A processing error meant the Intercontinental Rally Challenge Manufacturers‘ and IRC 2WD Cup Manufacturers‘ points published following the Monte Carlo Rally were incorrect. The correct points are as follows:
IRC Manufacturers
1 Skoda 14 points
2 M-Sport 10 points
3 Peugeot 7 points
(No points awarded to Subaru and Ralliart)
IRC 2WD Cup Manufacturers
1 M-Sport 14 points
2 Peugeot 10 points
3 Skoda 5 points
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Mikko Hirvonen has given M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta S2000 a debut victory on the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the 78th Automobile Rallye Monte-Carlo, which finished in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 29-year-old from Finland and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen held the lead from the opening stage on Wednesday to claim their first win on the legendary event. Although Sebastien Ogier closed to within 38.3 seconds of them with his seventh stage victory on Friday evening, the Peugeot 207 driver’s bid for a second successive win in the Principality was cruelly ended when he retired on the road section heading to the penultimate stage.
Ogier’s retirement, the result of a broken alternator pulley shaft, elevated Skoda’s Juho Hanninen to second place with Nicolas Vouilloz claiming third on a one-off outing for the Czech firm. The result means Skoda tops the IRC Manufacturers‘ standings over M-Sport by four points.
Hanninen held second at the start of the day but fell behind Ogier on the first stage of Friday evening when his choice of winter tyre proved too conservative for the conditions, which were drier in parts than expected.
Stephane Sarrazin was the lead Peugeot 207 driver home in fourth. Having lost time with a puncture and a crash into a snow bank earlier in the event, Sarrazin had an anxious wait at the first service halt in Monaco on Friday afternoon while his PH Sport mechanics rushed to replace a broken front differential. Their efforts were rewarded when he went fastest on stage 13, despite the lack of a functioning first gear. He was quickest again on the last stage of the event.
Jan Kopecky, the runner-up in last year’s IRC Drivers‘ standings, dropped out of contention with a puncture on the very first stage. A second puncture on day two added to his woes but he gradually fought back to claim fifth and four Drivers‘ championship points. With the 2009 champion, Kris Meeke, crashing his Peugeot UK 207 S2000 on Friday’s first stage, Kopecky’s recovery could prove decisive as the season progresses.
Briton Guy Wilks made it four Skoda Fabia Super 2000s in the top six, with a solid drive to sixth overall. He bemoaned poor tyre choice and a lack of experience of driving his Fabia on asphalt for his failure to challenge higher up the order although he achieved his aim of a points finish.
Portugal’s Bruno Magalhaes and Frenchman Jean-Sebastien Vigion completed the points scorers with seventh and eighth respectively in their Peugeot 207s.
Like Ogier, Franz Wittmann failed to go the distance when he damaged his 207 hitting a wall on stage 13. Toni Gardemeister withdrew heading to the day’s opening stage with engine damage sustained in a crash on Friday afternoon.
Clio R3 European Trophy competitor Kris Princen won the IRC 2WD Cup in 11th overall after surviving a puncture on Friday evening. Young Corsican Pierre Campana took an impressive second in class on his Monte Carlo Rally debut after making repairs to a broken water expansion tank following the penultimate stage.
Hirvonen ran on Pirelli tyres throughout the Monte Carlo event, sealing the Italian company’s first overall victory in the IRC series.
The 78th Monte Carlo Rally was characterised by an unprecedented 14 hours of spectacular live television coverage from Eurosport, allowing viewers all over the world to see the action directly as it happened.
Hirvonen claimed his first IRC victory in Monte Carlo
DRIVER QUOTES
"It’s always been a dream of mine to win the Monte Carlo Rally. I have to say the car has been perfect from start to finish thanks to the mechanics who worked so hard to get everything ready. It was never easy but thanks to an excellent job from the team we were able to win having led from the start. I’ve really enjoyed this experience and I’d love to come back again. It was a shame Sebastien Ogier had his technical problem because it was a great battle but it also came as a relief that he stopped. We had a perfect tyre from Pirelli. I am very happy." Mikko Hirvonen, first overall
"Of course it’s good to get some points but it’s disappointing we lost the fight to Ogier. But I am happy with second place following a difficult rally in difficult conditions. I am very pleased to have got to the end. If anything it was even harder than last year but I think we’ve improved and the car has improved so we can look forward to what I am sure will be a very strong season for us. I would like to congratulate Mikko for a fantastic job." Juho Hanninen, second overall
"My aim was to finish the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time and this is what I did. To do this with Skoda is also very good so I am very happy. It was not easy and perhaps I did not always have the speed or the confidence I wanted to be able to push. But I did not make any big mistakes and to be on the podium on this rally is a big achievement." Nicolas Vouilloz, third overall
Hanninen finished second for Skoda Motorsport
TOP TEN POSITIONS AFTER LEG THREE
1 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Fiesta S2000 4h32m58.5s
2 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m51.4s
3 Nicolas Vouilloz/Benjamin Veillas Skoda Fabia S2000 +3m19.1s
4 Stephane Sarrazin/Jacques Julien Renucci Peugeot 207 S2000 +7m25.5s
5 Jan Kopecky/Petr Stary Skoda Fabia S2000 +8m48.7s
6 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh Skoda Fabia S2000 +9m24.5s
7 Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes Peugeot 207 S2000 +9m45.4s
8 Jean-Sebastien Vigion/Stephane Prevot Peugeot 207 S2000 +13m33.5s
9 Jaroslav Orsak/Karel Vajik Skoda Fabia S2000 +21m16.6s
10 Andrej Jereb/Miran Kacin Peugeot 207 S2000 +25m26.1s
Leading IRC 2WD Cup contenders: Kris Princen/Eddy Smeets Renault Clio R3
IRC STANDINGS
