Most liked posts in thread: WRC: 2014 pre-season

Crashton · Dec 10, 2013

What a nice hand brake turn.

I have to have snow & ice to pull that kind of thing off.

Steve · Dec 10, 2013

The new Hyundai revealed in its official livery.

Steve · Dec 10, 2013

Hyundai reveals its driver line-up (WRC.com)

10 Dec 13

Hyundai has revealed a four-driver line-up for 2014 as it prepares to make its debut in the FIA World Rally Championship next month.

At a presentation in Frankfurt today, it was confirmed that Dani Sordo and Chris Atkinson will join Juho Hanninen and the team’s lead driver Thierry Neuville for the team’s debut season.

Hyundai said Sordo and Atkinson, like Hanninen, will partner Neuville at ‘several events during the season’, with Atkinson, and co-driver Stephane Prevot, already confirmed for Rally Australia.

Sordo, who took his maiden WRC victory in Germany this year with Citroen, has renewed his partnership with former co-driver Marc Marti and will pilot the team’s second i20 World Rally Car at the season opening Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Last month Hyundai confirmed that Hanninen will be at the wheel of the second car at Rally Sweden.

Sordo said he was happy to be part of Hyundai’s WRC project: “It might be a young team but there is a high level of experience and professionalism that makes the team a really appealing package.

“I am looking forward to bringing my years of WRC experience to the team in its debut season and to take part in Rallye Monte-Carlo, the first event,” added the Spaniard.

Atkinson, one of Hyundai’s team of development drivers, said: “It’s been a pleasure to be part of Hyundai Motorsport in testing this season and to have had the chance to contribute to the development of the i20 WRC.

“It’s fantastic to be able to carry on with the team into 2014, our first WRC season, and to be able to drive in Rally Australia later in the year.”
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Crashton · Dec 10, 2013

Nice looking livery. Hope they come out of the box competitive.

minirab · Dec 10, 2013

Good looking car.

Steve · Dec 13, 2013

Fiesta WRC switch for Kubica (WRC.com)

13 Dec 13

Robert Kubica will contest all 13 rounds of the 2014 World Rally Championship at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Ending months of speculation, the former Formula One driver confirmed his plans in a press release today, the deadline for entries for the upcoming Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Having called time on his relationship with Citroen, the car will be run by M-Sport, with backing from Kubicaâ€™s long term sponsor, Polish oil company Lotos.

â€œI am really glad that I will participate in all 13 rounds of the World Rally Championship with the Fiesta RS WRC,â€ said Kubica.

â€œThe support of my partner, Lotos Group, combined with the knowledge and experience of M-Sport will create a solid foundation for my further development and I am looking forward to gathering valuable experience on the WRC stages.â€

A full programme in a world rally car represents a big step up for the 29-year-old Pole who only made his WRC debut at this yearâ€™s Rally de Portugal in the WRC 2 class.

But despite his inexperience, Kubica went on to take the WRC 2 title, winning five from the seven rallies he started in a Citroen DS3 RRC alongside co-driver Maciek Baran.

He ended 2013 with his first event in a world rally car, driving a Citroen DS3 WRC on Wales Rally GB accompanied by new co-driver Michele Ferrara. However it proved to be disappointing finale, with two crashes bringing his rally to a premature end. There is no news yet on the identity of Kubicaâ€™s co-driver for 2014.

M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson said he was â€˜thrilledâ€™ that Kubica will switch to a Fiesta. â€œSince he burst onto the WRC scene earlier this year, we have been very keen to have him on-board and I think that we can expect some great things from him in 2014,â€ he said.

â€œYou only have to look at the way Robert prepared for the 2013 season to see what it all means to him. He has a desire and a hunger which you don't see in many drivers and I truly believe that M-Sport can offer him all the right tools to move forward in rallying.â€
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Hirvonen and Evans to M-Sport (WRC.com)

13 Dec 13

Mikko Hirvonen and Elfyn Evans will drive M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Cars on all 13 rounds of the 2014 World Rally Championship.

British based M-Sport confirmed the line-up today, with managing director Malcolm Wilson saying the combination brought the team a mix of youth and experience.

