After SS2: Ostberg takes the lead in Portugal

The early part of the 2013 Vodafone Rally de Portugal has been dominated by the event’s last two winners. Norway’s Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin) leads after SS2, ahead of Sébastien Ogier (+3.9). 

 Les deux derniers vainqueurs du Vodafone Rally de Portugal dominent ce début de course. Le Norvégien Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin) a pris la tête à l’issue de l’ES2 et mène devant Sébastien Ogier (+ 3s9).

After Thursday’s grey weather, the sun is shining over the Algarve at last, but still playing hide-and-seek with the remaining clouds. There was consequently a range of tyre choices for today’s action.

Citroën’s Dani Sordo chose five hard-compound Latitude Cross H2s, while Mikko Hirvonen went for four ‘hards’ and two ‘softs’. All the Fords left service with five hard tyres, except Al-Attiyah (six hards). Lastly, Volkswagen drivers Mikkelsen and Latvala both opted for four hards and two softs, whereas Sébastien Ogier took the more extreme decision to fit four softs and two hards.

SS1 (‘Mu’, 20.32km) was still damp in places, and that helped Sébastien Ogier to claim the best time, ahead of Mads Ostberg (+4.3s) and Mikko Hirvonen (+8.4s). Latvala and Sordo were more than 10s back, and Neuville dropped more than 20s…

The following test (‘Ourique’, 18.32km) was entirely dry and harder on the tyres. “It was very rough in there,” observed Nasser Al-Attiyah at the Stop Control. For some time, Thierry Neuville’s effort remained the time to beat (10m52.4s). “I pushed hard and made just one small mistake. I can’t understand my time on SS1,” commented the Belgian.

Mads Ostberg’s 10m42.7s would not be bettered, however. “I pushed very hard and I was on the limit in places,” he gasped. Ogier recorded a time of 10m50.6s on his four Latitude Cross S2 tyres and seemed to be happy with his run: “It’s not so bad, we’ll see how it goes next time round. For the moment, everything is okay…”

Yesterday’s Qualifying winner Dani Sordo also produced a strong performance on SS2 in his Citroën DS3 WRC/Michelin (10m46.2s): “It wasn’t 100% perfect through certain turns, but it’s a good start…”

In WRC2, Robert Kubica reached the finish with steam pouring out of his Citroën DS3 RRC’s radiator after a small off.

Après le temps maussade d’hier, le soleil est enfin revenu sur l’Algarve et joue à cache-cache avec les nuages. Les choix de pneumatiques, effectués ce matin pour toute la journée, ont été quelque peu variés.

Chez Citroën, Dani Sordo a opté pour 5 Latitude Cross H2 (hard) et Mikko Hirvonen pour 4H2 et 2S2. Chez Ford, tout le monde est parti avec 5H2 sauf Al-Attiyah (6H2). Enfin chez Volkswagen, Mikkelsen et Latvala ont effectué la même sélection (4H2 et 2S2), alors que Sébastien Ogier a fait le choix le plus extrême avec 4S2 (soft) et 2H2.

L’ES1, Mu (20,32 km) était encore humide par endroits. Sébastien Ogier a signé le meilleur chrono avec 4s3 d’avance sur Mads Ostberg et Mikko Hirvonen (+8s4). Latvala et Sordo étaient à plus de 10 secondes, Neuville à plus de 20…Des écarts déjà conséquents donc.

L’ES2, Ourique (18,32 km) était entièrement sèche et plus agressive pour les pneumatiques.« Ca secoue dans tous les sens », résumait Nasser Al-Attiyah au point-stop. Pendant longtemps, le chrono de référence affiché au tableau était celui de Thierry Neuville, en 10min52s4. « J’ai attaqué, j’ai juste fait une petite erreur dans un virage. J’ai pas compris mon temps moyen dans l’ES1 », avait commenté le pilote belge avant de s’échapper.

En 10min42s7, Mads Ostberg a frappé un grand coup : « J’ai attaqué très fort, c’était même limite à certains endroits, mais il fallait réagir… », souffla le Norvégien, marqué par l’effort. En 10min50s6 avec ses quatre pneus Latitude Cross S2, Sébastien Ogier était plutôt satisfait de sa prestation : « Ce n’est pas si mal, on verra après le deuxième tour, mais pour l’instant, ça va… »

Vainqueur de la Qualifying Stage hier, Dani Sordo a lui aussi réalisé une belle prestation au volant de sa Citroën DS3 WRC/Michelin (10min46s2) : « Ce n’était pas 100% parfait dans certains virages, mais c’est plutôt bien parti… »

