ERC ; Circuit of Irlande - Résumé de la 1re étape : Breen a mi-chemin du rêve / Breen halfway to dream Circuit of Ireland victory on Erc thriller

Craig Breen a parcouru la moitié du chemin qui doit le mener vers la victoire au Circuit of Ireland Rally. Il mène ce soir la troisième manche du Championnat d’Europe FIA des Rallyes avec une petite seconde d’avance.

Copiloté par Scott Martin, le pilote de 25 ans membre de Peugeot Rally Academy s’empare des commandes dès la deuxième spéciale et mène durant le reste de la journée en dépit d’un frustrant problème de valve pop-off sur sa 208 T16. Pour compenser, il doit donc soulager l’accélérateur pour permettre au système de se remettre en marche de lui-même.

Breen occupe la tête avec une seconde d’avance sur Robert Barrable dont la journée fut des plus prolofiques avec sa Ford Fiesta R5 engagée par CA1 Sport. Le pilote de Dublin, meilleur chrono de la spéciale qualificative, avait choisi de s’élancer le premier sur la route et prit les commandes au terme du premier secteur chronométré. Mais lorsque sa fenêtre tomba dans l’ES2, le vent perturba sa vision et il lui aura fallu attendre l’assistance au Titanic Quarterafter de Belfast pour que l’avarie soit réparée. Un parcours sans faute lui permet néanmoins d’espérer encore décrocher la victoire. Demain, c’est donc certain, il continuera à attaquer.

Leader de l’ERC, Kajetan Kajetanowicz se fit une grosse frayeur dès le premier virage du rallye avec sa Ford Fiesta R5 du LOTOS Rally Team. Mais après avoir qualifié la spéciale de Hamilton’s Folly de « plus belle spéciale sur asphalte jamais parcourue dans ma carrière », le Polonais est solidement accroché à la 3^e place, à 16’’8 des leaders.

Derrière, 17’’2, seulement, séparent les frères Moffett, Josh et Sam, dans leur lutte pour le premier accessit avec deux Ford Fiesta RRC identiques. Stephen Wright est 6^e et précède Jaromír Tarabus, le mieux placé des pilotes de ŠKODA Fabia S2000, et le rookie Charles Martin, 8^e avec sa 208 T16 pour son premier rallye ERC avec la Peugeot Rally Academy.

D’autres Fabia S2000 connaissent divers soucis, telles celles de Marty McCormack (freins, puis crevaison dans l’ES2), Joseph McGonigie (deux sorties non éliminatoires dans l’ES2) et Antonín Tlusťák (intercom).

Pour son premier rallye ERC sur asphalte, Alexey Lukyanuk tapa un talus en raison d’un problème de direction sur sa Fiesta R5 dans un freinage de l’ES2, mais sa confiance augmenta au fil des spéciales.

Robert Consani abandonne dans l’ES4 à cause d’un problème de boîte sur sa Citroën DS3 R5 alors qu’il occupait la 3^e place. Le Français a cependant démontré ses performances après n’avoir parcouru que 40 kilomètres au volant de sa nouvelle monture avant de prendre le départ. Autre prétendants aux places d’honneur, Alastair Fisher est pour sa part sorti de route dans l’ES3.

Les spéciales spectaculaires ont reçu les éloges des concurrents, et en particulier le célèbre secteur chrono de Hamilton’s Folly, constitué de crêtes et des « jumps » qui se négocient à hautes vitesses. La météo rend par ailleurs les conditions très difficiles, avec des changements de grip permanents. Humides ce matin, les routes s’asséchèrent cependant l’après-midi et devinrent très glissantes.

La journée de samedi sera composée de 10 spéciales sur une distance de 128,19 kilomètres. Parmi les ES, la plus longue du rallye, McGaffins Corner - 26,02 kilomètres - en plus des deux passages dans le centre de Lisburn. L’arrivée sera jugée samedi à 18h35 sur le podium d’arrivée du Titanic Quarter à Belfast.

Craig Breen is halfway to his dream of winning the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally, as he leads his home round of the FIA European Rally Championship overnight, albeit by a slender one-second margin.