Drivers after round one of 12
1 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
2 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 8pts
3 Nicolas Vouilloz (France) 6pts
4 Stephane Sarrazin (France) 5pts
5 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 4pts
6 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 3pts
7 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 2pts
8 Jean-Sebastien Vigion (France) 1pt
Manufacturers after round one of 12
1 Skoda 14pts
2 M-Sport 10pts
3 Peugeot 9pts
4 Subaru 5pts
5 Ralliart 1pt
2WD Drivers after round one of 12
1 Kris Princen 10pts
2 Pierre Campana 8pts
3 Thomas Barral 6pts
4 Simone Campedelli 5pts
5 Jean-Michel Raoux 4pts
6 Arnaud Monnet 3pts
7 Christophe Fontaine 2pts
8 Tom Cave 1pt
2WD Manufacturers after round one of 12
1 M-Sport 13pts
2 Peugeot 10pts
3 Skoda 6pts
STAGE WINNERS
Tuesday 19 January
SSS: Lente-Col de Gaudissart (8.83km): Toni Gardemeister
Wednesday 20 January
SS1: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael (27.27km): Mikko Hirvonen
SS2: St Pierreville-Antraigues (45.17km): Sebastien Ogier
SS3: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael (27.27km): Mikko Hirvonen
SS4: St Pierreville-Antraigues (45.17km): Sebastien Ogier
Thursday 21 January
SS5: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux (25.30km): Nicolas Vouilloz
SS6: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet (25.67km): Sebastien Ogier
SS7: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere (21.92km): Mikko Hirvonen
SS8: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux (25.30km): Juho Hanninen
SS9: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet (25.67km): Sebastien Ogier
SS10: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere (21.92km): Sebastien Ogier
Friday 22 January
SS11: Montauban Sur Ouveze-Eygalayes (30.42km): Sebastien Ogier
SS12: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie (18.42km): Sebastien Ogier
SS13: Lantosque-Luceram (19.13km): Stephane Sarrazin
SS14: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie (18.42km): Juho Hanninen
SS15: Lantosque-Luceram (19.13km): Stephane Sarrazin
TV TIMES
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show a review programme from 23:00-23:30 CET on Tuesday 26 January. Highlights of each leg of the rally are also available at www.rally-irc.com
On Wednesday and Thursday this week in changing weather conditions, BMW’s RBM team and Chevrolet spent two days testing at Portimão’s new Autódromo do Algarve, in Southern Portugal, the venue that will host rounds 11 and 12 of this year’s FIA WTCC on July 4th.
Rain poured down at intervals on the first day, while by the end of Thursday morning the track finally dried up completely.
Facing his fourth season as BMW Motorsport driver, Brazilian youngster Augusto Farfus completed his first test in the BMW 320si run by Bart Mampaey’s RBM outfit, in which he joins triple WTCC champion Andy Priaulx.
Chevrolet fielded two Cruze LT cars during the test, for 2008 world champion Yvan Muller and Robert Huff, who both had already tested two weeks ago in Valencia. Alain Menu attended the test and the briefing, but did not drive. He will be back at the wheel together with his two team-mates during the team’s last test session before the beginning of the season, on February 17th and 18th at Valencia again.
Augusto Farfus tested the RBM-ran BMW at Algarve’s new racetrack
ATS has entered into a multi-year partnership with the FIA WTCC. The German wheel manufacturer will become ‚official supplier‘ offering specially designed lightweight alloy wheels to factory and independent teams, together with technical support for ATS supported teams at each event during the season.
As part of the agreement, ATS will fully support the Chevrolet team in their effort to win the world title, after the wheels successfully underwent extensive track and aerodynamic testing and analysis. ATS will also make significant investment in offering its support to the competitors of the Yokohama Independents‘ Trophy.
"As a global company, we want to further expand our technological and leading role in the sector of top-quality lightweight alloy wheels and to present it to a broader public. Cooperation with leading teams and the WTCC organisers was the logical step to take", said Harald Jacksties, Marketing and Motorsport Manager of the Uniwheels Group, parent company of ATS.
Marcello Lotti, General Manager of KSO, promoter of the WTCC, commented: "The fact that ATS is making such a long-term and focused commitment to the WTCC is fantastic for both the teams and the championship and we are delighted to welcome a brand with such a rich motorsport history."
ATS wheels are now used by the Chevrolet Cruze WTCC cars
Wiesbaden. Bereits zum vierten Mal in Folge unterstützt die DTM auch 2010 die Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe bei der Ausrichtung von Europas erfolgreichster Sport-Benefiz-Gala. Die exklusive Veranstaltung feiert am 6. Februar in den Wiesbadener Rhein-Main-Hallen ihr 40-jähriges Jubiläum. Mit dem Race Club übernimmt die DTM erneut die Verantwortung für die offizielle After-Show-Party der hochkarätigen Veranstaltung.
Unter dem Motto Eine Nacht auf Eis, thematisch angelehnt an die kurz nach der Veranstaltung stattfindenden XXI. Olympischen Winterspiele und Paralympics in Vancouver (CAN), erwartet das prominente Publikum u.a. eine spektakuläre Show auf einer eigens dafür eingerichteten Eisfläche im Ballsaal. Für die Jubiläumsveranstaltung haben sich wie in den vergangenen Jahren bereits zahlreiche Größen aus Sport, Wirtschaft, Politik, Kultur und den Medien angekündigt. Die DTM wird auf der Veranstaltung durch den amtierenden Champion Timo Scheider (Audi) und Mercedes-Benz-Piloten Ralf Schumacher vertreten. Traditionell führt Johannes B. Kerner die geladenen Gäste durch das Programm auf der Bühne.
Die Erlebniswelten und Lounges der Veranstaltungs-Partner laden auch in diesem Jahr zum Genießen, Mitmachen und Flanieren ein. Zahlreiche Künstler sorgen für die musikalische Unterhaltung des Publikums. Das Highlight des Bühnenprogramms bildet der Auftritt der deutschen Pop-Band Ich + Ich um Mitternacht. Im DTM Race Club können die Ballgäste im Anschluss einkehren, um einen gelungenen Abend in angenehmer Atmosphäre ausklingen zu lassen.
