WRC: Rally France

Steve · Sep 26, 2011

The next round of the 2011 WRC is this weekend. I'll try to keep updates coming in this thread.

MINI WRC -- Rallye de France 2011 -- Alsace Preview (rallysportlive.com)

By RSL Staff â€“ September 26, 2011

The MINI WRC Team will again be competing on asphalt when it arrives in Strasbourg for its fourth event of 2011, Rally France-Alsace. The team is keen to capitalise on its third place in Germany for Dani Sordo (ES) and the tarmac performance shown by the MINI John Cooper Works WRC.

While the rest of the World Rally Championship competitors have been in Australia, the number 37 and 52 MINIs have been back in Banbury at the Prodrive headquarters. Since Rally Germany, both drivers have been getting valuable time behind the wheel with Kris Meeke (GB) attending the Rallyday at Castle Combe, and Dani Sordo shaking the car down at Prodriveâ€™s test track in Warwickshire as the team continues the MINI WRCâ€™s development. The team is also holding a one day pre-event test in France this weekend.

David Richards, Team Principal: â€œDani and Kris have proven that the MINI is very competitive on tarmac. Just like in Germany we will be going to France to show the performance of the car and aiming for both drivers to finish in strong positions. Whether we can repeat the podium in Trier remains to be seen, but certainly Dani likes the event. However, Kris is new to the stages, but I am confident he will soon be on the pace as he was in Germany.â€

Dani Sordo: â€œThe surface in France changes frequently, which makes the rally technically demanding. The route is very hilly, particularly in the forest sections. Here, the weather decides how you can drive. Last year it rained heavily, which made the surface very slippery. The Rallye de France is similar in many ways to Germany. Personally, I really like driving there, as you have to be both very focused and flexible with regard to the weather conditions. The recce plays a major role. The pace notes must be accurate, and the co-drivers instructions must be perfect.â€

Kris Meeke: â€œI didnâ€™t start this rally in 2010, which practically makes this a completely new rally for me. However, I have completed a lot of testing in this region in the past, so I know roughly what to expect. The rally is a bit similar to its German counterpart, particularly the sections through the vineyards and on the gravel roads. It is technically very demanding and you cannot afford to lose concentration for a second, your pace notes must be very accurate.â€
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Steve · Sep 26, 2011

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvuOm52SKFk]Tests Day Sordo / Meeke Mini JCW WRC for Rallye France Alsace [HD] Rallye-Addict.com - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Sep 26, 2011

World Rally Championship to pilot live web content during Rallye de France (rallysportlive.com)

By RSL Staff â€“ September 26, 2011
Stages from this weekâ€™s Rallye de France Alsace will be streamed live and exclusive on the World Rally Championshipâ€™s official website, wrc.com, as part of a pilot project to investigate future digital opportunities for the all-action series.

World Rally Championship promoter North One Sport has made a substantial investment in the trial, which will be used to test the latest camera and streaming technology as well as to gauge the appetite among fans for live online coverage and more interactive content.

The pilot is also the first test of a new partnership between North One Sport and digital specialist, Streamworks.

Around 14 hours of coverage is planned, spread across Friday and Saturdayâ€™s competition, with the action available to view free of charge on a web media player accessed exclusively from the home page of wrc.com.

The coverage on Friday (30 September) will run between 1300hrs and 2000hrs (local time), with action from Saturday (1 October) shown between 1245hrs and 1930hrs.

On both days content will consist of interviews and atmosphere from the service park and the end of day press conferences. This will be mixed with stage action shot from two helicopters and by cameras mounted inside the rally cars. English and French commentary will be available.

â€œThe digital landscape presents numerous opportunities to further expand the reach of the World Rally Championship and this experiment is a big step forward in our plans to develop formats and content to suit,â€ said North One Sport CEO, Simon Long.

â€œWe have made a significant investment to get the project to this stage and itâ€™s exciting that we are now ready to try and turn the theory into reality; however itâ€™s important to make clear that this is a trial first and foremost and we expect to learn a great deal. This is unchartered territory, both technically and in terms of programming, but itâ€™s a vital stage in our development plans for the next 12 month.â€
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cooperjet · Sep 26, 2011

Thanks Steve

Justa Jim · Sep 26, 2011

Very cool indeed.

Jim

Gil-galad · Sep 26, 2011

Many thanks. Cheers to the chief MA WRC purveyor for keeping us satiated! :beer

Angib · Sep 26, 2011

What a lovely closed-throttle crackle.

