8 Heures d’Oschersleben : pole provisoire pour SRC Kawasaki / SRC Kawasaki on provisional pole

SRC Kawasaki a décroché la meilleure moyenne en 1.27.466 à l’issue de la première séance d’essais qualificatifs des 8 Heures d’Oschersleben. L’équipage de la Kawasaki n°11 devance le YART 07 et Honda Racing. La meilleure performance individuelle est signée Bastien Mackels au guidon de la BMW stock n°13 de Penz 13 en 1.26.743.

En signant le meilleur temps de leur série respective, Grégory Leblanc (1.26.918) et Fabien Foret (1.27.058) ont permis au SRC Kawasaki de s’emparer de la pole provisoire avec une moyenne d’1.27.467. Matthieu Lagrive, de retour après sa chute lors du warm-up des 8 Heures de Suzuka, a bouclé son tour le plus rapide en 1.28.424.

Relégué à 0.153 seconde, le YART 07 se classe deuxième avec une moyenne d’1.27.619. Broc Parkes a signé le deuxième temps de sa session en 1.26.988. Encore en phase d’apprentissage, Michael Laverty n’a réalisé qu’1.28.250.

Malgré la chute de Julien Da Costa qui a nécessité la neutralisation de la séance par drapeau rouge à cinq minutes du drapeau à damier, Honda Racing pointe à la troisième place en 1.27.673. Très homogènes, les trois pilotes ont réalisé des chronos similaires, 1.27.505 pour Da Costa, 1.27.668 pour Gimbert et 1.27.847 pour Freddy Foray.

Le GMT 94 est quatrième à seulement 0.002 seconde d’Honda Racing. David Checa, Kenny Foray et Mathieu Gines sont crédités d’un temps moyen d’1.27.675.

En signant la meilleure performance individuelle de cette première séance qualificative en 1.26.743, Bastien Mackels hisse la BMW stock de Penz13 à la cinquième position au général et première machine de la catégorie avec une moyenne d’1.27.822. Seuls trois pilotes sont descendus en dessous de la barre d’1.27, Mackels, Leblanc et Parkes.

Le SERT (1.27.980) se classe sixième. Comme lors des essais libres en début d’après-midi, seulement 0,5 seconde sépare les six premières équipes.

Le YART (1.28.271), National Motos (1.28.311), Team Bolliger Switzerland (1.28.500) et  Team R2CL (1.28.578) complètent le Top 10.

Le Junior Team Suzuki LML, onzième au général, pointe à la deuxième place en Stock (1.28.718) devant le Qatar Endurance Racing Team (1.28.738).

La seconde séance d’essais qualificatifs est prévue demain à partir de 13h45, à suivre surwww.motoracinglive.com.

SRC Kawasaki claimed the fastest ‘average’ time in the first qualifying session for the 8 Hours of Oschersleben. The three riders of the N°11 Kawasaki (1m27.466s) finished clear of their YART 07 and Honda Racing rivals, but the best individual lap was the work of Bastien Mackels on Penz 13’s stock BMW (1m26.743).*

SRC Kawasaki’s Grégory Leblanc (1m26.918s) and Fabien Foret (1m27.058s) topped their respective sessions to put their team on pole position with an average time of 1m27.467s, while Matthieu Lagrive – who is back after his warm-up injury at Suzuka – posted a 1m28.424s.

Second-placed YART 07 (+0.153s) secured an average of 1m27.619s and Broc Parkes was the second fastest rider in his session (1m26.988), but Michael Laverty (1m28.250s) is still familiarising himself with the track.

A fall for Julien Da Costa brought the session to halt with five minutes remaining but Honda Racing is still third (1m27.673s) thanks to very similar times from its nicely-balanced trio (Da Costa: 1m27.505s / Gimbert: 1m27.668s / Freddy Foray: 1m27.847s).

GMT 94 follows in fourth spot, just 0.002s short of Honda Racing after David Checa, Kenny Foray and Mathieu Gines produced an average of 1m27.675s.

The fastest man on the track today was Bastien Mackels who recorded a personal best of 1m26.743s to put Penz 13’s stock BMW in fifth place overall and at the top of its class with an average of 1m27.822s. Only three riders lapped in less than 1m27s, namely Mackels, Leblanc and Parkes.

SERT (1m27.980s) was sixth and, as was the case this morning, the top six were covered by just half a second.

The top 10 was rounded off by YART (1m28.271s), National Motos (1m28.311s), Team Bolliger Switzerland (1m28.500s) and Team R2CL (1m28.578s).

Junior Team Suzuki LML (1m28.718s) is 11^th overall and second in the Stock class ahead of Qatar Endurance Racing Team (1m28.738s).