Rund 1.800 geladene Gäste treffen sich alljährlich beim Ball des Sports. Mit dem Erlös des Galaabends erwirtschaftet die Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe einen sechsstelligen Betrag für die Förderung deutscher Leistungssportler. Gerade in wirtschaftlich schwierigen Zeiten ist es wichtig, Talente im deutschen Spitzensport zu fördern und somit einen Beitrag zu leisten. Wir sind stolz auf unsere Partnerschaft mit der Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe und unser Engagement bei der Jubiläumsveranstaltung 2010, so Dr. Thomas Betzler, Vorstand für Recht und Finanzen beim DTM Rechteinhaber und -Vermarkter ITR e.V.
Mikko Hirvonen continues to lead the 78th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, following a dramatic second day’s action in the Haute Loire region of France.
The Finn, who is driving the M-Sport Fiesta S2000 in competition for the first time, heads the overall standings by 47.7 seconds following Thursday’s six stages. Juho Hanninen is second for the works Skoda Motorsport team with Sebastien Ogier battling from fifth last night up to third in a Peugeot 207 S2000, courtesy of three stage wins.
While Hirvonen edged closer to a debut IRC victory, last year’s champion Kris Meeke was an early retirement, crashing out one kilometre from the start of the day’s first stage. The Briton clipped a patch of black ice on a right-hand bend, understeered into a low bridge and veered down a bank, where his Peugeot 207 became stranded.
Although the weather conditions were remarkably tame on Wednesday’s first leg, black ice and snow littered today’s first two stages. The majority of the leading crews opted to use full studded tyres for the first loop in the hope they would provide sufficient grip to withstand the treacherous stage conditions. Meeke, however, opted to run half studs in the hope they would give him an advantage on the third stage of the day, which was largely free of ice and snow.
Unfortunately for the Peugeot UK driver he never made it that far and, for a second year in succession, he and Irish co-driver Paul Nagle have failed to finish the demanding asphalt event.
Hirvonen’s day wasn’t entirely free of incident. He picked up a front-left puncture six kilometres from the end of the day’s second stage when he struck a rock lying in a snow bank. It resulted in a 40-second delay for the 29-year-old World Rally Championship regular.
Hanninen inherited second overall when Meeke crashed but felt he could have been closer on time to his countryman Hirvonen heading into Friday’s final leg. He said he had driven too aggressively on the day’s last stage, which caused his rear tyres to lose grip towards the end of the run.
Ogier’s main cause of complaint occurred on the last test of the opening loop of three stages when he and co-driver Julien Ingrassia received a split time that was faster than they had actually recorded. Assuming they were setting a strong pace, they backed off in order to avoid making any mistakes but were ultimately too cautious than they should have been.
Skoda driver Nicolas Vouilloz started the day ahead of Ogier but, despite going fastest on the first stage, was powerless to prevent last year’s Monte Carlo winner from moving ahead.
After a time-consuming puncture on Wednesday, Stephane Sarrazin suffered further delay today when he slid into a snow bank on stage six and got stuck for more than two minutes. The French Peugeot driver blamed the incident on carrying too much speed into an ice-coated corner.
Franz Wittmann, Guy Wilks and Bruno Magalhaes completed the top eight at the overnight halt in Valence with Toni Gardemeister falling from seventh to tenth behind Jan Kopecky. Gardemeister, driving an Abarth Grande Punto, lost time with a puncture on stage five and two spins on stage nine. Skoda driver Kopecky suffered a puncture of his own on stage seven.
Clio R3 European Trophy contender Mathieu Arzeno’s hopes of winning the IRC 2WD Cup ended when he crashed into retirement on stage eight. The young French driver’s misfortune handed the category lead to Belgian veteran Kris Princen with Pierre Campana now up to second. The rising star from Corsica impressed by setting the ninth fastest time overall on the day’s final stage, which was run under the cover of darkness.
Friday’s final leg gets underway with the 30.42-kilometre stage from Montauban sur Ouveze to Eygalayes, 120 kilometres south east of Valence. Crews then continue south to Monte Carlo for an early evening service before they tackle the final four stages at night, which include two passes over the famous Col de Turini in the mountains above Monaco. The first car is due to finish at 0105hrs on Saturday.
Hirvonen remains in control of the Monte Carlo Rally
DRIVER QUOTES
"It’s been another good day today. We were testing different components on the car and in the afternoon we were able to try a bit more of a dry set-up. Although there was still a bit more black ice than I expected we’ve had no problems with the car. We had a puncture in the morning but it didn’t cause us too many problems. It would be fantastic to win the Monte but there’s still a very long way to go so I’m not even thinking about that." Mikko Hirvonen, first overall
"We had no problems today and the car has been perfect. Our safety note crew is very experienced and their knowledge and help has been an important part of getting to where we are. Generally I’ve been happy with the tyre choices. There were a couple of times when I maybe would have wanted a safer tyre but, okay, it wasn’t a disaster. Mikko is setting a fantastic pace in front but I am not surprised by that." Juho Hanninen, second overall
"Although we won three stages today and moved from fifth to third we didn’t push very hard because that would have meant taking too many risks. The conditions have been too difficult to do that and there is also now a problem of mud on the road following the first pass through the stages. I would prefer to be in front but I am also happy that I am still in the rally tonight." Sebastien Ogier, third overall
Juho Hanninen is second for Skoda Motorsport
TOP TEN POSITIONS (AFTER LEG TWO)
1 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Fiesta S2000 3h12m44.0s
2 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula Skoda Fabia S2000 +47.7s
3 Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Peugeot 207 S2000 +1m10.3s
4 Nicolas Vouilloz/Benjamin Veillas Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m34.3s
5 Stephane Sarrazin/Jacques Julien Renucci Peugeot 207 S2000 +6m06.0s
6 Franz Wittmann/Klaus Wicha Peugeot 207 S2000 +6m53.8s
7 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh Skoda Fabia S2000 +7m07.3s
8 Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes Peugeot 207 S2000 +7m12.8s
9 Jan Kopecky/Petr Stary Skoda Fabia S2000 +7m24.4s
10 Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen Abarth Grande Punto S2000 +9m13.0s
Leading IRC 2WD Cup contenders: Kris Princen/Eddy Smeets Renault Clio R3
LEG THREE ITINERARY
Service E: Valence, 06:30hrs; SS11: Montauban sur l’Ouveze- Eygalayes (30.42 kilometres), 09:23hrs; Service F: Monaco, 17:27hrs; SS12: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 1 (18.42 kilometres), 19:15hrs; SS13: Lantosque-Luceram 1 (19.13 kilometres), 19:48hrs; Service G: Monaco, 21:35hrs; SS14: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 2, 23:20hrs; SS15: Lantosque-Luceram 2, 23:53hrs; Service H: Monaco, 01:05hrs. Prize giving (Saturday January 23): Place du Palais Princier, 11:00hrs.
