OGIER TAKES MONTE CARLO RALLY LEAD AT THE LAST MINUTE

Veröffentlicht am 22.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Although Juho Hanninen and the Skoda team maintained their comfortable pace at the head of the field throughout most of the second day, it is the reigning Junior World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier who returns to parc ferme in Valence in the lead of the 77th Monte Carlo Rally.
Hanninen enjoyed a hard-earned advantage of a minute and a half until the final stage, when he picked up a front left puncture after about five kilometres. The crew took the decision to continue for the remaining 15 or so kilometres with the flat tyre, but more than two minutes were lost over the course of the stage.
As a result, Peugeot 207 S2000 driver Sebastien Ogier, who was selected for the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team seat, leads the Monte Carlo Rally by 32.4 seconds with one day and five more stages remaining. The reigning Junior World Rally Champion, making his Super 2000 debut, had no major problems throughout the day but he is locked in a close battle with Peugeot Belgium driver Freddy Loix, who currently occupies second place. Hanninen is now third after his unfortunate puncture, just five seconds behind Loix. Like most people, Ogier found it hard to judge just how much grip was available on the icy stages and it proved impossible for everyone to predict how the weather conditions would evolve.
However, Hanninen was not the only person to encounter problems. Irishman Kris Meeke dropped some time as the result of an off-road excursion in the morning but is still firmly in contention for a podium place. The situation was considerably worse for reigning IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz. The Frenchman’s title defence has got off to an unfortunate start after he hit a rock on SS7 and damaged the steering of his Peugeot Belgium 207 S2000 – forcing him into instant retirement.
One of the first upsets of the day was an off for Le Mans star Stephane Sarrazin, who put his factory Peugeot off the road on the opening stage of the day and lost five minutes. Once more, tyre choice was the main issue of the day, with the route containing a wide mixture of conditions including ice, grease, damp and snow. The factory Abarth team of Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen both felt that they had not always made the correct tyre choices throughout the day, with Alen’s rally being further complicated by a fire that broke out in the footwell of his Grande Punto during the final stage. He also lost time after being stuck behind another competitor who encountered problems.
For those who made the correct choices or took some lucky gambles, there were several important gains to be had. Toni Gardemeister (Abarth) and Jan Kopecky (Skoda) both set impressive times throughout the day after choosing the right tyres for the conditions. The eighth stage, the epic St Bonnet le Froid test, was particularly momentous for Skoda, as the Czech team set first and second fastest times thanks to Hanninen and Kopecky.
It was another good day for the young Franz Wittman Junior in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 run by Stohl Racing. The Austrian ends the second day of his first Monte Carlo Rally in 10th overall, having found the right compromise between speed and safety in the treacherous conditions.
The IRC 2WD Cup continues to be led comfortably by Italian driver Manuel Villa, in a Fiat Punto S1600. Local man Guy Mottard, in a Peugeot 206 RC , is second while Englishman Nick West is third in a Volkswagen Polo.
IRC RESULTS AFTER SS9, RALLYE AUTOMOBILE MONTE CARLO (MONACO)
1Ogier/Ingrassia    Peugeot 207 S2000    2h35m09.8s
2 Loix/Smets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +32.4s
3 Hanninen/Markkula    Skoda Fabia S2000    +54.8s
4 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    +59.2s
5 Gardemeister/Tuominen    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +1m40.7s
6 Sarrazin/Renucci    Peugeot 207 S2000    +3m42.6s
7 Kopecky/Stary    Skoda Fabia S2000    +4m10.6s
8 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +4m17.8s
9 Alen/Alanne    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +8m12.8s
10 Wittmann/Ettel    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +10m01.8s
Two-wheel drive leader: Manuel Villa (Fiat Punto S1600)
QUOTES
"It’s been another good day but the biggest difficulty we consistently had was predicting how much grip was available. Everything is constantly changing and it’s impossible to have the information to cover every single possibility. We have already seen that this rally is completely unpredictable, and while I am obviously happy to be in the lead, there is no guarantee that this situation will last. I’m very aware of my own inexperience, both with the car and this event."
-Sebastien Ogier, BFGoodrich Drivers Team
"I’ve got some experience of the Monte Carlo Rally from the past but actually it doesn’t help me so much as every Monte Carlo is really different. This one is no exception. It’s not been such a bad day for us but the conditions have been very tricky indeed and it’s been hard to make the correct tyre choices. Tomorrow we have the Turini stages at night, which are sure to be a very big challenge, so the surprises are by no means over yet. We’ve got a good chance so we will push if the conditions suit us."
-Freddy Loix, Peugeot Belgium driver
"It was a good day for us but a very disappointing way to end it. We picked up a front puncture not long after the start of the stage but we decided not to stop and change it. That was actually the right decision, as we lost less time by continuing but of course it made the handling really unpredictable. We just drove carefully through the stage and back to service but although two minutes were lost everything is not over yet and we still have a chance so we will be pushing hard tomorrow. We have shown that our car has a competitive speed even in these really difficult conditions"
-Juho Hanninen, Skoda driver
THE ROUTE TOMORROW
Tomorrow’s action sees the rally build up to a spectacular climax with two dramatic runs through the famous Col de Turini stages near Monte Carlo, which take place at night. Before then, the crews will tackle a 30-kilometre stage close to Valence in the morning as they make their way back to Monaco. In total there will be five stages on Friday, making up 134.80 competitive kilometres. The long day starts at 06:30, when the cars enter the service park in Valence for the final time. They arrive in Monaco at 14:08 and are later serviced again at the harbourside before the first run through the Turini loop at 19:40.
The competitors return to service in Monaco harbour at 22:00, before entering the final loop of Turini stages at 23:15. At the end of the loop the first car returns to service in Monaco at 01:20 before entering parc ferme at 01:30.
The ceremonial finish and prize-giving will take place on Saturday morning.
TV TIMES
Eurosport will broadcast the Monte Carlo Rally regularly, with uninterrupted live coverage from the Turini stages, and it is also possible to watch the rally live on www.rally-irc.com, and the Yahoo Eurosport platform thanks to Eurosport’s live streaming system. To watch, simply log onto the website and click on the ‚watch live streaming‘ message in the flash news banner. Alternatively, click on the flag of your preferred language in the Yahoo Eurosport box. All times listed below are Central European Times. At the end of each leg, there will be on-demand video highlights posted in the ‚video highlights‘ section.
Thursday 22 January
00:00-00:15     Leg two highlights    Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific
Friday 23 January
19:30-21:15       LIVE SS11/SS12     Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
23:00-01:00       LIVE SS13/SS14     Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet

Sebastien Ogier, driving a BFGoodrich-backed Peugeot, is the surprise leader at the end of day two

www.rally-irc.com

Bridgestone Motorsport Portimão Test Summary

Veröffentlicht am 22.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Bridgestone Motorsport, the Official Tyre Supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship, has completed its first group test of 2009 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve near Portimão, Portugal, where two compounds of 2009 specification slick tyres were used as well as current specification wet and extreme wet tyres. Five teams were present over four days of testing between 19-22 January. Despite the Algarve location of the circuit being famed for its good weather, the test was affected by wet and windy weather, with even hailstones falling on the track during the course of the four days. Whilst Bridgestone’s soft and super soft compound slick tyres were available for use, teams predominantly made use of the wet and extreme wet tyres. Adding to the difficulty of the wet weather, the ambient temperature was also much cooler than is expected to be experienced at races this season, with meaningful data being hard to obtain. The circuit is relatively new, meaning that the surface was very slippery from the new surface itself as well as the rainfall. Bridgestone’s Potenza Formula One tyres will next been seen in use in Jerez on February 10-13, where six teams are scheduled to test, and in Bahrain on the same dates, where three teams are scheduled to test. Q&A with Tetsuro Kobayashi – Technical Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport: What was learnt from this test? “This was a difficult test because of the weather and we learnt that the Algarve does not always live up to its reputation of good conditions. The rain, and even hailstones, seriously hampered progress during the week. The conditions compounded the difficulty of running on a new track surface as the oils come out from the tarmac, making the surface very slippery, even when we did have dry running.” With limited testing in 2009, how does this affect developments ahead of the season start? “For Bridgestone we are confident that there will be sufficient testing for teams before the season starts to enable good, safe, racing. Of course, any test days lost means that teams have not been able to test their new cars and continue learning about our slick tyres, however we will see several more tests before we visit Albert Park in Australia for the first race of the season.” What are your thoughts of the Portimão track? “The Portimão track is certainly an impressive facility and a challenging circuit to learn for teams and drivers. The track surface is very smooth, just as you would expect of a new facility. At this test the rain did not help with the grip levels, so in terms of gaining data for us to evaluate, we were at a disadvantage.”

Bridgestone Motorsport F1

DAVID SALOM PARTE A SU PRIMER ENTRENAMIENTO OFICIAL

Veröffentlicht am 22.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Antworten

El piloto mallorquín parte esta mañana hacia Portugal donde probará la moto con la que participará en el Campeonato del Mundo de Superbikes junto al equipo Pedercini.

Algunos patrocinadores están confirmando en estas semanas su compromiso con David Salom para esta temporada, esta misma semana se cerró el acuerdo con la prestigiosa marca LEVIOR que con la colaboración de BIKERS “vestirán” a David esta temporada y que ha proporcionado ya el mono de pretemporada con el que rodará en los entrenamientos oficiales de Portimao estos días.

Esta misma tarde se celebrará la presentación oficial del Campeonato del Mundo de Superbikes en Portugal y mañana viernes será el día de estreno para David con la Kawsaki del Team Pedercini.

David Salom Departamento de Prensa Avenida 16 de Julio, 34 07009 Palma de Mallorca