Crashton · Sep 26, 2011

Thanks for the posts & the video Steve.

Steve · Sep 27, 2011

'A Podium Finish is a Realistic Target.' (minimotorsport.com)

Dave Wilcock, Technical Director of the MINI WRC Team, speaks about the MINI WRC Team's high expectations for Rally France.

Hi MINI Fans,

As Rally France is at hand, you may have wondered what the goals for the Dani, Kris and the MINI WRC Team are â€“ especially for Dani after his strong finish at Rally Germany. For Dani it is obviously about building on his Germany performance. Primarily we are looking to confirm that the pace we saw in Germany was not a one-off.

Dani finished Rally France in second place last year (the first time Alsace Rally was in the WRC) and the nature of this rally is one he excels on, so repeating a podium finish is a realistic target. We believe this rally will suit the MINI John Cooper Works WRC car even better than it did in Germany. The very fast flowing nature of the Alsace roads will highlight the aerodynamic capabilities which are one of the MINI attributes ensuring high stability required for the drivers' confidence.

Plus, we came so close to two stage wins in Germany, and this is a box which we have not ticked to-date. Therefore a stage win or two is also definitely on our to-do list.

As for Kris, he did on the other hand did not compete on this rally last year. Therefore he is at a slight disadvantage before we begin as he and Paul had to write new pace notes for all of these stages. However Krisâ€™s work ethics are mighty impressive as he is one of the hardest working drivers I have worked with. He will always go the extra mile to catch up and will not leave a stone unturned on that journey. So I have every confidence he will be setting a good pace.

Having three DNFs out of the three rallies we contested this year is also something we have to address. We will be working very hard to see Kris at the finish of this rally. We have had another one-day test last weekend which served as a very good refresher for both drivers confirming a number of unanswered alternative set up queries and tyre management. Both drivers were very happy with their testing, each completing over 150 kilometres.

Final thing to keep in mind is that France experienced very poor weather last year, and the roads became completely covered in mud being thrown onto the road due to corner cutting. This year the organisers have taken measures in an attempt to try and prevent drivers from cutting these corners. This will hopefully help our cause if we experience poor weather as our road positioning on the first day is less than desirable, with Dani starting tenth and Kris 16th respectively. So please keep your fingers crossed for good weather and dry roads on Day 1.

Yours, Dave
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Steve · Sep 27, 2011

I love this pic.

Richards calls for more MINI pace (wrc.com)

27 Sep 11

David Richards, boss of the MINI WRC Team, has called on his drivers Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo to emulate the pace they showed on the outfit's last appearance in the World Rally Championship in Germany.

Sordo claimed the makeâ€™s maiden podium finish on its third outing in the series while Meeke was rapid until a mechanical failure caused him to drop out in the closing stages.

â€œDani and Kris have proven that the MINI is very competitive on Tarmac,â€ said Richards. â€œJust like in Germany we will be going to France to show the performance of the car and aiming for both drivers to finish in strong positions. Whether we can repeat the podium in Trier remains to be seen, but certainly Dani likes the event. However, Kris is new to the stages, but I am confident he will soon be on the pace as he was in Germany.â€

Meeke, who used the recent Rallyday demonstration event in the United Kingdom to gain more running on asphalt in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC, said: â€œI didnâ€™t start this rally in 2010, which practically makes this a completely new rally for me. However, I have completed a lot of testing in this region in the past, so I know roughly what to expect. The rally is a bit similar to its German counterpart, particularly the sections through the vineyards and on the gravel roads. It is technically very demanding and you cannot afford to lose concentration for a second.â€

Sordo finished second in France last season when he formed part of the factory Citroen squad. He said: â€œThe surface in France changes frequently, which makes the rally technically demanding. The route is very hilly, particularly in the forest sections. The weather decides how you can drive. Last year it rained heavily, which made the surface very slippery. Personally, I really like driving there, as you have to be both very focused and flexible with regard to the weather conditions.â€

MINI prepared for Rallye de France with a one-day test in the country last weekend.
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Justa Jim · Sep 27, 2011

So, now we need a "fingers crossed" smilie. :fingerscrossed:

Jim

Nathan · Sep 27, 2011

jbewley said: ↑

So, now we need a "fingers crossed" smilie.

Jim
Click to expand...

:fingerscrossed:

There ya go

Justa Jim · Sep 27, 2011

Nathan said: ↑

:fingerscrossed:

There ya go
Click to expand...

