| SARDINIA |
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| January 19, 2014 |
OGIER SHOWS HIS MONTE MAGIC |
The VW Motorsport driver won seven out of 15 stages to take victory by 51s from privateer Bryan Bouffier.
But Ogier was forced to draw on all of his world championship-winning experience to make it to the head of the field after suffering a nightmare first day.
Running first on the road, he encountered the worst of the weather conditions and an altercation with a bridge didn´t help his cause either. Partway through day one he was languishing in 9th place.
However,...more |
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| November 17, 2013 |
OGIER WINS IN WALES |
17/11/2013 - Ogier took the lead in Wales on Thursday´s opening stage and controlled his pace perfectly, fending off a sustained attack from his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, a two-time winner here, on the slippery forest roads of mid and north-Wales.
After celebrating with co-driver Julien Ingrassia at the end of the decisive Great Orme stage, Ogier said he was delighted to have eclipsed his previous best in Wales of a lowly 11th in 2011.
"I´m so happy, and...more |
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| October 27, 2013 |
SUPREME OGIER REIGNS IN SPAIN |
27/10/2013 - The Frenchman´s eighth victory of the year guaranteed Volkswagen Motorsport the manufacturers´ world title in its first season, adding to the drivers´ crown that Ogier secured in France earlier this month.
Team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala survived late dramas to finish 32.9sec behind Ogier and Mikko Hirvonen completed the podium in a Citroen DS3, another 40.8sec behind. Former leader Dani Sordo´s hopes of victory in his home rally ended in the...more |
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| October 6, 2013 |
OGIER SHOWS CHAMPION’S CLASS TO WIN IN FRANCE |
06/10/2013 - Ogier started today´s final leg as one of four drivers chasing victory, covered by just five seconds. But he stamped his authority with a dominant win in the rain-soaked opening stage to build an advantage he managed through to the Strasbourg finish.
He won by 12.2sec from Dani Sordo, revitalised in his Citroen DS3 following his win in Germany in August. Jari-Matti Latvala was a further 7.3sec behind in another Polo R, both having led before Ogier took control. ...more |
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| October 3, 2013 |
OGIER CELEBRATES TITLE |
Team members wearing specially-prepared ‘World Champions´ T-shirts waved banners and sounded horns as Ogier steered his Polo R into its parking place. The noise reached a crescendo as the crew leapt out of the car and jumped onto the bonnet to celebrate in front of the waiting TV crews and photographers.
Ogier and Ingrassia hugged motorsport director Jost Capito, who had earlier started the celebrations as Ogier crossed the finish line of the 4.55km Strasbourg street test where...more |
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| September 15, 2013 |
OGIER’S RALLY - BUT NO TITLE YET |
15/09/2013 - Ogier was dominant throughout, winning 19 of the 22 stages in his Volkswagen Polo R to triumph by 1min 32.1sec. But his title celebrations were put on ice when a final stage puncture for Mikko Hirvonen cost him second place and elevated Thierry Neuville to runner-up.
The extra points for Neuville, allied to two bonus points for taking second in the final Power Stage, meant Ogier fell just short of the title after four days of gravel competition covering 352.36km on the...more |
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| August 25, 2013 |
SORDO CLAIMS MAIDEN WIN IN GERMANY |
25/08/2013 - The Spaniard was the ‘nearly´ man of the WRC after 34 podiums from 106 starts. However, the 30-year-old came good to beat Thierry Neuville by 53.0sec following a final stage showdown that was only settled when the Belgian went off the road 3km from the finish.
Sordo, the 2005 junior world champion, started the final Dhrontal test in the narrow and twisty Mosel vineyards with a 3.0sec advantage in his Citroen DS3.
He stretched his advantage in the early part of...more |
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| August 3, 2013 |
VICTORY FOR OGIER IN FINLAND |
03/08/2013 - It was a 12th career victory for Ogier, who brought his Volkswagen Polo R to the Jyvaskyla finish with a 36.6sec advantage. It stretched his lead in the FIA World Rally Championship to 90 points with five rounds remaining.
Thierry Neuville took the runners-up spot for the second consecutive rally in a Ford Fiesta RS. The Belgian finished 21.0sec ahead of the similar car of Mads Ostberg, after an enthralling duel which was only decided when Ostberg went off the road in the...more |
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| June 23, 2013 |
POST-EVENT PRESS CONFERENCE |
Q:
Sébastien, congratulations on win number four this season and your 11th overall victory. After disappointment in Greece is it good to be back to winning ways? Does it feel good to be back on the top step of the podium?
SO:
Of course, it feels very good. After the recce I said immediately I wanted to win, as it was two months without winning so I was missing the feeling so I think we did everything to do it. First I want to congratulate the team, they gave me a perfect car this...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
OGIER IS THE WINNER OF THE RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013 |
OLBIA - After an emotional second leg the Rally Italia Sardegna 2013 got to the end this evening with Sébastien Ogier and his VW Polo R Wrc triumph. The French driver has been leading the run since the first metre ending up his course not hindered by the thrilling performance of Thierry Neuville on a Ford Fiesta Wrc by MSport and his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala. The day 2 of the rally has marked the Team Citroen "débacle" with Mikko Hirvonen who, despite already heading to the...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SÉBASTIEN OGIER AND JULIEN INGRASSIA CLAIM AN EMOTIONAL VICTORY IN RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013 |
Olbia, 22/06/2013 - Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) are the the winners of the Rally Italia Sardegna 2013. The crew leading the drivers´ world standings was faster, at the end of the sixteen special stages, Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul (Ford Fiesta Rs WRC) and their team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Antilla (Volkswagen Polo R WRC).