En WRC2, Robert Kubica est arrivé avec une Citroën DS3 RRC fumante suite à une touchette (radiateur percé). C’est le Finlandais Esapekka Lappi (Skoda/Michelin) qui avait signé le meilleur temps quand nous sommes partis prendre un café en terrasse à Gomes Aires avant le second passage.

with  best-of-rallylive

MG CS concept leaked, debuts in Shanghai

Could preview an upcoming production model

The first pictures of the MG CS concept have leaked to the web, ahead of a possible debut at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Designed to preview the company's upcoming crossover, the model eschews the retro styling of last year's Icon concept. As a result, it echoes the rest of the MG lineup with angular lines and a familiar grille. We can also see front fender vents, an upward sweeping beltline and blacked out A-pillars. There's also a sporty rear bumper, a tailgate-mounted spoiler and a center-mounted dual exhaust system.

Speculation suggests the CS concept is based on the MG5 and could use a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 135 bhp (101 kW). Nothing is official as of yet, but we should learn more later this month.

Source: Autohome and Autocar via worldcarfans

Kubica: “A real test for me” / «Un vrai test pour moi »

Poland’s Robert Kubica is making his world championship debut this week in a Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin. The former F1 racer is counting on the weekend to gain experience, have fun and reassure himself. 

 

 Le Polonais Robert Kubica débute en Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA au volant d’une Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin. L’ancien pilote de F1 compte profiter du week-end pour prendre de l’expérience, du plaisir et se rassurer.

More than ever, the WRC needs stars, and Robert Kubica is clearly the star of the service park in Faro. Despite suffering an accident on a rally that radically changed the path of his life in 2011, the Pole has chosen the sport to get his career back on rails, even though he doesn’t necessarily see his future in the WRC: “My aim is to return to where I left off two years ago. However, if a return to F1 proves impossible, and if I manage to get some good results, then why not continue in rallying? I don’t have any medium- or long-term plans. This weekend, I am here to gain experience, have fun and reassure myself. Hopefully, I will get some positive answers to all the questions I am asking myself, and not just about where I stand physically…”
Kubica got his first taste of the Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin on the all-asphalt Rally Islas Canarias where he was leading before he crashed. His experience on gravel amounts to just two days of testing (300km, the equivalent of a WRC round) and last weekend’s short Fafe Rally Sprint. “This weekend will be a big test for me because nothing can replace actually competing. It’s also my first time on such long stages, like Almodovar which is 52.30km long. That said, it’s my favourite. My aim is to reach the finish in order to get as much experience as possible.”
After the event, Kubica will remain in Portugal since he will travel to the Azores for round four of the FIA European Rally Championship. Michelin is Citroën’s partner in this two-pronged programme.
In the recent past, three other F1 drivers have competed in the WRC, namely Stéphane Sarrazin, Kimi Raïkkonen and Eliseo Salazar. The Frenchman contested 15 rounds of the championship between 2004 and 2006, including 12 as a factory Subaru driver. The Finn took part in 21 rounds between 2009 and 2011, most of which were in a privately-run Citroën WRC. The Chilean sampled the WRC for the first time last year in Argentina, driving a Mini John Cooper Works WRC.

Sans le vouloir, Robert Kubica est une vraie star au parc d’assistance de Faro. Et plus que jamais, le WRC a besoin de stars… Malgré un terrible accident en rallye qui a bouleversé sa vie en 2011, le Polonais a choisi cette discipline pour relancer sa carrière qu’il ne voit d’ailleurs pas forcément en WRC : « Poursuivre en rallye serait revenir là où j’en étais il y a deux ans, avant mon accident. Mon objectif prioritaire est de retourner d’où je viens. En revanche, si c’est impossible pour moi de revenir en F1 et si j’ai de bons résultats en rallye, alors pourquoi ne pas rester dans cette discipline. Je n’ai donc pas de plan à moyen ou long terme. En tout cas, ce week-end, je suis là pour prendre de l’expérience, du plaisir et aussi me rassurer. J’espère avoir des réponses positives à toutes les questions que je me pose, sur un plan physique mais pas seulement… »

Robert Kubica a découvert la Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin sur l’asphalte du Rally Islas Canarias où il était en tête avant de sortir de la route. Son expérience sur la terre se résume à deux jours d’essais et quelque 300 km (soit l’équivalent d’une manche WRC) et le court Fafe Rally Sprint. « Ce week-end, ce sera un vrai test pour moi car même si tout s’est bien passé en essais, rien ne remplace la course. C’est la première fois que je vais disputer des spéciales aussi longues, comme Almodovar, 52,30 km. C’est ma préférée. Physiquement, je saurais où j’en suis. Mon but est être à l’arrivée de ce rallye pour engranger un maximum d’expérience. »

Après cette épreuve, Robert Kubica ne quittera pas le Portugal puisqu’il se rendra sur l’Ile des Açores pour participer à la 4^e manche du Championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA. Michelin est partenaire de Citroën dans ce double programme.