Tel. +34 971 291 321 M. +34 616 99 26 87 prensa@davidsalom.com

HANNINEN LEADS FOR SKODA ON THE FABIA S2000’S MONTE CARLO DEBUT

Veröffentlicht am 21.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Flying Finn Juho Hanninen has given the brand new Skoda Fabia S2000 the lead of the Monte Carlo Rally on the Czech machine’s debut. The 26-year-old, who finished runner-up in last year’s Production Car World Rally Championship, confirmed the excellent reliability of the Fabia seen in pre-season testing. He made the correct tyre choices all day in mixed conditions to end the opening three stages 11.9 seconds ahead of Stephane Sarrazin in the factory Peugeot 207 S2000. Even more impressively, Hanninen is the only one of the top three not to have contested the legendary Monte Carlo Rally previously.
Sarrazin, who is usually a star of Peugeot’s Le Mans programme, enjoyed a different type of challenge throughout the day, winning the second stage of the rally (La Motte Chalancon-St Nazaire le Desert) by an impressive 13 seconds. This enabled him to climb up to second place: a position he maintained until the end of the day.
In third after the first three stages is reigning IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz, who won the opening stage near Monaco (Tourette du Chateau-St Antonin). The Peugeot Belgium driver also steered clear of problems to end up firmly in touch with the battle for the lead.
The first day of the 77th Monte Carlo Rally contained everything the epic event is famous for: mixed conditions that ranged from heavy snow to dry asphalt, and plenty of surprises. The first stage included a number of icy corners while stage two was drier and the final test of the day was run in heavy snow. This meant that drivers were forced to constantly look for the right compromise in terms of tyre choice.
Hanninen decided not to take studded tyres for any of the stages, and although this slowed him in some areas, meaning that he did not win a stage today, it was generally the best overall decision. Sarrazin opted differently; taking studs only for the last stage, while Vouilloz chose them only for stage one.
As always in these marginal conditions, plenty of drivers were caught out by a sudden lack of grip. Abarth’s new signing Luca Rossetti and the 1994 World Rally Champion Didier Auriol (Peugeot) hit problems within metres of each other towards the beginning of the icy opening stage. Giandomenico Basso (Abarth) felt that his tyre choice over the course of the day was not ideal, with a couple of spins on stage one, while his Finnish team mate Anton Alen got off to an excellent start by setting fourth-fastest time on stage one with studded tyres. However, all this good work was undone by an unfortunate puncture on SS2, which cost him the chance of a top result on the opening day.
The privately-entered Abarth of World Rally Championship star Toni Gardemeister also showed promise by running third after the opening stage, but later dropped time due to transmission problems. Meanwhile, the second factory Skoda of Jan Kopecky struggled with a power steering problem but rounds off the top 10 in Valence tonight.
With Vouilloz winning the first stage and Sarrazin claiming stage two, the final stage win went to another Peugeot: this time driven by Kris Meeke. The Irishman, making his IRC debut, quickly got to grips with his Peugeot UK-entered car and ends the day in the top six. Also worthy of note was a solid performance from Mitsubishi driver Franz Wittmann, another IRC debutant, who ends the day a creditable ninth.
The IRC 2WD Cup is currently led comfortably by Italian driver Manuel Villa, driving a Fiat Punto S1600 in 39th overall. He has more than a two-minute advantage over local man Guy Mottard, driving a Peugeot 206 RC.
IRC RESULTS AFTER SS3, RALLYE AUTOMOBILE MONTE CARLO (MONACO)
1Hanninen/Markkula    Skoda Fabia S2000    56m32.8s
2 Sarrazin/Renucci    Peugeot 207 S2000    +11.9s
3 Vouilloz/Klinger    Peugeot 207 S2000    +33.9s
4 Ogier/Ingrassia    Peugeot 207 S2000    +49.3s
5 Loix/Smets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +54.6s
6 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    +1m01.3s
7 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +1m29.8s
8 Gardemeister/Tuominen    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +1m35.5s
9 Wittmann/Ettel    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +3m31.2s
10 Kopecky/Stary    Skoda Fabia S2000    +4m30.0s
Two-wheel drive leader: Manuel Villa (Fiat Punto S1600)
QUOTES
"I’m very, very pleased with the way that things have gone today: I would honestly have not expected to be in the lead. If I have managed it, this is also thanks to our gravel crew who have done an excellent job, so I would like to thank them especially. Even though the conditions have been very mixed, their information gave me the confidence to put the power down even where there was some snow, as I knew that I would have grip. I was deliberately trying to stay safe today and not choose any radical options with tyres and settings, and it seems that this is the way forward. But tomorrow is a different day, so let’s see what it will bring. Certainly this is the best possible way to start my career with Skoda!"
-Juho Hanninen, Skoda driver
"I’m happy but today has been even more difficult than my previous experience of the Monte Carlo Rally. The first stage was a really big wake-up call for us; we were on slick tyres and I nearly went off on every corner. For the second stage we had the perfect choice, and it went much better; the last stage was good for us too. The main thing is that we are still firmly in the fight for the lead and there is a long way to go. I think the stages tomorrow should be drier so hopefully it will be a bit easier then, but the thing about Monte Carlo is that it is completely unpredictable and that is something we have already seen today."
-Stephane Sarrazin, Peugeot Total driver
"We had no real problems although it’s been a tiring day. On the third stage we hit a rock slightly and that gave us a slow puncture at the front-right, meaning that the car understeered more as the stage went on. The easiest stage today was probably the second one; the others were extremely tough. Once more though we’ve got a reliable car and we’ve also had some good information from our gravel crews and tyre engineers. To be on the provisional podium is a good start; now we have to try and continue in this way."
-Nicolas Vouilloz, Peugeot Belgium driver
THE ROUTE TOMORROW
Thursday’s action sees the crews complete a total of six stages, making up 145.78 competitive kilometres. The day starts at 08:15, followed by a loop of three stages that includes the famous 25.30-kilometre St Bonnet le Froid test to the north-west of Valence. The cars then return for a 20-minute service at the Polygone in Valence at 13:28.
This service halt is followed by a repeat of the morning’s three stages. The cars return to service at Valence for the second time at 18:26, before entering parc ferme at 19:11.

TV TIMES
Eurosport will broadcast the Monte Carlo Rally regularly, with live coverage from the stages, and it is also possible to watch the rally live on www.rally-irc.com, and the Yahoo Eurosport platform thanks to Eurosport’s live streaming system. To watch, simply log onto the website and click on the ‚watch live streaming‘ message in the flash news banner. Alternatively, click on the flag of your preferred language in the Yahoo Eurosport box. All times listed below are Central European Times. At the end of each leg, there will be on-demand video highlights posted in the ‚video highlights‘ section.
Wednesday 21 January
00:00-00:15       Leg one highlights    Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific
Thursday 22 January
10:30-11:15       LIVE SS5                 Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
15:45-16:30       LIVE SS8                  Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
00:00-00:15     Leg two highlights    Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific
Friday 23 January
19:30-21:15       LIVE SS11/SS12     Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
23:00-01:00       LIVE SS13/SS14     Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet

Juho Hanninen stormed into the lead of the Monte Carlo Rally, on the competition debut of the Skoda Fabia S2000

www.rally-irc.com

Andy Soucek confirms his place on the 2009 grid

Veröffentlicht am 21.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Andy Soucek has become the first Spanish driver to confirm his participation in the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship season.

Soucek joins F2 after two seasons competing in GP2 where he scored four podium finishes, including a third place at the Circuit de Valencia – where F2 will commence at the end of May: "I am very happy to be racing in F2," said Soucek. "It is a category with a long history and tradition, where many famous drivers have progressed into Formula One."

The Madrid-born racer graduated to GP2 after challenging for the World Series by Renault title in 2006 and he won the Spanish F3 championship in 2005. This success led to a test drive with the Panasonic Toyota F1 team: "My target is still F1 and I am convinced through the FIA and Jonathan Palmer’s MSV organisation, F2 will provide a fantastic championship where the finest drivers can achieve their dream," commented Soucek.
Soucek has already competed against some of the confirmed F2 drivers during his career, most notably Russia’s Mikhail Aleshin. The pair raced together in World Series by Renault and GP2 in 2006 and 2007 respectively: "Some of the F2 drivers have previously been my rivals in other series, but many others I do not know so well," added Soucek. "I am sure there will be more than one surprise but I am convinced that I have the experience to fight for the F2 title. This is my goal, as the Superlicence and official Williams F1 test drive are both attractive awards."

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of championship organiser MotorSport Vision, said: “Andy is another fabulous addition to the 2009 Formula Two line-up. As recently as last November he was demonstrating his pace by topping the times in a World Series by Renault test. He is an international race winner and has already tested F1 machinery, so Andy will clearly be a serious contender for the championship. Having already achieved a podium at Valencia in GP2, he will certainly be one to watch when the season gets underway at the same circuit in May."

www.formulatwo.com

Brazil’s Carlos Iaconelli moves from GP2 to F2

Veröffentlicht am 21.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Formula Two grid expands into South America

Brazilian driver Carlos Iaconelli has become the first South American racer to sign up to the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship.

Iaconelli joins F2 following 13 races in the 2008 GP2 Series and a further two outings in the 2008/2009 GP2 Asia Series. He also participated in selected rounds of last year’s International Formula Master Championship and scored a podium position in Italian Formula Master.

