jeudi 29 mai 2014
Crazy June ! / The crazy month of June!
Deux rallyes WRC et un ERC, deux courses d’Endurance de 24 heures, le Festival of Speed de Goodwood, de la vitesse moto… Cette année encore, le mois de juin est très chargé pour les hommes de Michelin Motorsport qui sont prêts à relever le défi.
Depuis quelques semaines, de nombreux Correspondants Techniques d’Ecurie (CTE) – les techniciens – suivent un programme d’entraînement physique et diététique appelé Oxygène concocté par les préparateurs physiques de l’équipe de l'ASM Omnisports.
Il faudra bien ça pour affronter ce mois de juin hyper chargé qui débute dimanche 1er par la Journée Test des 24 Heures du Mans. Une cinquantaine de techniciens, autant de monteurs, des ingénieurs, développeurs ou encore chimistes de Michelin Motorsport seront dans la Sarthe pour une journée de roulage très attendue par les équipes d’usine et « privées » partenaires de Michelin.
Puis, quelques-uns se rendront directement en Sardaigne pour la 6e manche du Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA où Michelin équipera toutes les World Rally Cars officielles et de nombreux véhicules en catégorie WRC-2 dont les nouvelles Peugeot 208 T16 et Citroën DS3 R5. La manche italienne du WRC s’annonce difficile avec un parcours très étendu sur l’île méditerranéenne et de longues spéciales.
La cérémonie du podium ne sera pas terminée quand la « semaine des 24 Heures » débutera au Mans avec le Pesage des 1ers véhicules en centre-ville. Les 1ers essais sont programmés mercredi, mais avant cela, les 17 semi-remorques seront arrivés au circuit et les milliers de pneus auront été soigneusement répertoriés, enregistrés et entreposés dans un « workshop » de 800 m2. Michelin équipe cette année 43 des 56 véhicules (75%). Le montage des pneus sur jante débute généralement le mardi, et ne s’arrête que… dimanche après-midi !
Les hommes de Michelin Motorsport n’auront que peu de temps pour souffler car la semaine suivante, ils seront une dizaine en Allemagne pour les 24 Heures du Nürburgring, le grand rendez-vous de l’Endurance outre-Rhin. Michelin équipera huit GT de pointe en pneumatiques dits « confidentiels » (Porsche 911, Audi R8 LMS, Mercedes AMG SLS, Aston Martin Vantage, BMW Z4…)
Pendant ce temps, d’autres techniciens Michelin seront en Belgique pour le Geko Rally d’Ypres, 6e manche du championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA, où chaque année, de nombreux teams choisissent le manufacturier français pour son expertise et les performances de ses pneus « Compétition-Client » sur asphalte et sur le revêtement si particulier des Flandres.
Juin se terminera par le Rallye de Pologne, 7e manche du Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA, où l’on attend des milliers de supporters pour encourager le héros local, Robert Kubica, au volant de sa Ford Fiesta RS WRC équipée par Michelin. Outre les World Rally Cars, les WRC-2, Michelin équipera également tous les concurrents du championnat Junior sur ce rallye que les hommes de Michelin Motorsport vont découvrir. Les CTE vont donc prendre le temps de parcourir toutes les épreuves spéciales avant le départ pour mieux conseiller les partenaires sur l’utilisation des pneus Michelin Latitude Cross S2 et H2.
Once again, the men and women at Michelin Motorsport face an exceptionally busy month of June, with two WRC rounds and one ERC fixture on their job-list, as well as two major 24-hour endurance races, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and top motorcycle racing action!
For a number of weeks already, a number of Michelin technical team advisors have been following a tailored fitness programme and diet concocted by specialists from the successful ASM Omnisports team.
The timing couldn’t be better since the incredibly busy month of June kicks off next Sunday with the official pre-Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day where 50 or so technicians and as many fitters, plus engineers, developers and chemists from Michelin Motorsport will be in attendance at this key practice run for the French brand’s factory and privateer partners.
Next on the calendar comes a trip to Sardinia for round six of the World Rally Championship where Michelin rubber will be seen on all the factory WRC cars, as well as on numerous WRC-2 machines, including the new Peugeot 208 T16 and Citroën DS3 R5. The Mediterranean island’s long route and stages promise to be particularly challenging.
The podium ceremony in Italy will coincide with the beginning of scrutineering for Le Mans, followed by the week’s first practice session on Wednesday, June 11. Before then, 17 semi-trailers will have hauled the thousands of tyres required for the French endurance race. Once at the circuit, they will be stored in a vast 800 sq. metre marquee workshop. This year, 43 of the 56 prototype and GT cars (75 percent) will contest the race on Michelins. Fitting the tyres generally begins on the Tuesday and continues non-stop until after the race’s finish on Sunday afternoon!
