Most liked posts in thread: WRC: Rally Mexico 2012

Justa Jim · Feb 17, 2012

Nathan needs figure out how to market Steve's WRC reports, as an M/A exclusive.

Jim

Steve · Feb 23, 2012

Rally Mexico attracts bumper World Rally Car entry (WRC.com)

23 Feb 12

Rally Mexico - the first long-haul round of the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia - has attracted an incredible 16 World Rally Car entries.

Eight-time world rally champion, Sebastien Loeb, will head the Citroen factory team entry on the March 8-12 event and is the bookmakerâ€™s favourite after dominating the Leon-based rally since 2005. Joining Loeb in the formidable force is Finlandâ€™s Mikko Hirvonen and former Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, while Thierry Neuville drives a semi-works DS3 WRC.

Jari-Matti Latvala heads the Ford entry with Norwayâ€™s Petter Solberg piloting the factory teamâ€™s other Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Rising stars Ott Tanak and Evgeny Novikov will represent the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team.

Flying the flag for the Monster World Rally Team in Mexico will be Ken Block. The popular American will contest the first of his three-round 2012 WRC campaign next week in a Fiesta RS WRC.

Returning to the WRC for the first time since 2009, Australiaâ€™s Chris Atkinson will join Block in the Monster line-up. After finishing runner-up at 2008â€™s Rally Mexico, Atkinson will be aiming for a competitive debut in a new generation Ford World Rally Car next week.

Britainâ€™s Matthew Wilson will miss his second consecutive WRC event after breaking his ankle while training earlier this month, leaving Henning Solberg as the sole representative for the new-for-2012 Go Fast Energy World Rally Team. Mads Ostberg be privately entered in an Adapta-run Fiesta RS WRC.

Completing the Fiesta runners in Mexico will be local driver and firm favourite with the home fans, Ricardo Trivino.

Portugalâ€™s Armindo Araujo and Brazilâ€™s Paulo Nobre will represent MINI their WRC Team MINI Portugal John Cooper Works WRCs.

Other notable entries include Sebastien Ogier who will continue his preparation for his 2013 Volkswagen works drive with a Skoda Fabia S2000. Kevin Abbring drives the German firmâ€™s second car.

Michal Kosciuszko leads the runners away on the second round of the Production Car World Rally Championship in his Mitsubishi.
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Steve · Feb 17, 2012

Inspiration from 2011:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf2vMsTrt9g]WRC Rally Mexico 2011, Charrovision - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSJ4qv6G1IU]WRC Onboards: Mexico 2011 - Latvala SS17, requested by qbfrost - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAuwijxlC-s]WRC Rally Mexico 2011 Guanajuato - YouTube[/ame]

Justa Jim · Feb 23, 2012

So Monster does MINI's and Fords. Prodrive should try and get them to switch to all MINI's.

Jim

B.A.D. · Feb 23, 2012

I'm not sure that would ever happen, since I believe that Ken Block (in whatever he drives) is more likely to draw in their target customer. I don't think that Monster would even be involved in WRC if it wasn't for Block.

ronnie948 · Feb 23, 2012

What really stinks is::::::::

The Velocity Chanel on Brighthouse used to show the WRC races. Now they "DON"T"

I don't know of anyplace on TV you can view the WRC anymore.

If anyone knows please let us all know.

Justa Jim · Feb 23, 2012

ronnie948 said: ↑

The Velocity Chanel on Brighthouse used to show the WRC races. Now they "DON"T"

I don't know of anyplace on TV you can view the WRC anymore.

If anyone knows please let us all know.
Click to expand...

You can view them right here on the "Steve Channel".

Jim

Steve · Feb 29, 2012

Araujo backed for top 10 in Mexico (WRC.com)

29 Feb 12

WRC Team MINI Portugal chief Bruno de Pianto is backing Armindo Araujo for a top-10 finish on next weekâ€™s Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

The Portuguese driver won the FIA Production Car world championship round in Leon in 2010 and has good experience of Mexicoâ€™s gravel roads.

Araujo has already collected a top-10 result in this yearâ€™s FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia, when he placed his MINI John Cooper Works WRC in 10th place on Rallye Monte-Carlo last month.

De Pianto said: â€œ[We are aiming for] a top-10 finish with Armindo. We have a fantastic memory with him because he won the PWRC in Mexico in 2010 and he got his first WRC [driversâ€™] point, as part of Motorsport Italiaâ€™s sister company Ralliart Italia. It was the first key step towards his PWRC victory that year. We will try capitalise on his past experience of the event and the stages.