Prior to GP2 the 21 year-old driver competed in the 2007 Formula Renault 3.5 Championship, racing against fellow F2 drivers Rob Wickens, Julien Jousse and Mikhail Aleshin. His strong single seater racing background also includes experience in Spanish Formula 3, Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, Formula Renault 2.0 Italy, and the Brazilian Formula Renault and Formula 3 championships.

Carlos Iaconelli said: "I am really delighted to be racing in F2 in 2009; it will be a fantastic challenge. The championship will visit beautiful circuits, with competitive drivers and a powerful car – it seems to be a great combination. The prize of an F1 test drive with Williams for the F2 champion represents something all young drivers have dreamt of since a young age and I will work very hard to make my dream come true. I would like to take this moment to thank Mr. Palmer and all of the Formula Two team for this fantastic opportunity."

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of championship organiser MotorSport Vision, said: "I’m delighted to add an exciting South American driver to the F2 line-up. Talented Brazilian drivers have always been a feature in my own career, particularly Nelson Piquet and Raul Boesel, and I’m sure Carlos will use all his experience to challenge for the championship in 2009. With just a few spaces remaining and an extraordinary level of interest from drivers all over the world, it will be fascinating to see who completes the grid for the first season of the FIA Formula Two Championship!"

www.formulatwo.com

Veröffentlicht am 20.1.2009 von Wolfgang

BMW Sauber F1.09 – Rollout in Valencia

Veröffentlicht am 20.1.2009 von Wolfgang

BMW Sauber F1.09 in Valencia enthüllt.

Valencia, 20. Januar 2009. Heute Morgen fiel für das BMW Sauber F1 Team in Valencia (Spanien) der Startschuss zur Formel-1-Saison 2009. Kurz nach neun Uhr enthüllten Robert Kubica (24) und Nick Heidfeld (31) den neuen BMW Sauber F1.09. Gleich im Anschluss drehte Kubica mit der Neukonstruktion die erste Runde auf der südspanischen Strecke. Damit geht das Team in seine vierte Saison, in der es das ehrgeizige Ziel hat, um den Weltmeister-Titel mitzukämpfen.

BMW Motorsport Direktor Mario Theissen bekräftigt: „Wir haben den Anspruch, uns im Verhältnis zur Konkurrenz weiter zu steigern. Mit dem Doppelsieg in Kanada und insgesamt elf Podestplätzen haben wir 2008 Zeichen gesetzt. 2009 wollen wir unsere erstklassige Zuverlässigkeit beibehalten und parallel unsere Leistungsfähigkeit steigern, um konstant an der Spitze mitfahren zu können. Wir sind uns bewusst, dass das ein sehr hohes Ziel ist. Es ist der letzte Schritt, und der ist bekanntlich der schwierigste.“
Die Herausforderung beim Bau des neuen Autos war riesig: Wegen eines grundlegend neuen Reglements mussten jede Menge Erfahrungswerte über Bord geworfen werden. Die Entwicklung des fundamental anderen Rennwagens wurde noch früher als sonst in Angriff genommen. Bereits im Februar 2008 begann die Konzeptphase für den BMW Sauber F1.09. Er gibt ein völlig anderes Bild als alle seine Vorgänger ab: Die Fahrzeugnase ist höher und viel breiter. Der riesige, aus drei Elementen bestehende Frontflügel geht über die gesamte Fahrzeugbreite. Der Heckflügel dagegen ist reglementbedingt erheblich schmaler und steht ungewohnt hoch im Wind. Feine Aerodynamik-Accessoires wie Luftleitbleche und Kühlluft¬öffnungen wurden auf ein Minimum reduziert. Augenfällig sind auch die vorn höheren Seitenkästen.

Profillose Slicks feiern 2009 ihr Formel-1-Comeback. Dadurch wächst speziell die Haftung der Vorderreifen, was eine Gewichtsverlagerung Richtung Nase wünschenswert macht. Dem entgegen wirkt allerdings ein anderes Novum: der optionale KERS-Einsatz (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), dessen Elemente für Mehrgewicht im hinteren Wagenbereich sorgen. Neben der Aerodynamik war die Integration des KERS eine ebenso zentrale Aufgabe wie die optimale Nutzung der neuen Slicks. Hierfür erfuhr die Vorderachse Änderungen, die Hinterachse ist eine Neukonstruktion.
Willy Rampf zeichnet für das Konzept des F1.09 verantwortlich und wird dessen Einsätze an der Rennstrecke als Technischer Koordinator betreuen. Walter Riedl führt als Managing Director der BMW Sauber AG auch die Technikabteilung am Schweizer Standort Hinwil und ist für die Entwicklung des Fahrzeugs zuständig.
Während das Chassis in Hinwil entstand, wurde das KERS in München entwickelt. Dort musste die Mannschaft um Markus Duesmann (Leiter Antrieb) auch den BMW V8-Motor fit machen für die ebenfalls per Reglement vorgeschriebene Erhöhung der Laufleistung. Acht Motoren sind jedem Fahrer für die insgesamt 17 Rennen zugeteilt.
In der Technik des Autos ist kein Stein auf dem anderen geblieben, aber die Akteure am Lenkrad sind dieselben wie 2008. Das BMW Sauber F1 Team tritt erneut mit dem Polen Robert Kubica und dem Deutschen Nick Heidfeld an. Und auch der im Vorjahr an Bord genommene Test- und Ersatzfahrer Christian Klien (Österreich/26) bleibt im Boot.
Beide Einsatzpiloten bestachen 2008 durch hohe Zuverlässigkeit. Die meisten Punkte für das Team sammelte Kubica. In Kanada trug er sich erstmals in die Siegerliste der Formel 1 ein, holte in Bahrain die erste Poleposition für das Team und stand zudem drei Mal als Zweiter und drei Mal als Dritter auf dem Podium. Für 2009 wünscht sich der Krakauer: „Dass wir zu Saisonbeginn so stark sind wie 2008 und diese Performance bis zum Finale halten können.“
Sein Teamkollege Heidfeld verbuchte vier zweite Plätze und sorgte für die ersten beiden schnellsten Rennrunden des Teams. Vor der neuen Saison sagt er: „Das Team hat die umfangreichen Veränderungen früh in Angriff genommen. Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass wir gut aufgestellt sind, und freue mich auf den Auftakt, wenn wir sehen werden, ob sich die Kräfteverhältnisse verschoben haben.“
Das BMW Sauber F1 Team hat sich intensiv auf die Saison 2009 und sein erneut hohes Ziel vorbereitet – frühe Testfahrten mit dem KERS und neuen Aerodynamik-Elementen gehörten dazu. „Wir haben in den drei Jahren des Bestehens des BMW Sauber F1 Teams unsere selbst gesteckten Ziele immer erreicht und sind zuversichtlich, dass uns dies auch in der kommenden Saison gelingen wird“, erklärt Theissen. Doch bei aller Motivation und Entwicklungs¬arbeit ist der Vergleich mit der Konkurrenz nie so schwer kalkulierbar gewesen wie vor der vierten Saison der Mannschaft. Theissen weiß: „Man kann die eigene Leistungsfähigkeit planen, nicht aber Resultate.“

www.bmw-sauber-f1.com

Gute Mittelfeldplatzierung

Veröffentlicht am 20.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Vanthoor, van Dam und Vietoris