FRIDAY’S TV TIMES
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show live coverage of four stages tomorrow (see below), ensuring viewers will be able to follow all of the action as it happens. Highlights of the day will also available at www.rally-irc.com
19:00-20:45: SS12 and SS13 LIVE Eurosport
23:00-00:45: SS14 and SS15 LIVE Eurosport
David Salom participará este fin de semana en los primeros test oficiales de pre-temporada junto a su equipo Triumph ParkinGO.
Este entrenamiento programado por la organización del Campeonato del Mundo de Superbikes, servirá para preparar la segunda prueba del Campeonato que se celebrará en el mes de Marzo en Portugal y como primera prueba de Pre-temporada para la mayoría de los equipos.
Esta será la segunda toma de contacto con la Triumph Daytona 675, ya que el pasado día 8 de enero en Valencia, Salom probó por primera vez la que será su montura para esta temporada. Los días de frío y nieve de la primera semana del año impidieron trabajar bien en ese primer test pero las sensaciones fueron muy positivas y este fin de semana Salom acude a Portimao con muchas ganas de ver todo el potencial de la Triumph.
Esta misma semana se ha confirmado que serán cuatro pilotos los que participen esta temporada dentro del equipo Triumph en la categoría Supersport. El reciente fichaje del bi-Campeón del Mundo de Supersport Sebastien Charpentier ha completado el grupo junto al británico Chaz Davies, el americano Jason DiSalvo y el español David Salom.
Departamento de prensa David Salom Piloto Mundial de Supersport
www.davidsalom.com prensa@davidsalom.com Calle Jeroni Pou Esquina Reina Constança
Palma de Mallorca T. 971 291 321 M. 616 99 26 87
Mikko Hirvonen capped an impressive competition debut for the M-Sport Fiesta Super 2000 by completing the opening leg of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo with a 41.9-second lead over reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Kris Meeke.
Hirvonen, from Finland, went fastest on Wednesday morning’s first stage from Burzet to Lachamp Raphael and was never headed at the top of the leaderboard thereafter. He was quickest again when the 27.27-kilometre run was repeated in the afternoon and was able to extend his advantage after Peugeot 207 driver Stephane Sarrazin suffered a puncture on stage four and slipped down the order.
The French driver’s delay promoted Meeke into second place. The Briton adopted a cautious approach and drove without error throughout the day in his efforts to begin his title defence with a points finish, having crashed out of this event last season. Meeke felt he could have been closer to the leader but for a confidence-denting moment on the second stage braking for a left-hand corner.
Juho Hanninen heads the works Skoda Motorsport challenge after lead driver Jan Kopecky lost more than three minutes with a front-right puncture close to the start of the first stage. Hanninen reported a few scares in the thick fog that descended on a 12-kilometre section of the second stage from St Pierreville to Antraigues, but otherwise enjoyed a trouble-free day. Kopecky recovered to hold 12th overnight.
Nicolas Vouilloz, on a one-off drive with the Skoda squad, holds fourth overall after the first day of competition. He spent the morning acclimatising to the Fabia S2000 and admitted his choice of tyres had been too conservative.
Last year’s Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier had closed to within 4.9 seconds of leader Hirvonen after two stages but his hopes of a top finish evaporated when he went off the road on the third stage on a patch of snow and damaged his front-right wheel, losing 1m30s in the process. He fought back with the quickest time on the final stage of the day to complete the leg 1m51s adrift of Hirvonen in fifth overall.
Peugeot Portugal driver Bruno Magalhaes said he was satisfied with how his Monte Carlo debut had gone so far as he adapted to driving on slippery asphalt for the first time. He lies sixth overnight, one place ahead of Finn Toni Gardemeister, the lead Abarth Grande Punto pilot.
Gardemeister lost time by running dry weather tyres on the rain-hit opening brace of stages, when he overshot a left-hander on the second run and clouted a stone wall. Damage was miraculously limited to a scuffed front-right bumper and Gardemeister was able to continue his challenge for a top-six finish.
Sarrazin, who had complained of a loss of engine power on the first stage, reached the overnight halt in Valence in eighth, clearly frustrated that his bid for victory had suffered a serious blow due to his puncture, which added almost three minutes to his total time.
Austria’s Franz Wittmann spent the morning stages adapting to his Peugeot 207, which he was using for the first time in the IRC. He improved his pace in the afternoon and completed the first leg in ninth but said he still lacked confidence.
Briton Guy Wilks lies tenth overnight in the Skoda UK Motorsport Fabia. With seldom experience of driving his car on asphalt, Wilks used the day to gather more mileage in the car and experiment with different settings. He reckoned his choice of tyres hadn’t been ideal for the conditions, while a spin on the final stage of the day cost him 20 seconds.
