Wilson safe to rally on the final day.[B]
During stage 11, Gronholm found more rocks mysteriously on the road[/B]. On the 12th stage, Loeb took 6.5 seconds off Solberg's time and the Frenchman was now 4.8 seconds ahead. Atkinson's climb back has not brought him into the top ten.
On the 13th stage, Solberg was slowed by power steering failure. [B]All the top drivers had to slow down because of cows on the stage.[/B] Gronholm was 11th overall, sixth highest manufacturer entry.
The assumption that tyre wear this afternoon would finally decide the result of this rally was unfounded: it was Solberg's impact with a rock and the resultant power steering failure which gave Loeb a comfortable lead before the final day.
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797829,00.html[/url]
Thirty-six cars were still running at the start of day two. Xavier Pons should have been first car on the road but his trouble yesterday prevented him from continuing on the rally. The Kronos Total Citroen team believe the engine problem was caused by a broken spark plug. After overnight repairs Marcus Gronholm, Chris Atkinson and Luis Perez Companc made the restart, and set about recovering from the penalties they incurred by missing stages the day before.
Gronholm (officially classified 23rd overall overnight) therefore was running first car on the road, for the second day in succession. Loeb set off running ninth car, Hirvonen 10th and Solberg 11th, so road cleaning would no longer play a role in the competition - but would play a major part in Gronholm's attempt to regain a championship points position by the end of the event!
On stage eight, Hirvonen (second overall) and Wilson (sixth) both went off the road and finished rallying for the day. Loeb attacked and momentarily took the lead.
[B]On the ninth stage, Petter Solberg damaged the front of his car when impacting a dog on the stage but regained the lead, both he and Loeb reported high water temperatures. [/B] On the 10th, Gronholm found a row of rocks laid out across the road in a fast blind bend, luckily being able to drive over them without damage. Companc lost his brakes as did Henning Solberg.
At the midday service halt, the gap between Solberg and Loeb had never been more than 3.5 seconds today! As the surface temperatures on the tracks would inevitably rise during the afternoon, both the Subaru and Kronos teams expected that tyre performance over the next three stages could define the results of the event. Gronholm was up to 16th, and already in the makes points regime. As soon as the recovery truck arrived back in Leon, Ford mechanics were set-to to make the cars of Hirvonen and Wilson safe to rally on the final day.[B]
During stage 11, Gronholm found more rocks mysteriously on the road[/B]. On the 12th stage, Loeb took 6.5 seconds off Solberg's time and the Frenchman was now 4.8 seconds ahead. Atkinson's climb back has not brought him into the top ten.
On the 13th stage, Solberg was slowed by power steering failure. [B]All the top drivers had to slow down because of cows on the stage.[/B] Gronholm was 11th overall, sixth highest manufacturer entry.
The assumption that tyre wear this afternoon would finally decide the result of this rally was unfounded: it was Solberg's impact with a rock and the resultant power steering failure which gave Loeb a comfortable lead before the final day.
[url]http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~797829,00.html[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 09:59 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]SERVICE FLASH - F[/B][/SIZE]
(3/4/2006 7:50:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Service: F (Le�n)
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�My expectation for tomorrow is to keep my first place. On the long stage tomorrow morning, it is very important to keep a rhythm.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s been really difficult cleaning the road this morning but the day has been a good opportunity to work on the tyres, suspension and differentials. So, it�s been a worthwhile day. But it would be nice to be fighting for the win.�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�I am coming closer and closer to a good set-up with the car now and there�s more to come. We hit a small rock six kilometers into the last stage which damaged the inside of the wheel. The wheel did not break but it caused the power steering to fail. I am disappointed about this � my split time was five seconds up on S�bastien. After the power steering broke it is normal to lose six seconds per kilometer but I was only losing 4.5 seconds per kilometer. I�m going to have a good go in the morning. He could make a mistake, I could make a mistake � anything�s possible�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�My difficulty with the feeling about the car is general. When you look at Petter and S�bastien�s times, it�s a different world.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�As I thought I would, I lost the brakes on the two final stages today. Apart from that the car feels good. It�s OK.�
[B] 15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�I damaged the left rear of the car on the last stage. Fortunately, that�s one of the strongest corners of the car. This rally is unlike anything I�ve ever done before. In the heat it�s difficult to keep up the concentration.�
[B]
16. TRIVI�O / SALOM[/B]
�It was a very good day but I had many problems with the suspension. I broke our gravel suspension yesterday so I am having to run on Tarmac settings here all day. This makes the car very hard but the stages are very good.�
(3/4/2006 7:50:00 PM)
Date: Saturday March 4th
Leg: 2
Service: F (Le�n)
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�My expectation for tomorrow is to keep my first place. On the long stage tomorrow morning, it is very important to keep a rhythm.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�It�s been really difficult cleaning the road this morning but the day has been a good opportunity to work on the tyres, suspension and differentials. So, it�s been a worthwhile day. But it would be nice to be fighting for the win.�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
�I am coming closer and closer to a good set-up with the car now and there�s more to come. We hit a small rock six kilometers into the last stage which damaged the inside of the wheel. The wheel did not break but it caused the power steering to fail. I am disappointed about this � my split time was five seconds up on S�bastien. After the power steering broke it is normal to lose six seconds per kilometer but I was only losing 4.5 seconds per kilometer. I�m going to have a good go in the morning. He could make a mistake, I could make a mistake � anything�s possible�
[B]7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�My difficulty with the feeling about the car is general. When you look at Petter and S�bastien�s times, it�s a different world.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�As I thought I would, I lost the brakes on the two final stages today. Apart from that the car feels good. It�s OK.�
[B] 15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�I damaged the left rear of the car on the last stage. Fortunately, that�s one of the strongest corners of the car. This rally is unlike anything I�ve ever done before. In the heat it�s difficult to keep up the concentration.�
[B]
16. TRIVI�O / SALOM[/B]
�It was a very good day but I had many problems with the suspension. I broke our gravel suspension yesterday so I am having to run on Tarmac settings here all day. This makes the car very hard but the stages are very good.�
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 10:18 PM |
[IMG]http://www.rallymexico.com/%5CGallery%5CPhotos%5CLeg2%5CIMG_0663.JPG[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 10:36 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]Loeb consolidates his lead
Mexico : SS 14 - Super Special[/B][/SIZE]
Loeb takes another stage win
The final timed event of Leg 2 � the Nextel Super Special � ended with another stage victory of race leader Sebastien Loeb, his fifth consecutive today.
The Kronos driver added nearly ten seconds to his lead over Petter Solberg, the Norwegian finishing at a distant eighth place, his worst result so far in this rally. The total gap between the two leaders is now 37�7.
Marcus Gronholm clinched the second best time behind Loeb, finishing in front of the two OMV Peugeot Norway drivers, Manfred Stohl (3rd) and Henning Solberg.
Dani Sordo set the fifth quickest time, 1�5 better than Chris Atkinson and Luis Perez-Companc in sixth place, both drivers crossing the finish line with an identical time of 3'29�5.
In the race standings, Manfred Stohl is still third, nearly four minutes behind Loeb. Dani Sordo follows in fourth position, 32�2 behind the Austrian driver. The top five is completed by Henning Solberg, who drove cautiously to avoid putting too much strain on his car's delicate brakes.
Toshi Arai finishes the day as the leader in the Production class, around 40 seconds in front of Nasser Al-Attiyah.
Mexico : SS 14 - Super Special[/B][/SIZE]
Loeb takes another stage win
The final timed event of Leg 2 � the Nextel Super Special � ended with another stage victory of race leader Sebastien Loeb, his fifth consecutive today.