Co-driven by Scott Martin, the 25-year-old Peugeot Rally Academy driver took the lead on the second stage and held it until the end of the day, despite an frustrating pop-off value problem with his 208 T16 – which meant he had to ease off the throttle when he didn’t want to, to allow the system to reset itself.

Breen is one second ahead of Robert Barrable, who has enjoyed a fantastic day in his CA1 Sport run Ford Fiesta R5. The Dublin driver set fastest time on the Qualifying Stage, elected to run first on the road and took the lead on the opening stage. When the driver’s side window fell out on SS2, wind made his eyes water and was a big distraction, until all was repaired in service in Belfast’s Titanic Quarterafter SS3. A faultless drive in the afternoon has given Barrable hopes of stealing ERC glory for himself, and promises to push tomorrow.

ERC title leader Kajetan Kajetanowicz’s Circuit of Ireland debut almost came to an end on the second corner of the event, after a big moment in his LOTOS Rally Team Fiesta R5. After describing the stages as “jaw-dropping” and Hamilton’s Folly as “probably the best Tarmac test I have driven in my life”, the Pole is in a strong third place, just 16.8s behind the leader.

Just 17.2s separates the Moffett brothers, Josh and Sam, as they battle for fourth place in their identical Ford Fiesta RRCs. Stephen Wright is sixth, Jaromír Tarabus the top-placed ŠKODA Fabia S2000 driver in seventh and ERC rookie Charles Martin eighth for Peugeot.

Other Fabia S2000s hit various problems – Marty McCormack had brake issues and an early spin and stopped to change a puncture on SS2, Joseph McGonigie went off twice on SS2 but continued and Antonín Tlusťák was delayed with intercom problems.

Alexey Lukyanuk’s first ERC Tarmac rally hit a glitch when his Fiesta R5 broke a drivershaft under braking on SS2, but his confidence grew the more kilometres he did.

Robert Consani retired his Citroën DS3 R5 from third place with gearbox problems after SS4, the Frenchman showing enormous potential in his new car after a short 40 kilometre pre-event test. Alastair Fisher was also a big name retirement, after crashing his Ford Fiesta R5 on SS3.

The spectacular Tarmac stages in Northern Ireland received huge praise from all drivers, especially the famous Hamilton’s Folly stage, with its high-speed crests and jumps. The weather made it even more of a challenge, with changing grip levels – wet and muddy stages in the morning and drier, but just as slippery roads, in the afternoon.

Saturday’s route features 10 stages, covering a distance of 128.18 kilometres, and contains two runs over the rally’s longest test – the 26.02 kilometres of McGaffins Corner – in addition to two passes through Lisburn’s town centre stage. The finish podium celebrations take place at Titanic Quarter in Belfast at 18h35.

Alfa, Romeo and Juliet – caught in the act

“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous; and it pricks like thorns,” wrote William Shakespeare in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Our friends from Cool & Vintage in Lisbon have reinterpreted the tragedy for us – as a smouldering ménage à trois...

Begot of nothing but vain fantasy

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous love stories in world literature. But what happens if you add another dimension to the fateful duo by a third actor? In this photo series by Cool & Vintage from Portugal, an Alfa GTV vies for the role of an extremely handsome Romeo until, suddenly, the real actor enters into the neon light in the dark underground car park.

Who is the Romeo here?

Who will Juliet choose? The fashionable gentleman with the undercut, who requires hours in the bathroom – or would she prefer the reliable 70s icon complete with the practical make-up mirror that lets her touch up her lipstick? We hope that tragedy will be averted, however, by the short car park intermezzo in this production.

Are you still looking for your Romeo? More than one hundred Alfas are still waiting for their Juliet in the Classic Driver Market.

The Greatest Rally Drivers and Their Cars

Rally has always  the bad boy of the racing world. There are no safety cars or rain delays. Unforgiving stages characterize the sport, and it requires patience, skill, and balls so big they could be ballasts. It’s no wonder, then, that most racing fans consider rally racers to be the best drivers behind the wheel. But no great driver sets landmark times without a great car. From the nearly stock classics of the ’50s and ’60s to the monstrous, no-limit cars of the Group B era, rallying has placed fabled racers in finely tuned cars and there’s been one result: some of the greatest moments in motorsport history. Here’s a driver-driven retrospective.