Leading Clio R3 European Trophy runner Mathieu Arzeno, from France, tops the IRC 2WD Cup in 13th overall with Italian Matteo Gamba second and Belgium’s Kris Princen third.
Of the 58 starters, 46 crews returned to the service in Valence following a tough day of competition in the French Ardeche region. Thursday’s action is due to get underway with the 25.30-kilometre stage from Labatie D’Andaure to St Pierre Sur Doux.
Hirvonen tops the Monte Carlo Rally in his M-Sport Fiesta S2000
DRIVER QUOTES
"This rally is so much about tyres. The car is handling well and it’s great to be leading but on this rally a 40-second lead is nothing because it can all change in a minute. We went for a combination of snow tyres and intermediates on the second loop of stages and that seemed to work quite well. You also need to have the right information to make the choice work. We’ve not made too many adjustments to the car, just been trying to drive safely. But of course we have to do the same now for the rest of the rally." Mikko Hirvonen, first overall
"We’ve had three good stages out of four. If you offered me second place before the start of today I would have taken that. I’ve got half my mind on the championship but people like Ogier and Hirvonen have got nothing to lose whereas I have because they’re not doing the full championship. In the morning we lost 40s over 20ks when I lost my confidence after hitting some slippery Tarmac. Had it not been for that we would have been very close to the lead." Kris Meeke, second overall
"I made the same combination of tyre choices for the afternoon as I did for the morning. However it did not work quite as well because the conditions were worse the second time but not full snow. It’s always a compromise and I do not think I made a bad choice. I’m very happy to be where we are overnight and when you’re competing against someone like Mikko you have to remember he’s one of the best drivers in the world." Juho Hanninen, third overall
Defending IRC champion Kris Meeke is second after leg one
TOP TEN POSITIONS (AFTER LEG ONE)
1 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Fiesta S2000 1h34m01.8s
2 Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle Peugeot 207 S2000 +41.9s
3 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m04.4s
4 Nicolas Vouilloz/Benjamin Veillas Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m20.3s
5 Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Peugeot 207 S2000 +1m51.1s
6 Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes Peugeot 207 S2000 +2m28.1s
7 Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen Abarth Grande Punto S2000 +2m43.2s
8 Stephane Sarrazin/Jacques Julien Renucci Peugeot 207 S2000 +3m15.8s
9 Franz Wittmann/Klaus Wicha Peugeot 207 S2000 +3m44.1s
10 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh Skoda Fabia S2000 +4m27.1s
LEG TWO ITINERARY
Service B: Valence, 08:30hrs; SS5: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 1 (25.30 kilometres), 10:13hrs; SS6: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 1 (25.67 kilometres), 10:55hrs; SS7: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 1 (21.92 kilometres), 12:20hrs; Service C: Valence, 13:45hrs; SS8: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 2, 15:28hrs; SS9: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 2, 16:10hrs; SS10: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 2, 18:05hrs; Service D: Valence, 19:15hrs.
THURSDAY’S TV TIMES
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show live coverage of all six stages tomorrow, ensuring viewers will be able to follow all of the action as it happens. Highlights of the day will also available at www.rally-irc.com
10:00-11.45: SS5 and SS6 LIVE Eurosport2
12:15-13:15: SS7 LIVE Eurosport2
15:15-16:00: SS8 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: End of SS8 and SS9 LIVE Eurosport
19:30-20:00: SS10 delayed Eurosport2*
23:45-00:15: SS10 repeated Eurosport
*SS10 LIVE on Eurosport France from 18:00-19:00
All times are CET
Mirko Bortolotti eyeing F2 return in 2010
Italian refusing to be distracted by F1 rumours
Italian driver Mirko Bortolotti says he wants to focus on a potential second season in Formula Two rather than think about speculation linking him with a drive in Formula One.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a whirlwind 18 months in motorsport, which has included an Italian F3 title, an F1 test with Ferrari, his first F2 race victory in Brno and a further Formula One test with Toro Rosso. Rumours persist that a number of F1 teams are monitoring Bortolottis progress, but the Italian is in no rush to make the step up the highest level of the sport.
F2 is still a major option for me in 2010 and I am not even thinking about F1 at the moment, said Bortolotti. I am only 20-years-old and I think it is vital that you are fully prepared in terms of speed, experience and consistency before you make the step to Formula One. You have to have been through it all; you need to know how to be quick over one lap but also consistent over a race distance, you need to know how to turn bad situations into a good one for example. There are so many things that you need to learn and I want to reach Formula One when I am in the right moment of my career. F1 is F1 – it is not a game, so at the moment I am better to focus on learning and improving further for the future.
Despite his reticence over an F1 call-up in 2010, his recent test with Toro Rosso has certainly whetted Mirkos appetite for Formula One. It was a great experience, he commented. We had a different programme to the other teams of course, and mainly we were testing parts for 2010 on medium and hard tyre compounds. I would have been able to go a lot faster in terms of lap times but we didnt get the chance to complete a low fuel run. The most important thing however, is that the test was a real success and the team were very happy with the results.
It was great for me to have the job of a real F1 test driver the team had a belief in me and I was trusted with some very important development work, which meant a lot.
Mirkos immediate future could consist of a second season in Formula Two after the Italian claimed one victory and a total of five podiums on his way to taking fourth in the overall standings in 2009. The youngster is no longer with the Red Bull Junior Team but he remains confident of securing a race programme for the upcoming campaign.
Returning to F2 this season is an exciting possibility, he notes. We were able to fight at the front last year but I had some bad luck, which meant I probably lost some positions in the championship. It was my first year in international motorsport so finishing fourth was a pretty good season it can always be better of course, but thats racing!