Qualifying 2 will start tomorrow (Friday) at 1:45pm and you will be able to follow the action live atwww.motoracinglive.com.

Rallye Deutschland : Volkswagen en pointe au Shakedown / VW show shakedown speed

Volkswagen Motorsport a envoyé un message très clair à ses concurrents lors du Shakedown ce matin. Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier et Andreas Mikkelsen ont signé les trois meilleurs chronos. Mais Kris Meeke (Citroën) était dans le coup lui aussi, alors que Thierry Neuville est sorti de la route.

Les forêts autour de Trèves étaient noyées dans la brume à 7h30 ce matin, heure à laquelle les premières autos quittent généralement le parc d’assistance pour parcourir le Shakedown des rallyes WRC.

Mais la séance d’essais officielle de l’ADAC Rallye Deutschland était exceptionnellement organisée à partir de 9h30, le temps à la brume de se dissiper et de laisser place à un beau ciel bleu au-dessus de la Moselle. Les conditions étaient parfaites (19°C) pour s’attaquer à 4,60 km de Konz, au sud-ouest de Trèves. Sur ce rallye, ces conditions imposent les pneumatiques Michelin Pilot Sport hard (H2).

Les trois Volkswagen Polo R WRC ont monopolisé le tiercé de tête avec Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier et Andreas Mikkelsen. Leur principal challenger fut Kris Meeke qui occupait la 1^ère place en début de séance, après seulement deux passages. La plupart des équipages ont bouclé quatre tours avant ce premier rallye asphalte de la saison.

La session s’était déroulée sans souci particulier jusqu’à la sortie de route spectaculaire de Thierry Neuville, parti en tonneau dans les vignes. L’équipe Hyundai Motorsport devrait pouvoir remettre l’i20 WRC en état pour le départ.

Réveil difficile aussi pour Craig Breen dont la Ford Fiesta RS WRC est restée immobilisée devant le véhicule d’assistance. La FIA n’a pas autorisé le pilote irlandais à disputer l’ADAC Rallye Deutschland après sa blessure survenue dans l’ES24 du Rallye de Finlande. Le médecin personnel de Craig et celui de la fédération irlandaise lui avaient pourtant donné le feu vert, mais leurs arguments n’ont pas convaincu les officiels de la FIA, inquiets par les récentes blessures au dos des équipages de WRC.

Ford, Hyundai et Volkswagen avaient organisé leurs opérations médias mercredi. Les pilotes vont donc pouvoir se reposer jusqu’à la séance d’autographes à 19h00, suivie par la cérémonie de départ devant la Porta Nigra, relique de l’époque romaine de Trèves. L’idée d’un départ de Cologne, à 170 km, comme en 2013, n’a pas été reprise.

Volkswagen Motorsport has sent out a clear indication of its intent win its home event this weekend in Trier, Germany. The Polo R WRC/Michelin trio Latvala, Ogier and Mikkelsen posted the fastest times on this morning’s shakedown, a sign that Manufacturers’ title could well be heading back to Hannover on Sunday afternoon… Citroën’s Meeke challenged with good early pace, while Neuville rolled his Hyundai.

The forested hills around Rallye Deutschland’s host town Trier were shrouded in mist at half-past-seven this morning, a time when the top cars are usually preparing to leave the service park for Thursday’s traditional shakedown on most rallies.

Exceptionally, the pre-event test in Germany started appreciably later (9:30am) and that gave the mist time to lift to reveal a pleasant, summery sky, as the temperature on the banks of the Mosel River climbed quickly towards the 19°C mark. The conditions were consequently ideal for the 4.60km test stage near Konz, a short drive southwest of Trier.

On this event, this sort of weather generally means hard-compound tyres and all the Michelin-equipped front-runners effectively chose the ‘H2’ version of the French firm’s Pilot Sport asphalt tyre.

The session’s timesheet was topped by the home team, Volkswagen Motorsport, which monopolised the top three places with Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen in close formation. Their nearest chaser was Citroën’s Kris Meeke who appeared in front early on before settling for just two passes. Indeed, few crews chose to complete more than a handful of runs, their decision aided by the fact that most of them had carried out extensive testing ahead of the first ‘clear’ asphalt round of the season.

There was some drama at the very end, however, when Thierry Neuville’s Hyundai i20 WRC suffered extensive damage in a spectacular roll. The team is working on repairing the Belgian’s chassis in time for the start.

It was an unhappy morning, also, for Craig Breen whose Ford Fiesta WRC could be seen sitting forlornly in front of his team’s trucks. The FIA has decided not to authorise the Irishman to take part in this week’s competition because of the back injury he sustained on SS24 of the recent Rally Finland. The driver’s own doctor and the medical advisor of the Irish motorsport federation had apparently given him the green light, but their arguments failed to convince FIA officials who are said to be concerned by the recent run of back injuries in the championship.