For Hirvonen, 33, the announcement marks a return to the squad behind fourteen of his fifteen victories at WRC level. The Finn [pictured] joined the then Ford factory team in 2003 and stayed for eight years, helping to secure Fordâ€™s manufacturersâ€™ titles in 2006 and 2007.

He fared less well after a switch to Citroen for 2012 and 2013, taking just one win, at Rally Italia Sardegna.

â€œIt really feels as though I am coming home,â€ said Hirvonen, who will be co-driven by Jarmo Lehtinen.

â€œThe last two years were really good for myself and Jarmo, but although we will take a lot of good memories with us, we didnâ€™t necessarily achieve what we set out to do. Joining M-Sport will give us a good chance to try again â€“ a fresh start in a car we know we can be competitive in. We are motivated to win, and we are in the best possible place to do that.â€

Representing the youth element of the team, 24-year old Evans will get his first full season in a world rally car.

Winner of the 2012 FIA WRC Academy Cup, the Welshman impressed in 2013 at the wheel of Fiesta RRC and R5 machinery in the WRC 2 category. However his stand-out performance came at Rally Italia Sardegna when, as a last minute substitute for Nasser Al Attiyah, he finished sixth on his debut in a world rally car.

â€œIt is an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I will be driving a world rally car for a full season next year,â€ said Evans, who will be co-driven by Daniel Barritt. â€œLast year was a real development year for us, so it is great to be able to take the next step in my career and for myself and Dan to really progress within the team. The great thing about this programme is that it gives us time.

â€œThe whole team is behind us and we have a long-term plan to get to where we all, ultimately, want to be. This is just the first step and I am extremely grateful to Malcolm and M-Sport for this opportunity and their belief in my future.â€

Wilson said: â€œMikko has done well here in the past, and he provides us with the potential to battle for victories at a number of events throughout the year. We all know what he is capable of behind the wheel of a Fiesta, and he has lost none of his ambition and determination to win.â€

â€œI have no doubt that Elfyn is ready for this opportunity. Over the course of the season, he proved that he has both the mental strength and speed to learn whilst securing some very strong results. I am looking forward to seeing how he develops, and although we are not expecting him to challenge for any wins this season, his talent could certainly spring a few surprises. We have a long-term plan for Elfyn and Dan and thisis just the first step along the path to championship success.â€
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minirab · Dec 17, 2013

I noticed on this video and others that the VW has a light under the

front bumper pointed down at the ground, anyone have any ideas?

Steve · Dec 17, 2013

Meeke: judge me on the second half of the season (MaxRally.com)

by Anthony Peacock / 17th December 2013

Citroen’s new signing Kris Meeke says that it’s going to take him the first half of the season to get fully up to speed – and that he fully expects to give best to team mate Mads Ostberg during that time.

“We’ve got Monte, and then a load of rallies that I’ve never been to before, including Sweden and Mexico, where Mads is very strong. For me it will be a question of getting to the end and building up my speed, so I’d expect to play second fiddle a bit to Mads there,” said Meeke. “But then we get to the second half of the season, which contains more of the events I know – and then I think you’ll see what I’m capable of. It’s definitely better just to let my natural speed show itself over the course of the year rather than try to force it.”

Meeke has already tested for Monte Carlo for two days, and he will have an extra day in the DS3 before the start of the rally as well. But he has warned against drawing too many conclusions from the season-opener. “Monte Carlo is Monte Carlo,” he said. “We’d like to come away from there with a finish and some points, but there’s no point in setting targets that are any more specific than that.”
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Steve · Dec 17, 2013

minirab said: ↑

I noticed on this video and others that the VW has a light under the

front bumper pointed down at the ground, anyone have any ideas?
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I saw that as well, have no clue.

ScottinBend · Dec 17, 2013

Speed sensor?

Crashton · Dec 17, 2013

minirab said: ↑

I noticed on this video and others that the VW has a light under the

front bumper pointed down at the ground, anyone have any ideas?
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I really don't know, but wonder about that too. Last year I saw the same thing during the testing of the WRC Polo. During the rally season I never saw that light. Here we are testing again & the light is back.