Ogier leadership, now winning seven out of the scheduled sixteen special stages, has never been questioned...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS16 "COILUNA-LOELLE": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: "Its a new experience for us. It feels better now that we have done the whole weekend through."
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: "I think I need a few days to think over the rally again. This last day seems to be the same old story and I don't need to go over those things again."
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: "It is a tough event for sure. The most important thing is for me to get the mileage to get the confidence. I think I need...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS15 "MONTI DI ALÀ - POWER STAGE": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: Now it was much better and now I was driving at some reasonable speed. Much better.
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: Had a problem with right rear shock absorber. Very difficult. I could not push but just had to make sure we got to the end. In a road section the car felt really strange and there was no pressure in the rear shock.
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: Its just chaos over there. rocks in places.
CAR #6 - E. Evans /...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS14 "TERRANOVA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: "It's not so bad, it is quite okay. The driving is getting better but there is still more to come."
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: "I try to take a little bit care of the tyres. It was okay but slow."
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: "It's better, but I think I feel a little bit tired. I need to concentrate more. Trying to find all the weak points when I am driving."
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: "Tricky stage...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS13 "MONTE OLIA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: "Slippery stage but it´s all right!"
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: "Clean stage if compared with the previous passage. I´m proud I made a fierce attack!"
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: "We´ve changed our set-up, now I don´t jump any more and my feeling with the car is great"
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: "The driving shaft was loose very often and the...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
FLASH FROM OLBIA SERVICE PARK |
OGIER. "All ok, the car is perfect, I´m doing my best and driving without problems. The second leg is very technical and difficult, it´s a long and hard rally".
NEUVILLE. "I´m happy, it´s better than what I thought, Fiesta is turning up to be an excellent vehicle and my pace notes are ok. I´m having fun".
LATVALA. "I reached the third place, i´m on the podium but honestly I´m not thinking about the second...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS12 "COILUNA-LOELLE": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: Not so easy. Commitment is not really there but feeling is better and we´re improving. That´s the important thing now.
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: Try to push hard now. Grip conditions are changing on the stage. Is difficult to be so early on the road.
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: Surface changeable. Faster and bumper than yesterday. I don´t have confidence.
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: We did...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS11 "MONTI DI ALÀ": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: The times I have no idea, I know I am driving way too slowly, but I try to get confidence in the car now. I change a lot before this stage. The grip is almost as bad everywhere.
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: Its very very slippery, so big cleaning. It was extremely slippery especially on this stage, also a lot of dust on this stage, more than I expected.
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: I took a lot of big risks. Difficult to find...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS10 "TERRANOVA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: Not happy.
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: Very dusty. I drove 90% of the stage without hearing the interphone, so without pacenotes was a problem. It would have been better if I had done this stage before. This way was a bit dangerous.
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: Surface still loose. Very difficult to see lines, you can only see breaking points.
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Lot of dust. I did not feel...more |
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| June 22, 2013 |
SS9 "MONTE OLIA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: "Think it´s the first time we start a WRC rally in first position. The surface is slippery!"
CAR #4 - M. Ostberg / J. Andersson: "Definitely my favourite stage! I enjoy myself a lot on these roads!"
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: "The car keeps moving quite a bit, certainly more than yesterday. We´ll have to set it up as soon as possible"
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini:...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
OGIER CLOSES LEADING THE FIRST LEG |
This first leg was full of unexpected outcomes at the Rally Italia Sardegna. The reigning leader of the day was Sébastien Ogier behind the wheel of his VW Polo R Wrc, advantaged by his team-mate, the Finnish Jari-Matti Latvala first and then the young Russian Evgeny Novikov (Ford Fiesta Wrc) together with Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta Wrc) from Norway. Latvala punture a front left tyre immediately after the first special stage of Monte Lerno dropping 1´56" and all will to fight for the...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS8 "GALLURA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: "It was easy to make mistakes, if compared with the other stages. We are quite tired but happy we got to the end!"
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: "A very long day and we are happy we managed to get to the end"
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: "We´ve had a few problems with the alternator"
CAR #21 - M. Prokop / M. Ernst: "Poor visibility. We also had our intercon not working very...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SERVICE PARK OLBIA INTERVIEWS |
OGIER. "This was a positive daysince the start, we´re still in a good position but the rally is long, we´ve made 120 km so far and have 27 more left till the end of the day with a nightime special which might cause us some problems. I can tell my performance here earns a lot by my driving style, low-aggressive as I tend to use brakes moderately: that´s my secret not to wear tyres too much. The handbrake scared me quite a lot today, but that´s the only problem...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS7 "GALLURA": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: Big problem at the beginning of the stage because of the narrow corners, one after another. You need to be very precise but I´m happy from today.