â€œFor [Araujoâ€™s WRC Team MINI Portugal team-mate] Paulo Nobre, itâ€™s his first time competing in Mexico, so the aim is to complete all the stages successfully and to enjoy the experience of being one of the first drivers to compete on the WRC long haul event in a MINI.â€

De Pianto admitted becoming the manufacturer entry for MINI was an exciting development for the Motorsport Italia team.

He added: â€œFor Motorsport Italia every event is a new challenge. It was our first time competing on Rallye Monte-Carlo with Armindo this year and it was Motorsport Italia and MINI's first time both on a full snow rally in Sweden and on a long haul event in Mexico. We are concentrating hard on getting the best result possible in Mexico right now, but at the same time weâ€™re also looking forward to Portugal, which is only two weeks later. The Portuguese fans have always been very supportive of Armindo and therefore our team and Armindo is confident on is stages.â€
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Steve · Mar 2, 2012

A 54km stage for Mexico! (best-of-rallylive.com)

The eighth Rally Mexico to count towards the WRC will feature a 54km-long stage, the longest seen in the championship since 2003. More than ever, Michelinâ€™s partners will be counting on the durability of their Latitude Cross H1 tyres.

The itinerary of the 2012 Rally Guanajuato Mexico, which forms a compact route near Leon, 400km north of Mexico City, includes some excellent fast and technically challenging gravel stages, many of which climb to high altitudes.

This yearâ€™s programme has undergone several significant changes, including a longer total competitive distance (407km, divided into 24 stages). SS3 and SS4 (â€˜Las Minasâ€™/15,21km, and â€˜Los Mexicanosâ€™/9.76km) are both new, while â€˜El Cubileteâ€™, â€˜Ortegaâ€™, â€˜Otatesâ€™, â€˜Guanajuatitoâ€™ and â€˜Derramaderoâ€™ have been extensively revised.

Saturdayâ€™s menu is particularly daunting, since the first crew will tackle â€˜Ibarrillaâ€™ (29.90km) at 6:54am, followed by â€˜Otatesâ€™ (41.88km) at 8:12am. After a second visit to the same loop of two stages, competitors will contest â€˜Comanjilla 1â€™ (17.91km), the two Super-Specials at Leonâ€™s autodrome and a second attempt at â€˜Comanjillaâ€™.

Sundayâ€™s action stars an awesome 54.30km test (â€˜Guanajuatitoâ€™) before the rally ends with the Power Stage. â€˜Guanajuatitoâ€™ is the longest stage to be seen in the World Championship for almost 10 years (since New Zealand 2003). The drivers and co-drivers will no doubt have plenty of stories to tell at Sunday eveningâ€™s traditional post-event Mexican Party!
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Firebro17 · Mar 2, 2012

Sort'a off topic, but maybe pertinent, I'm just think'n maybe all the teams ought'a add some machine guns to their roof tops for their own protection.

What a Country.....

Crashton · Mar 2, 2012

Steve TV FTW !!!

Steve · Mar 2, 2012

As a reference for those still learning, in previous years the starting order on stages was based on championship standings. The standings leader went first, #2 in the standings went second, and so on. Loeb's complaint re this arrangement is based on the fact that he's usually the championship leader so he usually has to go first, and the earlier you enter a stage the more gravel, etc, you might encounter. Those who go first are said to be "cleaning" the road -- throwing the rocks off the road as they run over them -- and those who follow benefit from a cleaner road surface.

I still say those who follow have to deal with all the crap thrown ONTO the road surface by the leaders cutting corners -- potentially an even worse situation depending on the roads being run -- but the "cleaning the road" complaint is the one heard the most because the championship leader (in recent years always Loeb) is the one doing all the complaining.....

To eliminate this unjust impact on those who lead the championship, this year each rally has a qualifying stage. If you finish first on the quali stage you get to be the first to choose your starting position on the stages, second in quali picks second, and so on.

Loeb: New rules make Mexico â€˜fairâ€™ (MaxRally.com)

2nd March 2012

Sebastien Loeb says he is looking forward to a 'fair' fight in Mexico at last under the new-for-2012 road position rules.

Although Loeb has won the last five Rally Mexicos run within the world championship, arriving at the event as points leader has tended to leave him running first on the dusty roads.

This year that is unlikely to be the case, as the World Rally Championship's new 'qualifying' system takes effect - allowing the fastest drivers to have first call on the ideal start positions.

"I have always felt comfortable on the stages here in Mexico, despite often having to cope with being first out on the road," said Loeb. "Fortunately, this aspect won't come into play this year thanks to the qualifying stage and I will be able fight fairly with the other drivers from day one."

Loeb reckons that with running order no longer a worry, the main tactical challenge will be the final day's itinerary.