The Kronos driver added nearly ten seconds to his lead over Petter Solberg, the Norwegian finishing at a distant eighth place, his worst result so far in this rally. The total gap between the two leaders is now 37�7.
Marcus Gronholm clinched the second best time behind Loeb, finishing in front of the two OMV Peugeot Norway drivers, Manfred Stohl (3rd) and Henning Solberg.
Dani Sordo set the fifth quickest time, 1�5 better than Chris Atkinson and Luis Perez-Companc in sixth place, both drivers crossing the finish line with an identical time of 3'29�5.
In the race standings, Manfred Stohl is still third, nearly four minutes behind Loeb. Dani Sordo follows in fourth position, 32�2 behind the Austrian driver. The top five is completed by Henning Solberg, who drove cautiously to avoid putting too much strain on his car's delicate brakes.
Toshi Arai finishes the day as the leader in the Production class, around 40 seconds in front of Nasser Al-Attiyah.
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 10:54 PM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapoa_133.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 11:01 PM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapoa_126.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-04-2006 11:51 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]2006 Rally Mexico - 2 - 5 March[/B] (Round 3 of 16)[/SIZE]
[B]Leaderboard after Leg 2[/B]
1. S Loeb/D Elena Citroen Xsara 3hr 07min 57.1sec
2. P Solberg/P Mills Subaru Impreza 3hr 08min 34.8sec
3. M Stohl/I Minor Peugeot 307 3hr 11min 46.8sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti Citroen Xsara 3hr 12min 19.0sec
5. H Solberg/C Menkerud Peugeot 307 3hr 18min 17.9sec
6. G MacHale/P Nagle Ford Focus RS 3hr 21min 09.8sec
7. T Arai/T Sircombe Subaru Impreza 3hr 26min 49.2sec
8. R Trivino/C Salom Peugeot 206 3hr 27min 25.1sec
9. N Al Attiyah/C Patterson Subaru Impreza 3hr 27min 30.1sec
10 C Atkinson/G MacNeall Subaru Impreza 3hr 27min 43.0sec
__________________________________________________________________
[B] Leg 2 News[/B]
Leg 1 leader Petter Solberg (Subaru) and Sebastien Loeb (Citroen)
enjoyed a fierce battle for supremacy with no more than a handful of
seconds covering the duo for most of the day. Loeb took the lead on
the opening stage but Solberg moved ahead again on the next test. The
Frenchman regained the advantage midway through the afternoon and
extended it to 37.7sec after Solberg hit a rock early in the
penultimate stage and broke his car's power steering and then spun on
the final test. Loeb won six of the seven stages. Manfred Stohl
(Peugeot) was much happier with his car's handling and maintained a
steady third ahead of Dani Sordo (Citroen), despite almost hitting a
herd of cows. Sordo's only problem was a spin on the penultimate test.
Henning Solberg (Peugeot) opted for caution as he struggled with brake
problems all day but is a comfortable fifth. Chris Atkinson (Subaru)
restarted under SupeRally rules and climbed to 10th.
The final leg is the shortest of the rally, containing just 60.42km of
competition in three stages. It begins with the 37.99km Leon test, the
longest of the event, and ends with a third and final pass over the
superspecial stage on the edge of the city which will be broadcast live
on television. Drivers depart Le�n at 07.45 and return for the finish
ceremony at 12.30.
[B]
Team News:[/B]
[B]
1. Kronos Total Citroen[/B]
After S�bastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the stage of �El Zauco� in the
morning, they were fastest again this afternoon but only 0,3 s in front
of Petter Solberg who still kept a tiny lead of 1,7 s overall. In the
next stage, the French team-mates decided to give everything they could
considering Petter was the quickest in the morning. On the third stage
of the loop, the World Champion experienced a difficult start as he was
5 seconds slower than the Norwegian driver on the first split time. He
explained.
S�bastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: �We really had to do our maximum, explained
Seb. This is the reason why we started flat out�� They won that stage
with a margin of 6,5 s and took the lead for 4,8 s. �In a long straight
in sixth gear, a group of cows was standing in the middle of the road
without moving. I had no other choice than braking really hard to go
round them very slowly. I was scared that one of them would move
suddenly.� (Manfred Stohl who started on the road just in front of Seb
had hit a cow. This explains the other animals gathered around the hurt
one.)
Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio: Retired.
[B]
2. OMV-Peugeot Norway[/B]
Manfred Stohl was never really content throughout day one � even though
fourth intermediate place doesn�t seem to mirror this emotion. It is
the fact that he is 1:45 minutes behind Petter Solberg (Nor/Subaru)
that causes grief for the 33-year-old OMV driver � due to set-up
troubles of the Peugeot 307 WRC. Hennig Solberg had once again to deal
with brake problems during the afternoon of day one. The Norwegian OMV
driver nevertheless reached fourth-best overall time on SS 4 � followed
by a set-back during the next special stage. Following a tyre damage
the mousse didn�t work perfectly anymore and Solberg/Menkerud had to
change the tyre during the special stage. The incident cost them almost
three minutes.
Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor: Stohl: �We did some testing on gravel last
week in France. Everything seemed all right then. Unfortunately
conditions are completely different here. What had worked out in Monte
Carlo and Sweden doesn�t do so at all here in Mexico. Now we�ll have to
change the whole set-up in order to test for the forthcoming gravel
rallies. The final place is no longer as important.� On this note the
complete car set-up had been changed at the service on Friday to a
harder set-up for dampers, suspension and stabilisers. This already
proved successful in the evening at the 4,42 kilometres long superstage
in Leon. During the direct OMV Peugeot-duel with Henning Solberg,
Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor achieved SS best-time. Stohl: �Of course,
one can�t really draw conclusions after such a short SS, but it seems
to work out better. In any case it�s a motivation boost.� It was already
the third first place in the Austrian�s career, following his SS
best-times in Monte Carlo.
Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: �First the tyre damage and then recurring
brake troubles. We�re happy to have reached the finish. I could have
gone even faster on SS 4 but in the middle of the stage my drink bottle
slipped below the pedals and it took some time to retrieve it. I
sincerely hope that we�ll solve the brake problems until Saturday.� The
OMV duo has fought its way back up to seventh place in the intermediate
standings.
[B]3. BP-Ford[/B]
BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Marcus Gr�nholm and Timo Rautiainen and
team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen both hold points scoring
positions after today's second leg of Rally Mexico. But neither Ford
Focus RS World Rally Car was challenging for a podium place on this
third round of the FIA World Rally Championship after Hirvonen crashed
out of second place this morning to follow Gr�nholm's accident
yesterday. Both must now rely on SupeRally. Hirvonen retired from the
leg and will restart tomorrow's final day in 17th after accumulating a
35 minute penalty for not completing today's speed tests. Gr�nholm
started today under SupeRally rules and climbed from 23rd to 11th.
Both are currently in points positions for BP-Ford in the manufacturers'
championship.
Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen: "I didn't enjoy being first on the road
again," said Gr�nholm. "It's a difficult rally to be in that position
but there are so many rocks and stones and sometimes I just had to
drive over them because there was nowhere else to go. Everything was OK
until the last stage. I overshot a junction before halfway and had to
reverse back onto the road. Then I came round a corner and found about
20 goats in the middle of the track. I managed to avoid all of them
except one. And, worst of all, I came across some large rocks which
had been placed across the road." The Finn opted for harder tyres this
afternoon in the higher temperatures and posted top four times on all
four tests. "They are difficult stages for the tyres but we had no
problems at all with durability in the heat," he said. "Early in stage
12 I found a rock the size of a tyre in the road, with several smaller
ones around it. I avoided the big one but had to drive over the smaller
ones. I've not been testing anything, just driving to get as many
kilometres in the car on gravel as I can."
Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: I thought I would attack a bit more
today," said 25-year-old Hirvonen. "But I came over a crest and the
car lifted a bit. As I landed a rear wheel hit the bank and the impact
rolled us across the road and down into a deep ditch. I didn't have it
marked as a jump in my pace notes and I simply came too fast over the
crest."
[B]
4. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford[/B]
After a career-best sixth in the overall standings on the first day of
Corona Rally Mexico, it was a contrast of fortunes for Matthew Wilson
in the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team at the start of the second
leg. The 19-year-old retired from the leg after making contact with a
rock bank on the first stage of the day. Although Wilson and co-driver
Michael Orr were uninjured, the suspension of their Ford Focus RS WRC
05 was damaged beyond roadside repair, meaning a return to service on a
recovery vehicle, and to the rally for Sunday under SupeRally
regulations. Wilson's impact came just a kilometre into the 25.23km El
Zauco 1 stage, when a bump in the middle of a right-hand bend threw the
Focus off the line and into the bank on the exit. A front wheel and
suspension arms were damaged, while one of the mounts was partially
ripped from the subframe. Wilson and Orr attempted to repair the car at
the side of the road but the damage was such that they were unable to
even remove the damaged wheel, let alone fashion a repair to get them
to the end of the stage. The sister Ford Focus RS WRC 05 of Luis Perez
Companc had a trouble-free day, with Companc and co-driver Jose Maria
Volta ending the day in 13th place after this evening�s Nextel
Superspecial test.
Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr: "About a kilometre into the first stage this
morning we basically went wide coming out of a dip on a third-gear
corner and hit a bank on the outside. We bounced along the bank which
did quite a bit of damage to the steering. The steering arm, the
cross-member and even up into the floor as well were all damaged. If
the cross-member hadn't been bent we'd have got away with it, and at
least got out of the stage and been able to change a steering arm. The
corner had felt really good; we'd braked, turned in well, but it was
just the way the dip and the compression went which flicked the car
sideways. We took the corner at what we thought was the right speed, it
didn't really seem like a big problem. Our biggest priority once we'd
stopped was slowing the cars and making sure nobody hit us as we were
in a bad place. We tried to fix the car but it's not easy when you're on
uneven ground and you've got it jacked up and there are still cars going
flat out past you. We had a good go; but it just wasn't to be.�
Luis Perez-Companc/Jose Maria Volta: �I'm trying to drive safe. I want
to finish the rally I don't want to have any problems. So many cars are
having offs, so I'm just driving in the middle of the road and keeping
the car safe. The last stages at the end of the loops were without
brakes but in the first part I could go fast and it felt good. For
tomorrow I like very much the stages, but I have liked all the stages
on this rally. There are three runs, with one of 38km - where I'm really
going to have to take care. I'm happy the car is in one piece, I hit it
a lot as it is very, very rough, but it is good. I'm happy.�
[B]5. 555 Subaru[/B]
The Impreza WRC2006 proved its rally leading pace throughout the
morning�s stages when Petter Solberg was locked in an intense battle
for first place with Sebastien Loeb. The pair swapped the lead several
times until the sixth stage of the day when Solberg dropped 23 seconds
to his rival after his power steering was damaged in a collision with a
rock. Petter will start tomorrow�s final Leg 37sec behind Loeb, with 60
competitive kilometres remaining. After crashing out of Friday�s first
Leg, Chris Atkinson restarted today under Superally regulations. The
Australian moved back into the top ten with a string of top six times,
including the third quickest time in SS12.
Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: Apologies, quote not supplied.
Chris Atkinson/Glen MacNeall: Not bad. But obviously running second on
the road the surface is still quite loose. Marcus is doing good times
but we�re not too far behind and on the last one we took some time off
him. We�re fifth in the manufacturers� competition now and that�s
important for the team. They did a great job with the car last night
and it�s pretty much spot on. It took me a little time to get my
confidence back after the roll but we�ve got a good rhythm now and we�ll
keep pushing to get the best result we can.
Remaining Event Timetable
Sunday 5 March: Leg 3 Le�n - Le�n
Serv H Le�n (10 mins) 07.45
SS15 Leon 37.99km 08.28
SS16 Silao 18.01km 10.11
SS17 Nextel Superspecial 3 4.42km 11.26
Serv I Le�n (20 mins) 11.56
Finish Le�n 12.30
email newsletter from [url]http://www.rallye-info.com/[/url]
[B]Leaderboard after Leg 2[/B]
1. S Loeb/D Elena Citroen Xsara 3hr 07min 57.1sec
2. P Solberg/P Mills Subaru Impreza 3hr 08min 34.8sec
3. M Stohl/I Minor Peugeot 307 3hr 11min 46.8sec
4. D Sordo/M Marti Citroen Xsara 3hr 12min 19.0sec
5. H Solberg/C Menkerud Peugeot 307 3hr 18min 17.9sec
6. G MacHale/P Nagle Ford Focus RS 3hr 21min 09.8sec
7. T Arai/T Sircombe Subaru Impreza 3hr 26min 49.2sec
8. R Trivino/C Salom Peugeot 206 3hr 27min 25.1sec
9. N Al Attiyah/C Patterson Subaru Impreza 3hr 27min 30.1sec
10 C Atkinson/G MacNeall Subaru Impreza 3hr 27min 43.0sec
__________________________________________________________________
[B] Leg 2 News[/B]
Leg 1 leader Petter Solberg (Subaru) and Sebastien Loeb (Citroen)
enjoyed a fierce battle for supremacy with no more than a handful of
seconds covering the duo for most of the day. Loeb took the lead on
the opening stage but Solberg moved ahead again on the next test. The
Frenchman regained the advantage midway through the afternoon and
extended it to 37.7sec after Solberg hit a rock early in the
penultimate stage and broke his car's power steering and then spun on
the final test. Loeb won six of the seven stages. Manfred Stohl
(Peugeot) was much happier with his car's handling and maintained a
steady third ahead of Dani Sordo (Citroen), despite almost hitting a
herd of cows. Sordo's only problem was a spin on the penultimate test.
Henning Solberg (Peugeot) opted for caution as he struggled with brake
problems all day but is a comfortable fifth. Chris Atkinson (Subaru)
restarted under SupeRally rules and climbed to 10th.
The final leg is the shortest of the rally, containing just 60.42km of
competition in three stages. It begins with the 37.99km Leon test, the
longest of the event, and ends with a third and final pass over the
superspecial stage on the edge of the city which will be broadcast live
on television. Drivers depart Le�n at 07.45 and return for the finish
ceremony at 12.30.
[B]
Team News:[/B]
[B]
1. Kronos Total Citroen[/B]
After S�bastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the stage of �El Zauco� in the
morning, they were fastest again this afternoon but only 0,3 s in front
of Petter Solberg who still kept a tiny lead of 1,7 s overall. In the
next stage, the French team-mates decided to give everything they could
considering Petter was the quickest in the morning. On the third stage
of the loop, the World Champion experienced a difficult start as he was
5 seconds slower than the Norwegian driver on the first split time. He
explained.
S�bastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: �We really had to do our maximum, explained
Seb. This is the reason why we started flat out�� They won that stage
with a margin of 6,5 s and took the lead for 4,8 s. �In a long straight
in sixth gear, a group of cows was standing in the middle of the road
without moving. I had no other choice than braking really hard to go
round them very slowly. I was scared that one of them would move
suddenly.� (Manfred Stohl who started on the road just in front of Seb
had hit a cow. This explains the other animals gathered around the hurt
one.)
Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio: Retired.
[B]
2. OMV-Peugeot Norway[/B]
Manfred Stohl was never really content throughout day one � even though
fourth intermediate place doesn�t seem to mirror this emotion. It is
the fact that he is 1:45 minutes behind Petter Solberg (Nor/Subaru)
that causes grief for the 33-year-old OMV driver � due to set-up
troubles of the Peugeot 307 WRC. Hennig Solberg had once again to deal
with brake problems during the afternoon of day one. The Norwegian OMV
driver nevertheless reached fourth-best overall time on SS 4 � followed
by a set-back during the next special stage. Following a tyre damage
the mousse didn�t work perfectly anymore and Solberg/Menkerud had to
change the tyre during the special stage. The incident cost them almost
three minutes.
Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor: Stohl: �We did some testing on gravel last
week in France. Everything seemed all right then. Unfortunately
conditions are completely different here. What had worked out in Monte
Carlo and Sweden doesn�t do so at all here in Mexico. Now we�ll have to
change the whole set-up in order to test for the forthcoming gravel
rallies. The final place is no longer as important.� On this note the
complete car set-up had been changed at the service on Friday to a
harder set-up for dampers, suspension and stabilisers. This already
proved successful in the evening at the 4,42 kilometres long superstage
in Leon. During the direct OMV Peugeot-duel with Henning Solberg,
Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor achieved SS best-time. Stohl: �Of course,
one can�t really draw conclusions after such a short SS, but it seems
to work out better. In any case it�s a motivation boost.� It was already
the third first place in the Austrian�s career, following his SS
best-times in Monte Carlo.
Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: �First the tyre damage and then recurring
brake troubles. We�re happy to have reached the finish. I could have
gone even faster on SS 4 but in the middle of the stage my drink bottle
slipped below the pedals and it took some time to retrieve it. I
sincerely hope that we�ll solve the brake problems until Saturday.� The
OMV duo has fought its way back up to seventh place in the intermediate
standings.
[B]3. BP-Ford[/B]
BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Marcus Gr�nholm and Timo Rautiainen and
team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen both hold points scoring
positions after today's second leg of Rally Mexico. But neither Ford
Focus RS World Rally Car was challenging for a podium place on this
third round of the FIA World Rally Championship after Hirvonen crashed
out of second place this morning to follow Gr�nholm's accident
yesterday. Both must now rely on SupeRally. Hirvonen retired from the
leg and will restart tomorrow's final day in 17th after accumulating a
35 minute penalty for not completing today's speed tests. Gr�nholm
started today under SupeRally rules and climbed from 23rd to 11th.
Both are currently in points positions for BP-Ford in the manufacturers'
championship.
Marcus Gr�nholm/Timo Rautiainen: "I didn't enjoy being first on the road
again," said Gr�nholm. "It's a difficult rally to be in that position
but there are so many rocks and stones and sometimes I just had to
drive over them because there was nowhere else to go. Everything was OK
until the last stage. I overshot a junction before halfway and had to
reverse back onto the road. Then I came round a corner and found about
20 goats in the middle of the track. I managed to avoid all of them
except one. And, worst of all, I came across some large rocks which
had been placed across the road." The Finn opted for harder tyres this
afternoon in the higher temperatures and posted top four times on all
four tests. "They are difficult stages for the tyres but we had no
problems at all with durability in the heat," he said. "Early in stage
12 I found a rock the size of a tyre in the road, with several smaller
ones around it. I avoided the big one but had to drive over the smaller
ones. I've not been testing anything, just driving to get as many
kilometres in the car on gravel as I can."
Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: I thought I would attack a bit more
today," said 25-year-old Hirvonen. "But I came over a crest and the
car lifted a bit. As I landed a rear wheel hit the bank and the impact
rolled us across the road and down into a deep ditch. I didn't have it
marked as a jump in my pace notes and I simply came too fast over the
crest."
[B]
4. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford[/B]
After a career-best sixth in the overall standings on the first day of
Corona Rally Mexico, it was a contrast of fortunes for Matthew Wilson
in the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team at the start of the second
leg. The 19-year-old retired from the leg after making contact with a
rock bank on the first stage of the day. Although Wilson and co-driver
Michael Orr were uninjured, the suspension of their Ford Focus RS WRC
05 was damaged beyond roadside repair, meaning a return to service on a
recovery vehicle, and to the rally for Sunday under SupeRally
regulations. Wilson's impact came just a kilometre into the 25.23km El
Zauco 1 stage, when a bump in the middle of a right-hand bend threw the
Focus off the line and into the bank on the exit. A front wheel and
suspension arms were damaged, while one of the mounts was partially
ripped from the subframe. Wilson and Orr attempted to repair the car at
the side of the road but the damage was such that they were unable to
even remove the damaged wheel, let alone fashion a repair to get them
to the end of the stage. The sister Ford Focus RS WRC 05 of Luis Perez
Companc had a trouble-free day, with Companc and co-driver Jose Maria
Volta ending the day in 13th place after this evening�s Nextel
Superspecial test.
Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr: "About a kilometre into the first stage this
morning we basically went wide coming out of a dip on a third-gear
corner and hit a bank on the outside. We bounced along the bank which
did quite a bit of damage to the steering. The steering arm, the
cross-member and even up into the floor as well were all damaged. If
the cross-member hadn't been bent we'd have got away with it, and at
least got out of the stage and been able to change a steering arm. The
corner had felt really good; we'd braked, turned in well, but it was
just the way the dip and the compression went which flicked the car
sideways. We took the corner at what we thought was the right speed, it
didn't really seem like a big problem. Our biggest priority once we'd
stopped was slowing the cars and making sure nobody hit us as we were
in a bad place. We tried to fix the car but it's not easy when you're on
uneven ground and you've got it jacked up and there are still cars going
flat out past you. We had a good go; but it just wasn't to be.�
Luis Perez-Companc/Jose Maria Volta: �I'm trying to drive safe. I want
to finish the rally I don't want to have any problems. So many cars are
having offs, so I'm just driving in the middle of the road and keeping
the car safe. The last stages at the end of the loops were without
brakes but in the first part I could go fast and it felt good. For
tomorrow I like very much the stages, but I have liked all the stages
on this rally. There are three runs, with one of 38km - where I'm really
going to have to take care. I'm happy the car is in one piece, I hit it
a lot as it is very, very rough, but it is good. I'm happy.�
[B]5. 555 Subaru[/B]
The Impreza WRC2006 proved its rally leading pace throughout the
morning�s stages when Petter Solberg was locked in an intense battle
for first place with Sebastien Loeb. The pair swapped the lead several
times until the sixth stage of the day when Solberg dropped 23 seconds
to his rival after his power steering was damaged in a collision with a
rock. Petter will start tomorrow�s final Leg 37sec behind Loeb, with 60
competitive kilometres remaining. After crashing out of Friday�s first
Leg, Chris Atkinson restarted today under Superally regulations. The
Australian moved back into the top ten with a string of top six times,
including the third quickest time in SS12.
Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: Apologies, quote not supplied.
Chris Atkinson/Glen MacNeall: Not bad. But obviously running second on
the road the surface is still quite loose. Marcus is doing good times
but we�re not too far behind and on the last one we took some time off
him. We�re fifth in the manufacturers� competition now and that�s
important for the team. They did a great job with the car last night
and it�s pretty much spot on. It took me a little time to get my
confidence back after the roll but we�ve got a good rhythm now and we�ll
keep pushing to get the best result we can.