By ANDREW CONNOR RALLY WEEK  via  http://gearpatrol.com

Erik Carlsson: Saab 96

Working for Saab as a brand ambassador and rally driver in the ’50s and ’60s, Erik Carlsson rightly earned his nickname “Mr Saab.” His driving style was exuberant — to put it politely — and despite his tendency to put the car on its roof, Carlsson had significant wins in his Saab 96 at Monte Carlo, San Remo and Wales. Those wins helped put the beloved Swedish manufacturer on the map.

Paddy Hopkirk: Mini Cooper

Love it or hate it, the Mini Cooper is an automotive icon both on and off the track. That status is thanks in no small part to Paddy Hopkirk’s ace driving abilities. Piloting the Mini to victory in the 1964 Monte Carlo rally, Hopkirk beat the Mini’s more powerful adversaries by utilizing its nimble handling characteristics through Monte Carlo’s tightly wound corners.

Walter Röhrl: Opal Ascona 400

Most would associate Röhrl with Audi for his handy work behind the wheel of the batshit Quattro S1, but his most important rally work was done behind the wheel of an Opal Ascona 400. Ironically, it was his ability to fend off the new AWD Quattros in the 1982 World Rally Championship and win the driver’s title in his less advanced RWD Opal that wins our admiration. He proved that pure driving prowess can trump technology.

Röhrl at Pikes Peak

In 1987, Röhrl became the first driver to finish the 14.4-mile Pikes Peak hill climb in less than 11 minutes in his Audi Quattro S1, a car he also used in Group B rally. He completed the course in only 10 minutes and 47.85 seconds.

Timo Salonen: Peugeot 205 Turbo 16

Though he may not have looked the part with his stocky build, thick glasses and tenacious smoking habit, Timo Salonen was the winningest rally driver during WRC’s insane Group B years. He had seven overall wins and a driver’s championship in 1985. These victories came from behind the wheel of the Peugeot 205 Turbo, a car that — compared to other Group B monsters like the Audi Quattro and Ford RS200 — looked as much an underdog as Salonen. But also like Salonen, the Peugeot became the Group B champ, winning two constructor’s titles in 1985 (by Solonen) and 1986.

Juha Kankkunen: Lancia Delta Integrale

Juha Kankkunen drove a Peugeot 205 Turbo to victory in 1986 for his first WRC championship title. Then, after the ban of Group B, he became the only driver to win both during the Group B era. Kankkunen moved to Lancia in 1987, where he won his second driver’s title (post Group B) at the hands of a Lancia Delta Integrale, a feat he would repeat again in 1991. In 1993, Kankkunen won his fourth WRC championship, this time behind the wheel of a Toyota.

Carlos Sainz: Toyota Celica GT-Four

Though Toyota had some success with their previous Celica rally cars (at longer endurance races, like the Safari Rally), it wasn’t until Carlos Sainz got behind the wheel of the new Celica GT-Four in the early ’90s that Toyota became a major contender in WRC. El Matador himself was also the first non-Nordic driver to win the 1,000 Lakes Rally behind the wheel of his Toyota, and he still holds the record for most career starts in WRC.

Tommi Makinen: Mitsubishi Evolution

Mitsubishi isn’t exactly in a good spot in the automotive industry currently, but the manufacturer’s rally history and Evo models have still won the hearts and minds ofauto enthusiasts. The credit is almost entirely due to Tommi Makinen, who was responsible for every one of Mitsubishi’s driver’s titles in WRC, winning four consecutive championships between 1996 and 1999 at the wheel of the Lancer Evolution.

Colin McRae: Subaru Impreza “555”

If Makinen is to thank for Mitsubishi’s rally history, the late, great Colin McRae is the man behind Subaru’s rally acclaim. Though he won only one driver’s title, he does hold the record for the youngest to do so, at the age of 27. His enthusiastic driving style is best characterized by his personal motto: “When in doubt, flat out.” He also won Subaru 3 WRC constructor’s titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997.