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: Slippery and very twisty. Lot of dust and because of the sun very low you´re almost blind
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Very difficult stage. Second run is going to be rough and in the dark. This was the first stage we recce'd together,...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS6 "MONTE LERNO": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: I tried to get a good rhythm. But there is tarmac section with loose gravel so I lost the rhythm
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: Is going better and better. I had a good grip of the car. We changed the set up of rear suspensions and now is going well for me. We need to improve.
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Much less grip than the other two stages. I lost the brake in the second half of the stage. We carry on.
CAR...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS5 "TERGU-OSILO": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: I´m not taking risks doing something crazy. I am a little bit cautious.
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: I had a lot of fun on this stage. It surprised me because sometimes looks like concrete and sometimes there´s loose gravel
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Now I start to have fun because I´m having more feeling with the car.
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: After this morning problems we have...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS4 "CASTELSARDO": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: I found many stones and risk to overshoot against a rock. Otherwise everything ok.
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: I hit something but the suspension was ok.
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Less dramatic. Road condition is the biggest thing.
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: Driveshaft probably broken. Is not looking good.
CAR #21 - M. Prokop / M. Ernst: For me was a perfect stage. Traction was amazing....more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
INTERVIEWS AT REGROUPING IN SASSARI |
OGIER. "It´ s all going very well. I´m very happy with my start and heading, furthermore I also won two specials out of three. I think that the nightime stage is the real wildcard of this first section because it´s a technical hard run."
HIRVONEN. "Everything´s fine despite all my tyres worn out, maybe because I pushed a lot on the brakes. We´re always running on the limit and taking too many risks: it´s a very tough rally". ...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS3 "TERGU-OSILO": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: Lot of sideways everywhere. There are no lines. Not easy to drive.
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: Stage was ok. It´s getting better as I have a better feeling with the car. Tyres are ok, no drama about that, but we are the second car on the road. I think we can push more on the second loop.
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Not easy. I´m not that confident with the car and try to be patient and keep it on the four...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS2 "CASTELSARDO": STAGE FLASH |
CAR #10 - K. Al Qassimi / S. Martin: I drove carefully. Very slippery but tyres are ok.
CAR #12 - M. Kosciuszko / M. Szczepaniak: Cari is ok but stage is very slippery
CAR #6 - E. Evans / G. Bernacchini: Damaged left front corner of the car. He touched a sharp stone. Cracked rim and broken wheel but tyre ok.
CAR #22 - P. Andersson / E. Axelsson: Very difficult. Stage is tricky and slippery. I went a little bit wide this morning and hit a rock. I have only one spare...more |
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| June 21, 2013 |
SS1 "MONTE LERNO": STAGE FLASH |
10 AL QASSIMI Khalid - MARTIN Scott
It´s not easy be first on the road and sweeping the road. We lost the brake also.
12 KOSCIUZKO Michal - SZCZEPANIAK Maciej
I´m second on the road. The car is fantastic but I have to learn to drive quickly. Lot of places where I can improve. I try to drive as fast as possible.
6 EVANS Elfyn - BERNACCHINI Giovanni
Very very difficult to be honest. I try to get confident with the notes. First time here and...more |
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| June 20, 2013 |
PRE-EVENT PRESS CONFERENCE |
Q:
Andreas, you began your season with Volkswagen in Portugal but have very quickly made a strong impression. Your back to back stage wins in Greece were incredible, what can we expect here?
AM:
In Greece it was good for us on the last day, keeping in mind that all the best drivers are not going to be risking anything, so it might lessen my chances a little bit. Coming into this rally everybody is going to start from scratch again so we will try to do the best we can and try to...more |
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| June 20, 2013 |
A CROWD OF FANS FRAMED TODAY THE CEREMONIAL START OF RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA |
Olbia, 20/06/2013 - The FIA Chairman Jean Todt and the President of Automobile Club d´Italia Angelo Sticchi Damiani led off the seventh round of the World Rally Championship ready to offer - from tomorrow on - a great show on the itinerary consisting of 304,5 kms of special stages.
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| June 20, 2013 |
STARTING ORDER SECTION 1: LATVALA CHOOSES THE THIRTEENTH AND LAST POSITION ON THE ROAD |
Olbia, 20/06/2013 - Thanks to the achievement of the fastest time in the Qualifying stage this morning, Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) choose the thirteenth and last WRC starting position. Sebastien Ogier, leading the WRC overall driver classification (Volkswagen Polo R WRC), signed the third best Qualifyng result and selected the eleventh position, followed by Evgeny Novikov (Ford Fiesta RS WRC), twelfth.
Khalid Al Qassimi (Citroën DS3 WRC) will be the first one to face...more |
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| June 20, 2013 |
LATVALA MAKES THE BEST TIME IN QUALIFYING STAGE |
OLBIA, 20/06/2013 - With this morning Shakedown and Qualifying stage the 2013 Rally Italia Sardegna is really getting started. Both were run over Monte Pinu gravels for 3,86 kms. The Finnish Jari Matti Lavala has been the quickest behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo R WRC timed at 3´12"665, exactly 69" quicker than Evgeny Novikov in his Ford Fiesta. The third position was earned by Sébastien Ogier with 1"57, with Hirvonen fourth at 1"74 and Neuville fifth in...more |
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| June 19, 2013 |
24 HOURS TO GET THE RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA STARTED |
OLBIA, 19/06/2013 - The Rally Italia Sardegna 2013, the world event organized by the Automobile Club of ItaIy with the fundamental cooperation of the Region Sardegna, is really getting going today with the 2nd pre-rally reconnaissance.