Vor gut 5.000 Zuschauern landete das junge Formel-3-Team beim Langstrecken-Kartrennen ‚24 Stunden von Köln’ auf der Indoorbahn in Köln-Rodenkirchen auf einem sauberen Mittelfeldplatz. Mit Laurens Vanthoor, Carlo van Dam und Christian Vietoris waren auch drei bekannte Piloten aus dem ATS Formel-3-Cup dabei.
Das von Christoph Hewer, dem Serienmanager der Formel-3-Euroserie, geführte Team aus hoffnungsvollen Nachwuchstalenten konnte sich beim 24h Race of Cologne in Szene setzen, auch wenn eine Spitzenplatzierung ausblieb. Das achtköpfige Team belegte am 17. und 18 Januar 2009 den sechsten von zwölf Plätzen. Nach exakt 24 Stunden und 25,2 Sekunden hatte man 3212 Runden absolviert. Das siegreiche Team Expomax for Kids, rund um den DTM-Piloten Bernd Schneider, schaffte 3247 Runden.
Mit Carlo van Dam, dem Champion des ATS Formel-3-Cup 2007, konnte der Veranstalter Karting Cologne auf den am weitesten angereisten Piloten verweisen. Der Niederländer kam direkt von Testfahrten der Formel Nippon in Japan: „Natürlich verbinde ich den Einsatz hier auch mit einem Besuch bei meiner Familie und meinen Freunden in Holland“, so der Werksfahrer des japanischen Formel-3-Teams Tom’s Toyota.
Das Formel-3-Team beim 24h Race of Cologne setzte sich aus acht Piloten zusammen. Mit dabei waren auch Marco Wittmann und Stefano Coletti, sowie die drei Kartpiloten Dominik Heinz, Oliver Warken und Christoph Hewer. Allen blieb die Erkenntnis, dass die ausgebufften Indoor-Spezialisten nicht so leicht zu schlagen sind, wie Laurens Vanthoor zusammenfasst: „Es ist erstaunlich, wie gut die anderen Kartteams vorbereitet sind. Die Amateure haben offensichtlich eine Menge trainiert“. Zudem war für den Belgier, der 2009 zu den Favoriten im ATS Formel-3-Cup zählt, harte Arbeit angesagt: „Die Bahn ist relativ kurz und dennoch anspruchsvoll. Man hat kaum Zeit, sich während einer Runde etwas auszuruhen. Dafür ist die Gerade einfach nicht lang genug. In der Formel 3 ist dies anders“.
Unter der Leitung von Christoph Hewer trat das Formel-3-Team zum zweiten Mal beim wohl bekanntesten deutschen Indoor-Kartrennen an: „Wir hatten in diesem Jahr eine deutlich ausgeglichenere Mannschaft, es gab kaum Unterschiede in den Rundenzeiten“. Wie eng es beim 24h Race of Cologne zugeht, zeigt ein Blick auf die Zeitenliste: nur sieben Sekunden trennte das Formel-3-Team nach anstrengenden 24 Stunden vom fünften Platz.
„Es ist hier gar nicht so einfach, konstant schnelle Runden zu drehen. Obwohl die Bahn nur 375 Meter lang ist, gibt es zahlreiche Möglichkeiten Fehler zu machen“, so Christian Vietoris.
1996 wurde das erste 24-Stunden-Rennen auf der Kartbahn in Köln-Rodenkirchen ausgetragen. Bei der jetzigen zwölften Auflage war mit Adrian Sutil auch ein aktiver Formel-1-Pilot dabei. Der Force India-Pilot trat im Team R&S Mobile an, das den zweiten Platz belegen konnte. Erstmals war auch der AvD (Automobilclub von Deutschland) als Hauptsponsor dabei.

www.formel3.de

NUEVO TITULO PARA ALBERT COLL

Veröffentlicht am 20.1.2009 von Wolfgang

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El piloto mallorquín, Albert Coll, patrocinado por Transunión Mallorca, se ha proclamado Campeón de Baleares de karting 2008, en categoria Senior.

Durante la temporada 2008, en el Campeonato Balear, Albert ha contado sus participaciones por victorias. Recordemos que en su corta carrera deportiva de tan sólo cuatro años en competición, Albert ya acumula en su palmarés, un subcampeonato balear de 2007, un Trofeo de Magaluf de 2007, y dos Campeonatos de Baleares, de 2006 y este de 2008.

Albert se mostraba muy satisfecho de la temporada 2008, con el Campeonato de Baleares que ha conseguido y la experiencia adquirida en la Copa Adrián Vallés al acabar en su primer año de participación en 9ª posición. “Estoy muy agradecido a mis sponsors, Transunión Mallorca, Auto Vidal, Retols Vila, Perfumerias TIN-TIN y al Circuito Mallorca Renn Arena, por haber confiado en mí, ya que sin su apoyo no hubiera sido posible. Como también a personas, que aunque desde la sombra han aportado su ayuda, espero contar con todos ellos para el presente año 2009”.

En breves fechas Albert comenzará la pretemporada de entrenos de cara a este año 2009, que promete ser de nuevo muy intenso para él.

Bartolomé Coll

ING Renault F1 Team unveils the R29 in Portugal

Veröffentlicht am 19.1.2009 von Wolfgang

The ING Renault F1 Team officially launched its 2009 season today as the new Renault F1 R29 was unveiled to the world’s media at the Algarve Motor Park near Portimao in the south of Portugal.

