Most liked posts in thread: WRC: Rally Mexico 2012

Steve · Mar 10, 2012

SS17: Hirvonen admits he canâ€™t catch Loeb (WRC.com)

10 Mar 12

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS17, Comanjilla 1 (17.91 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œAnother classic that we know well: fast and wide roads where we can definitely push. The last five kilometres of this stage are used as the Power Stage and thatâ€™s definitely a characteristic of this rally: several parts of the stages are often re-used at different times.â€

How the action unfolded:
Mikko Hirvonen has all but given up on catching Sebastien Loeb in the battle for victory on Rally Guanajuato Mexico after he completed the first run through the Comanjilla stage trailing his Citroen team-mate by almost 35 seconds in the overall classification.

Hirvonen, who was six seconds slower than Loeb through the stage, said: â€œWeâ€™re maintaining our position, there is no need to have a big push and Jari-Matti [Latvala] is so far behind. Sebastien has been a little bit faster than me and heâ€™s so far ahead that even if I take massive risks I couldnâ€™t catch him by driving. The most important thing is to finish the rally and keep my position.â€

Meanwhile, Latvala notched up his seventh stage win of the event by going fastest of all, 3.8s quicker than the time set by his Ford team-mate Petter Solberg. Mads Ostberg was fifth fastest with Ott Tanak next up.

Thierry Neuville was 10th fastest despite running at the head of the field and having to clean the road of the loose surface gravel.

â€œThere was a lot of loose gravel again but I enjoyed this stage and the car worked very well,â€ said the Citroen Junior ace. â€œThe only disappointment is we have to clean the road because yesterday we lost everything but we can come back better for the futre.â€
Click to expand...

Crashton · Mar 10, 2012

^ Team orders for Hirvonen? I wonder....

Steve · Mar 10, 2012

Team orders? Nah, of course not...Citroen say they're clear to race so it must be true, right?

I think Araujo is up to 8th (I think, the live timing is screwed up at the moment). He's been consistent...as has the attrition.

SS18: Loeb and Solberg share superspecial joy (WRC.com)

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS18, Super Special 3 (4.42 kilometres - SS18 and SS19 combined, SS19 cancelled)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œAnother repeat of the superspecial stage that we first did on Friday night, but this time itâ€™s not in the dark and will be combined so rather than two separate runs of 2.21 kilometres it will be one run of 4.42 kilometres. Thereâ€™s a bit of everything: jumps, watersplashes and a bridge, so the fans always have something interesting to watch. From our point of view we will just need to keep our driving neat and clean.â€

How the action unfolded:
Sebastien Loeb and Petter Solberg shared the joint fastest time through the Leon race circuitâ€™s superspecial stage, which was doubled in length following a decision by organisers to merge the two runs.

Loeb beat Citroen team-mate Mikko Hirvonen in an exciting head-to-head battle, while Petter Solberg defeated Ott Tanak in a close fight.

â€œIt was a good run, not so hard as the other stages,â€ said Loeb. â€œIt was just a pleasure to drive.â€

Jari-Matti Latvala was third fastest with Ott Tanak fourth and Mads Ostberg fifth quickest.

Ricardo Trivino won the battle of the Mexican drivers in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, unsurprisingly getting the better of Benito Guerra in his production-specification Mitsubishi Lancer.
Click to expand...

Stage 19 was cancelled.

SS20: Late drama for Novikov (WRC.com)

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS20, Comanjilla 2 (17.91 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œAnother classic that we know well: fast and wide roads where we can definitely push. The last five kilometres of this stage are used as the Power Stage and thatâ€™s definitely a characteristic of this rally: several parts of the stages are often re-used at different times.â€

How the action unfolded:
Evgeny Novikov is out of Rally Guanajuato Mexico after he ripped a wheel off his M-Sport Ford Fiesta two corners from the stage start.

The Russian had been chasing team-mate Ott Tanak for sixth position when disaster struck. Although he attempted to reach the stage finish he was forced to retire as a result of the damage to his car.

â€œIâ€™m very sorry for him, it was a really good battle,â€ said Tanak. â€œI almost hit his upright on the road.â€

Volkswagen Motorsportâ€™s Sebastien Ogier clouted an earth bank avoiding a large rock in the middle of the road nearing the stage finish, puncturing a front-left tyre in the process. Armindo Araujo and Mads Ostberg said they had narrowly avoided the obstruction.

