Rally Wales - GB - 13 - 16 Sep

[WTF]

Round 10
13 - 16 Sep 12
Categories:WRC, SWRC
Based:Cardiff
Surface:Gravel with some asphalt sections



Britain’s World Rally Championship counter has been a qualifying round of the series every year since the WRC was established in 1973. This year’s event will mark a move away from its end-of-term slot to a mid-September date, which it last occupied in 2005.

Wales Rally GB’s origins date back to 1932 and, for many years, it was known as the RAC Rally in deference to the organiser, the Royal Automobile Club, before the advent of commercial sponsorship brought about a change of name.

While the event used to roam around England, Scotland and Wales, making it a test of endurance rather than a demonstration of all-out speed, since 2000 the action has been contained in Wales, specifically in the south, prior to the inclusion of stages further north into mid-Wales in 2008.

The 2009 edition expanded even further afield into Wales and took in the famous and ultra-fast Radnor stage, which is less than one hour by road from Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city.

There was also a move towards a mixed surface format in 2010 with some asphalt sections creeping in to the predominantly gravel runs, while the Cardiff Bay special stage ran entirely on asphalt roads close to the main service area in the Welsh capital.

The format of this year’s Wales Rally GB is set to mirror the route trialled for the first time in 2011. Starting in the seaside town of Llandudno in the north of Wales and finishing in the capital Cardiff in the south three days later, last season’s rally incorporated several stages not used for a number of decades.

It event began with two runs over the Great Orme toll road followed by a spectacular ceremonial start in Conwy. Builth Wells, in the centre of the country, housed the permanent service park although crews were required to return to Cardiff for overnight parc ferme and the ceremonial finish.

But it’s the gravel-based forest stages that Wales Rally GB is most famous for. Fast and undulating, the roads are often made slippery by rainfall, ice and even snow although slightly more hospitable conditions are expected this year following the rally’s move to a mid-September date from its traditional November slot.




Annnnnnnnnd, we'll be there!

WRC RALLY COMP WINNERS

[ZACK]

Early Leave at Sweet Lamb this year please ! :L

[Yellow]

Early Leave at Sweet Lamb this year please ! :L

We went as soon as the WRC cars finished their second run last year. The only earlier is to leave after the first run its up to you but I know I'll be staying :0)

[WTF]

Drivers to select GB road order at ceremonial start



The 14 drivers in World Rally Cars contesting Wales Rally GB next week will select their starting positions for the opening day of action on Friday 14 September at the ceremonial start in Llandudno the previous evening.

Pilots will pick their starting position in order of fastest to slowest from Wednesday’s Qualifying Stage at Walters Arena located to the south of the principality.

Ordinarily, drivers will look to secure a lower starting position to avoid cleaning the opening stages of the loose coating of surface gravel. However, in the event of inclement weather, it could pay to run higher up the order should stage conditions deteriorate.

Local children and government representatives will join each crew when they take to the start podium to choose their road position. The ceremony begins at 19:00hrs local time on Thursday 13 September.

Prior to the starting ceremony, crews will take part in an autograph signing session in Llandudno from 17:30hrs. A display of iconic cars from the 80-year history of the event will also be on display on the town’s promenade. Vehicles set to feature include Colin McRae’s 2001 Ford Focus WRC.

“Llandudno is a wonderful venue for the ceremonial start of what I'm sure will be another memorable Wales Rally GB,” said Welsh Business Minister Edwina Hart.

Here

WRC fans back Loeb for title glory



While Sebastien Loeb's co-driver Daniel Elena has no plans to celebrate a ninth FIA World Rally Championship crown just yet, users of WRC.com have voted in their droves that the 2012 accolade will soon be heading the way of the Citroen aces.

WRC legends Loeb and Elena have bossed this year’s title chase and have built a 54-point lead heading to next week’s Wales Rally GB.

In a poll on WRC.com, users were asked whether Loeb and Elena were in the clear in the race for this year’s title and an astounding 95 per cent believed the drivers’ and co-drivers’ awards are bound for France and Monaco respectively.

Although Elena isn’t getting carried away by the prospects of yet more silverware, Loeb concedes a ninth championship is getting close. “As each rally goes by, we are getting closer to our goal of a ninth title,” he said. “With a 54-point lead and four races left, things are looking good.”

Speaking at the finish on ADAC Rallye Deutschland last month where Loeb headed Mikko Hirvonen in a Citroen one-three, team principal Yves Matton said: “We have further extended our lead in the world championship standings. We might even be able to wrap up the manufacturers’ title at Wales Rally GB.”

Here

Wales Rally GB pays tribute to shining star



he organisers of Wales Rally GB, the British round of the FIA World Rally Championship, have announced plans to commemorate the late Gareth Roberts, an extremely talented young co-driver from Carmarthen.

Gareth was just 24 when he tragically lost his life competing at the Targa Florio Internazionale di Sicilia earlier this year, and the organisers of Wales Rally GB have chosen to commemorate the shining star by renaming one of the event's trophies in his memory.

The Croeso Trophy was presented to Wales Rally GB by the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs in 1969. It is awarded to the highest placed all-Welsh crew competing in Wales Rally GB and, in 2008, Gareth won the Croeso Trophy with his driving partner Gwyndaf Evans. After his success in 2008, the Wales Rally GB team worked closely with Gareth to promote the event and rallying in Wales. In recognition of respect that Gareth held within the motorsport community, the award will be renamed 'The Croeso Trophy in memory of Gareth Roberts'.

Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB, was one of the team behind the decision to rename the Croeso Trophy: "Gareth was a skilled co-driver and a rapidly rising star in the world of international rallying. He was always willing to lend a hand and get stuck in, something that was particularly evident from working with him to promote Wales Rally GB over the past few years. There is always a special feeling when competing on home turf and it was obvious how much winning in Wales meant to him. It was a very easy decision to rename the trophy that Gareth was so delighted to win back in 2008."

Gareth's family added: "We're really honoured to have the award renamed after Gareth. He won his world title last year in Wales and was always proud of his Welsh roots! He would have been really proud to be part of any scheme promoting young Welsh rallying talent in the WRC. "

This year the Rally, which is again supported by the Welsh Government , begins with a Qualifying stage on Wednesday, 12th September at Likes Land Rover at Walters Arena. This is followed by the ceremonial start in Llandudno on Thursday 13th, before the event moves down to the classic Dyfnant, Hafren Sweet Lamb and Myherin tests after a remote service in Newtown. Saturday 15th takes the rally to the stages of Crychan, Epynt and Halfway. After a lunchtime service in Cardiff, the loop is repeated, following which the rally visits Celtic Manor for the first time, before service in Cardiff. For the final day, Wales Rally GB visits Port Talbot, Rheola and Likes Land Rover at Walters Arena, before returning to those stages again after Cardiff service. The official finish ceremony of the event will take place in Cardiff Bay after the final stage.

Here

[fatmcgav]

Looks like qualifying results are in:
Loeb 2:22.260
Solberg +0.051
@MikkoWRC +0.872
@thierryneuville +0.878
Latvala +1.133
Ostberg +1.271
@AlAttiyahN +1.589...

[fatmcgav]

First Citroen WRC video available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-gPIj9jhPo

[Yellow]

or here

[Yellow]

[Yellow]

The smirk on day 1 when Loeb says "I don't have to win" classic

[WTF]

Citroen team boss Yves Matton admits the ace French squad is only human following its defeat to rival Ford on Wales Rally GB on Sunday.

Jari-Matti Latvala’s victory ended Citroen’s run of success in the FIA World Rally Championship dating back to Philips Rally Argentina at the end of April. Although team leader Sebastien Loeb claimed the runner-up spot in Wales, he did so by a scant 0.9s following a close fight with Petter Solberg, in the second works Ford.

“Yes, it’s normal [to be human],” said Matton. “We missed something in the [pre-event] test and the set-up was not so perfect or accurate this time. We were not aggressive enough during the weekend, approximately always taking [two spare tyres] when the other drivers went with one spare. Also the weather was mainly wet in the test, not really dry and on Rally GB it was mainly dry.

“We were not so far behind but as I say since a long time the level of Ford is very close to our level and when one is going not the perfect way for sure it makes some difference.”

Matton denied that Ford’s win in Great Britain would prompt changes to Citroen’s preparations for its home rally next month, where it can clinch both the WRC drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles.

“I hope we will have a big fight with Ford and I hope we will win,” said Matton. “We will do our normal job for France, this rally has no influence on what we will do. France is a Tarmac rally and here we are on gravel but for sure we will try to understand for next year when we come back to Rally GB.”




Thierry Neuville came in for significant praise from his team boss on Wales Rally GB, even though he didn't push flat out for success on the FIA World Rally Championship round.



Neuville steered his Citroen Junior World Rally Team DS3 WRC to seventh place on his Rally GB debut last week after driving at “80 per cent” according to Yves Matton, the Citroen Racing director.

“We asked him to drive at a tempo to be sure not to make mistakes and that’s what he did,” said Matton. “He drove at 80 per cent to be at the finish and I was happy because of this. On the first day he was first on the road and in this condition when your head is thinking not to make a mistake it was not easy.”

Neuville, who revealed he was instructed to select first place on the road on day one, said: “It was difficult at times but for the experience it was very good and we got through without making any mistakes, that’s the most important thing. I was very focused and I steadily grew in confidence.”


Was omelette key to Hirvonen’s Power Stage win?



Citroen driver Mikko Hirvonen ended Wales Rally GB on a high yesterday by winning the Power Stage - after he'd lunched on a protein-rich hit of eggs, ham and cheese expertly folded into an omelette by the team's chef.



Hirvonen struggled for pace over the opening two days of the FIA World Rally Championship qualifier but his pace improved on Sunday, although he admitted that it was too little, too late as he finished fifth overall. Nonetheless, the three extra points he scored on the Power Stage have consolidated his second place in the drivers’ standings, which now looks almost beyond doubt as the season draws to a close.

Omelette is often favoured by drivers for lunch as it is easy to digest, while at the same time providing plenty of energy. The omelette was actually a French invention, so it’s a staple at Citroen. The technique for cooking a French omelette consists of a very hot pan and plenty of clarified butter, which quickly seals the outside while retaining a slightly runny texture on the outside.

Hirvonen’s favourite post-rally treat is somewhat less virtuous though: the Finn likes nothing better

[mix]

I have omelettes for breakfast pretty much every morning. Maybe I should enter Rally GB next year?

[WTF]

Is it expertly folded?

[mix]

There, that's my downfall. It's often rushed and overcooked.