WRC, Australie : Trois VW en tête au Shakedown / three VWs on top on shakedown

Les Volkswagen Polo R WRC/Michelin ont pris les trois premières places du Shakedown organisé ce matin près de Coffs Harbour. L’an passé, elles avaient signé un triplé en Australie. 

Et ça continue pour la marque Volkswagen. Après son triplé en Allemagne, VW a dominé le Shakedown du Rallye d’Australie avec Sébastien Ogier, Andreas Mikkelsen et Jari-Matti Latvala groupés en moins de 2 secondes.

Les VW Polo R WRC/Michelin ont remporté les deux dernières éditions du Rallye d’Australie. L’an passé, elles avaient signé un triplé. En 2013, elles avaient gagné 21 des 22 spéciales.

Kris Meeke a placé sa DS3 WRC à la 4e place (à 2s1 d’Ogier), pour 1/10e de seconde devant Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). Derrière, Dani Sordo (Hyundai) et Ott Tanak (Ford) ont réalisé le même chrono. L’Espagnol a devancé d’1/10e de seconde le Néo-Zélandais Hayden Paddon (Hyundai), nominé pour marquer des points constructeurs.

Malgré huit passages, Elfyn Evans (Ford) n’a pas fait mieux que le 9e meilleur temps. Stéphane Lefebvre, qui remplace au pied levé Mads Ostberg sur la DS3 WRC n°4, a signé le 10e temps à 4 secondes d’Ogier. Il n’avait parcouru que 25 km sur la terre avec cette voiture...

Après de nouveaux examens médicaux, Mads Ostberg et Jonas Andersson ont été autorisés à rentrer en Europe. Le Norvégien a laissé son casque à Stéphane Lefebvre, qui portera la combinaison de secours de Paul Nagle !

En WRC-2, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Skoda/Michelin) a réalisé le meilleur temps devant Yuri Protasov (Ford) et Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Ford).

Jeudi soir, les concurrents se rendront en centre-ville de Coffs Harbour pour une séance d’autographes suivie de la cérémonie de départ.

The three fastest shakedown times in Australia were claimed by Volkswagen Polo R WRC/Michelin drivers. In 2014, the German make occupied first, second and third places at the finish in Coffs Harbour. 

Volkswagen has followed up its one-two-three finish in Germany with domination of Rally Australia’s shakedown leaderboard. Sébastien Ogier, Andreas Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala were covered by less than two seconds.

The last two Rally Australias were won by VW Polo R WRCs which claimed 21 of the 22 stages in 2013.

Kris Meeke was fourth in his DS3 WRC (+2.1s), ahead of Thierry Neuville (Hyundai, +2.2s). Dani Sordo (Hyundai) and Ott Tanak (Ford) posted identical times, one-tenth clear of New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai) who has been nominated as eligible to score Manufacturers’ points for Hyundai.

Despite completing eight passes, Elfyn Evans (Ford) managed no better than ninth, and the top 10 was rounded out by Stéphane Lefebvre (+4s) who is a last-minute replacement for Mads Ostberg in the N°4 DS3 WRC. The Frenchman has only 25km experience in the car on dirt.

After further checks, Ostberg and his co-driver Jonas Andersson have been authorised to fly back to Europe. The Norwegian, however, has left his helmet behind for Lefebvre who will be wearing Paul Nagle’s spare race suit!

In WRC2, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Skoda/Michelin) was fastest ahead of Yuri Protasov (Ford) and Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Ford).

This evening (Thursday), competitors will appear in the centre of Coffs Harbour for an autograph-signing session and the ceremonial start.

Expedition Overland's Central America Expedition Ep9

The crew barely makes their way through the border into Nicaragua allowing the team explore the back roads on active Volcanoes while the girls in Morocco face some serious challenges in the final stages of the rally. 

Outlaws trailer starring David Beckham

Outlaws trailer starring David Beckham from Vogue Video on Vimeo.

A Déesse delight at Bonhams’ Chantilly Sale

The Maserati Boomerang might have been hogging the limelight of Bonhams’ forthcoming Chantilly Sale, but several other ultra-special classics – including this Citroën DS 19 Cabriolet Pre-Series – will also cross the block, several of which have never come to market before…

Brilliant Bugattis

Aside from the one-off Maserati Boomerang concept (which we featured in-depth just last week), two exquisite Bugattis spearhead the 30-lot sale. The earlier car, a regal 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Drophead Coupé (est. €1.4-1.7m), was once owned by French artist André Derain, while the other, a1954 Bugatti Type 101C coupé Antem (€1.5-1.8m), is one of the very last (original) Bugattis built.

Too close for comfort...

Claude François fans, listen up: you could drive home in the very Mercedes 450 SEL in which the famous French singer endured an (high-profile) attempted assassination in 1977. The estimate is on request only. Another one-off Maserati protototype to be sold, the elegant Frua-bodied (Gordon Keeble-esque) Mexico, will surely reach its €450,000 lower estimate given its uniqueness and the ‘Best of Show’ at the Maserati Centennial Concours d'Élégance Turin 2014 it carries under its belt.

The connoisseur's choice

For the connoisseur, there is the 1925 Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Le Mans Torpedo Sport in which Henry Stalter and Edouard Brisson finished third at Le Mans in 1925. Eligible for a host of prestigious historic events and benefitting from the same ownership for 39 years, it carries a pre-sale estimate of €600,000-1m. The savvy collector might have missed his chance to buy a Ferrari 550 Barchetta from new, but the market cherishes these limited-run Ferraris, as evidenced by the €280,000-360,000 estimate on Bonhams’ stunning, one-owner grey car.

A French Goddess

The one-of-two Aston Martin Sportsman Shooting Brake (€350,000-550,000) and 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Coupé boasting some unique features (€450-550,000) are both interesting, but our pick of the sale goes to the majestic 1961 Citroën DS 19 Cabriolet Pre-Series, believed to be the oldest surviving Chapron-built ‘factory’ DS Cabriolet (€170,00 -230,000). C’est magnifique!

Photos: Bonhams

You can find the entire catalogue for Bonham’s Chantilly Sale, to be held on 5 September 2015, listed in the Classic Driver Market.