Jari-Matti Latvala won the stage from Ford team-mate Petter Solberg. Mikko Hirvonen was third quickest with event leader Sebastien Loeb fourth fastest.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 10, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWEeEMY92PQ]Highlights from the leg 1 - 2012 WRC Rally Mexico - Best-of-RallLive.com - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Mar 10, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen's good, bad and ugly (WRC.com)

10 Mar 12

Mikko Hirvonen admits that his chances of winning Rally Guanajuato Mexico are probably over, now that he's more than half a minute behind his illustrious team-mate Sebastien Loeb. But it's far from being all bad news, as he explains...

The good: â€œI feel that Iâ€™m really getting on top of the Citroen now. Itâ€™s funny because itâ€™s a very different feeling to the Fiesta and it took me a little while to realise it. If you push the Citroen really hard, it doesnâ€™t make that much difference. If you take a step back, and drive smooth and relaxed, thatâ€™s when the times come.â€

The bad: â€œIn terms of speed today wasnâ€™t quite so good as yesterday. But the main thing is I know the places that Iâ€™m losing time and how itâ€™s happening - so that definitely means that I can improve.â€

The ugly: On the final stage of the day, the flying Finn had a big surprise - thanks to Evgeny Novikov going off in his Ford Fiesta. â€œI came around a corner and suddenly found a suspension upright right in the middle of the road! I couldnâ€™t avoid hitting it and I was sure that we had a puncture but in the end I only bent the steering. You never know what youâ™re going to meet...â€
Click to expand...

Justa Jim · Mar 10, 2012

Great stuff Steve. Jari-Matti Latvala is the up and coming star it looks like and I am actually pulling for him. Oh, by the way, is the MINI factory team still out there some place? :lol:

Jim

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-U0dxtfuT4]Highlights from the leg 2 - 2012 WRC Rally Mexico - Best-of-RallyLive.com - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

SS21: Maiden WRC stage win for Neuville (WRC.com)

11 Mar 12

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS21, Super Special 5 (4.42 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œWe start the final day with another run around the mixed asphalt and gravel superspecial. The main point about this stage is that it will wake us up before we tackle the next stage, which is the longest one of the rally. There is no point in ever taking risks on a stage like this one but there is a bit of everything here: jumps, watersplashes and a bridge.â€

How the action unfolded:
Thierry Neuville threw caution to the wind to go fastest on the final run through the Leon Autodromo Super Special for his first stage victory in the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.

With the bulk of the leading drivers admitting to conserving their tyres through the stage ahead of the mammoth 54-kilometre Guanajuatito test, Neuville was less cautious, but also admitted to taking a minor shortcut to save precious time.

Chris Atkinson, back in action under Rally 2 regulations following his exit on Saturday afternoon, was second fastest. He said: â€œIt was good to get a bit of a warm-up, to feel the car again. Weâ€™ve been changing a few things on the set-up, which wasnâ€™t working so well in there because I couldnâ€™t get into the corners.â€

Petter Solberg edged Mads Ostberg in the battle to be top Norwegian in third place. â€œWe had a good run, no major problems,â€ said Solberg. â€œThere was a lot of gravel on one right-hander because people are cutting the corner but weâ€™re not doing that.â€

Behind factory Ford ace Jari-Matti Latvala, Rally Guanajuato Mexico leader Sebastien Loeb equalled Ostbergâ€™s fifth best time in his factory Citroen, comfortably beating Paulo Nobreâ€™s MINI John Cooper Works WRC.

Ott Tanak, who was ninth fastest in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta, said: â€œWe were not fighting, just taking it easy because we need to look after the tyres for the long one,â€ said the Estonian, who was beaten by Nasser Al-Attiyah in their showdown.

Evgeny Novikov defeated Ken Block in their head-to-head after the American stalled at the stage start. As a result Novikov was 3.4s faster to close the gap between the pair to 34.4s in the battle for the final world championship point in 10th. â€œThe car just stalled on me, Iâ€™v no idea why,â€ said Block.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKCZEgowbNM]Armindo AraÃºjo - Day 1 @ Rally MÃ©xico 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

Cool pics from MINI Motorsport (via Facebook):

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

I think this the first time Nobre went off...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

They're running the very long 54.3km stage now. Latvala was outrunning everyone else but he was pushing hard and he rolled the car. After a tire change they were able to continue and still managed to finish the stage 10th. Araujo finished 7th.

