CAFÉ RACER 76

The organisers of the Neste Oil Rally Finland (July 31-August 3), round eight of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship, have received 101 entries.

Cent un équipages ont renvoyé leur bulletin d’engagement pour participer au Neste Oil Rally Finland (31 juillet-3 août), huitième manche du Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA 2013.

When entries for the Finnish event closed on July 1, 100 applications had been received, which makes it the biggest entry of the WRC season to date.

Mikko Hirvonen and Dani Sordo have been confirmed at Citroën-Total Abu Dhabi, despite rumours on the social media that Sébastien Loeb might attend. Also, as announced last week, Kris Meeke and Chris Patterson will compete in Abu Dhabi Citroën WRT’s Citroën DS3 WRC.

There are no surprises at Qatar M-Sport WRT Ford which will have cars for Mads Ostberg and Evgeny Novikov, while Thierry Neuville will be Qatar World Rally Team’s only representative in the absence of Al-Attiyah. Martin Prokop’s car will be in the colours of Jipocar Czech National Team.

Although Volkswagen Motorsport ‘II’ hasn’t posted an entry for the Norwegian, Andreas Mikkelsen figures on the list in a VW Polo R WRC. P-G. Andersson and Juho Hanninen will be in Michelin-equipped Ford Fiesta RS WRCs, and there will be Mini John Cooper Works WRCs for Jarkko Nikara and Riku Tahko.

There is a strong entry in WRC-2, with Yazeed Al-Rahji returning to the competition in a Ford Fiesta RRC after his injury on a cross-country event earlier in the year. The hero of last year’s rally, Esapekka Lappi has been entered in a Skoda Fabia S2000, as has the 2011 PWRC champion Hayden Paddon. Robert Kubica’s rallying apprenticeship will continue with a taste of the Finnish stages in a Citroën DS3 RRC, while the new Ford Fiesta R5 will make its competitive debut in the hands of Elfyn Evans, Robert Barrable, Jari Ketomaa, Karl Kruuda and Eyvin Brynildsen.

The entry list continues with 11 WRC-3 runners and 10 ‘Juniors’.

The programme will begin with Wednesday’s Qualifying Stage (July 31), followed by six short stages on the Thursday. Ouninpohja (33.01km) stars on Saturday’s menu, before the finish in Jyväskylä at 6:43pm local time.

A la date de clôture des engagements, le 1^er juillet, les organisateurs avaient reçu 100 formulaires, soit le plus gros effectif depuis le début de saison WRC.

Parmi les teams officiels, Mikko Hirvonen et Dani Sordo sont nominés par Citroën-Total Abu Dhabi. Malgré les rumeurs insistantes dans les réseaux sociaux, pas de Sébastien Loeb au départ cette année. Comme annoncé la semaine précédente, Kris Meeke et Chris Patterson seront au volant de la Citroën DS3 WRC d’Abu Dhabi Citroën WRT.

Sans surprise, Mads Ostberg et Evgeny Novikov représenteront l’équipe Qatar M-Sport WRT, alors que Thierry Neuville sera l’unique pilote du Qatar World Rally Team (Al-Attiyah étant absent). Martin Prokop portera les couleurs du Jipocar Czech National Team.

Volkswagen Motorsport II n’est pas engagé sur cette épreuve, mais Andreas Mikkelsen sera tout de même au départ sur une VW Polo R WRC. PG Andersson et Juho Hanninen piloteront des Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin, alors que Jarkko Nikara et Riku Tahko sont engagés sur des Mini John Cooper Works WRC.

Il y a du beau monde en WRC-2 où Yazeed Al-Rahji, blessé au dos lors d’un Rally-Raid en début d’année, effectuera son retour en Mondial sur une Ford Fiesta RRC. Héros de l’édition 2012, Esapekka Lappi est engagé sur une Skoda Fabia S2000, de même que le champion PWRC 2011 Hayden Paddon. Robert Kubica (Citroën DS3 RRC) poursuivra son apprentissage du rallye sur les spéciales finlandaises. Elfyn Evans, Robert Barrable, Jari Ketomaa, Karl Kruuda et Eyvin Brynildsen se chargeront de faire débuter la nouvelle Ford Fiesta R5 en course.

Onze WRC-3 et dix Junior WRC complèteront le plateau de cette édition 2013 qui s’élancera jeudi 1^er août (après Qualifying Stage mercredi 31/07) pour une première journée composée de six courtes spéciales. Ouninpohja (33,01 km) sera à parcourir deux fois samedi avant l’arrivée finale à Jyväskylä à 18h43.

Cyril Despres - Yamaha YZ450F Rally - Rally dos Sertoes 2013

In the wake of a few races that did not deliver the expected results, Frenchman Cyril Despres has finally earned his first victory on the Yamaha YZ450F Rally. After winning his fifth Dakar at the beginning of the year, Despres left KTM in a surprise move and signed a new contract with the Japanese manufacturer, but had to wait to get back on the South American territory to savour the joy of victory once again.

Despres has won yesterday the fourth stage of the Rally dos Sertoes - an event that takes place in Brazil - the Uruaçu-Porangatu of 132 km, with 24 seconds over historic rival and former team-mate Marc Coma, and has taken the second place in the overall standings behind the Spaniard. The Rally dos Sertoes covers a total of 4,115 kilometers and will continue with six more stages before ending in Goiania on the 3rd of August. An understandably beaming Cyril Despres said:

“Today we were rewarded for the months of hard work the team have put in with a first stage victory here in Brazil on the Rally dos Sertoes. It’s a great boost for all of us, not only for those of us present on the race but also for everybody at Yamaha who believed in the project and who have been so solidly behind us. Obviously it isn’t a Dakar stage victory, let alone an outright Dakar victory, but it is an important milestone on the road to that ultimate ambition and I must admit today’s result has a special flavour to it. Not that we have much time to saviour it! Tomorrow is the first leg of a particularly tough 900 kilometres marathon stage and we have a lot of work to do, both on man and machine, to make sure we are in good shape for the challenge.”