I am looking forward rather than backwards anyway and I really liked being in F2 last season it is a great concept and a good championship. I know that the car is going to be improved and Jonathan Palmer and the team are working hard to push the championship forward in every way, which is impressive. I really dont know where I will be in 2010 at this moment, but if I am racing in F2 then I will definitely be targeting the championship.
Andy Soucek pleased with F2 car upgrade progress
2009 champion continues to assist with development of the Williams JPH1B
2009 FIA Formula Two Champion Andy Soucek says the Williams-designed F2 car has already made significant improvements as the Spaniard continues to play a major role in developing the car prior to the 2010 season.
The 24-year-old confirmed initial upgrades had resulted in a gain of around one second per lap compared to the 2009 car during recent testing in Portugal. With further advances due to be introduced later this month, Soucek is confident the car will be up to three seconds per lap faster than its predecessor.
The car is developing nicely and we have already made progress with the set-up, extra power, electronics and the throttle map, said Soucek. The car was already more than a second quicker than the others in Portimão and we still have a lot to come, so it is all very positive.
I am very focussed on developing the F2 car – after one year of knowing the car, the championship and all of the personnel I was very keen to be involved. The programme went really well before Christmas – Giles Butterfield and the team are working really hard and I am enjoying working with them very much. It has been hard work but also very rewarding.
The 2010 F2 car is set to be dubbed the Williams JPH1B after undergoing a raft of changes over the winter, including an increase in engine power and improved aero efficiency. One of the major improvements already tested is the new high flow Garrett turbocharger, which will raise standard power from 400bhp to 425bhp this season. The new turbocharger will produce an even greater gain on overboost, with power increasing from 450bhp to 480bhp. Other improvements were also tested, but further significant advances are set to be incorporated over the coming weeks.
Soucek will continue his testing duties, alongside regular test driver Steven Kane, when the pair travel to Barcelona and Portimão later this month. The aerodynamic upgrades designed by the Williams F1 team will be available for these tests and the overall weight of the car is set to be significantly reduced. A number of new and improved tyre compounds are also set to be tried and tested.
I am looking forward to the new aero package and the reduction in weight – I hope that the 2010 car will be around three seconds per lap quicker than last year, concluded the Spaniard. We have an important programme in the coming weeks and I am really excited about it. The plan is to improve the car in all areas and I will be proud to be a part of the presentation once it is finished. No matter where I am over the coming years I always want to be a part of F2 I owe Jonathan Palmer and the championship a lot and I am delighted to be closely involved in F2s future.
El pasado sábado, 16 de enero, se celebró en las instalaciones de la Federació Balear de Motociclismo, sitas en el Velódromo Palma Arena, el curso "Reciclaje de Cronometraje" que fue impartido por José Luis García, un técnico muy experimentado que durante varios años ha trabajado de cronometrador en MotoGP.
La FBM, en su afán de mejorar los servicios que ofrece, organizó este curso con el objetivo de preparar la temporada 2010 que comenzará en pocas semanas. El curso, de 8 horas de duración, se compuso de una parte teórica y de otra práctica, en la que se incidió sobre diferentes aspectos, como en las mejoras del sistema de funcionamiento o de la resolución de los problemas que puedan aparecer.
Jose luis Garcia, de la empresa Al Kamel Technologies, distribuidor autorizado en España de la marca AMB, también informó de las tendencias que vienen, como la aparición del transponder personal, que permitirá a los pilotos y equipos, adquirirlos a un precio económico, usando el mismo transponder en todas las carreras.
Al curso asistieron los cronometradores de la FBM Andreu Ferragut, Yolanda Corbalán, Susana Aldeger, Gabriel Riutort, además del director deportivo Sebastián Crespí y de la vice-presidenta Catalina Tomás.
THE CHALLENGE
Two months after the curtain came down on the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season in Scotland, the series bursts back into life on one of motorsport’s showpiece events: Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo. And to befit a rally of such magnitude, an exciting driver line-up, including world rally star Mikko Hirvonen, Renault F1’s Robert Kubica, IRC aces Kris Meeke and Jan Kopecky, plus several leading amateurs, will take the start in the French city of Valence on Tuesday January 19.
For the second season in a row, the Monte Carlo Rally will open the 12-event IRC schedule. Just as in 2009, a demanding route has been plotted with the 63 crews expected to tackle the 405 competitive kilometres over 15 special stages prior to the finish in Monaco in the early hours of Saturday January 23.
The event will continue to be based in Valence, the capital of the department of Drome, in the Valentinois region of France. As well as the ceremonial start, the main service park will also be located in the city before the event heads south to Monaco for the final quartet of stages on the night of Friday January 22.
But it’s the narrow mountainous roads in the Ardeche region that will provide the backdrop for the bulk of the competitive action on Wednesday January 20 and Thursday January 21. On Wednesday the itinerary will consist of the Burzet-Lachamp Raphael and St Pierreville-Antraigues stages run twice with remote service in the town of Vals les Bains, where crucial tyre changes will be permitted. On Thursday the route heads to the north of Drome for three repeated stages split by service in Valence.
Friday’s final leg starts in Valence. Following a stage from Montauban sur l’Ouveze to Eygalayes, crews continue south to Monaco where they will service before the first run over the famous Col de Turini, which is included on the Peira-Cava to La Bollene Vesubie stage. After three more stages, including a second run over Col de Turini, the surviving competitors head back to Monaco and the finish just after 01:00hrs on Saturday.
In a change to the format for this year’s rally, a nine-kilometre prologue stage will get the action underway on January 19 following the ceremonial start in the Champ de Mars in Valence. The run between Lente and Col de Gaudissart will determine the starting order of the rally, which gets underway with leg one on January 20. Although the standings won’t influence the final outcome, they could be pivotal in the event of the inclement weather synonymous with the rally.
Given the rally’s mountainous location the weather is notoriously changeable and that means a stage could start in dry conditions but finish on ice-coated roads. Because opportunities to change tyres are restricted, drivers regularly have to compromise when selecting their choice of rubber for a loop of stages. The result is drivers frequently having to adopt a cautious approach on one stage if their tyres are not suited to the conditions, but then being able to push on the next test if their tyres are ideal for the stage surface.
