Most liked posts in thread: WRC: Rally Spain

Justa Jim · Oct 14, 2011

With one stage "under the cover of darkness", we might get to see those four driving lights attached to the car for the first time. Did I mention I think driving lights are cool?

Jim

Steve · Oct 17, 2011

Pre-event test to boost MINI in Spain (wrc.com)

17 Oct 11

MINI WRC Team drivers Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo are due to complete a two-day test in Spain today (Monday), which could boost the Prodrive-run squad's chances of landing a third podium finish in as many starts.

Although Meeke has endured a frustrating run of late with a technical failure forcing his exit in Germany and a high-speed crash leading to his retirement in France, Sordo followed up his third place in Germany by coming close to winning in France, eventually settling for second, 6.3s behind winner Sebastien Ogier.

MINI has done comparatively little testing compared to Citroen and Ford, despite its John Cooper Works WRC still in the early stages of development. It only completed a short set-up confirmation test prior to the last round in France.

â€œIf weâ€™ve got new things on the car to test then obviously you test things,â€ said team principal David Richards. â€œIf nothing has changed, and nothing had changed on the car between Germany and France, then itâ€™s a bit frivolous to go testing. People kid themselves. They go round and round in circles pretending theyâ€™re improving things and in many cases theyâ€™re just wasting money. You need to focus your resources and your attention where they are best applied.â€

Richards admits he didnâ€™t expect the success to come so soon, adding: â€œThis early in the development of the new car, we were not expecting to be challenging for a win and I think it is a real testament to the engineering team that they have managed to produce such a fast and reliable car straight out of the box. As for Spain, it is Daniâ€™s home event and I am sure he will be looking for a third straight podium, while I know Kris is determined to finish this rally and I am sure with the pace he has shown, that he too will be in a strong positin.â€
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Steve · Oct 17, 2011

jbewley said: ↑

With one stage "under the cover of darkness", we might get to see those four driving lights attached to the car for the first time. Did I mention I think driving lights are cool?

Jim
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Form what I've read it may actually be 2 stages.

Part of their testing today is supposed to be after dark, with the lights. I hope to find some cockpit video later.

Justa Jim · Oct 17, 2011

Steve said: ↑

Form what I've read it may actually be 2 stages.

Part of their testing today is supposed to be after dark, with the lights. I hope to find some cockpit video later.
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Good man Steve.

Jim

Steve · Oct 18, 2011

Sordo Hungry for Podium in Spain. (minimotorsport.com)

18 October 2011
Following two very good results in Germany and France, the MINI WRC Team faces its next test at the Rally Spain. Dani Sordo is particularly keen to continue his fine run of form.

Just one place better than in France: that is Technical Director Dave Wilcock's wish as the MINI WRC Team heads to Spain for the next round of the World Rally Championship. This might at first sound easy, but it is far from a simple task. On the one hand, Dani was in contention for overall victory in France until the very last special stage. On the other hand, this coming rally is a real challenge for the drivers and teams thanks in no small part to its changing surfaces.

The fifth outing of the MINI WRC team this season is a real home race for Dani and his co-driver Carlos del Barrio. When the Spanish due goes up against the clock on the Costa Daurade, their fans will pack the route. "This will obviously be a very special rally for me," says Dani. "A lot of friends and fans will be there. That is fun, and gives me extra motivation to go out and get a good result." If all goes to plan, Dani and Carlos may climb onto the podium for the third time in a row â€“ preferably onto the top step.

Kris Meeke also faces a big challenge in Spain. Kris was his own greatest critic following the crash and subsequent retirement at the Rally France. Wilcock says: "Kris has spent a lot of time thinking about that over the last week. It has been a difficult time for him." Despite this, the Technical Director remains confident: "He will learn from these small mistakes and emerge an even better driver."

Nobody in the MINI WRC Team has had the luxury of a break since France. On the one hand, a new car had to be built from scratch for Kris, as his other car had to be written off after his unplanned excursion off piste. On the other hand, the two MINI John Cooper Works WRC cars both had to be prepared and tested in two technical variants â€“ for gravel and tarmac.

The changes in surface significantly increase the degree of difficulty for the drivers at this rally. The opening day, with no less than 160.36 kilometres of special stages, changes surface on several occasions, while the second day is driven exclusively on tarmac. At a distance of 45.97 kilometres, special stages seven and ten are the longest on the Rally Spain. The Saturday features 143.54 kilometres of stages before the drivers go up against the clock for a further 102.62 kilometres on Sunday â€“ again, exclusively on asphalt.

As was the case before the Rally France, the Technical Director of the MINI WRC Team has once again sent both driving crews out for test drives directly before the event. "This means the drivers start the competition with an optimal feel for the car," says Wilcock. Two test days were scheduled this time, with Wilcock's strategy having borne fruit so far.