Outstanding.

Original post edited.

Jim

Steve · Sep 28, 2011

Concentration the Key at Rally France (minimotorsport.com)

Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo describe the highlights of the 23 special stages on the Rally France from a driver's perspective.

The co-drivers in the participating teams have once again been spared the luxury of being able to simply copy last year's pace notes for the second staging of the Rally France-Alsace. After moving the Rally France from Corsica last year, the organisers have changed several special stages for this year's event.

On the very first day, the opening two special stages ("Klevener 1" and "Ungersberg 1") are driven in the opposite direction this year, while the third stage ("Pays d'Ormont 1") has been extended in the middle section to make it a total length of 35.48 kilometres. "About 30 to 40 percent of a rally's layout is changed from year to year," says Carlos del Barrio, co-driver for Dani Sordo in MINI John Cooper Works WRC number 37.

The third special stage is most probably the most challenging. While the first, second and fourth stages are relatively short at distances of between nine and fifteen kilometres and with numerous high-speed straights, the "Pays d'Ormont" requires the drivers to keep their concentration for twice as long and at the highest level. The many bends and hairpins mean there is a higher potential for mistakes. "You have to stay really focussed on the job," says Dani.

The third stage also features a true highlight for spectators when the drivers are faced with a right-hand turn after a long, high-speed straight on the D45B road near Menil de Sesones. The inside of the corner has a raised shoulder, which results in the right side of most cars lifting dramatically. This spot is particularly exciting because drivers can briefly lose control of their cars if they attempt to take this shoulder too fast. Losing the racing line or spinning off at this point can result in the loss of valuable seconds on day one of the rally.

Some sections also take the drivers through the adjoining woodland. "Here, the weather determines how to approach the rally," says Dani. The choice of tyres, which is influenced by the weather, also plays a major role here. If it rains, the softer tyres are used. In dry conditions, the harder compounds are fitted.

Special stage number 17 is also new this year. It comes in Mulhouse at the end of the second day, takes the form of a super special stage, and is just over three kilometres long.

"The rally is a bit similar to the event in Germany," says Kris Meeke, referring to the underlying character of the Rally France. "Particularly the passages through the vineyards and over the gravel roads into the hinterland. These sections are technically very demanding." Kris may have completed a number of tests here in Alsace, but the Rally France is still new territory for him.

The "Gravier Bischwiller" and "Vignoble Cleebourg" special stages are completely new. They feature as stages 18/21 and 19/22 on the final day of the rally, before the event reaches its spectacular conclusion with the power stage.

As the power stage will take place in Haguenau, the home of SÃ©bastien Loeb, the organisers have made a wise decision to introduce two completely new stages in the run-up to the power stage. This way, none of the teams will have an advantage, as they must all rewrite their pace notes.

As well as the grand finale of the Rally France in Haguenau, the fans are treated to another highlight on the "Gravier Bischwiller" stage. In the town of Bischwiller, the drivers pass under a railway before being faced with a spectacular jump. The surface also changes from tarmac to gravel here. The drivers must really demonstrate their skill, as the dynamic of the car changes, having primarily been set up for use on the solid tarmac surface.

The total length of the 23 competitive stages at the Rally France is 348.13 kilometres. 18.82 kilometres are driven on gravel which is 5,41 per cent of the rally's competitive section (or 1,4 per cent of Rally Franceâ€™s overall distance of 1289 kilometres).

You can find more information on the hotspots at the Rally France here.
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Steve · Sep 29, 2011

Sebastian Loeb Tops Rallye de France Shakedown (autosport.com)

By David Evans | Thursday, September 29th 2011, 14:45 GMT
Sebastien Loeb's defence of his 2010 Rallye de France victory began in the perfect fashion with joint fastest time on this morning shakedown stage - although he shared the time with team-mate and arch rival Sebastien Ogier.

Spaniard Dani Sordo offered a further demonstration the asphalt potential of the Mini with a time just two tenths slower than Citroen's benchmark.

The drivers were quick to point out, however, that the 1.46-mile run around the Parc des Sports car park in Strasbourg was unrepresentative of the route facing them in the next three days.

Run in bright sunshine with temperatures rising to 23 degrees, Loeb and Ogier complete four runs each at the stage, with both drivers posting their joint fastest time on the final effort.

Jari-Matti Latvala was the fastest Ford , eight tenths of a second slower than the Frenchmen, while Petter Solberg was fifth quickest a second down. Britain's Kris Meeke was sixth in the second factory Mini, with his countryman Matthew Wilson ninth in his Fiesta.