Both the team’s race drivers, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet, were on hand this morning to take the covers off their new challenger as they joined Managing Director Flavio Briatore for a photo call with the R29 in front of the team’s pit garage. They were joined by young Frenchman, Romain Grosjean, who was announced as the team’s third driver for 2009, and the latest recruits from Renault’s Driver Development Programme: Davide Valsecchi from Italy, Charles Pic from France and Marco Sorensen from Denmark.

With radical revisions to the sport’s technical regulations introduced this year, the R29 incorporates a new design philosophy and looks very different from its predecessor. Great attention has been paid to maximizing the new rules and the team is optimistic about its chances for the year ahead, as Flavio Briatore explained: “We began our preparations for the R29 project early and I am proud of what the team has achieved. There are lots of new things to deal with this year, which could shake things up, but we intend to continue fighting at the front. We will now concentrate on our final preparations for the start of the season so that we can arrive in Australia hopefully fighting for the podium.”

Both Fernando and Nelson were delighted to get their hands on the R29 so early in the year. Having followed the car’s progress closely over the winter, they paid tribute to the work done by the staff in the factories in Enstone and Viry. “The team has had a very busy development programme to allow us to be ready for the first January test with the new car,” said Fernando. “Now we are all looking forward to seeing the result of all that effort on the racetrack.”

ING Renault F1 Team President Bernard Rey also confirmed the commitment of Renault to the sport ahead of the new season. “This team is the proof of the ability of the Renault Group to obtain results and success at the very highest level,” said Rey. “The team will therefore be supported by the whole Group throughout the challenges that lie ahead this year.”

After the photo call, the R29 made its track debut as Nelson kicked off the team’s winter development programme at the Algarve Motor Park. “It feels great to be in the R29, even though the weather was not great,” said Nelson after his first day in the car. “Today was all about adding miles to the car, collecting data and learning as much as we could. Hopefully the rest of the week will allow us to build on the progress we have made today.”

The car featured a fresh new livery in the colours of the team’s principal partner ING, as well as eye-catching Total branding following confirmation of a new three-year technical partnership with Total Group. "We’re very pleased to continue our sponsorship and Technology Partnership with ING Renault F1 Team," said Christophe de Margerie, CEO, Total. “It’s a great partnership for Total group to be aligned with Renault in a legacy of excellence, as well as providing a good global venue for our brand presence. For Total, another key benefit – apart from winning Formula 1 races with a truly outstanding motorsports team – is to use our on-track research and testing to develop and deliver new and more efficient products that benefit everyday drivers under the most demanding driving conditions."

The ING Renault F1 Team will remain in the Algarve until Thursday to continue with its testing programme. Nelson will be in the R29 for a second day tomorrow before handing it over to Fernando for the final two days.

www.ing-renaultf1.com

Skoda to compete on 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge with new Fabia S2000

Veröffentlicht am 19.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Czech manufacturer Skoda has become the latest manufacturer to register for the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
The team will enter two new Fabia S2000 cars starting from the Monte Carlo Rally this week, for Finland’s Juho Hanninen and rising Czech star Jan Kopecky. Hanninen, who won the IRC’s Rally Russia last year, was runner-up in the 2008 Production Car World Rally Championship, while Kopecky finished on the podium in last year’s Portugal Rally.
Geraldine Filiol, the Managing Director of IRC promoter Eurosport Events, commented: "We’re delighted to welcome a manufacturer as prestigious as Skoda, with its long history in motorsport, to the IRC. We already saw the new Fabia S2000 as the course-opening car on selected events last year, and now we look forward to watching it in the heat of competition. Skoda’s participation, with its talented line-up of drivers, adds another exciting competitive element to the show this year. This is excellent news not only for the IRC series, but for rally fans all over the world."
Skoda Motorsport, based in Mlada Boleslav near Prague, recently celebrated its centenary in motorsport: part of a rich history that has seen the manufacturer taste success both on circuits and in rallying. The team has finished on the podium at some of the world’s toughest events, including the legendary Safari Rally, and maintained an international rally presence up until 2005, when it temporarily withdrew to start work on the Fabia S2000 project.
Having undergone more than a year of intensive development, during which it was driven by two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz as well as the regular drivers, the Fabia has successfully passed its homologation inspection and is now ready for its competition debut on the toughest and most prestigious rally of them all. Hanninen will start the Monte Carlo Rally as car number three while his team mate Kopecky will begin as car number six.
Hanninen commented: "I’m very much looking forward to this adventure, along with Jan and everybody else at Skoda Motorsport. We’ve completed a good amount of testing over the winter, and I’m very pleased with both the speed and the reliability. One of the good things about the IRC is that the competition is very close and all the cars are evenly-matched, so I am looking forward to some nice battles over the course of the year."
The Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of this year’s IRC, gets underway on Wednesday 21 January from Monaco. The crews will then go on to tackle 14 classic stages totalling 362.25 competitive kilometres, including the epic Col de Turini, before the finish back in Monaco at 11:30 on Saturday 24 January.

After appearing on the IRC as course-opening car on some rallies in 2008, Skoda is a registered manufacturer this year with the new Fabia S2000

www.rally-irc.com

9. DIADA 4×4 SANT SEBASTIA 2009

Veröffentlicht am 18.1.2009 von Wolfgang

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EL CIRCUTIO DE SA RIERA FUE ESCENARIO DE UNA GRAN FIESTA DEL 4X4
MAS DE 130 VEHICULOS DEJARON DE NUEVO PEQUEÑO EL CIRCUITO
Como ya es tradicional en Palma de Mallorca durante las fiestas de Sant Sebastia, el pasado día 18 se celebro la IX DIADA 4X4 en el circuito del Parc de Sa Riera. El buen tiempo hizo que la afluencia de publico y participantes fuera masiva. El circuito de nuevo se quedo pequeño y los mas de 130 vehículos que se dieron cita pusieron color a la fiesta del 4×4 donde los participantes hicieron las delicias de los mas de 3000 espectadores que se dieron cita.
El Club 4x4mallorca.com diseño dos zonas, una verde apta para cualquier vehículo todo terreno de serie y una zona roja reservada para los mejores pilotos y maquinas mas preparadas. Como siempre la zona estrella del circuito fue la piscina de agua y barro. Al final de la diada se celebro una prueba que consistía en intentar subir una rampa casi imposible y que tenia como recompensa un delicioso jamón.
Se habilito una zona comercial donde las principales marcas del sector mostraron sus ultimas novedades e incluso pusieron a posposición del publico asistente varios vehículos todo terreno.