52 crews, out of the entered 56, have managed to pass the scrutineering and will therefore be able to take part in the competition.
Competitors that won´t start the rally tomorrow are: n.23, the Brazilian Daniel Oliveira (Ford Focus Wrc),...more |
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| June 18, 2013 |
NOVIKOV WANTS TO BE PROTAGONIST IN SARDINIA |
18/06/2013 - The 22-year-old Russian driver Evgeny Novikov was an important protagonist of the last two Wrc rallies in Argentina and Greece, and is preparing to compete in Sardinia where he has always done very well, finishing fifth in 2009 and second behind Hirvonen last year.
«We´ve done well here in the past so I´ll be hoping to do well again this year. I think we proved in Greece that we can challenge at the top of the field. We set a good pace and won a lot of stages...more |
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| June 17, 2013 |
SORDO'S TARGET IN SARDINIA IS THE VICTORY |
17/07/2013 - Although he missed the event in 2012, Dani Sordo has nonetheless finished as runner-up in Sardinia on two occasions. The Spaniard returns to the event feeling particularly motivated: «We saw in Portugal and then in Greece that I was pretty comfortable on road surfaces offering a good level of grip. That should also be the case in Sardinia! Finishing second at the Acropolis Rally did me a lot of good; it helped me to regain confidence after a bit of a rough patch. Like Mikko,...more |
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| June 15, 2013 |
EVANS REPLACES AL-ATTIYAH IN SARDINIA |
15/06/2013 - Last minute package for Nasser Al-Attiyah. In Sardinia the driver of Qatar will be replaced on the Ford Fiesta Wrc number 6 from the young Welsh Elfyn Evans, winner last year of the Wrc Academy, who will be co-driven by Giovanni Bernacchini.
«This is another absolutely fantastic opportunity for me and I want to say a huge thank-you to Nasser Al-Attiyah and Malcolm Wilson for considering me for the drive. This will be my first time in Sardinia, my first time in a Wrc car...more |
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| June 14, 2013 |
NEW DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED TODAY ON THE OFFCIAL NOTICE BOARD |
14/06/2013 - The Bulletin number 2 as well as the Clerk of the course communication number 2 and 3 are available on the official notice board. |
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| June 13, 2013 |
OGIER SEEKS HIS FOURTH SEASON'S WIN IN SARDINIA |
13/06/2013 - Sébastien Ogier and Volkswagen Polo R Wrc have been actually the reigning stars of 2013 world season, where the French driver snatched half of the six world rounds, run up to now.
«In Sardinia - said the 29-year-old driver from Gap- we expect quite a complicate rally where hot weather may cause problems to all of us. I´ll be ready to play all my cards because after my false step in Greece, my first objective is to do my best and regain ground at once. During the...more |
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| June 12, 2013 |
ONLINE THE FINAL LAYOUT OF THE OLBIA SERVICE PARK |
12/06/2013 - The final layout of Olbia service park is now available for download in the "Rally Guide 2" section. |
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| June 12, 2013 |
HIRVONEN PROMISES TO BE PROTAGONIST IN SARDINIA |
12/06/2013 - Last year winner in Sardinia, third in the world standings with 61 points, Mikko Hirvonen really wants to run and make his best show in this edition of the Rally Italia Sardegna.
«I´m very glad to be back in Sardinia - said the 33-year-old Citroen driver - a course I like a lot which I won eventually last October, after five consecutive times finishing at the 2nd place.
This year the rally will be carried out in two legs only and we are going to have a more...more |
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| June 10, 2013 |
LATVALA WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT VICTORY IN SARDINIA |
10/06/2013 - «I'm very happy for my victory in Greece, this is my first win with Volkswagen and it is also the eighth success of my career in a Wrc event - said the Finnish driver -. Now I just want to repeat myself in Sardinia, a race that I really like because it has special stages very technical in which I find myself at ease, and where I always gladly drive, although in the last two years I haven't done very well, due to two road accidents.
I have many fans in the island, after...more |
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| June 3, 2013 |
THE ENTRY LIST IS ONLINE |
03/06/2013 - The entry list of the Rally Italy Sardegna 2013 is now available for download in the "The Rally" section. 14 WRC crews on a total of 56 are expected. |
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| June 2, 2013 |
LATVALA WINS ACROPOLIS RALLY |
02/06/2013 - It was the Finn´s maiden win in a Volkswagen Polo R and came after a difficult start to the 2013 campaign for Latvala, who joined the German squad this year.
He finished the 306.53km three-day rally 1min 50.0sec clear of Dani Sordo in a Citroen DS3, with Thierry Neuville claiming a second career podium a further 24.1sec behind in a Ford Fiesta RS.