Barely will that all have ended than Michelin’s staff will head for Germany’s Eifel Mountains, home of the Nürburgring 24 Hours where Michelin will supply ‘confidential’ tyres to eight top GT cars (Porsche 911, Audi R8 LMS, Mercedes AMG SLS, Aston Martin Vantage, BMW Z4, etc.).
Meanwhile, other technicians will travel to Belgium for the Ypres Rally, round six of the European Rally Championship, where a high number of teams have chosen to take advantage of Michelin’s expertise and asphalt range for the unique stages of the country’s Flanders region.
The month will conclude with Rally Poland, seventh round of the WRC, where a huge turnout is expected to cheer on the local hero Robert Kubica in his Michelin-equipped Ford Fiesta RS WRC. In addition to the WRC and WRC-2 crews, Michelin will also provide tyres for competitors in the FIA’s Junior Championship. Before the start, Michelin’s technicians will take time to recce the stages in order to be able to advise partner teams on the ideal choice between the S2 (soft) and H2 (hard) versions of the Michelin Latitude Cross.
BAJA DEUTSCHLAND ; The rally before the first briefing
The technical scrutineering is nearly finished and actually the participants are preparing themselves and their equipment – and are waiting for the first briefing, which should be held at 21:00 today evening. Due to the heavy rainfalls in the past days eventually the organization had to made some changes in the stage… more news after the briefing.
308 teams at the start of the off road rally “BAJA DEUTSCHLAND”
From May 29th to 31st, the European amateur off-road motorsport community will get together to race and celebrate the “BAJA DEUTSCHLAND”, the biggest licence-free weekend off-road rally in Europe. 131 rally cars, 114 motobikes, 26 racing trucks, 28 side-by-side buggies and 9 quads are registered in the race – including some well known vehicles and participants from the legendary “Dakar Rally”.
The rally will take place in one of Germany´s biggest coal-mine, near Leipzig in the middle of Germany. The wide open area is always surprises the competitors with new challenges, year by year. The versatile rallyroute offers fast-speed tracks, narrow forests, sand, dust – and because of the heavy rain of the recent days numerous mud- and water-passages.
With the BAJA DEUTSCHLAND a historical name is revived. More than 10 years ago, some off-road fans founded the event. The idea: To add a German round into the FIA Cross Country World Cup. Off-road stars like former Volkswagen-factory driver and Dakar-winner Jutta Kleinschmidt, the French ski-champion Luc Alphand (X-raid BMW X5CC) or Mitsubishi-lady Andrea Mayer participated in the rally. But the idea didn´t become accepted and so the rally was cancelled after only some years.
Ín 2008 the “Baja Saxonia” based on this idea and in 2012 the “Baja 300 Mitteldeutschland” was born. This race grew over the years to Europe’s largest licence-free Baja with more than 350 starters. Although it was first launched as a pure amateur event, more and more professional teams participated, so that the race turned into a top-class international motorsport event. That’s why it now deserves to be called BAJA DEUTSCHLAND again.
From the very beginning the “4×4 Club Leipzig” and its members contributed decisively to the development of this sport and were responsible for the Baja 300 Mitteldeutschland in 2012 and 2013. In order to further maintain the high level of this event, the club will enter into cooperation with the “RALLYE BRESLAU”, the biggest off-road marathonrally in Europe.
“For the off-road motorsports this means, that from now on the two biggest events will be carried out by a single organiser,” said Alexander Kovatchev, organizer of the rally. “Equipment and know-how can be better utilised as well as the quality level will be increased.”
“THINK OFF-ROAD” is the new slogan of the rally. Beginning with the scrutineering on Wednesday, May 28th. The main days will be Friday and Saturday May 30th-21st), when the participants will race for two days and six hours each. Due to security reasons, the classes are split into two groups “bikes and quads” (driving from 06:00 – 12:00 CET) and “cars, trucks, ssv” (driving from 13:00 – 19:00 CET).