Dña. Francisca Sampol en representación del Institut Municipal de Esports del Ayuntamiento de Palma de Mallorca quiso estar presente en la Diada y realizo una entrega de placas de agradecimiento a todas las empresas y entidades que han apoyado esta novena edición de la Diada 4×4. Una vez realizado el homenaje la representante de Ayuntamiento se animo a dar una vuelta al circuito junto al piloto mallorquín David Codina.
En general la IX Diada 4×4 Sant Sebastia 2009 fue un gran éxito de participación y asistencia de publico. La organización no paso por alto la seguridad de todos los asistentes y no hubo que lamentar ningún incidente importante.

Picture by Wolfgang LINDNER

Mas Fotos – Mehr Bilder: http://www.automobilsport.com/banner/mallorca-diada-4×4-sant-sebastia-2009/mallorca-diada-4x4l–.html

Preview: 77th Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo

Veröffentlicht am 18.1.2009 von Wolfgang

THE CHALLENGE
The 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season gets underway with the unique Monte Carlo Rally: the oldest, best-known and most prestigious event in the history of the sport. Running for the 77th time this year, Monte Carlo is a legendary event to be ranked alongside the Le Mans 24 Hours, Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 in the pantheon of world motorsport.
The event contains a number of epic challenges and some of the world’s most classic stages. Chief of these is the legendary Col de Turini, which forms the climax of the event on Friday night. Only the top 60 classified crews will go through to the final four stages held in Turini, before returning to Monte Carlo in the early hours of Saturday morning. This year’s Monte Carlo Rally goes back to the future, recapturing the traditional values of the sport’s golden age within a thoroughly modern format. Thanks to Eurosport’s innovative television package, viewers all over the world will be able to see the action live from the stages.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the bulk of the action takes place in the Ardeche region, with the service park in the city of Valence. The crews then make their way through the Maritime Alps, as they gradually head back to Monaco. The rally route consists mainly of narrow and bumpy mountain tracks, often with some steep drops on either side. However, the biggest challenge in Monte Carlo is traditionally the weather. With regional temperatures in mid-January dipping well below freezing, there is always a high possibility of ice, snow and black ice.
To make matters even more complicated, each individual stage can contain a wide range of conditions within a reasonably short distance, starting off with bright sunshine for example, and ending in heavy snow. Tyre choice becomes a crucial factor, and to find some grip in the snow and ice, the teams use studded tyres to bite through the layer of slush into the surface below. Often, the best compromise choice for a stage or loop of stages is the most effective although drivers willing to gamble can gain huge chunks of time if luck is on their side. So far the conditions are expected to be largely dry, although there will be some snow and ice in high areas. With a few days still left to go before the start, anything is possible.
Even without snow, the roads offer a wide variety of different grip levels, due to the changing nature of the surfaces. Some of the stages are run on very rough and bumpy roads while others have been treated to newer and smoother asphalt. Even within the same stage, the amount of traction can differ greatly. Monte Carlo is a rally where experience definitely helps, as drivers learn to look out for things such as patches of ice at the exits of tunnels where melting snow often re-freezes.
The Monte Carlo Rally gets underway at 07:30 on Wednesday 21 January from Monaco, when the first of 64 dcompetitors is flagged off the start ramp. The finish is scheduled for 11:30 on Saturday 24 January, after 14 special stages and 362.25 thrilling competitive kilometres. For more information about the event, please visit the rally’s official website: www.acm.mc
THE COMPETITORS
The Monte Carlo Rally, being the jewel in the sport’s crown, has attracted a top-quality field of competitors, forming the strongest line-up ever seen on the IRC. As reigning IRC champion, Peugeot Belgium’s Nicolas Vouilloz will be first off the start ramp. Peugeot Belgium sticks with an unchanged line-up this year of Vouilloz and 2008 IRC runner-up Freddy Loix, who however is partnered with a new co-driver this year: Isidoor Smets.
Vouilloz will be followed by one of his key title rivals last year (and former European Champion) Giandomenico Basso, in one of three factory Abarth Grande Punto S2000s.Basso’s team mates are up-and-coming Finn Anton Alen, whose father Markku finished second on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1983, and reigning European Champion Luca Rossetti, who will undertake a selected IRC programme with Abarth this year. One of the major changes that Abarth has put in place for 2009 is a new transmission system, designed to enhance reliability.
A star attraction of the event will be the arrival of Skoda’s factory team, which recently became the sixth IRC registered manufacturer. As part of a full assault on the 2009 series, the Czech team will run two brand new Skoda Fabia S2000s for Production Car World Championship runner-up Juho Hanninen (from Finland) and his Czech team mate Jan Kopecky, a star of the IRC last year. The striking new cars have performed strongly in pre-season testing, and already marked themselves as out as extremely competitive prospects.
Peugeot Sport will field a factory 207 S2000 for French Le Mans star Stephane Sarrazin, who is also an experienced rally driver, and another new face behind the wheel of a Peugeot is Irishman Kris Meeke. The former protégé of the late Colin McRae will contest his first full season with the Peugeot UK team, and the 28-year-old is targeting championship success. BFGoodrich continues its innovative Drivers‘ Team scheme this year, and driving the Kronos-run entry in Monte Carlo will be the reigning Junior World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier: another strong candidate for victory.
Didier Auriol, the 1994 World Rally Champion and a three-time winner of the Monte Carlo Rally, is also driving a Peugeot, this time run by Italian team Grifone. The 50-year-old is co-driven as always by Denis Giraudet, having undertaken a partial IRC campaign last year.
Another of the many drivers who could win is Finland’s Toni Gardemeister, driving an Abarth Grande Punto S2000 run by respected Italian outfit Astra Racing. Gardemeister, a World Rally Championship regular, has a very strong track record in Monte Carlo, having finished second on the event in 2005 and 2006.
Mitsubishi will be represented on the 2009 IRC by the young Austrian Franz Wittman Jr, who finished runner-up in his national championship last year. Wittman’s main objective in Monte Carlo is to learn, as he will face strong opposition from local stars in similar cars, such as Richard Frau and Patrick Artru.
The IRC 2WD Cup enters its second year in 2009, but reigning champion Marco Cavigioli has been forced to scratch his Monte Carlo entry due to difficulty in getting his Fiat Punto diesel back from the last round of 2008 in China. The Italian will return to the IRC in the near future, but for Monte Carlo the strongest two-wheel drive competitors are likely to be Manuel Villa (Fiat) and Luc Gellusseau (Peugeot). For the complete entry list, please visit the IRC website, www.rally-irc.com, or the Monte Carlo Rally website, www.acm.mc.
THE EXPECTATIONS
„I’m sure it will be a tough event, and tyre choices promise to be decisive. On a loop of three stages, for example, there is a chance that two will be dry, with the last one partially snowy. Personally, I am thrilled at the idea of contesting this legendary rally. I did it in 2004 but didn’t get very far! I feel confident this time though because the 207 has stood out through its reliability in the last two years. The event has attracted a very strong entry, so it should be close.“
Nicolas Vouilloz, Peugeot Belgium driver.
„We’ve made a few changes over the winter and had some good pre-event testing, so I think that we definitely come into 2009 as a stronger package than we were last year, especially with a full year’s experience of the series behind us now. Obviously you always want to do as much testing as possible but a lot in Monte Carlo simply depends on the weather, so we will just have to wait and see what happens. I’ve done the Monte Carlo Rally once before but that was in a little Fiat Seicento many years ago, so I think it will be a very different experience now!“
Giandomenico Basso, factory Abarth driver
„I’m really looking forward to the rally and I am very proud to be a factory driver for Skoda. We’ve done quite a lot of testing and I’m confident about our reliability on the rally, which will be a very important factor. But equally, I am more confident on gravel than on asphalt so we will see what happens. This is my first Monte Carlo Rally, and one of the biggest challenges will be to get used to all the changing conditions.“
Juho Hanninen, factory Skoda driver
„Monte Carlo is an event like no other that will provide the teams with a magnificent challenge. We are fortunate this year to go back to some of the best-known stages from the past, and enjoy once again the magical night of Turini. It’s always hard to predict a winner on any IRC round, but on this event it’s almost impossible. There is a truly spectacular array of drivers and cars, and thanks to Eurosport’s exciting live television coverage, more people than ever will be able to see them!“
Jean-Pierre Nicolas, IRC Motorsports Development Manager, 1978 Monte Carlo Rally winner
THE HISTORY
Monte Carlo has always formed a key part of motorsport history, but the event’s format has chopped and changed over time. Up until 1991, competitors could select different starting points prior to completing concentration runs in order to reach the official starting location. In recent years the rally mainly used stages in the Alpes Maritime before switching to the Ardeche region in 2007, when night stages including a pass over the famous Col de Turini returned to the itinerary.
This year’s competition represents a major departure from recent seasons with the rally starting in Monte Carlo on Tuesday and returning there for the finish on Saturday. Since 1973, the event marked the opening round of the World Rally Championship when Frenchman Jean-Claude Andruet claimed victory at the wheel of a Alpine-Renault A110. After the global oil crisis forced the event’s cancellation in 1974, Sandro Munari began a run of three successive victories driving Lancia’s famed Stratos.
Following Jean-Pierre Nicolas‘ success in 1978 (who is now the IRC’s motorsport development manager), Bernard Darniche triumphed on the 1979 event by a meagre six-second advantage over Björn Waldegard’s Ford Escort MkII. Waldegard is convinced he would have won but for the time lost when a group of unruly spectators blocked a bridge with a lump of concrete.
Walter Rohrl’s fourth victory in 1984 was the first achieved by a car conforming to the Group B regulations when the German brought home his thunderous Audi Quattro A2 in first place. Finns Ari Vatanen (1985) and Henri Toivonen (1986) also triumphed in the Group B era, Toivonen’s win marking his last triumph before his untimely death in Corsica four months later.
Miki Biaison helped to usher in the new Group A regulations for 1987, when he claimed the first of two victories. The Nineties coincided with Didier Auriol taking four wins and Patrick Bernardini becoming an unlikely victory in 1996 when the event counted towards two-litre championship points only. Piero Liatti scored the first win by a World Rally Car when he triumphed in 1997.
With World Rally Cars not permitted to take part on IRC events, the 77th running of the rally will mark the start of a fresh era for this famous event, with several exciting new cars and drivers.
TV TIMES
A key feature of the IRC is high-quality television broadcasts and viewers will be able to enjoy an extra dimension from the Monte Carlo Rally this year thanks to live programmes direct from the stages, including uninterrupted footage from the Turini stages on the final night. Coverage of the Monte Carlo on Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will be at the times listed below (all times are CET). The live shows broadcast direct from the stages will also be streamed in real time over the internet, where viewers can in addition watch the programmes at any time they choose (after the original broadcast time) over the internet. Simply click on www.rally-irc.com for a direct link to the heart of the rally action.
Wednesday 21 January
16:00-17:00       LIVE SS3    Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific
00:00-00:15    Highlights day one    Eurosport
Thursday 22 January
10:30-11:15       LIVE SS5             Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
15:45-16:30       LIVE SS8           Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
00:00-00:15    Highlights day two    Eurosport
Friday 23 January
19:30-21:15       LIVE SS11           Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
LIVE SS12    Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet
23:00-01:00       LIVE SS13           Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet     LIVE SS14    Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific & Internet