Remaining Event Timetable
Sunday 5 March: Leg 3 Le�n - Le�n
Serv H Le�n (10 mins) 07.45
SS15 Leon 37.99km 08.28
SS16 Silao 18.01km 10.11
SS17 Nextel Superspecial 3 4.42km 11.26
Serv I Le�n (20 mins) 11.56
Finish Le�n 12.30
email newsletter from [url]http://www.rallye-info.com/[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 08:18 AM |
[SIZE=5][B]Rally reactions: Rally Mexico - Leg 2.[/B][/SIZE]
[B]Sebastien Loeb [Kronos Citroen]:[/B]
"It's been a really exciting fight today. My expectation for tomorrow is to keep my first place but even if I have eight points at the end, it will be good for the Championship. But I would prefer ten so I will try and keep it together�"
"It's been the sort of day that I really enjoy, with a full-on battle. We've been pushing at the limits of what's reasonable, particularly on the second run through Duarte. We knew that this stage favoured Petter, so to lose the least time possible we went flat out � and won the stage! Tomorrow we have 60 kilometres of special stage left. We will try to keep up a good rhythm and above all to avoid making mistakes. Such a hard-fought advantage deserves to be protected!"
[B]
Petter Solberg [Subaru]:[/B]
"Sebastien and I have had a good fight out there today. Of course, it's a shame that the power steering problem means it's not quite so close now but the important thing is how far ahead of the rest of the field we've got. I really feel that we're back in business now. The car is improving all the time and today we've found some more really good things that enable me to push hard. I think we're in for an exciting finish tomorrow. [B]Second place would mean some useful points but I came here for a win and I'm going to try my best to get one[/B]."
[B]
"We are hoping to win tomorrow, that's the plan. Sebastien can still make a mistake tomorrow with punctures on rocks � you can be very unlucky and obviously anything can happen. But I am going to try tomorrow morning, definitely! I think everything is possible."[/B]
[B]
Manfred Stohl [OMV Peugeot Norway]:[/B]
"The position today is fantastic and I'm quite happy. But there are not so many cars and we are three minutes behind. The day tomorrow looks very hard for me but I have to say that it is not the car or the tyres; the problem is the complete package and I'm still not confident."
[B]
Daniel Sordo [Kronos Citroen]:[/B]
"I like the Mexican stages and my pace is quite good. Life is fine!"
[B]Henning Solberg [OMV Peugeot Norway]:[/B]
"After the snow we suffered inside the car in Sweden, the Mexican heat has been quite a big change. It's interesting to experience such global changes!"
[B]
Ricardo Trivino [Peugeot 206 WRC]:[/B]
"It was a very good day but I had many problems with the suspension. I broke our gravel suspension yesterday so I am having to run on tarmac settings. This makes the car very hard but the stages are very good."
[B]Chris Atkinson [Subaru]:[/B]
"It's been a good day. We made some changes to the differentials this afternoon and it seemed to make quite an improvement, especially on SS12 and SS13. Overall we've had a clean, reliable run, with no problems to report. The car has performed perfectly all day and the only unexpected thing we've had to contend with was the herd of cattle on the SS13. It was a fairly tight squeeze and they took both our wing mirrors off, but we were all okay in the end!"
[B]
Marcus Gronholm [BP Ford]:[/B]
"I didn't enjoy being first on the road again. It's a difficult rally to be in that position but there are so many rocks and stones and sometimes I just had to drive over them because there was nowhere else to go. Everything was OK until SS10. I overshot a junction before halfway and had to reverse back onto the road. Then I came round a corner and found about 20 goats in the middle of the track. I managed to avoid all of them except one. And, worst of all, I came across some large rocks which had been placed across the road."
"In the afternoon we had no problems at all with tyre durability in the heat. Early in stage 12 I found a rock the size of a tyre in the road, with several smaller ones around it. I avoided the big one but had to drive over the smaller ones. I've not been testing anything, just driving to get as many kilometres in the car on gravel as I can."
[B]
Luis-Perez Companc [Stobart VK Ford]:[/B]
"I'm trying to drive safe. I want to finish the rally I don't want to have any problems. So many cars are having offs, so I'm just driving in the middle of the road and keeping the car safe. The last stages at the end of the loops were without brakes but in the first part I could go fast and it felt good. For tomorrow I like very much the stages, but I have liked all the stages on this rally. There are three runs, with one of 38km - where I'm really going to have to take care. I'm happy the car is in one piece, I hit it a lot as it is very, very rough, but it is good. I'm happy."
[SIZE=4][B]Notable retirements:[/B][/SIZE]
[B]
Xavier Pons [Kronos Citroen]: [retired in SS2 - engine - unable to re-start][/B]
No comment.
[B]
Marcus Gronholm [BP Ford]: [retired from leg 1 in SS4 - rolled][/B]
"The car felt great but it was a shame that I was first on the road. It wasn't so bad but there wasn't a clean line and that makes all the difference. It meant there was more wheelspin and I had to brake earlier. I couldn't have done any more this morning..."
"I entered the left corner too fast [in SS4] and then slid into a ditch on the right bend. The car ended on its side and we pushed it back onto four wheels but couldn't regain the road. It was my mistake. I was attacking too hard and tried to brake late. I think I can still score manufacturer points here."
[B]
Chris Atkinson [Subaru]: [retired from leg 1 in SS5 - rolled][/B]
"It's very disappointing to retire from the Leg, especially as things had been going according to plan up to that point. The rock we hit was in the middle of the road. It looks like it broke the wheel rim, which badly affected the handling around the next corner. I could feel we had a problem as soon as I tried to brake, then we slid wide, into a ditch and rolled. The rally isn't over yet though. We have to pick ourselves up and concentrate on getting the best points finish we can."
[B]
Luis-Perez Companc [Stobart VK Ford]: [retired from leg 1 in SS5 - crashed][/B]
"The first stage was okay, very good, no problems. The second stage, in the middle of a village, I had bad notes and I hit the side of the road which made us spin. The car stopped, but, after receiving a push from the crowds, we were back on the road. The third stage, with no notes, was a challenge. It was very difficult as I just had to look at what was in front of me. Jose was making signs at me to stop or push more but we got to the finish line. In stage five I took a corner too close to the side and hit a rock which broke a driveshaft. Up till then everything was going well, I like very much driving on gravel."
[B]
Mikko Hirvonen [BP Ford]: [retired from leg 2 in SS8 - rolled][/B]
"I thought I would attack a bit more today. But I came over a crest [on the first test of the day] and the car lifted a bit. As I landed a rear wheel hit the bank and the impact rolled us across the road and down into a deep ditch. I didn't have it marked as a jump in my pace notes and I simply came too fast over the crest."
[B]
Matthew Wilson [Stobart VK Ford]: [retired from leg 2 in SS8 - went off the road][/B]
"About a kilometre into the first stage this morning we basically went wide coming out of a dip on a third-gear corner and hit a bank on the outside. We bounced along the bank which did quite a bit of damage to the steering. The steering arm, the cross-member and even up into the floor as well were all damaged. If the cross-member hadn't been bent we'd have got away with it, and at least got out of the stage and been able to change a steering arm. The corner had felt really good; we'd braked, turned in well, but it was just the way the dip and the compression went which flicked the car sideways. We took the corner at what we thought was the right speed, it didn't really seem like a big problem. Our biggest priority once we'd stopped was slowing the cars and making sure nobody hit us as we were in a bad place. We tried to fix the car but it's not easy when you're on uneven ground and you've got it jacked up and there are still cars going flat out past you. We had a good go; but it just wasn't to be."