"Sunday's stages will perhaps be a bit more difficult to manage in terms of strategy, because the four stages are being run without any service period," he said. "Depending on the positions and time differences, we'll have to attempt to solve an equation with several imponderables. Should we take one or two spare tyres, focus on fighting for position in the overall standings or in the power stage? It will be interesting right up to the very end."
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Steve · Mar 6, 2012

Snapshot from Mexico (MaxRally.com)

6th March 2012

Stand at 2,579 metres above La Thuile, Italy and you'll be surrounded by people walking around in duvets with planks of wood strapped to their feet. Stand at precisely the same height above Cubilete, Mexico and you'll be in church.

And this Friday, you'll be just a short walk from the second and sixth stage of Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

From pretty much anywhere in the Guanajuato valley, if you look up, you're going to see the 23-metre tall, 80-tonne, bronze statue of Christ the King. And it's mighty impressive.

Imposing and remarkable as it is from the valley floor, that's nothing compared with the view from the top of Cerro del Cubilete (Tumbler Hill). From the peak, it seems that most of Mexico can be seen â€“ especially as that precise point is considered to be the geographical centre of the country.

The road up there is one of the highlights. Pick your moment and you'll find precious little traffic beyond the odd donkey hauling a cart, its wares and its master. And, while your Dodge Attitude might be a tad breathless on the way up the hill, it's quite lively with gravity giving you a shove in the opposite direction...

The challenge of Rally Guanajuato Mexico comes with the altitude of the stages. The lowest height for competition is 1,800 metres, while at its peak the event runs flat-out at 2,737 metres. At such elevation, the thin air starves the World Rally Cars of oxygen, compromising power output from the 1600cc turbocharged engines.

Sebastien Loeb loves these roads. As well he might, having won on them for the last five years. Quick as the Citroen-driving Frenchman is, however, he's not the winner of the fastest event: Petter Solberg still holds that accolade from 2005, when the then Subaru driver averaged 96.60km/h, 0.36km/h faster than Loeb's average speed in 2007.
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Steve · Mar 7, 2012

Araujo gunning for Top 10. (MINIMotorsport.com)

7 March 2012
Mexican debut for the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre will represent MINI at the third round of the WRC in the lofty heights of Mexico.

Having lined up with the MINI John Cooper Works S2000 at the 2011 Rally Mexico, the WRC version will now be in action in Mexico for the first time. 24 special stages with over 430 timed kilometres await the teams, almost all of which are on rough gravel, taking a huge toll on material, and at an altitude of up to 2200 metres above sea level.

To prepare for the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountain ranges in central Mexico, the teams have had to work on the cars at special tests at high altitude, as the cars lose up to 20 percent of their performance in the thin air. It is the same for all teams, however, so there should be no advantage for anyone in particular. The pressure is on the teams' engineers to find the perfect engine set-up under extreme conditions, in order to keep the loss of performance to a minimum.

Tyre damage guaranteed.

The first "Qualifying Stage" in the history of the WRC will take place at 10:33 (local time) on Thursday morning on the gravel roads around San JosÃ© de Llanos. The result will determine the order, in which the drivers can select their start positions for the opening stage. The fastest driver on the "Qualifying Stage" can pick his own starting position for the first special stage. No driver will want to be first out onto the route at the Rally Mexico, which features some extremely rocky stages. As a rule, the first car tends to clear the road for the following drivers. The teams will once again need to be prepared for some tyre damage.

Despite the ruthless Mexican terrain, Armindo Araujo is still optimistic. "I like Mexico a lot. The conditions are not that different to Portugal," he says. His team principal Bruno de Pianto is also hungry for another good result. "We are aiming for a top-ten finish with Armindo," says de Pianto. Armindo laid the foundations for his 2010 PWRC victory with a good result in Mexico, where he also scored his first WRC point in the same year. "I will be doing my very best to meet the expectations I have of myself," says Armindo. The Portuguese driver has already produced two promising results at the opening two rounds of the 2012 WRC season, with tenth place at the Rally Monte Carlo and fifteenth in Sweden.

Unchartered waters for Paulo Nobre.

In contrast, Armindo's team-mate Paulo Nobre will be entering unchartered waters in Mexico. "For Paulo, it's his first time competing in Mexico, so the aim is to complete all the stages successfully and to enjoy the experience of being one of the first drivers to compete at a WRC long haul event in a MINI," says team principal de Pianto.