It can lead to drivers losing chunks of time on one stage but then quickly regaining any lost ground on the subsequent run. Even in dry conditions, the varying quality of the road surface means grip levels often change.
Crews will prepare for the event with a three-day reconnaissance of the stages from Saturday January 16 to Monday January 18. They will also be able to use additional stage information gathered by their safety crews, who are authorised to pass through the stages shortly before they are used competitively to give up-to-date information on the road surface and any potential hazards that might lie in store.
Sebastien Ogier was a shock Monte Carlo Rally winner in 2009
THE COMPETITORS
Peugeot starts 2010 on the back of winning its third IRC manufacturers‘ title. Briton Kris Meeke, who claimed the drivers‘ crown last season with four wins, tops the list of 207 runners in a Peugeot UK-backed entry. But he will face strong opposition from French drivers Sebastien Ogier, last year’s shock winner, and Peugeot development pilot Stephane Sarrazin. Portuguese Bruno Magalhaes will make his Monte Carlo debut but is a known quantity on asphalt. Austrian Franz Wittmann, who spent 2009 driving a Mitsubishi Lancer, switches to a 207 for the new campaign and will be a solid performer.
Skoda is set to provide Peugeot with its sternest test. Jan Kopecky, last year’s IRC runner-up, heads the three-strong factory effort that also includes Juho Hanninen and Nicolas Vouilloz. Hanninen led in Monte Carlo last year before rolling, while Kopecky claimed fourth overall. Vouilloz won the IRC drivers‘ title in 2008 but endured a frustrating season last year, which began when he crashed on the Monte. He switches from Peugeot Team Belux to drive a Skoda Fabia S2000 in competition for the first time. Of the other Skoda drivers, the inclusion of Guy Wilks on the entry provides added intrigue. The Briton won the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland, last year’s IRC season finale, in a Skoda UK-supported Fabia.
Abarth will count on several privateer drivers to fly the flag for the Italian make. Finn Toni Gardemeister provides the firm’s best chance of victory. His Grande Punto will be run by the Italian Astra Racing concern. He was in contention for a podium finish last season until an electrical fault intervened and forced his retirement. French drivers Olivier Marty and Renaud Poutot will also appear in Grande Puntos.
For the first time ever, M-Sport will be represented in the IRC. The British preparation firm overseas Ford’s World Rally Championship programme and is responsible for the design and development of the Fiesta S2000. Two examples of the machine will appear in Monte Carlo: WRC event winner Mikko Hirvonen will drive the lead car with French youngster Julien Maurin appearing in a second entry. Hirvonen, from Finland, finished second on the event when it last counted for the WRC in 2008. Maurin took part in 2009 in an Abarth Grande Punto but retired with mechanical woes.
Subaru also joins the IRC this season and boasts French ace Bryan Bouffier as its expected star performer. The Polish rally champion will drive for Tommi Makinen Racing and should challenge for a top ten placing. Swiss Olivier Burri and Frenchman Jerome Aymard should also show well.
Italian Gabriele Noberasco heads Ralliart’s challenge in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. Frederic Romeyer, from France, will also drive an Evo IX. Irish veteran Eamonn Boland, who has extensive Monte Carlo experience, will have a new Evo X model at his disposal. His countryman, Daniel Barry, is highly rated after winning the one-make Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge in the UK last season.
Proton is also registered for the IRC but won’t make its first appearance of the season until Rally d’Italia Sardegna in June when Alister McRae, younger brother of rally legend Colin McRae, will drive one of the two factory cars.
The Monte Carlo Rally hosts the opening round of the Clio R3 European Trophy, which will also appear on the IRC-counting Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium and Barum Czech Rally Zlin later in the season. Drivers registered for the European Trophy will be able to score points in the IRC 2WD Cup on those three rallies. While Belgian Kris Princen can count on plenty of experience, rising Corsican star Pierre Campana and Grand Prix driver Robert Kubica can be expected to challenge for the category win. Kubica, from Poland, is a self-confessed rally fan and is tackling selected events alongside his programme with the Renault F1 team.
Juho Hanninen will form part of the three-strong works Skoda team
THE EXPECTATIONS
"It’s the oldest and the most prestigious rally in the world and it really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up just thinking about it because it’s also the most daunting and challenging event of the year. From a driving point of view your heart is in your mouth all the time because the conditions are constantly changing and you’re never always on the right tyre. You can win the rally not by going quickest on any of the stages but by reading the conditions correctly and trusting your instincts."
Kris Meeke, Peugeot UK driver and defending IRC champion
"Every driver wants to win the Monte Carlo Rally because it is so tough and never easy with the changing weather conditions. It’s not my favourite rally in the world but it’s an event I do like and, in the past, I have had some good results. To be successful you need to concentrate on your pacenotes all the time and trust the information provided by your ice note crew because the stages can be very tricky in places. You also need to be brave and have a car that is very reliable."
Toni Gardemeister, Abarth Grande Punto privateer
"I’ve always had a difficult relationship with this rally. I love the rally when I am not competing on it but when you get there and the conditions are hard then it can be tough. But it’s a great challenge and has a long history so it’s very important to win this rally. The Fiesta Super 2000 is a new car but I’ve had a good feeling with it when we have tested on Tarmac so I hope we can develop it more and try to win. But I know my rivals have a lot of experience in their cars and did Monte Carlo last year so that will help them."