What result will the MINI WRC Team achieve this time? MINI Fans can already look ahead optimistically: Dani finished third at this event last year, just 41.2 seconds behind the winner.
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Justa Jim · Oct 18, 2011

I hope Dani does not let the pressure of "home town driver" get to him. I seems to have the experience to deal with it, I hope. :fingerscrossed:

Jim

Justa Jim · Oct 18, 2011

minimark said: ↑

Hope they are not over focusing on a win, sometimes that will guarantee the wheels to come off....

Race the circuit not the podium, keep doing what you have been doing and the victory might be there in the end!! Then think about it....

Good luck!!!
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You are so right, Mark. Every time I practice hard and plan to impress my instructor at the next lesson, I end up looking like a complete idiot. :lol:

Jim

Steve · Oct 19, 2011

The Goal is to Go One Better than in France. (minimotorsport.com)

19 October 2011
Dave Wilcock, Technical Director of the MINI WRC Team, speaks about what awaits Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke at the demanding Rally Spain and discusses the setup of their MINI WRC cars.

Hi MINI Fans,

There has not been much time to savour the superb 2nd place for Dani in France due to a very challenging turnaround and preparation period. The team have not had a single day off since France as the very nature of the Spain event is very different to the rallies we have competed in to date.

The first day of the rally takes place on predominantly a gravel surface with approximately 17 per cent on tarmac. At the end of day one the cars must be stripped and converted into tarmac form in little over one hour service time for the remaining two days. This requires the cars to be built and tested in both configurations and kept in large assemblies ready for fitment on the Friday evening. That obviously means that each car must be built twice.

Adding to the challenge we have carried out a two-day test with both drivers prior to the rally where the same process was also carried out on the test cars. Plus we had to build Kris a new car as the body shell of his MINI John Cooper Works WRC was destroyed in his accident in France.

When you consider the size of our team the guys have performed miracles since arriving home after France. Their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication is exemplary and that is what makes this small team special.

As for Kris, he has been doing a lot of thinking since his France accident. It has been a difficult time for him but he will learn from his small mistake and it will make him an even better driver than he already is. Kris has the speed but he now needs the consistency to go with it. The target for him is to finish the next two rallies because he has yet to finish a rally this season which is quite disheartening for him and the team.

To make matters worse if he had continued his pace in France he would have finished 3rd overall due to Petter Solbergâ€™s disqualification. But Kris â€“ as always â€“ puts 110 per cent effort into all of his events. There are not many drivers who would match Kris and Paul for commitment and determination. So I am sure he will be in the fight with the top six.

Dani will have his home crowd behind him which should provide the insensitive and moral support to reach the top step of the podium. And I can guarantee the team will be right behind him doing all it can to provide the hardware.

The cars have had minor improvements. Switching back to gravel for the start of the rally we must cast our minds back to Finland and our low point of this season with the double retirement so close to the end of the rally. We must remember that the events are all part of our 2011 testing program and therefore we are learning as we go along.

The gravel specification air filtration system has been reviewed and has been tested last weekend. Here are a number alterations and updates in this area along with modifications to prevent dirt and dust being thrown forward into the path of the intake systems.

So what is the overall goal for the team in Spain? It is to go one better than France. We have been building momentum over the last few rallies and the drivers are building their confidence while becoming match fit and race ready. We could see it by the condition of Daniâ€™s car after France. It looked like it had been in a rally and driven hard, whereas up until then the cars finished completely un-marked.

Our road positioning on day one favours both drivers on the gravel sections because of the increased grip due to the road seeping effects. So we hope to be at the front before we switch to tarmac. There we have shown that the MINI WRC is very strong. So Iâ€™m sure it will be a very competitive rally.

Yours,

Dave
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Justa Jim · Oct 19, 2011

What, exactly, does "road sweeping effects" mean?

Jim

Steve · Oct 19, 2011

I'm still learning too but I'll take a stab...

Drivers who run earliest are said to "sweep the road," meaning they have to deal with anything loose on the surface, esp. on gravel stages where they encounter the loosest of the gravel. Those cars throw some of that loose stuff off the road, or at least off the best line(s), as they go so drivers who follow have a somewhat easier drive.

I'm still trying to understand how this crosses over with the complaint that drivers who go out later have to deal with the gravel tossed ON to the road by earlier drivers cutting corners. This was such a concern in France that they even put posts along some of the corners to keep drivers from cutting and ruining the chances of those running behind them. I think this latter effect is primarily a hard surface stage concern though and Wilcock is talking about the advantage they hope to gain from following others on the opening gravel stages.

Justa Jim · Oct 19, 2011

Thanks Steve. I thought it was something like that, but was not sure. The way it was worded above it sounded like something else.