Ott Tanak was quickest Super 2000, setting a time of 1m53.8s. Double World Touring Car Champion and local hero Yvan Muller (Peugeot 207 S2000) was third fastest of the S2000 cars, completing his sixth and final run at the stage in a time of 1m55.7s.
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Steve · Sep 29, 2011

Strong Shakedown for the MINI WRC Team (minimotorsport.com)

29 September 2011
After the shakedown for Rally France-Alsace Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke were in buoyant mood. The two MINI John Cooper Works WRC cars ran faultlessly.

Dani finished equal second quickest with SÃ©bastien Ogier while Kris ended up sixth. The stage itself was described by the team as "a bit Mickey Mouse", as it was a made up in a car park and not really representative of the rallyâ€™s usual stages.

On his last run Dani had a right front puncture, but this was not unusual as the Ford team for example had three. Despite this, both drivers were happy with their cars and feel confident ahead of the start early on Friday morning.

Dani will be starting tenth and Kris 16th respectively. The stages on this rally are very fast and popular with the drivers while the first two stages will be reminiscent of the ones at Rally Germany as they are being run through vineyards.

The MINI WRC cars will enter this event more or less with the same basic set-up as in Germany where Dani claimed the teamâ€™s first podium finish. The team did a test on Sunday and made very few changes to the cars.

Apart from Dani and Kris, three more teams driving a MINI WRC will represent the MINI brand in France with Armindo Araujo of Motorsport Italia who is starting 13th overall, Daniel Oliveira who will start 17th for Brazil World Rally Team, while Pierre Campana is representing Equipe de France FFSA. He will start 19th .

Once Rally France begins you will find the fastest MINI WRC Team updates on our Twitter channel. Special Stage 1 ("Klevener 1", 9,68 kilometres) opens 7:48 AM.
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Steve · Sep 29, 2011

Poles to stamp out corner cutting in France (wrc.com)

29 Sep 11
Crews contesting Rallye de France Alsace this week will have to be on their guard after event organisers moved to prevent significant corner cutting on the world championship qualifier.

They have inserted steel poles on bends where drivers would ordinarily have taken a â€˜cutâ€™ to maximise their speed by following the optimal â€˜racingâ€™ line. The practice is commonplace, particularly on asphalt rallies, where significant time can be saved.

However, last yearâ€™s Rallye de France was spoiled by drivers pulling mud and debris onto the road through continuous corner cutting, prompting organisers to take action.

â€œLast year it was not equal conditions for everybody because the conditions were changing a lot,â€ said factory Citroen ace Sebastien Ogier. â€œThis year it will be more level because itâ€™s almost impossible to cut a corner if you donâ€™t want to destroy your car. We have had to change the pace notes a lot, itâ€™s not like natural driving because you canâ€™t use all the road we usually do. We asked for it, now we have to adapt to it.â€

Kimi Raikkonenâ€™s navigator Kaj Lindstrom was also in favour of the move: â€œItâ€™s a good thing because it means a Tarmac rally stays a Tarmac rally. With too much corner cutting it becomes a gravel rally. Now you have to stay on the road.â€

Monster World Rally Team ace Ken Block was less keen and said he had spent the first pass on the recce spotting the poles. â€œItâ€™s actually really frustrating spending my first pass finding all those bars. Some are obvious but a lot are hidden so you have to add a lot of â€˜donâ€™t cutâ€™ to your pace notes. I understand organisers had to do this but weâ€™re rally drivers and we want to take as many advantages as possible.â€

Last yearâ€™s winner Sebastien Loeb, who damaged his car striking one of the poles during the recce, added: â€œItâ€™s changing a bit the line and itâ€™s a bit less natural to drive like this. We are sed to drive around the poles in fast and narrow sections. It can be tricky.â€
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Steve · Sep 29, 2011

One of the articles above talks about live coverage avail on WRC.com: "The coverage on Friday (30 September) will run between 1300hrs and 2000hrs (local time), with action from Saturday (1 October) shown between 1245hrs and 1930hrs."

If I've figured this right that equates to Saturday 7A - 2P and Sunday 6:45A - 1:30P (times Eastern).

Justa Jim · Sep 29, 2011

Jim

Steve · Sep 30, 2011

The live feed isn't bad for a first attempt.

After 5 stages Sordo 3rd and Meeke 4th, fingers crossed.

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