BAJA DEUTSCHLAND 2014 ITINERARY
Thursday, 29/05/14
10:00 – 17:00 CET: Scrutineering (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)
10:00 – 17:00 CET: Scrutineering (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)
Friday, 5/30/14
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP01 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP01 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP01 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP01 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
21:00 – 21:30 CET: Drivers meeting (event tent)
Saturday, 5/31/14
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP02 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP02 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
22:00 – XX:00 CET: Prize giving ceremony (event tent)
06:00 – 12:00 CET: Start WP02 Bike / Quad (via roadbook)
13:00 – 19:00 CET: Start WP02 Car / SSV / Truck (via roadbook)
22:00 – XX:00 CET: Prize giving ceremony (event tent)
Sunday, 02/06/14
00:00 – 11:00 CET: Departure of participants (Camp)
00:00 – 11:00 CET: Departure of participants (Camp)
Getting Started: Every epic story has a great start
Ignition. It’s an emotional moment. That strained whirring and ticking, induced by the twist of a key or the push of a button, that divides the still silence from the eruption of the engine. This video, aptly named ‘Getting Started’, shows 33 exotics, both old and new, roaring into life…
So what’s your favourite? It’s a truly difficult question considering the mouth-watering selection. Will it be the romantic purr of the Ferrari 250 Lusso’s 3-litre V12, the lazy, thrumming idle of thePorsche 901’s boxer-six, or perhaps the angry, fuel-spitting V8 in the Jaguar F-type?
While the more modern machines’ engine notes are arguably louder and more in-your-face, we can’t help but feel that, in comparison to the characterful, more mechanical song of the classics, they feel a little synthesised and artificial. Just listen to the distorted and hurried idle of the 1957 Jaguar XK-SS (Steve McQueen’s car, no less), interrupted with short, sharp stabs of throttle – it’s heavenly, and inimitable. Nothing can detract from the sheer diversity in sound, with each and every car offering a distinct tone that perfectly defines its individual looks and personality, be it an American V8, a British inline six, or an Italian V12. Listening to them one after another is a real aural feast.
Whatever your preferred sound, you can find thousands of classic and modern luxury cars for sale in the Classic Driver Market.
Rossi : « Gagner au Mugello est avant tout une question d’honneur »/ Rossi: ‘Victory at Mugello is a matter of honour’
Le nonuple Champion du Monde Valentino Rossi participera ce week-end au Mugello au 300e Grand Prix de sa carrière, sur l’un de ses circuits fétiches.
Valentino Rossi sera à domicile ce week-end pour le Grand Prix TIM d’Italie, tout comme le team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP qui est basé à côté du circuit de Monza, à Gerno di Lesmo.
Deuxième des deux dernières courses, le pilote italien espère se battre pour la victoire ce week-end sur une piste où il s’était imposé sept fois de suite en catégorie reine de 2002 à 2008. Rossi avait aussi triomphé en Toscane en 1997, en 125cc, puis en 1999, en 250cc. Il avait abandonné l’an dernier après une collision avec un autre pilote dans le premier tour.
« Je suis très heureux d’aller au Mugello », a commenté The Doctor. « C’est une piste magnifique, que j’aime beaucoup. Il y a toujours 25 points en jeu, comme sur les autres courses, mais au Mugello c’est avant tout une question d’honneur. Jorge (Lorenzo) a gagné là-bas ces trois dernières années avec Yamaha, en faisant de fantastiques courses, et ça signifie que la M1 est très compétitive sur cette piste. »
« Ce sera mon 300e GP ce week-end et ça ne me plaît pas vraiment parce que ça veut dire que je suis vieux ! Mais je suis quand même content parce que je suis en forme et que je peux encore être rapide. »
MotoGP™ heads to Tuscany this weekend for Valentino Rossi’s first home race of the year and the 300th of his career, at the Gran Premio d'Italia TIM.
race is also a home Grand Prix for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team itself, being based in Italy at the historic Monza circuit in Gerno di Lesmo.
Rossi prepares to entertain his home fans in good form having been at the sharp end of recent races and having taken a well earned second place on the podium at the last round in France.
The local hero remains the only Grand Prix rider ever to take seven straight wins at his home race, scoring consecutive premier class victories at Mugello from 2002 to 2008.
Prior to this he also had a 125cc win in 1997 and a 250cc win in 1999. He will be determined to forget last year’s unfortunate DNF after crashing on the first lap.
“I am very happy to go to Mugello,” comments The Doctor. “This is a beautiful track and I like it so much. There are always 25 points as the other races, but Mugello is a matter of honour. Jorge (Lorenzo) has won the last three years on the Yamaha, doing fantastic races, and this means that the M1 is very competitive on this track.”
“It will be my 300th GP this weekend and for that I am not very happy because it means that I'm old! But I'm happy because I am in good shape and I can still be very fast.”
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