 

With the help of DJM Motorsport, Colin McRae became one of the few racers to develop his own car. Originally designed as a cost-effective alternative to “regular” WRC cars, the R4 ran 350 horsepower from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Unfortunately only one prototype was built and has not seen competition outside the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Petter Solberg: Subaru Impreza WRX

After the McRae era, Subaru managed to stay competitive in the early 2000s with Petter Solberg piloting the newer Impreza WRC cars that spawned the road-going WRXs. Solberg won his only WRC championship in 2003, and continued to race with Subaru until they finally pulled out of WRC in 2008. Solberg later went on to win the first-ever World Rallycross championship, though he was behind the wheel of a Citroen.

Sebastien Loeb: Citroen

It is extremely hard to dismiss nine WRC championships, which is why Sebastian Loeb is arguably rally’s greatest driving talent of all time. Though he specialized in tarmac events (and has won all but three in his career), Loeb has proven himself to be competent in just about any driving scenario. Helping push him to victory were his Citroen Xsara, C4 and DS3 WRC, cars that stood out as exceptional in an era where regulations made WRC cars mundanely alike.

10 classic Grand Tourers perfect for a journey south

For decades, the British upper class has toiled with a question that’s particularly relevant in the spring: which GT fulfils the many prerequisites of a true Continental cruiser? Here are a few suggestions that would happily whisk you from the UK to the French Riviera…

Market | Cars

1984 Bristol Britannia

EUR 47 080

Market | Cars

1963 Jaguar E-Type SI - 3.8 Coupe

EUR 238 810

Market | Cars

1977 Aston Martin V8

P.O.R.

Market | Cars

1978 Rolls-Royce Corniche I - Corniche Convertible

EUR 52 950

Market | Cars

1992 Bentley Continental - Continental R

EUR 44 965

Market | Cars

1969 Jensen FF

EUR 170 579

Market | Cars

1949 Bristol 402 - "The Hollywood Special" film stars Jean Simmons &...

EUR 375 273

Market | Cars

1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III - Continental F

EUR 266 103

Market | Cars

1962 Bentley S2 - Continental Drophead Coupé: Coachwork by Park Ward Ltd:...

P.O.R.

Auctions | Cars

1991 Jaguar XJS

EUR 0

OXBLOOD: URBAN RIDER’S BMW STREET SCRAMBLER

It’s not often that a color inspires a bike build—and certainly not a color such as ‘oxblood.’ But that’s how this BMW police bike came back to life.

After an engine rebuild in the mid-90s, it was decommissioned and put into storage for 18 years. Then Will Starritt of the London motorcycle gear store Urban Rider spotted it—and decided to press the BMW back into service.

“The idea was to explore the proliferation of the word ‘oxblood’,” he says. “I’d never heard that word until last year, when we saw several leather products using it as a color description—such as Roland Sands jackets.”

It turns out that ‘oxblood’ doesn’t literally mean staining leather with the blood of a beast: it’s a traditional color that caught a second wind around three years ago, being a burgundy with an extra hint of dark brown and purple.

Urban Rider may focus on selling gear, but Will and his business partner Andrew are confirmed petrolheads who enjoy building the occasional custom. So they took the R80 back to bare metal and started work, with the help of mechanic Len Harvey.

The bike is now sporting one-off stainless headers, a GP-style silencer, a modified sub-frame and a one-off single seat unit built by Lee at Viking. The seat unit can be removed and replaced with a twin seat, as shown below.

Other classy details include a Monza-style petrol cap, Renthal bars, a compact lithium-ion battery, a Daytona headlight and speedometer, and a stunning paint scheme by Willy at One Off Design.

It’s an elegant twist on the current vogue for ‘street scramblers’: German engineering with a dose of classic English style. If it gets your blood racing, you’ll be glad to know that ‘Oxblood’ is for sale: contact Will via the Urban Rider website.

Urban Rider | Facebook | Images by Gary Margerum

via BIKEexif