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

That was premature.

Cars are still running and though Araujo is likely to hold 7th, Latvala's 10th won't hold. In fact, Paulo Nobre came in ahead of him and is currently (though certainly temporarily) 10th. Both are likely to drop down the Stage finishing order a bit further.

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

SS22: WRC stars hit trouble in Mexico (WRC.com)

11 Mar 12

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS22, Guanajuatito (54.30 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œThis could be the longest stage of the year - although Iâ€™ve heard that there might be something even longer in Argentina! And it could be the stage that decides the rally. At the start, there are eight kilometres that we donâ€™t know and then thereâ€™s a section in the middle that borrows from the Otates stage. Of the 54 kilometres, around 20 will have already have been used for other stages. Iâ€™m glad this stage is being held in the morning: in the hotter conditions of the afternoon it could be really uncomfortable.â€

How the action unfolded:
The Rally Guanajuato Mexico leaderboard has been turned on its head with several drivers hitting trouble on the longest stage in the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia so far this season.

Jari-Matti Latvala rolled his Ford Fiesta RS WRC and then stopped to change a puncture, losing more than seven minutes in the process. Broken front suspension forced Chris Atkinson to retire his Monster World Rally Team Fiesta. Team-mate Ken Block managed to complete the test, albeit with a significant loss of time, while Evgeny Novikov went off the road and retired his M-Sport Fiesta.

Latvalaâ€™s woe means his fellow Ford driver Petter Solberg moves into third place in the overall standings with Mads Ostberg climbing to fourth, despite taking more than two minutes than stage winner Mikko Hirvonen to complete the run after delays.

Sebastien Loeb was 0.7s slower than Hirvonen to maintain his comfortable advantage in the overall classification. Solberg was third fastest with Nasser Al-Attiyah impressing with the fourth quickest time in his Qatar World Rally Team Citroen.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

Latvala's Ford back on the road after rolling.

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

And now he's out.

SS23: Latvala forced to retire (WRC.com)

11 Mar 12

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS23, Derramadero (10.58 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œAnother well-known classic stage that is wide and fast with some nice jumps: a great way to finish the rally. But this year the stage is really slippery compared to the other years. Theyâ€™ve changed the surface and that has altered the grip.â€

How the action unfolded:
Jari-Matti Latvala has been forced to retire from Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

The factory Ford driver was third overall when he rolled on the previous stage, the 54.30-kilometre Guanajuatito test.

Although he managed to limp to the finish of the run he was prevented from starting the penultimate stage of the event due to the damage sustained to the roll cage of his Fiesta RS WRC.

Rally leader Sebastien Loeb was fastest through the stage with Latvalaâ€™s Ford team-mate Petter Solberg second quickest. Mads Ostberg was third with Ott Tanak next up. Mikko Hirvonen was fifth with Nasser Al-Attiyah completing the stage with the sixth fastest time, the Qatari going 5.3s quicker than fellow Citroen driver Thierry Neuville.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

SS24: Power Stage joy for Solberg (WRC.com)

11 Mar 12

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS24, VW Power Stage (5.46 kilometres)

Stage description:
By Citroen Total World Rally Team co-driver Daniel Elena: â€œAt this point the fight for victory on the rally is likely to be over, but there are some important championship points at stake so everyone will be pushing hard. We know this stage well as it is just the last five kilometres of Comanjilla. The stage is fast and flowing, with clean roads that should make it a fair fight for everyone.â€

How the action unfolded:
Petter Solberg has completed Rally Guanajuato Mexico, round three of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia, by gaining three bonus points for winning the event-closing Power Stage in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Sebastien Loeb was second fastest to land two bonus points and his sixth victory in Mexico at the wheel of his Citroen DS3 WRC with Mads Ostberg third quickest to gain the final bonus point on offer in his Adapta Fiesta.

M-Sport Fiesta diver Ott Tanak was fourth quickest with factory Citroen driver Mikko Hirvonen and Qatar World Rally Teamâ€™s Nasser Al-Attiyah completing the top six.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

Araujo seventh on the Rally Mexico (MINIMotorsport.com)

11 March 2012

His ideal was a top ten placing on the Rally Mexico. In the end the MINI WRC driver finished seventh overall. For Armindo Araujo of WRC Team MINI Portugal it was a case of mission accomplished.