[B][SIZE=3]
Team principals:[/SIZE]
Marc van Dalen [Kronos Citroen - team principal]:[/B]
"Seb's determination is fantastic, while Dani has been driving a perfect learning rally. The team is going to do its best to ensure that they both reap the benefits of their excellent work�"
"I was a little bit worried at midday on Friday because we had lost one car with Xavi Pons when a plug broke and part of it dropped into the cylinder which caused the engine to fail. Then Sebastien Loeb was fighting harder to match the pace of the two Fords but later on we made the set-up of the car better and that made him a top fighter again. I am also very happy with the way Daniel Sordo is going because it's a very good pace for his first ever WRC gravel event."
[B]Luis Moya [Subaru WRT - sporting director]:[/B]
"We are very pleased with the performance of both our drivers today. Petter proved that the car is very competitive and that we are more than capable of fighting for victory. Like Petter, everybody in the team is disappointed about the time lost with the power steering damage. We will have to see what he is able to do tomorrow. After his accident yesterday, Chris took it easier this morning but has improved all day long."
[B]
Paul Howarth [Subaru WRT - team principal]:[/B]
"I'm really satisfied with the performance of the car and its reliability here. It's very encouraging for the rest of the season after this first test on gravel. We experienced some problems in the first two rallies of the season but with a new car to develop, some performance to gain and the changes in the technical regulations it was difficult to be 100 percent fit. But apparently we are ready now for what will be a very hard and tough season."
[B]
Jackie Bozian [OMV Peugeot Norway WRT � team manager]:[/B]
"The rally so far has been positive. Experiencing brake problems has meant that Henning has had to drive cautiously and he has decided to keep his position with nothing to lose or win by taking chances. Manfred was not feeling at ease with the car on Friday and he decided to take a chance and modify the set-up because he preferred to look towards the future. Then he found a good set-up and at the same time, a satisfactory position in the rally and has decided to continue the same way tomorrow."
[B]Malcolm Wilson [BP Ford - team director]:[/B]
"I think Marcus could climb back into the drivers' points while the team has done a good job in repairing Mikko's car. I think tomorrow is the most difficult section of the rally so anything can still happen."
[B]
Malcolm Wilson [Stobart VK Ford - team boss]:[/B]
"After a great day yesterday, I certainly know there's no-one more frustrated than Matthew today. He just got caught out with a bump in the middle of the corner in a narrow section and it caught him when he had lock on. We can get him out now under SupeRally rules so he's going to do the longest stage of the rally, which is so vital at this point in his career. It's incredible that all four Ford drivers here on this rally have had accidents and things that have stopped them. What can you say to your son, when you've got a double world champion in Marcus Gronholm who's gone off, and his team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, who was fighting for the lead, then went off on the same stage. For Matthew to go off in the first time that he's driven here when he was doing so well I can't really say much; it's all part of the process he needs to go through to get to the top."
[B]Mario Isola [Pirelli Competizioni Rally manager]:[/B]
"We were happy with the performance of our tyres, but it wasn't such a lucky day. It was, however, a wonderful show with Petter and Sebastien fighting for the lead. This is what the spectators want to see and this is what the sport is all about. Unfortunately the loss of the power steering took away the shine from what had been a great day where Petter had led for the majority of the time."
[url]http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~4~id~126132~pid~0.htm[/url]
[B]Sebastien Loeb [Kronos Citroen]:[/B]
"It's been a really exciting fight today. My expectation for tomorrow is to keep my first place but even if I have eight points at the end, it will be good for the Championship. But I would prefer ten so I will try and keep it together�"
"It's been the sort of day that I really enjoy, with a full-on battle. We've been pushing at the limits of what's reasonable, particularly on the second run through Duarte. We knew that this stage favoured Petter, so to lose the least time possible we went flat out � and won the stage! Tomorrow we have 60 kilometres of special stage left. We will try to keep up a good rhythm and above all to avoid making mistakes. Such a hard-fought advantage deserves to be protected!"
[B]
Petter Solberg [Subaru]:[/B]
"Sebastien and I have had a good fight out there today. Of course, it's a shame that the power steering problem means it's not quite so close now but the important thing is how far ahead of the rest of the field we've got. I really feel that we're back in business now. The car is improving all the time and today we've found some more really good things that enable me to push hard. I think we're in for an exciting finish tomorrow. [B]Second place would mean some useful points but I came here for a win and I'm going to try my best to get one[/B]."
[B]
"We are hoping to win tomorrow, that's the plan. Sebastien can still make a mistake tomorrow with punctures on rocks � you can be very unlucky and obviously anything can happen. But I am going to try tomorrow morning, definitely! I think everything is possible."[/B]
[B]
Manfred Stohl [OMV Peugeot Norway]:[/B]
"The position today is fantastic and I'm quite happy. But there are not so many cars and we are three minutes behind. The day tomorrow looks very hard for me but I have to say that it is not the car or the tyres; the problem is the complete package and I'm still not confident."
[B]
Daniel Sordo [Kronos Citroen]:[/B]
"I like the Mexican stages and my pace is quite good. Life is fine!"
[B]Henning Solberg [OMV Peugeot Norway]:[/B]
"After the snow we suffered inside the car in Sweden, the Mexican heat has been quite a big change. It's interesting to experience such global changes!"
[B]
Ricardo Trivino [Peugeot 206 WRC]:[/B]
"It was a very good day but I had many problems with the suspension. I broke our gravel suspension yesterday so I am having to run on tarmac settings. This makes the car very hard but the stages are very good."
[B]Chris Atkinson [Subaru]:[/B]
"It's been a good day. We made some changes to the differentials this afternoon and it seemed to make quite an improvement, especially on SS12 and SS13. Overall we've had a clean, reliable run, with no problems to report. The car has performed perfectly all day and the only unexpected thing we've had to contend with was the herd of cattle on the SS13. It was a fairly tight squeeze and they took both our wing mirrors off, but we were all okay in the end!"
[B]
Marcus Gronholm [BP Ford]:[/B]
"I didn't enjoy being first on the road again. It's a difficult rally to be in that position but there are so many rocks and stones and sometimes I just had to drive over them because there was nowhere else to go. Everything was OK until SS10. I overshot a junction before halfway and had to reverse back onto the road. Then I came round a corner and found about 20 goats in the middle of the track. I managed to avoid all of them except one. And, worst of all, I came across some large rocks which had been placed across the road."
"In the afternoon we had no problems at all with tyre durability in the heat. Early in stage 12 I found a rock the size of a tyre in the road, with several smaller ones around it. I avoided the big one but had to drive over the smaller ones. I've not been testing anything, just driving to get as many kilometres in the car on gravel as I can."
[B]
Luis-Perez Companc [Stobart VK Ford]:[/B]
"I'm trying to drive safe. I want to finish the rally I don't want to have any problems. So many cars are having offs, so I'm just driving in the middle of the road and keeping the car safe. The last stages at the end of the loops were without brakes but in the first part I could go fast and it felt good. For tomorrow I like very much the stages, but I have liked all the stages on this rally. There are three runs, with one of 38km - where I'm really going to have to take care. I'm happy the car is in one piece, I hit it a lot as it is very, very rough, but it is good. I'm happy."
[SIZE=4][B]Notable retirements:[/B][/SIZE]
[B]
Xavier Pons [Kronos Citroen]: [retired in SS2 - engine - unable to re-start][/B]
No comment.
[B]
Marcus Gronholm [BP Ford]: [retired from leg 1 in SS4 - rolled][/B]
"The car felt great but it was a shame that I was first on the road. It wasn't so bad but there wasn't a clean line and that makes all the difference. It meant there was more wheelspin and I had to brake earlier. I couldn't have done any more this morning..."