Ford, Hyundai and Volkswagen all held their PR/media gatherings on Wednesday evening (Citroën’s is this lunchtime). The teams therefore now have a relatively relaxed day ahead of them until a public autograph session at 7pm, followed by the ceremonial start in front of Trier’s Porta Nigra monument, the chief relic of the city’s past as an important provincial capital of the Roman Empire. The idea of having an official start in Cologne, 170km away, that was trialled in 2013 has not been repeated.

Verva Street Racing: Carlos Sainz and Peugeot 2008 DKR premiere in Warsaw.

Carlos Sainz, two-time World Rally Champion and the 2010 Dakar Rally winner will join the team of the world’s best rally drivers who, on 20 September 2014, will compete against the best Polish rally drivers during VERVA STREET RACING - DAKAR AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM.

"El Matador" will bring to Warsaw the new powerful 2008 DKR "beast" from the Peugeot Sport-Red Bull-Total stable with which he will try to conquer Rally Dakar 2015. It will be the first public presentation of the new car!

"The Dakar Edition could never take place without the world’s best rally drivers," says Leszek Kurnicki, Executive Director for Marketing at PKN ORLEN. "Sainz’s participation is a great honour for our event, and yet another proof of its prestigious position among the world’s best motorsport events. All the more so, as Sainz will present during VERVA Street Racing a car that in a few months will traverse the desert in the 2015 Dakar Rally."

The first 15,000 thousand people to purchase a ticket for VERVA Street Racing shall receive free entry to the machine park located on the National Stadium’s promenade a few hours before the main event.

This is an absolutely unique opportunity to take an up-close look at this 340-horsepower beast 2008 DKR, which Carlos Sainz will race in the 2015 Dakar Rally. Though four-wheel drives are still at the forefront, engineers put in place an atypical solution for cross-country rallies, i.e. an improved two-wheel drive.

VERVA Street Racing – Dakar at the National Stadium is a one-in-a-kind event that allows fans to witness a competition between the leading rally drivers from Poland and abroad.

The Polish team (including Adam Malysz, Kuba Przygonski, Marek Dabrowski, Jaroslaw Hampel among others) will face it off with guests coming from all over the globe (including Marcus Grönholm, Marc Coma, Bryan Bouffier among others) in six categories.

For the first time, the motoring format of the event will be combined with an exciting musical performance: Jamiroquai will play live during the breaks between subsequent rounds of racing on the desert circuit. The ticket prices start at 49 PLN (approx 12 Euros) and can be purchased online at EBILET.PL. 

50 Years Old But Brand New: The Return Of The Lightweight E-Type

Last week we talked about a certain McLaren Special Operations P1 - one of a handful of bespoke machines being showcased by their respective manufacturer’s at this weekend’s prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Adding that list, and perhaps the most impressive of them all is this: a brand spanking new – yet in many ways half-century old – Jaguar Lightweight E-type.

As interesting as the proposition might sound, don’t go thinking that this ‘new’ E-type features a modern chassis under its svelte and oh-so-iconic lines. It’s a prototype built by the newly-formed Jaguar Heritage division working inside Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, that’s paving the way for the six cars needed to finally complete the British carmaker’s intended run of 18 Lightweight GT E-types built in 1963 and 1964.

Like the 12 originals, the 2014 Lightweight E-type is built around an aluminium bodyshell. But as easy as it would have been, using modern high-strength and bonded structures was never an option though. Not only would those things compromise the car’s authenticity, but make it ineligible for FIA historic racing homologation too. What the artisans at Jaguar Heritage did do though was use state-of-the-art scanning technology to digitally map the inner and outer surfaces of an original Lightweight body shell, therefore capturing dimension and shape data down to a fraction of a millimetre in order to recreate the special panels.

As it was originally specified in the ’60s, the Lightweight E-type features a 3.8-litre XK engine with an alloy block, 10.0:1 compression and dry sump lubrication. The prototype ‘Car Zero’ features Lucas mechanical fuel injection (an original option), which owners of the six soon-to-be-built cars can specify over the standard triple Weber 45DCO3 carburettor specification. All told the inline six produces 340hp at 6,500rpm and 280lb/ft of torque – no shortage of grunt for a machine that tips the scales at just 1,000kg.

When you consider how much money original (11 are still known to exist) Lightweights fetch, the six final cars are guaranteed to come at significant cost. What that exact figure will be is not yet known, but if you have to ask you’re probably not going to be able to afford it.

I’ll leave you with this clip of the Lightweight E-type being given a shakedown, and this to ponder…  If there was one make/model you wish would return to the new car showroom, built in the same way it originally was but using some modern methodology in doing so, what would it be?

Brad Lord