In 2003 Latvala became the youngest driver to pilot a works car when he drove a Ford Focus RS on the Greek rally...more |
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| May 30, 2013 |
FIRST DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED TODAY IN THE NOTICE BOARD |
30/05/2013 - The bulletin number 1 and the clerk of the course communication number 1 are now available in the "Notice Board" section of the website, as well as an updated version of the timetable. |
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| May 28, 2013 |
55 CREWS ARE READY TO START THE RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013 |
28/05/2013 - 55 crews have engaged themselves to start the RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013, valid for the FIA World Rally Championship and also this year for Wrc2 and Wrc3; the seventh round of the World Championship, scheduled between 20th and 22nd June, is organized by the Automobile Club of Italy. Such a considerable number of entries represents a very positive sign seeing that a higher number was registered only in Montecarlo (82) this year if we compare it with 2012 edition in Sardinia when 43...more |
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| May 28, 2013 |
NEW WEB SITE AND STAGES GUIDE AVAILABLE |
23/05/2013 - The Rally Italia Sardegna is getting to the heart with the launch of the new website a less than a month to the start of the race. Alongside with a renewed graphical layout, the main novelty is the guide to the stages specifically designed to allow fans to organize at best their Rally experience. |
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| May 22, 2013 |
RALLY GUIDE 2 PUBLISHED TODAY |
22/05/2013 - The Rally Italia Sardegna 2013 is coming soon and today, one month exactly from it, was published the Rally Guide 2. The RG2 contains the latest updates about the World Italian event, valid as the seventh round of the World rally championship, which will be attended also by the competitors of WRC 2 and WRC 3. The race will have 16 special stages for a total of 304 km timed. |
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| May 10, 2013 |
RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013: ENTRY LIST STILL OPEN |
Olbia May 10th, 2013 - The countdown is already started with just a bit more than a month left to the Rally Italia Sardegna, the seventh round of the World Rally Championship, scheduled for next 20th to 22nd of June.
The race organized by Automobile Club d'Italia will comprise sixteen stages split in two legs for a total of 304 timed kilometers.
After the publication of the race regulations, subscriptions have already been opened and the entry deadline is set to next 21st of...more |
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| May 5, 2013 |
LOEB CLAIMS EIGHTH ARGENTINE WIN |
The reigning world champion finished a punishing fifth round of the season 55.0 seconds ahead of Sebastien Ogier, bringing an end to his fellow Frenchman´s run of three straight wins.
It was Loeb´s 78th world rally win and almost certain to be his last away from asphalt. The 39-year-old is tackling a limited programme of four rallies this season as he switches to circuit racing and opted for Argentina as his sole gravel outing.
"It´s great emotion to win...more |
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| May 2, 2013 |
ARGENTINA, SS5: OGIER PULLS CLEAR IN THE FOG |
02/05/2013 - With drizzle and visibility down to 50 metres at the finish, there were few drivers with happy faces as they emerged from the gloom of today´s final test.
Leader Sebastien Ogier delivered his fourth stage win out of five, but even he seemed concerned. As he drew his Volkswagen Polo R to a halt, the Frenchman leapt from the cockpit to look at the rear of the car where he saw a badly worn left tyre, which appeared to be low on pressure.
"I didn´t hit...more |
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| April 23, 2013 |
ONLINE THE SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS OF THE RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA 2013 |
23/04/2013 - Less than two months before the start of the qualifying stages the preparations for the 2013 Rally Italia Sardegna are really getting going. On the official website of the rally, www.rallyitaliasardegna.com, supplemetary regulations are now available as well as the entry form and an updated version of timetable and maps.
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| April 14, 2013 |
WRC SUNDAY WRAP: OGIER NETS HAT-TRICK |
14/04/2013 - The Frenchman, 29, took the lead of the Algarve-based event on Friday´s third test, after early leader Mads Ostberg crashed his Ford Fiesta RS.
Ogier, and co-driver Julien Ingrassia, went on to win by 58.2sec from Citroen Total Abu Dhabi team driver Mikko Hirvonen in a Citroen DS3.
The result extended Ogier's lead in the FIA Drivers´ Championship and he now has 102 points, 54 ahead of Hirvonen in second.
Today´s win was the ninth at World...more |
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| April 14, 2013 |
WRC SATURDAY WRAP: OGIER TAKES CONTROL |
13/04/2013 - The Polo R drivers dominated this longest leg of the fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Latvala won the opening two stages before Ogier claimed the remaining four tests.
Higher temperatures and rocky gravel roads in the hills above the Algarve made the going tough. Conditions were at their worst this afternoon when the morning stages were repeated and drivers had to manage their tyres on roads worn to the bedrock.
Ogier was still handicapped by the...more |
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| April 13, 2013 |
WRC FRIDAY WRAP: OGIER HOLDS SLENDER LEAD IN PORTUGAL |
13/04/2013 - Friday´s competition comprised four gravel stages in the Algarve and a spectacular street-based Super Special in the Portuguese capital Lisbon - all run consecutively without any service breaks.
Ogier took the lead in his Polo R WRC on the first stage and was the only WRC driver to fit a full set of Michelin´s soft-compound tyres that especially suited the cooler, slightly damp early conditions.
Things changed on the next stage however, when the...more |
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| April 11, 2013 |
SORDO FASTEST IN PORTUGAL QUALIFYING |
11/04/2013 - The Spaniard was fastest in a Citroen DS3 over the 4.98km Vale do Judeu stage by 0.7sec from championship leader Sebastien Ogier´s Volkswagen Polo R.