"I entered the left corner too fast [in SS4] and then slid into a ditch on the right bend. The car ended on its side and we pushed it back onto four wheels but couldn't regain the road. It was my mistake. I was attacking too hard and tried to brake late. I think I can still score manufacturer points here."
[B]
Chris Atkinson [Subaru]: [retired from leg 1 in SS5 - rolled][/B]
"It's very disappointing to retire from the Leg, especially as things had been going according to plan up to that point. The rock we hit was in the middle of the road. It looks like it broke the wheel rim, which badly affected the handling around the next corner. I could feel we had a problem as soon as I tried to brake, then we slid wide, into a ditch and rolled. The rally isn't over yet though. We have to pick ourselves up and concentrate on getting the best points finish we can."
[B]
Luis-Perez Companc [Stobart VK Ford]: [retired from leg 1 in SS5 - crashed][/B]
"The first stage was okay, very good, no problems. The second stage, in the middle of a village, I had bad notes and I hit the side of the road which made us spin. The car stopped, but, after receiving a push from the crowds, we were back on the road. The third stage, with no notes, was a challenge. It was very difficult as I just had to look at what was in front of me. Jose was making signs at me to stop or push more but we got to the finish line. In stage five I took a corner too close to the side and hit a rock which broke a driveshaft. Up till then everything was going well, I like very much driving on gravel."
[B]
Mikko Hirvonen [BP Ford]: [retired from leg 2 in SS8 - rolled][/B]
"I thought I would attack a bit more today. But I came over a crest [on the first test of the day] and the car lifted a bit. As I landed a rear wheel hit the bank and the impact rolled us across the road and down into a deep ditch. I didn't have it marked as a jump in my pace notes and I simply came too fast over the crest."
[B]
Matthew Wilson [Stobart VK Ford]: [retired from leg 2 in SS8 - went off the road][/B]
"About a kilometre into the first stage this morning we basically went wide coming out of a dip on a third-gear corner and hit a bank on the outside. We bounced along the bank which did quite a bit of damage to the steering. The steering arm, the cross-member and even up into the floor as well were all damaged. If the cross-member hadn't been bent we'd have got away with it, and at least got out of the stage and been able to change a steering arm. The corner had felt really good; we'd braked, turned in well, but it was just the way the dip and the compression went which flicked the car sideways. We took the corner at what we thought was the right speed, it didn't really seem like a big problem. Our biggest priority once we'd stopped was slowing the cars and making sure nobody hit us as we were in a bad place. We tried to fix the car but it's not easy when you're on uneven ground and you've got it jacked up and there are still cars going flat out past you. We had a good go; but it just wasn't to be."
[B][SIZE=3]
Team principals:[/SIZE]
Marc van Dalen [Kronos Citroen - team principal]:[/B]
"Seb's determination is fantastic, while Dani has been driving a perfect learning rally. The team is going to do its best to ensure that they both reap the benefits of their excellent work�"
"I was a little bit worried at midday on Friday because we had lost one car with Xavi Pons when a plug broke and part of it dropped into the cylinder which caused the engine to fail. Then Sebastien Loeb was fighting harder to match the pace of the two Fords but later on we made the set-up of the car better and that made him a top fighter again. I am also very happy with the way Daniel Sordo is going because it's a very good pace for his first ever WRC gravel event."
[B]Luis Moya [Subaru WRT - sporting director]:[/B]
"We are very pleased with the performance of both our drivers today. Petter proved that the car is very competitive and that we are more than capable of fighting for victory. Like Petter, everybody in the team is disappointed about the time lost with the power steering damage. We will have to see what he is able to do tomorrow. After his accident yesterday, Chris took it easier this morning but has improved all day long."
[B]
Paul Howarth [Subaru WRT - team principal]:[/B]
"I'm really satisfied with the performance of the car and its reliability here. It's very encouraging for the rest of the season after this first test on gravel. We experienced some problems in the first two rallies of the season but with a new car to develop, some performance to gain and the changes in the technical regulations it was difficult to be 100 percent fit. But apparently we are ready now for what will be a very hard and tough season."
[B]
Jackie Bozian [OMV Peugeot Norway WRT � team manager]:[/B]
"The rally so far has been positive. Experiencing brake problems has meant that Henning has had to drive cautiously and he has decided to keep his position with nothing to lose or win by taking chances. Manfred was not feeling at ease with the car on Friday and he decided to take a chance and modify the set-up because he preferred to look towards the future. Then he found a good set-up and at the same time, a satisfactory position in the rally and has decided to continue the same way tomorrow."
[B]Malcolm Wilson [BP Ford - team director]:[/B]
"I think Marcus could climb back into the drivers' points while the team has done a good job in repairing Mikko's car. I think tomorrow is the most difficult section of the rally so anything can still happen."
[B]
Malcolm Wilson [Stobart VK Ford - team boss]:[/B]
"After a great day yesterday, I certainly know there's no-one more frustrated than Matthew today. He just got caught out with a bump in the middle of the corner in a narrow section and it caught him when he had lock on. We can get him out now under SupeRally rules so he's going to do the longest stage of the rally, which is so vital at this point in his career. It's incredible that all four Ford drivers here on this rally have had accidents and things that have stopped them. What can you say to your son, when you've got a double world champion in Marcus Gronholm who's gone off, and his team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, who was fighting for the lead, then went off on the same stage. For Matthew to go off in the first time that he's driven here when he was doing so well I can't really say much; it's all part of the process he needs to go through to get to the top."
[B]Mario Isola [Pirelli Competizioni Rally manager]:[/B]
"We were happy with the performance of our tyres, but it wasn't such a lucky day. It was, however, a wonderful show with Petter and Sebastien fighting for the lead. This is what the spectators want to see and this is what the sport is all about. Unfortunately the loss of the power steering took away the shine from what had been a great day where Petter had led for the majority of the time."
[url]http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~4~id~126132~pid~0.htm[/url]
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 08:28 AM |
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_224.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_247.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_250.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_247.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://members.rally.racing-live.com/photos-hires/2006/mexique/diapo_250.jpg[/IMG]
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 09:34 AM |
Too Late...
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 09:35 AM |
Too Late!!!
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 09:36 AM |
Too Late !!!
| Weasel 555 | 03-05-2006 10:06 AM |
wow! nice photos :D
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 10:34 AM |
[SIZE=5][B]SS15: Solberg Down again[/B][/SIZE]
Stage 15 is live and Solberg is once again down as he finishes 12.6 seconds behind Loeb. At this time in the Stage the leaders are Loeb, Gronholm and then Solberg. [B]Solberg is now behind at this point in the rally by 50.3 seconds. [/B]
# Leg 3 : Sunday 5 March 2006
07h45 : Service area H in Leon (10')
Refuelling area
[B]
[COLOR=DarkGreen]08h28 : SS 15 Leon (37,99 km)[/COLOR][/B]
Refuelling area
10h11 : SS 16 Silao (18,01 km)
11h26 : SS 17 Nextel Superspecial 3 (4,42 km)
11h56 : Service area I in Leon (20')
12h30 : Finish
Stage 15 is live and Solberg is once again down as he finishes 12.6 seconds behind Loeb. At this time in the Stage the leaders are Loeb, Gronholm and then Solberg. [B]Solberg is now behind at this point in the rally by 50.3 seconds. [/B]
# Leg 3 : Sunday 5 March 2006
07h45 : Service area H in Leon (10')
Refuelling area
[B]
[COLOR=DarkGreen]08h28 : SS 15 Leon (37,99 km)[/COLOR][/B]
Refuelling area
10h11 : SS 16 Silao (18,01 km)
11h26 : SS 17 Nextel Superspecial 3 (4,42 km)
11h56 : Service area I in Leon (20')
12h30 : Finish
| Subie Gal | 03-05-2006 10:45 AM |
all this info and nobody is mentioning the fact that Subaru rally team usa
was forced to withdraw from the event at the very start :lol:
I'm suprised this hasnt come up?
something about...
it's a good idea to make sure your cars are spec legal with the proper papers
before entering a round of the WRC Eh?
