WRC 2014 : All Chat Here

[B6GUE]

WRC Spain, highlights on ITV4 now @ 8 o'clock

 

[Lostinspace]

kruuda's crash

 

[svensktoppen]

Got the ITV4 highlights from Spain. A bit meh to be honest. Shame about Chris, but hey, not really his fault. One for the **** happens bucket.

 

[Cess]

sniffpetrol.com with their take on the current WRC. Vicously funny, but also sadly true

http://sniffpetrol.com/2014/10/22/rally-update/

Rally update

Posted in Motorsport, News by Bob Bulhat on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014

Sniff Petrol rallying correspondent BOB BULHAT brings us up to date with all the latest special stage action

Last weekend the Junior Global Rally World Championship Rally Formula 2 Series action moved to the legendary forest stages of Scandinavia for the infamous 18 Fjords Rally of Norway and all eyes were on championship leader Marcus Stromenekelsson who was once again looking to take top spot in his VW Jetta JGRWCR F2 R.
Stromenekelsson made a strong start on the first 12 stages but by stage 13, taking place in the challenging Tromjspellellielli Forest, he was feeling the heat from championship rival Juni Spjunkhatterplatten in the ever-improving Peugeot 108 Juniormax GRWCRF2 S-plus who was breathing down his neck, just 10 minutes behind.

As if that wasn’t thrilling enough, from stages 15 to 27 local hero Lars-Tjorben Majerfatterplotterploppen in third spot managed to close the gap to an incredible 17 minutes before misjudging the jump on the penultimate hairpin and rolling end-over-end down a mountainside. As a result, his Renault Clio JuGloWoCha F2-R RS Evolution 3 S needed completely rebuilding from scratch whilst Majerfatterplotterploppen and his co-driver Knut Holvenovenovenovenovenoven required an overnight stay in hospital, knocking them back to fourth place.

Their misfortune was to the benefit of the Kia Rio Global World Rally F2 Junior R-spec R S-Series R driven by former Rally World Series Championship Rally World Rally Junior Senior Formula 9 champion Harry-Barry Skaerjerfjordenbjurgebordenalltrainsterminateatmorden who moved up to third despite an enormous accident on stage 46 in which his car tumbled two miles down a mountain side, caught fire and was then buried under an avalanche, losing him a nail biting two days.

Nonetheless, the Swedish driver was able to put in a sensational drive on the muddy final stages of the Snasvurtersputern-Mortenharket Valley and was able to proudly stand in third spot on the overlit, night time floor level podium in the town square of Vatnathatbatcatsatratpatstraterhjo.

It remains to be seen if the top three can maintain their searing pace when the action moves to the arid landscape and 900 stages of the legendary Rally du Dust in just eight weeks’ time.

 

[Lil Red]

Graham we missed you taking our pic on the podium this year lol!
I'd a great time out in Spain, spectating Friday and then we did most of the Saturday/Sunday stages!

This is just a pic I took at our regroup Sunday morning!

*Edit - Photobucket wouldn't play friendly with me so not sure if anyone can actually see that photo!

 

[weeloaney]

@Lil Red what we're you in?

 

[Sam.]

Dodgy translation by Google, but Petter is leading at the moment. http://www.condrozrally.be/n145-FR-solberg-devant-princen-et-meeke.html

After SS3:
1. Solberg 17:36.5
2. Kris Princen +10.9
3. Meeke +17.4

Yves Matton + Daniel Elena in 10th.

Live results available here: http://www.condrozmobile.be/speciales.html

With three scratches in as many stages, Petter Solberg immediately took things in hand.Several teams have already thrown down the gauntlet.

​

After the first three special stages, played before an incredibly large audience, Petter Solberg (Citroen C4 WRC) leads the way with 10 "9 ahead of Kris Princen (Subaru Impreza WRC) and 17" 4 Kris Meeke (Citroen DS3 R5), which regained the lead on Cedric Cherain (Ford Fiesta R5) whose leader is behind the 18 "7. Then tip Xavier Bouche (Ford Focus WRC) 27" 2, Pieter Tsjoen (Peugeot 208 T16 R5) to 39 "3, Eric Cunin (Skoda Fabia WRC) 42" 1, Bertrand Grooten (Citroën DS3 WRC) 45 "8, Freddy Loix (Skoda Fabia S2000) 48" 1 and Yves Matton (Citroen Xsara WRC) 49 "9. The last three have all been victims of a puncture in the same place at the start of SS3.