Ogier´s team-mate, Jari-Matti Latvala, was just one-tenth of a second slower and Mads Ostberg completed the top four, another tenth of a second behind, in a Ford Fiesta RS.
Sordo´s qualifying win follows his victory in the Fafe Rally Sprint, a warm-up for this fourth round of the FIA World Rally...more |
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| March 10, 2013 |
OGIER WINS RALLY MEXICO |
10/03/2013 - The Frenchman led after Thursday´s opening sprint tests, and despite losing the lead briefly on Friday, he quickly regained his advantage and was never again troubled. He eventually took this third round of the 2013 season by 3min 28.9sec from Mikko Hirvonen´s Citroen DS3.
Thierry Neuville claimed his first WRC podium in a Ford Fiesta RS. The Belgian gave up his pursuit of Hirvonen after sliding into a ditch on this morning´s opening stage, and he...more |
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| March 1, 2013 |
RALLY GUANAJUATO MEXICO PREVIEW |
The event is once again based at Rally Campus in León but kicks off with its traditional start ceremony in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Guanajuato. With tens of thousands of enthusiastic spectators cramming the narrow cobblestone streets, this is one of the highlights of the FIA World Rally Championship not to be missed. A short super special stage through the old mining tunnels also provides stunning imagery before the crews head back to León for the overnight halt via an all-new special...more |
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| February 20, 2013 |
THE RALLY GUIDE 1 IS ONLINE |
20/02/2013 - The publication of the Rally Guide 1 on the official Rally Italia Sardegna website, www.rallyitaliasardegna.com starts today the path towards the 2013 Italian round of the World Rally Championship, returning for the tenth time on the Costa Smeralda gravel roads in June from 20th to 22nd. |
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| February 10, 2013 |
OGIER TRIUMPHS IN SWEDEN |
10/03/2013 - Eleven best times from 22 special stages - Ogier and Ingrassia led the overall standings right from the word go, and refused to be shifted from the top spot until they reached the finish on Sunday afternoon. Ogier set the foundation for the success in qualification on Thursday, when he clocked the fastest time to finish seven places ahead of the multiple world champion. Loeb eventually ended the rally 41.8 seconds behind his fellow Frenchman. Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila...more |
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| February 10, 2013 |
CITROËN HOLD INTO LEAD |
10/02/2013 - After the first two legs were conventionally configured, the final day of Rally Sweden had a more unusual set-up. The morning's action featured five stages, totalling no fewer than 75 kilometres, which were completed without any service period. After a brief stop in the small town of Torsby, the crews rounded off the day with the 19.26km-long Power Stage.
Despite knowing deep down that he could not close the gap to Sébastien Ogier in normal racing conditions, Sébastien Loeb...more |
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| February 10, 2013 |
PODIUM FINISH FOR THE HOME HERO ØSTBERG AS M-SPORT DOMINATES RALLY SWEDEN TOP-TEN |
10/02/2013 - Continuing M-Sport´s illustrious form on the snow-covered stages, the outfit´s range of Ford Fiesta rally cars dominated the top-ten. Seven M-Sport built Fiestas scored points on this weekend´s event. Not only did Østberg claim a podium in the WRC, but Yazeed Al-Rajhi put in a sensational performance as he piloted his Ford Fiesta RRC to victory - and tenth place overall - in the WRC-2 series.
Looking to battle for victory, Østberg´s campaign on the...more |
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| February 10, 2013 |
MOTORSPORT ITALIA RALLY SWEDEN LAST UPDATE |
'Hello for the last time from Rally Sweden,
'Today I had a road trip in a winter wonderland, following the rally car on a tour through Sweden and Norway. I headed off from the service park to refuel in the little town of Svulrya, then to Kirkener regroup, back to refuel, to Torsby remote and back to base after 280km, a hot dog, a waffle, multiple cups of tea and a fair few litres of fuel!
'It was a really positive start to the day for Michał. He immediately halved his...more |
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| February 9, 2013 |
OGIER AND VOLKSWAGEN DEFEND THEIR LEAD AT THE RALLY SWEDEN |
09/02/2013 - The second day of the Rally Sweden headed north-east of the Service Park in Hagfors through the forests of central Sweden. Conditions on the special stages "Sågen", "Fredriksberg", "Rämmen" and the "Hagfors Sprint" were similar to those faced on Friday: a solid layer of ice ensured that conditions were typically "Swedish". Small milestones on the loop, which was negotiated twice, ensured that it was a surprisingly successful day for...more |
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| February 8, 2013 |
FRIDAY WRAP: OGIER DOMINATES FIRST LEG IN SWEDEN |
08/02/2013 - "Incredible. It´s a really good feeling. This morning wasn´t perfect but it was enough with a good road position. This afternoon was perfect," reflected Ogier.
Sebastien Loeb and Jari-Matti Latvala battled all day for best of the rest behind Ogier. Four times the duo swapped positions but an intercom problem for Latvala in Vargasen meant Loeb holds second, a slender 1.5sec ahead of the Finn.