Jim

Angib · Oct 19, 2011

Steve said: ↑

This was such a concern in France that they even put posts along some of the corners to keep drivers from cutting and ruining the chances of those running behind them.
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I thought those little posts had been put up in France to stop the drivers cutting up the verges on the inside of turns - to reduce the damage the rally did to the surroundings, not to keep the roads clean.

Steve · Oct 19, 2011

Angib said: ↑

I thought those little posts had been put up in France to stop the drivers cutting up the verges on the inside of turns - to reduce the damage the rally did to the surroundings, not to keep the roads clean.
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I'm sure many of the locals appreciated it for that reason but see the article posted here for the real motive.

Steve · Oct 20, 2011

Spain: High Speed on Mixed Surfaces. (minimotorsport.com)

20 October 2011
Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo describe the highlights of the 18 special stages on the Rally Spain from a driver's perspective.

And now the weather forecast for the Tarragona region of Spain: Thursday and Friday will see sunshine and temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius, with no more than a 3 percent chance of rain. A few gentle clouds will roll up on Saturday and Sunday, but it will remain dry. If it rains, then it will just be a few drops here and there on Sunday.

Nice. But what does that have to do with the Rally Spain? A lot: if it remains dry, the drivers will be able to put the pedal to the metal around the Tarragona region, where the rally is being held. Dani and Carlos are particularly keen to be quick in front of their home fans.

One thing in their favour is the fact that the Rally Spain is held predominantly on tarmac. Dani, Kris and their co-drivers showed just what the MINI John Cooper Works WRC is capable of on solid ground at the recent rallies in Germany and France, where Dani claimed two podium finishes and Kris also showed good pace.

Only on Friday will the drivers face gravel sections totaling 134.84 kilometres: that is 84.09 percent of the total 160.36 kilometres of special stages to be completed on day one of the rally. The very first special stage is new to the schedule. This means that each team will have to rely on new pace notes, which in turn gives the favourites a relatively equal chance of clocking the fastest time.

The first stage covers 25.74 kilometres of gravel, which should allow Kris to get his rally off to a good start. "That is good for me, as I really like gravel routes," says Kris. The first stage is repeated as special stage number four after the midday service break. Stages two and five are the same as last year, featuring a mixture of gravel and tarmac, before stages three and six incorporate a predominantly new route. 12.52 of the total 18.5 kilometres are new here.

The third special stage passes through the town of La Granadella and throws up a real highlight for spectators: the cars approach at full throttle before having to brake hard to take a 180-degree corner. If that were not enough, the ground switches from gravel to tarmac at this very point â€“ another big test for the drivers.

Day two is run exclusively on tarmac. "You often achieve top speed on tarmac, which Dani is sure to be looking forward to," says Kris. "His experience at the Rally Spain means he will have a big advantage over the other teams." Dani proved just how quick he can be at his home event in 2010 when he finished third overall, just 41.2 seconds behind the winner.

The very first special stage on Saturday is the longest on the entire rally at 45.97 kilometres. The teams only have an hour on Friday evening to convert the set-up of the cars from gravel to tarmac. Once the "El Priorat" stage begins, everything must be up and running in order to avoid a poor start to the second and toughest day of the rally.

Fans will find the best viewing point in the town of El Molar, where you can experience the extent to which the residents live for the rally. Flags are waved, graffiti is painted on the roads, and teams are cheered on with loud horns. It is not rare for the residents of El Molar to invite rally fans into their homes and offer them a coffee, tea or even a glass of wine from the local region.

The eighth special stage on Saturday is another challenging one. The short, 12-kilometre stage zigzags over two mountain passes. The success of the team here depends on the work carried out during the Recce to determine the difficult layout, as well as the performance of the engines, tyres and brakes. After the completely new ninth special stage and the second run after the lunch break, the drivers will have completed a total 143.54 kilometres of special stages.

The field then goes up against the clock over a further six stages and 102.62 kilometres on Sunday. The first stage, Santa Marina, is one of the classics in Spain. The second is known for the narrow sections in Vilaplana, before the drivers move onto the third stage, which, later in the day, will be the Power Stage and determine the winner of the Rally Spain.

The "Santa Marina" stage is very popular among fans, as this special stage is extremely varied. The twisty section around the town of Santa Marina boasts many viewpoints, from which fans can marvel over the drivers' skill. The faster sections are come at the start of the stage, while the final sections are coarser and more rugged.

Hopefully the weather will continue to play ball. "You have to bear in mind that the weather can fluctuate in this part of Spain at the end of October," says Dani. "If it rains, the speeds will be lower, but you have to remain just as focused because the surface becomes very slippery." This would undoubtedly have a certain sporting appeal to the spectators. However, hand on heart, sunshine and high speeds are much more fun.
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Steve · Oct 20, 2011

There's a short video of Sordo running a mixed surface stage here. I'm not certain, but I think it's today's short, pre-rally shake down.