For Armindo Araujo the Rally Mexico ended almost as it had started. After the short sprint stage which opened the first long-haul event of the 2012 WRC season to the joyous cheering of thousands of fans, Armindo lay in a provisional eighth place. Three days and over 400 competitive kilometres later he crossed the line â€“ one place up and seventh overall. On the face of it, it seems like an uneventful drive through the highlands of Mexico for the driver from the WRC Team MINI Portugal. The reality, though, is entirely different.

â€œThe rally was not easy,â€ said Armindo after the Power Stage, which brought the third WRC event of the year to a close on Sunday afternoon Mexican time. However, he was extremely pleased with his seventh place despite having earlier indicated that an even better finish was possible. â€œItâ€™s just a pity we were running first on the road, because we know we can go much quicker,â€ he had said on Saturday. Instead Armindo was reduced to sweeping the stages for following drivers, which cost him time.

In addition the challenging stages held on rough gravel roads at altitudes of over 2000 metres did not make life easy for contestants. Cars and crews were often pushed to the limit. Armindo in particular faced trying conditions, but still managed to hold his own against the best ten drivers on the event.

Looking forward to his home event.

Seventh place, as the final result turned out to be for Armindo in Mexico, meant just one thing to him: mission accomplished, for he had targeted a top ten finish, having placed tenth on his debut here in 2010. His latest result means he scored six points in the drivers' championship to add to the points earned through consistent performances which enabled him to finish tenth on the Monte Carlo Rally, and fifteenth in Sweden. In addition, the Rally Mexico provided a good test ahead of the next WRC round, to be held on gravel roads in Portugal at the end of March. That means: home rally for Armindo.

â€œLast year in Portugal marked my first event in a MINI, und naturally itâ€™s great to see the fans there. Portugal could very well be the biggest event of the year for us,â€ says Armindo. Teammate Paulo Nobre will also be present in Portugal. The rally further marks the next planned appearance of Dani Sordo in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC entered by Prodrive, with Patrick Sandell of the Swedish World Rally Team making his second appearance of the season.

Thus MINI fans can look forward to no less than four MINI WRC cars contesting the Rally Portugal. The fourth round of the WRC season starts on 29 March.

Rally Mexico:
1. SÃ©bastien Loeb 4:15:32.7
2. Mikko Hirvonen 4:16:15.1
3. Petter Solberg 4:17:44.1
4. Mads Ostberg 4:20:24.2
5. Ott Tanak 4:20:35.3
7. Armindo Araujo 4:28:19.6
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

Jari-Matti Lavala admits Evgeny Novikov's crash contributed to his own incident (AUTOSPORT.com)

Sunday, March 11th 2012, 22:39 GMT

Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala has admitted that the crash that cost him third place in Rally Mexico came when he was distracted by Evgeny Novikov's crashed car.

The Finn was setting an incredible pace through the longest stage on the route when he went off the road in the same corner as Novikov - despite being warned about the Russian's crash by the Ford team.

Latvala dropped six minutes on the stage, but was prevented from continuing in the event by FIA official who spotted damage to the rollcage in the Fiesta RS WRC.

"I was approaching a fast left bend, which led to a left-right combination," Latvala explained. "From a distance I saw Evgeny's car on its roof, it appeared to be at the side of the road. I braked hard and my car hit the bank and rolled back onto the road. I think we rolled twice.

"The impact punctured the front-left wheel, so we stopped and changed that tyre and drove to the end. The FIA official reported to the clerk of the course that there was a small dent on the case and that it was unsafe to continue."

Latvala has vowed to put his second crash in three rallies behind him.

"Of course, I am extremely disappointed with this, but I have to look forward," he said.
Click to expand...

Steve · Mar 11, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXTGJXx5cgI]THE RACE - YouTube[/ame]

Forums

Most liked posts in thread: WRC: Rally Mexico 2012

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Crashton Club Coordinator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Justa Jim Well-Known Member
Lifetime Supporter

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Useful Searches

Most liked posts in thread: WRC: Rally Mexico 2012

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Crashton Club Coordinator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Justa Jim Well-Known Member Lifetime Supporter

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Justa Jim Well-Known Member
Lifetime Supporter

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator

Steve Administrator
Staff Member Articles Moderator