Mikko Hirvonen, M-Sport Fiesta driver
TV TIMES
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show live coverage of 14 of the 15 stages (see below), ensuring viewers will be able to follow all the action as it happens. Highlights of each day will also available at www.rally-irc.com
Wednesday January 20
11:45-14:00: SS1 and SS2 LIVE Eurosport2
14:45-16:00: SS3 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: SS4 LIVE Eurosport
Thursday January 21
10:00-11.45: SS5 and SS6 LIVE Eurosport2
12:15-13:15: SS7 LIVE Eurosport2
15:15-16:00: SS8 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: End of SS8 and SS9 LIVE Eurosport
19:30-20:00: SS10 delayed Eurosport2*
23:45-00:15: SS10 repeated Eurosport
Friday January 22
19:00-20:45: SS12 and SS134 LIVE Eurosport
23:00-00:45: SS15 LIVE Eurosport
Tuesday January 26
23:00-23:30: Review Eurosport
*SS10 LIVE on Eurosport France from 18:00-19:00
All times are CET
EVENT ESSENTIALS
Event: 78th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo
Starts: 17:00hrs, Valence, January 19
Finishes: Monaco, January 23
Entries received: 63
IRC appearances: one (2009)
2009 winners: Sebastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
Surface: asphalt
Number of stages: 15
Special stage distance: 405.01 kilometres
Liaison distance: 1264.55 kilometres
Total distance: 1669.56 kilometres
Itinerary (all times shown are local): Prologue stage (Tuesday January 19): Lente-Col de Gaudissart (8.83 kilometres), first car due: 18:38hrs. Leg one (Wednesday January 20): Start: 09:23hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 11:03hrs; SS1: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael 1 (27.27 kilometres), 11:51hrs; SS2: St Pierreville-Antraigues 1 (45.17 kilometres), 12:59hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 14:14hrs; SS3: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael 2, 15:02hrs; SS4: St Pierreville-Antraigues 2, 16:10hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 17:15hrs; Service A: Valence, 19:10hrs. Leg two (Thursday January 21): Service B: Valence, 08:30hrs; SS5: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 1 (25.30 kilometres), 10:13hrs; SS6: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 1 (25.67 kilometres), 10:55hrs; SS7: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 1 (21.92 kilometres), 12:20hrs; Service C: Valence, 13:45hrs; SS8: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 2, 15:28hrs; SS9: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 2, 16:10hrs; SS10: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 2, 18:05hrs; Service D: Valence, 19:15hrs. Leg three (Friday January 22-Saturday January 23): Service E: Valence, 06:30hrs; SS11: Montauban sur l’Ouveze- Eygalayes (30.42 kilometres), 09:23hrs; Service F: Monaco, 17:27hrs; SS12: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 1 (18.42 kilometres), 19:15hrs; SS13: Lantosque-Luceram 1 (19.13 kilometres), 19:48hrs; Service G: Monaco, 21:35hrs; SS14: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 2, 23:20hrs; SS15: Lantosque-Luceram 2, 23:53hrs; Service H: Monaco, 01:05hrs. Prize giving (Saturday January 23): Place du Palais Princier, 11:00hrs.
Top ten entries:
1 Kris Meeke (GBR)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Peugeot 207 S2000
2 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN) Ford Fiesta S2000
3 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000
4 Sebastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
5 Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000
6 Stephane Sarrazin (FRA)/Jacques Julien Renucci (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
7 Nicolas Vouilloz (FRA)/Benjamin Veillas (FRA) Skoda Fabia S2000
8 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tomi Tuominen (FIN) Abarth Grande Punto S2000
9 Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Carlos Magalhaes (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
10 Guy Wilks (GBR)/Phil Pugh (GBR) Skoda Fabia S2000
IRC 2WD Cup (selected):
35 Pierre Campana (FRA)/Sabrina de Castelli (FRA) Renault Clio R3
36 Kris Pincen (BEL)/Eddy Smeets (BEL) Renault Clio R3
37 Robert Kubica (POL)/Jakub Gerber (POL) Renault Clio R3
38 Mathieu Arzeno (FRA)/Romain Roche (FRA) Renault Clio R3
51 Harry Hunt (GBR)/George Gwynn (GBR) Ford Fiesta R2
Remaining IRC rounds:
02: Rally Internacional de Curitiba (Brazil): March 04-06 (Gravel)
03: Rally Argentina (Argentina): March 19-21 (Gravel)
04: Rally d’Italia Sardegna (Italy): June 04-06 (Gravel)
05: Geko Ypres Rally (Belgium): June 24-26 (Asphalt)
06: Sata Rally Açores (Portugal): July 15-17 (Gravel)
07: Rali Vinho Madeira (Portugal): August 05-07 (Asphalt)
08: Barum Czech Rally Zlín (Czech Republic): August 27-29 (Asphalt)
09: Rally Principe de Asturias (Spain): September 9-11 (Asphalt)
10: Rallye Sanremo (Italy): September 23-25 (Asphalt/gravel)
11: RAC MSA Rally of Scotland (United Kingdom): October 15-17 (Gravel)
12: FxPro Cyprus Rally (Cyprus): November 04-06 (Asphalt/gravel)
With the start of the Monte-Carlo Rally drawing ever near, Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, has today announced the launch of its new iPhone application: IRC Rally.
This application, which is free to download, allows all rally fans to catch up with all the latest news from the IRC and get up-to-the-minute information about the IRC rallies, drivers, teams and official standings.
In the fast-moving environment of rallying, every second counts: with live times from the stages and breaking news as it happens, the new IRC Rally application for iPhone is simply a must for every rally fan!
In addition to this live content, IRC Rally also features the latest pictures and provides iPhone users with practical information to map the location of the Service Park, book tickets and access the events‘ official websites.
As well as being a useful companion, IRC’s latest communication tool is also adaptable and interactive: fans can modify the size of the text for their own reading comfort, share information and easily pass stories onto their friends by email or on Facebook.
With the IRC iPhone application, you too can become a part of the New Generation of rallying!
Available NOW free of charge on iTunes and at the App Store http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/features/app-store.html or at www.rally-irc.com
Koldo Zuazaga / Toni de Luis – Ferbis Press