Récemment, trois autres pilotes de F1 ont évolué en WRC : Stéphane Sarrazin, Kimi Raïkkonen et Eliseo Salazar. Le Français a disputé 15 rallyes WRC entre 2004 et 2006, dont 12 en tant que pilote officiel Subaru. Le Finlandais a participé à 21 rallyes mondiaux entre 2009 et 2011, la plupart sur des Citroën WRC « privées ». Le Chilien a découvert le Championnat du monde des Rallyes l’an passé sur une Mini John Cooper Works WRC au Rallye d’Argentine.

 from .best-of-rallylive

Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, UAE

KTM’S MARC COMA LAUNCHES HIS RALLY SEASON WITH THE DESERT CHALLENGE

KTM factory rider and three times Dakar rally winner Marc Coma of Spain is in the United Arab Emirates to contest the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Sealine Rally in Qatar, the events that open his racing season for 2013.

Coma was unable to compete in the 2013 edition of the Dakar Rally because he was not fully fit following corrective surgery for a shoulder injury, the result of a crash in the 2012 Morocco Rally in late October. But he is now ready to race and to tackle his favorite terrain, the sweeping sands of the desert, on the KTM 450 Rally bike. The Spanish rider, seeded number one, leads a top lineup of riders as he begins his defense of his World Rally Championship title. Coma is a proven rider in the Desert Challenge, which he has won six times, including the past four editions.

Speaking from the Emirates Coma said he is looking forward to racing after a long, enforced break. “We have tested in the desert of Tunisia but it has been a long break because of my injury and this is the right opportunity to see how fit I am, how quickly I can find my rhythm and get a good feeling for the bike. It will be difficult to win after such a long break but as always I will do my best.”

Racing with Coma in the Desert Challenge is his Polish factory teammate Jakub Przygonski and KTM’s extreme Enduro factory rider Taddy Blazusiak, also of Poland, who contests a rally for the first time to stay in shape ahead of the highly competitive EnduroCross season. Other top KTM riders are Pal Anders Ullevalseter of Norway and Miran Stanovnik of Slovenia with Mohammed Al Balooshi flying the flag for the UAE seeded at number nine, just behind Blazusiak.

The 23rd edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes riders around 2000 km through the spectacular desert terrain of the Western Region of Al Garbia next week and starts with a super special stage on Yas Ialand, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, April 6, followed by five days of competitive desert stages. The rally starts and finishes at the Yas Marina Circuit and again takes competitors into the famed Liwa Desert.

Sealine Cross Country Rally follows
Riders will barely have time to draw breath after the Desert Challenge before they decamp for Qatar and the second round of the FIM Cross Country Rally World Championship. The Sealine Cross-Country Rally was staged for the first time in 2012 and coma returns here as the defending champion.

For this rally the KTM factory riders are to be joined by Chilean Chaleco Lopez, while Blazusiak refocuses his attention on the coming EnduroCross season. Lopez, third on an all KTM podium at the conclusion of the Dakar 2013, together with KTM’s Cyril Despres and Ruben Faria is no stranger to sweeping desert sands. He will be just at home in this Gulf States desert as he is in the desert coastal plain of his home country.

This year organizers report that the Sealine Rally will be fought over four desert selective sections and will feature a longer route over a total of 1500 km but a shorter timetable from April 22-26. The first three legs will be around 400 km and the final leg for the bikes of 250 km and organizers report there will be plenty of new tracks, more offroad sections and more tricky navigation. There will be a ceremonial start on Monday evening and the first of the four desert legs starts on Tuesday morning. The rally concludes on Friday.

Coma, even though the desert sands seem to be his natural habitat, underlined that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Sealine Rally are ‘the toughest’ of the World Championship series. “Conditions here are tough for racing and the high temperatures also make it very difficult. It’s going to be a good test of my fitness”.

FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship 2013 Calendar

April 6-11: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, United Arab Emirates
April 21-26: Sealine Cross Country Rally, Qatar
May 31 – June 5: Sardegna Cross Country Rally, Sardinia, Italy
June 16-22: Desafio Ruta 40, Argentina
July 23-August 4: Rally Dos Sertoes, Brazil
September 28-October 10 Pharaoh’s Rally, Egypt

Great photos by Photos by Chytka M.