Angib · Dec 17, 2013

Or is it a video camera?

Steve · Dec 18, 2013

Easier to see the shape of these cars without livery. Here's Sordo out testing his Hyundai for the Monte.

Steve · Dec 19, 2013

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63KfSXEwI4w]Meeke testing - 2014 WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo - Best-of-RallyLive.com - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Dec 19, 2013

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiA74d-GVws]Dani! - YouTube[/ame]

Crashton · Dec 19, 2013

Angib said: ↑

Hot hatch rally porn - the daddy (though you might argue for the original Cooper S):

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No arguments here. The original Cooper S was not a hatch. :wink:

Crashton · Jan 3, 2014

Can't wait for the Monte. Coming soon! :arf:

Steve · Jan 3, 2014

More testing.

jump to 1:38

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7bhud-envw]Monte Carlo 2014 Test - VW Polo WRC - Ogier/Latvala/Mikkelsen - Asphalt and Snow - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Jan 5, 2014

Kubica is bagging some extra experience in his new car with his new co-driver ahead of the WRC start. He did well, overhauling Pech (in a MINI S2000) on the last stage.

ERC – JÃ¤nnerrallye: Kubica steals Austrian victory (best-of-rallylive.com)

05/01/2014 5:36 pm

The first round of the 2014 FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) was won by last season’s WRC-2 champion Robert Kubica (Ford/Michelin) after a thrilling fight with the Czech Republic’s VÃ¤clav Pech (2nd, Mini S2000) and Austria’s Raimund Baumschlager (3rd, Skoda Fabia S2000).

The asphalt stages of Upper Austria ranged from damp to icy and even muddy, while fog was an additional hazard during the 2014 Internationale JÃ¤nnerrallye which produced a superb scrap between some of central Europe’s top drivers.

The 2013 Rally Poland winner Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5) emerged as the early leader, ahead of fellow Pole Kubica (Ford Fiesta RRC). Kajetanowicz went off on SS5, however, and first place was inherited by the multiple Austrian champion Baumschlager (Skoda Fabia S2000), chased by Pech and Kubica who were less than15 seconds behind.

An alternator problem prevented Baumschlager from resisting the pressure applied by Kubica and Pech who completed the first day in first and second places, split by 6.4s.

Sunday’s action saw the latter take the lead when Kubica was handed a 10-second penalty for a jump start on SS12. Pech then remained ahead of the Pole until the last stage (SS18) which the two men started separated by 11.8s. The six-time Czech champion chose to fit extra-soft Michelin R01 tyres to his Mini John Cooper Works S2000 for the final test, while Kubica opted for studded Michelin NA00 snow tyres for the front wheels of his Ford and non-studded NA00s at the rear.

This judicious choice enabled the Pole to beat his rival by 31.7s and claim the Internationale JÃ¤nnerrallye by margins of 19.9s over Pech and 1m36.9s over Baumschlager. It was the ideal start to the year for Kubica and his new co-driver Maciej Szczepaniak who contested the Austrian event as part of their preparations for the Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Austria’s Beppo Harrach (4th, Mitsubishi Lancer R4) won the Production class, while Jaromir Tarabus (Skoda) rounded off the top five, ahead of Andreas Aigner – who was driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 for the first time – and Russian youngster Gryazin (Ford). First place in the two-wheel drive class went to Michael Bohm (Suzuki).

The next round of the ERC will take place in Latvia (January 31-February 2).

2014 Internationale JÃ¤nnerrallye – final positions:

1, Kubica/Szczepaniak (Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin), 2h26m42.4s. 2, Pech/Uhel (Mini John Cooper Works S2000/Michelin), +19.9s. 3, Baumschlager/Wicha (Skoda Fabia S2000), +1m36.9s. 4, Harrach/Welsersheimb (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX R4/Michelin), +3m0.3s. 5, Tarabus/Trunkat (Skoda Fabia S2000/Michelin), +3m39.6s. Etc.
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Crashton · Jan 6, 2014

That is great! I'm glad Robert is doing well.

Our local cable company is showing rounds of the ERC on Velocity channel. Great action & good coverage.

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