Jamie [url=http://www.subiegal.com/][img]http://www.subiegal.com/subiegal-smilie.png[/img][/url]
was forced to withdraw from the event at the very start :lol:
I'm suprised this hasnt come up?
something about...
it's a good idea to make sure your cars are spec legal with the proper papers
before entering a round of the WRC Eh?
Jamie [url=http://www.subiegal.com/][img]http://www.subiegal.com/subiegal-smilie.png[/img][/url]
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 12:21 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE FLASH - SS15[/B][/SIZE]
(3/5/2006 9:28:00 AM)
Date: Sunday March 5th
Leg: 3
Special stage: 15 (Le�n)
Distance: 37.99 km
Weather: Dry, sunny and warm
Road conditions: Dusty
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�We had a good stage. We were not so fast. I saw that we were on the same time as Solberg and then he was slower so, I have been driving a clean line.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�Yep, I�m going for eighth place but in this stage Mikko was driving so slowly I kept getting caught in his dust.�
[B]
4. HIRVONEN / LEHTINEN[/B]
�There was a lot of dust following Atkinson and at one point I had to stop in the stage.�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]�The stage was very good but I didn�t have any brakes for a long, long time.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�There was a lot of dust. A lot of it was coming into the car as well. Seventh place is a possibility and I may have even got it in this stage. I didn�t think that was a possibility yesterday.�
[B]
7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�We just take it nice and easy. There is no point in taking a risk, I cannot catch second place.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I started a minute late because of the dust and again I had a brake problem in the stage.�
[B]
9. WILSON / ORR[/B]
�We had a problem this morning because the car was misfiring. On one section in the stage there was no power when we were coming up a hill.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The stage was complicated but I finished it.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�It is a problem with the dust. I had to stop in a corner once because I could not see.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Yes, I was very, very cautious on that stage. It�s the sting in the tail of the rally. Now I look forward to the Super Special again.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�A very hard stage, especially the last part which is very tricky. I go at a steady pace now and we have had no punctures.�
[B]36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�The whole stage was good for me. I concentrated from the start and it was a good stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�Yes, we try but we try with safety. Arai is 40 seconds in front but this was a good time on the stage and I am happy with my performance.�
[B]
COMMENTS[/B]
This stage is the longest on Corona Rally M�xico and starts at 2,272 meters.
S�bastien Loeb was fastest through the stage with a time of 25:32.1and holds on to his overnight lead of the rally.
Petter Solberg suffered with brake problems and despite his best efforts and the fact that he set the third fastest stage time, the margin between him and Loeb has increased to 50.3 seconds.
Marcus Gr�nholm set the second fastest stage time, just 5.3 seconds behind Loeb�s time and moves up into ninth place overall from his overnight position of 11th.
Manfred Stohl and Daniel Sordo hang onto third and fourth place, respectively and Stohl has increased the gap between himself and Sordo from 32.2 seconds to 59.6 on this stage.
In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai continues to lead with Nasser Al-Attiyah in second place.
(3/5/2006 9:28:00 AM)
Date: Sunday March 5th
Leg: 3
Special stage: 15 (Le�n)
Distance: 37.99 km
Weather: Dry, sunny and warm
Road conditions: Dusty
[B]1. LOEB / ELENA[/B]
�We had a good stage. We were not so fast. I saw that we were on the same time as Solberg and then he was slower so, I have been driving a clean line.�
[B]3. GR�NHOLM / RAUTIAINEN[/B]
�Yep, I�m going for eighth place but in this stage Mikko was driving so slowly I kept getting caught in his dust.�
[B]
4. HIRVONEN / LEHTINEN[/B]
�There was a lot of dust following Atkinson and at one point I had to stop in the stage.�
[B]
5. SOLBERG / MILLS[/B]
[B][COLOR=Navy]�The stage was very good but I didn�t have any brakes for a long, long time.�[/COLOR][/B]
[B]
6. ATKINSON / MACNEALL[/B]
�There was a lot of dust. A lot of it was coming into the car as well. Seventh place is a possibility and I may have even got it in this stage. I didn�t think that was a possibility yesterday.�
[B]
7. STOHL / MINOR[/B]
�We just take it nice and easy. There is no point in taking a risk, I cannot catch second place.�
[B]
8. H. SOLBERG / MENKERUD[/B]
�I started a minute late because of the dust and again I had a brake problem in the stage.�
[B]
9. WILSON / ORR[/B]
�We had a problem this morning because the car was misfiring. On one section in the stage there was no power when we were coming up a hill.�
[B]
10. COMPANC / VOLTA[/B]
�The stage was complicated but I finished it.�
[B]14. SORDO / MART� [/B]
�It is a problem with the dust. I had to stop in a corner once because I could not see.�
[B]
15. MACHALE / NAGLE[/B]
�Yes, I was very, very cautious on that stage. It�s the sting in the tail of the rally. Now I look forward to the Super Special again.�
[B]
31. ARAI / SIRCOMBE[/B]
�A very hard stage, especially the last part which is very tricky. I go at a steady pace now and we have had no punctures.�
[B]36. BALDACCI / AGNESE[/B]
�The whole stage was good for me. I concentrated from the start and it was a good stage.�
[B]
39. AL-ATTIYAH / PATTERSON[/B]
�Yes, we try but we try with safety. Arai is 40 seconds in front but this was a good time on the stage and I am happy with my performance.�
[B]
COMMENTS[/B]
This stage is the longest on Corona Rally M�xico and starts at 2,272 meters.
S�bastien Loeb was fastest through the stage with a time of 25:32.1and holds on to his overnight lead of the rally.
Petter Solberg suffered with brake problems and despite his best efforts and the fact that he set the third fastest stage time, the margin between him and Loeb has increased to 50.3 seconds.
Marcus Gr�nholm set the second fastest stage time, just 5.3 seconds behind Loeb�s time and moves up into ninth place overall from his overnight position of 11th.
Manfred Stohl and Daniel Sordo hang onto third and fourth place, respectively and Stohl has increased the gap between himself and Sordo from 32.2 seconds to 59.6 on this stage.
In the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Toshi Arai continues to lead with Nasser Al-Attiyah in second place.
| STiMULi | 03-05-2006 12:25 PM |
[SIZE=5][B]STAGE 15: LOEB LENGTHENS LEAD[/B][/SIZE]
Sebastien Loeb has yet again pushed ahead of Petter Solberg. He was fastest to finish extending his lead by 12.6 seconds over Solberg. Marcus Gronholm came in second between the two, 5.3 seconds behind Loeb.
Solberg suffered brake problems during the race, granting Marcus Gronholm an opportunity of scoring driver's points - a feat that seemed impossible after his wayward driving on day 1.
Sebastien Loeb has yet again pushed ahead of Petter Solberg. He was fastest to finish extending his lead by 12.6 seconds over Solberg. Marcus Gronholm came in second between the two, 5.3 seconds behind Loeb.
Solberg suffered brake problems during the race, granting Marcus Gronholm an opportunity of scoring driver's points - a feat that seemed impossible after his wayward driving on day 1.
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