The Citroen DS3 driver was third fastest in SS6,...more |
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| February 8, 2013 |
MOTORSPORT ITALIA RALLY SWEDEN UPDATE |
'Hi everyone,
'We arrived in Sweden Saturday night, spent Sunday setting up the service area in Hagfors then set-off Monday for out test with Michał Kościuszko and Marcus Grönholm. We were all very excited to be working with Marcus. Michał said it was like a fast track course in learning how to tackle driving in the snow.
'Michał drove around 170km and learnt a lot. In his own words:
"It was amazing to drive my MINI WRC in such conditions with the...more |
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| February 7, 2013 |
IMPRESSIVE START IN SWEDEN: VOLKSWAGEN TOPS QUALIFYING |
07/02/2013 - The Rally Sweden gets underway with a spectator stage in Karlstad on Thursday evening, in which pairs of World Rally Cars go head to head in direct duels. Friday´s schedule features some of truly classic "Sweden" stages, including the iconic "Vargåsen", with the drivers starting in the order selected post qualifying. That special "Sweden" feeling is embodied by "Colin´s Crest", with the cars jumping up to 40 metres over the...more |
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| February 5, 2013 |
AL-KUWARI TO PILOT FORD FIESTA RRC IN WRC-2 |
05/02/2013 - Well known on the Middle Eastern rally scene, Al-Kuwari has been a regular in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship since 2003 - finishing a close second to fellow countryman Nasser Al-Attiyah in last year´s series. Winning all six rounds of the Qatar Rally Championship, Al-Kuwari was also crowned 2012 Qatar Rally Champion and made his first venture to the international stage with rounds in both the European Rally Championship (ERC) and WRC. Contesting two rounds of the...more |
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| February 4, 2013 |
RALLY SWEDEN: FOUR ACES ON ICE FOR CITROËN |
04/02/2013 - Even if you don´t speak Finnish fluently, on-board camera footage of Mikko Hirvonen at Rally Sweden is nonetheless compelling viewing. Totally unflappable, Jarmo Lehtinen calls out the pace notes at a rate of knots, while his driver controls the DS3 WRC as it flies from one jump to the next. at speeds approaching 180kph! In a few days time, fans of the World Rally Championship will be able to admire their idols on stages that sometimes look more like a bobsleigh track! ...more |
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| February 1, 2013 |
OFF TO THE ICY COLD: VOLKSWAGEN LOOKS AHEAD TO THE RALLY SWEDEN |
01/02/2013 - The rally, with its headquarters in Karlstad and Service Park in Hagfors, represents a gruelling test for the drivers and the team´s technology: the rally cars are consistently pushed to their very limits, despite temperatures plummeting to between 10 and 20 degrees below freezing. The icy cold is no obstacle for the enthusiastic fans, however: armed with tents and camp fires, which they erect along the side of the route, they defy the conditions to cheer the wild drifts and...more |
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| January 31, 2013 |
POWER STAGE OPENER FOR RALLY FRANCE-ALSACE |
31/01/2013 - Nicolas Deschaux, President of the French Motor Sports Federation, and Dominique Serieys, the director of the Rally France-Alsace, made the announcement today along with further details of the 2013 itinerary.
Rally France-Alsace is the eleventh round of the 2013 WRC season and will start on Thursday 3rd October. The four day event will consist of 20 stages over a competitive distance of 313,09 kilometres - down from 22 stages and 404km in 2012.
The action kicks off...more |
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| January 29, 2013 |
PETTER: I’LL NAIL IT IN SWEDEN! |
29/01/2013 - The Norwegian, who stepped away from the WRC at the end of last season, has been tempted back to the series, and the closest thing to a home rally, to drive his own rear-wheel drive Mk2 Ford Escort in the historic class.
Solberg´s Swedish wife Pernilla, herself an accomplished rally driver, will be his navigator. The pair carried out a successful test of the Escort, driving it as course car on Rally Finnskogsvalsen in Sweden on the same weekend as the WRC regulars...more |
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| January 28, 2013 |
QATAR: PODIUM FINISH FOR KHALID AL QASSIMI AND THE DS3 RRC |
28/01/2013 - Known to include some of the roughest gravel roads in the championship, this year´s Qatar Rally lived up toits reputation. The competitors and cars had to brave extremely testing conditions, full of tricky sections andwhere punctures can be easily picked up, given the many rocks found on the roads. However, the race sawa relentless battle between Khalid Al Qassimi and the rally´s home driver, Nasser Al Attiyah.In the very early stages, the Qatari pulled out a lead of a...more |
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| January 19, 2013 |
LOEB CLAIMS SEVENTH MONTE-CARLO VICTORY |
19/01/2013 - A dramatic final evening of Rallye Monte-Carlo ended with the cancellation of the last two stages to enable Sebastien Loeb to claim his seventh victory in the opening round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship.
The Citroen Total Abu Dhabi pilot led from the second stage on Wednesday and drove his DS3 faultlessly in treacherous weather to win by 1min 39.9sec. Second was Sebastien Ogier, delivering a superb debut for Volkswagen Motorsport´s new Polo R, while Dani...more |
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| January 18, 2013 |
MONTE-CARLO DAY 3 WRAP: LOEB TAKES 1M47S LEAD INTO FINAL LEG |
The unflappable Frenchman has led since the rally´s second stage and rounded off Friday´s competition with a fastest time through SS13.