The whistling noise bugs me but fun stuff otherwise.

Steve · Oct 20, 2011

Some excellent new photos from Spain on MINI Motorsport's Facebook page here.

My favorites:

Steve · Oct 20, 2011

Sordo Targets Maiden WRC Win in Rally Catalunya (autosport.com)

By David Evans | Thursday, October 20th 2011, 16:02 GMT

Mini driver Dani Sordo says he starts his home round of the World Rally Championship chasing a first ever victory for himself and the John Cooper Works WRC.

Sordo and Mini have stunned the WRC service park with back-to-back podium finishes on the last two rounds of the championship. But, after a third in Germany and a second in France, Sordo says he wants a first in Salou on Sunday.

"Of course we can win," he said. "I have a good position for the first day and a good feeling with the car. In France we were quite good and so close to trying to win. I need to start rally and try to be at the finish but at the same time try to put pressure on the others."

Sordo admitted his recent success had added pressure to his entry on this week's mixed-surface event.

"There is a bit more pressure," he said. "At the beginning of the year we were told to drive the car and test for next year. After the podium in Germany we felt we need to try to do a job in France.

"In France we were really close to win and now everybody is thinking three-two-one, but it is not easy like that and with [Sebastien] Loeb out in France it was a little more easy. We will see."

Sordo added that he wasn't a big fan of the Catalunya Rally's recent switch to a mixed-surface format - especially as he hasn't driven the Mini in anger on gravel since Finland in August. He and team-mate Kris Meeke tested the car for half a day on gravel and half a day on asphalt ahead of this week's Salou-based event.

He said: "For me this format is not a good idea. I like more before. But it's a nice rally for the spectators and the drivers because we have more gravel. But the Tarmac is very nice here, I like a lot but we need to do this. We are professional rally drivers so we have to fight in all surfaces."
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Steve · Oct 20, 2011

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pm8qDk3SUM]RALLYSUPPORT.NL - WRC RALLY SPAIN 2011 SHAKEDOWN - YouTube[/ame]

Justa Jim · Oct 20, 2011

Wow, a lot of MINI coverage there and that is very good.

Jim

Steve · Oct 21, 2011

Loeb has been a harsh critic of the running order rule which apparently forces him to go out first all the time (not sure why...because he's the points leader?) and clear the road, but this time it was an unexpected and significant advantage.

SS1: Loeb flies in the Spanish dust (wrc.com)

21 Oct 11

Wrc.com stage summary

Stage data: SS1, Pesells (25.74 kilometres)

Stage description:
By MINI World Rally Team co-driver Carlos Del Barrio : â€œThis very first stage is new for everybody. It is very fast with a lot of loose gravel. It is very demanding because itâ€™s high-speed with only three or four corners taken in second gear. Everybody will like it, the spectators, the media and the drivers. The end is very nice, downhill. Itâ€™s a good package to start the rally. Itâ€™s quite flat in the beginning then you have a little up hill but the last three kilometres are downhill but itâ€™s not like you are on a mountain.â€

How the action unfolded:
Sebastien Loebâ€™s fears that he would drop time running first on the road through the loose surface gravel on the opening day of RallyRACC-Rally de Espana have proved unfounded after he went fastest on Fridayâ€™s opening all-gravel test.

Driving a Citroen DS3 WRC, the seven-time world champion was quickest by 7.4s as hanging dust clouds played havoc for the drivers running behind, despite crews setting off in gaps of three minutes rather than the usual two.

â€œItâ€™s very slippery and loose,â€ said Loeb. â€œI don't know how much it's cleaning behind, but the grip for me is very low. I'm quite happy with the set-up. I have to push hard."

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen, who is equal on points with Loeb in the battle for the world title, is running immediately behind the Frenchman. After going 15.4s slower than Loeb, the Finn said: â€œThere was lots of dust. We went off in one corner, it was a double right hander. I couldn't see anything in the dust. Luckily we didn't damage anything on the car.â€

Petter Solberg was one of the drivers who suffered more than most in the dust, taking a wheel off his privateer Citroen after reporting to his team that he simply couldnâ€™t see where he was going.

Spaniard Dani Sordo, one of the favourites for a podium finish in his MINI John Cooper Works WRC, said he had to lift off the throttle due to the dust clouds. â€œAll the time I was in the dust, I didnâ€™t see anything. It was impossible,â€ he said.

Matthew Wilson reported a hefty impact with a rock on the front-left corner of his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta. The Briton also suggested a misfire had developed approximately three kilometres from the stage finish.

Crews are now heading to the mixed-surface Terra Alta test, which goes live at 09:51hrs local time.

Key moment:
Loeb fastest as dust clouds slow rivals.
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