The first half-loop has been marked by many dropouts: Chris Van WOENSEL (Subaru Impreza WRC-assisted steering), Alexandre Busin (Skoda Fabia WRC-fire), Christophe Castermans (Subaru Impreza-mechanical trouble), Cedric Busin (Mitsubishi Evo9 -output), Stephan Herman (Fiat Punto-mechanical trouble), Manu Canal Robles (Renault Clio R3T-output), Didier Bosseloir (Honda Civic-mechanical trouble), Jamie Brown (Ford Fiesta) and Marcel Pebbles (Mitsubishi EvoX).

 

[Cess]

Check out the YouTube shake down videos @Sam. Meeke wrings the neck of that R5. Spent half the night watching them yesterday. Which is probably a sign of how empty my life is.

 

[Sam.]

Gutted for Petter Could've been a great return.

Fire forces Solberg exit
Petter Solberg made a sensational return to rallying today – only to have his winning run in Condroz ruined by a fire aboard his Citroen C4 WRC.

The Norwegian two-time FIA world champion scorched into an early lead before being scorched out of the Huy-based event.

Solberg and co-driver Phil Mills – competing again for the first time in two years – were unbeaten on the first six stages, despite transmission troubles aboard the C4. A change of gearbox at the end of the opening loop solved those problems, but a return of a turbo hose issue spelled the end in SS11.

Having lost time in stages seven, eight and nine, Solberg rocketed back in SS10 to increase his lead to 17.8 seconds. Unfortunately the turbo pipe came lose again in the next test and, following a small under bonnet fire, the 2003 World Rally Champion parked up.

Local hero and Subaru Impreza WRC driver Kris Princen moved into the lead of the event after SS11, where British star Kris Meeke scored his first fastest time for the Citroen DS3 R5.

http://www.maxrally.com/2014/11/01/fire-forces-solberg-exit

 

[Cess]

News round up. Sordo gets a new deal with Hoonday for 2015 and 2016 according to Autosport. A ten round deal for 2015 and a full championship for 2016.

Meanwhile Kubica's rallying future is in doubt, as both M-Sport and Citroen had stated that neither have held talks with him about the 2015 season. M-Sport chief Malcolm Wilson said: "Of course we would be interested in him staying with us next season, but we need to start talking about the possibilities."

 

[svensktoppen]

They would need to budget minimum 2 cars per rally for Robert, with a few extra cars spare

I love the dude, hope he gets a ride somewhere, but hopefully not at the expense of a "proper" driver.

Is Chris clear for another season?

 

[Cess]

Atko? Probably not

 

[Graham]

Mikko's retirement announced http://www.mikkohirvonen.com/mikkothfb/

 

[Sam.]

 

[Graham]

He has had a good run at the arc so time to let new blood proove their salt

 

[cormac81]

Yeah think it was a good call, he hasnt been at it the past few years.

 

[Cess]

Right thing to do. Nice bloke and all that, but he's been way, way off the pace for 2 seasons or more. I expect Tanak will get the seat now.

 

[Sam.]

Ogier won't be happy with the FIA. They've approved the running order change, meaning Friday AND Saturday are to be run in championship order next year.

 

[cormac81]

Yeah Julian Porter was telling us about it at a talk in Salou. Need to shake it up a wee bit to stop one guy dominating but its not ogiers fault.

 

[Cess]

He's not happy. He's already said its crap. But then he complains about everything.

 

[svensktoppen]

Mikko's retirement announced http://www.mikkohirvonen.com/mikkothfb/

About bleedin' time... Should have left years ago...

 

[Cess]

If anyone was wondering, according to a Twitter user, Kubica has racked up 19 accidents in 11 WRC rounds to date. Not sure if they have also counted the incident where he wrote off the recce car.

 

[Lil Red]

@Lil Red what we're you in?

We were in an Audi Quattro, car #11!

In other news, not sure if anyone has seen this yet? Radical overhaul of safety apparently planned for WRC in 2017! http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116716?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Sam.]

 

[DC.]

Should be a good rally this weekend; both championships settled, Meeke on home soil (mud), Mikko bowing out & of course Matthew Wilson is back!!