Just three stages comprised today's third leg. The opening St Jean en Royans test in the Vercors region east of Valence preceded the start of the long journey south to Monaco. En route drivers tackled two more stages, including the famous Sisteron, near Digne-les-Bains, bringing today's total to 92.00km.
Last run in 2002, Sisteron...more |
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| January 18, 2013 |
MONTE-CARLO SS12: OSTBERG NETS MAIDEN STAGE VICTORY |
18/01/2013 - Mixed conditions offered tyre selection headaches, especially as teams had to choose rubber for both this stage and the following Sisteron test before leaving service. Sections of clean asphalt were interrupted by icy corners and patchy snow and that meant full studs were again the option for most.
The roads became increasingly dirty as more cars came through the stage but that didn´t worry Mads Ostberg who claimed fastest time from ninth on the road in the Qatar...more |
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| January 17, 2013 |
MONTE-CARLO, SS9: HANNINEN BAGS MAIDEN STAGE WIN |
17/01/2013 - The Finn, on his Ford debut for the Qatar World Rally Team, won the stage by a huge margin of 6.6sec from Evgeny Novikov. Hanninen lies seventh, but less than two seconds adrift of Jari-Matti Latvala.
"That stage is the only one where I feel I can drive to the maximum potential because the road surface and the grip is consistent," a delighted Haninnen explained. "Okay, I´m very happy with this time, and I want to be able to harness the potential on the...more |
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| January 17, 2013 |
LOEB STILL MONTE MASTER AT THURSDAY MIDPOINT |
17/01/2013 - Loeb, running first on the road, lost a few seconds of his overnight advantage on the morning loop, but emerged from SS7 happy with his lot. "That was okay - a good drive," he said. "We started the day with a good lead and we should keep that. Perhaps I was a bit too careful at the end of that one, but there was lots of ice, absolutely no grip, and rocks and walls."
Volkswagen´s Ogier was second fastest on SS7 to maintain a relatively comfortable...more |
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| January 17, 2013 |
DAY 1 WRAP: LOEB IN CONTROL AFTER FINAL STAGE WIN |
16/01/2013 - First in the start order, fastest through the stage, and first overall - Sebastien Loeb began his ‘retirement´ from the WRC by building a 1min 20.3sec overnight advantage after a crushing victory in the final stage of the opening leg of Rallye Monte-Carlo.
The nine-time world champion, competing in the first of just four scheduled outings this year in a Citroen DS3, was quickest by 34.4sec from Citroen Total Abu Dhabi team-mate Mikko Hirvonen. But even the 38-year-old...more |
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| January 15, 2013 |
NEUVILLE FASTEST ON MONTE SHAKEDOWN |
15/01/2013 - The Belgian, on his debut with the Qatar World Rally Team, completed four runs through the 3.58km test, setting the best time of 2m28.7s on his final pass. Defending champion Sebastien Loeb was second fastest, setting a time of 2m28.7s in his Citroen DS3 WRC, with Ford Fiesta WRC driver Evgeny Novikov third in a time of 2m28.8s.
Based close to Valence city, the stage was not very representative of the twisty mountain roads the crews will face in the coming days, however...more |
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| January 14, 2013 |
RALLYE MONTE-CARLO PREVIEW |
14/01/2013 - The Monte is the oldest rally in the WRC calendar and the longest running competition in all rally sport. This year will be the 81st edition of the event, which can trace its roots back to 1911 when the first of the marathon pan-European rallies that finished in the Principality of Monaco was held.
It is famous for its narrow asphalt mountain roads and a fiendish mix of changeable weather and road conditions. Freezing temperatures in the mountains mean patches of ice and...more |
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| January 10, 2013 |
FULL MINI WRC CAMPAIGN FOR KOSCIUSZKO |
10/01/2013 - Kosciuszko has amassed plenty of experience in the World Rally Championship, firstly in the Junior WRC, before a move to SWRC in 2010 and then the PWRC, where he was a frontrunner in 2011 and 2012 in a Ralliart Italia-run Mitsubishi Lancer.
Although MINI´s three-year WRC involvement as a manufacturer came to an end at the end of 2012, its WRC homologated Countryman can be run by private teams on a customer basis.
For 2013 the Polish ace, 27, and his co-driver...more |
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| January 8, 2013 |
PROKOP TO RUN DMACK FOR 2013 CAMPAIGN |
08/01/2013 - The Czech, who recorded DMACK´s best WRC finish to date with fourth in the 2012 Rally Argentina, will start his season on next week´s Rallye Monte Carlo and is expected to tackle at least 11 of this year´s 13 rounds.
Also on DMACK tyres in the WRC-opening event will be Michael Kościuszko who will drive a Ralliart Italia-prepared MINI WRC.
Jari Ketomaa will join the DMACK runners on round two in Sweden, his Fiesta RS WRC shod with an all-new...more |
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| January 7, 2013 |
MENTOS MINIS SET FOR WRC 2 |
07/01/2013 - The team is not new to the World Rally Championship, having competed in last year's PWRC, where Gorban, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, finished third in the series and secured class victory on the Acropolis.
"This is the first full customer programme for the MINI S2000 within the WRC," Graham Prew, senior sales manager at Prodrive, said. "The team considered all the latest WRCs, but chose the MINI after driving the car and visiting the factory. ...more |
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