The 77th Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo gets underway on Wednesday morning as the opening round of the IRC

www.rally-irc.com

Joe Schmitz – Racing

Veröffentlicht am 18.1.2009 von Wolfgang

Ehrung für Joe Schmitz

In seinem zweiten Jahr im Automobilsport war Joe Schmitz gleich in mehreren Meisterschaften im Einsatz. Mit seinem Mygale-BMW, einem Monoposto der Formel BMW Junior der ersten Generation, bestritt er sämtliche Rennen der Luxemburger Bergmeisterschaft und war auch beim Slalom du Nord mit von der Partie. Für das Slalom in Bitburg hatte er einen Opel Astra OPC ausgeliehen und für die beiden Sprintrennen in Colmar-Berg, Ende August, hatte er einen Honda S 2000 angemietet. So konnte der Student im Maschinenbau einen Erfolg auf der ganzen Linie verbuchen. Anlässlich der „soirée de l’automobile“ des ACL am letzten Freitag in Bad Mondorf wurden Schmitz die Pokale für seinen Titel „Espoirs“ 2008, seinem zweite Platz im „volant sportif“, sowie dem dritte Rang in der Bergmeisterschaft überreicht.
In der Slalom-, sowie der Rundstreckenmeisterschaft wurde Schmitz jeweils Sechster.

Das JSR-Racing www.schmitzjoe.com