The fun starts on Thursday evening for Armindo, Paulo and WRC Team MINI Portugal with the opening special stage on a 1.05-kilometre asphalt street circuit in the city of Guanajuato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site â€“ a spectacle the fans will not want to miss. This is followed by a further 23 stages between Friday and Sunday, when the winner of the Rally Mexico will be crowned following the grand finale â€“ the Power Stage near LÃ©on de Los Aldama.
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Steve · Mar 8, 2012

The qualifying stage runs today at almost 7PM Eastern.

In the meantime, in honor of Women's Day (any excuse to sell stuff I guess) WRC.com is offering special deals on a few shirts through their Facebook page and eBay store. No, I'm not promoting WRC.com, I just wanted an excuse to post this shirt. I kinda like this one, might even buy one...

Steve · Mar 8, 2012

I was once again wrong about the timing (must pay closer attention), the qualifying stage is done.

Solberg fastest in WRC Rally Mexico qualifying (AUTOSPORT.com)

By David Evans | Thursday, March 8th 2012, 18:20 GMT

Petter Solberg has topped his first ever World Rally Championship qualifying stage at Rally Mexico this morning.

Third into the 3.21-mile stage just outside Leon, the Norwegian was nine tenths of a second quicker than his nearest rival Mikko Hirvonen. WRC leader Sebastien Loeb was third quickest.

Solberg said: "I was pushing hard, but the key was not to make a mistake. The time was quite good."

Solberg had expected his Ford team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala to beat him in the stage, but the Finn could only manage fourth fastest, 2.371sec down.

"I don't know what happened," said a mystified Latvala. "I just don't know, I have no answers for this, I honestly don't understand."

Both Hirvonen and Loeb admitted to mistakes on the stage, which was run in bright sunshine. Hirvonen said: "I made one mistake, but when you do that at this altitude then you know you are going to pay for it. I saw Seb [Loeb] have a problem on the line, so I thought I would be able to take him here."

Hirvonen was a second up on his fellow Citroen DS3 WRC driver. Loeb added: "There were one or two little mistakes, nothing major. I was sliding too much in some corners. Generally the run was good, but not great."

Evgeny Novikov was fifth, two tenths up on fellow Ford driver Mads Ostberg while Thierry Neuville made a strong competitive World Rally Car debut in his DS3 WRC, just three hundredths behind Ostberg.

Armindo Araujo suffered a troubled run and, along with fellow WRC Team Mini Portugal driver Paulo Nobre, is likely to open the road tomorrow. Araujo's Mini suffered turbo and throttle problems.

Monster World Rally Team driver Chris Atkinson was 10th fastest on his first time out with the team, while his team-mate Ken Block was one place behind after a heavy landing in the sister Fiesta.
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Steve · Mar 8, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQdspm6nwcU]Postcard - 2012 WRC Rally Mexico - Best-of-RallyLive.com - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Mar 8, 2012

Araujo leads the way after Qualifying woe (WRC.com)

08 Mar 12

WRC Team MINI Portugal driver Armindo Araujo will run first on the road on Rally Guanajuato Mexico's opening day, with Ford's Petter Solberg grabbing the preferred lowly spot of 14th.

Solberg was the first driver to select his place on the road after winning this morningâ€™s Qualifying Stage. He had little hesitation in putting his name alongside position number 14 when it came to choosing his slot in the running order for round three of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.

â€œBasically, I wanted to be as far back on the road as possible,â€ said the Norwegian. â€œAnd this is as far as I can go! This is a good start for me.â€

Portuguese ace Araujo will lead the crews into the DC Shoes Street Stage Guanajuato this evening and then into the long, hot and dusty gravel roads around Leon on Friday morning. He set the 13th fastest time on the Qualifying Stage after he was unable to cure a turbo and throttle problem that developed in free practice and restricted him to one trial run.

â€œThereâ€™s no boost from the turbo and the throttle is running on when you take your foot from the pedal,â€ said Araujo, who selected the position at the head of the field, leaving his team-mate Paulo Nobre, the slowest of the qualifiers, to go second.

World championship leader Sebastien Loeb will run 12th on the road with Citroen team-mate Mikko Hirvonen 13th. Fordâ€™s Jari-Matti Latvala, the winner of the previous WRC round in Sweden, starts 11th.
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Steve · Mar 8, 2012

Other than the qualifier there was only one short, 1.05km street stage today. I guess they found some kind of fix for Araujo's problems because he managed the 8th best time. It may be a temporary fix though, according to an Autosport article...

Prodrive is flying out a new engine map for the Motorsport Italia team to fit to his John Cooper Works WRC before Friday's first gravel stage.
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11 stages tomorrow, 147 competitive kilometers.

Steve · Mar 8, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAN1siCLV5U]Shakedown - 2012 WRC Rally Mexico - Best-of-RallyLive.com - YouTube[/ame]

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