The 2011 World Rally Championship resumes in Mexico later this week for the first of seven gravel events this year.
This is a summary of how the main contenders have prepared and what some of the leading drivers have had to say in the build-up to round two of the season.
Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Ford’s pre-Mexico testing programme took it to Portugal shortly after its victorious outing in Sweden. World championship leader Mikko Hirvonen ran for two days, while team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala’s test was interrupted when he crashed and damaged his Fiesta RS WRC beyond immediate repair. He resumed his test schedule a few days later and managed some dry weather running. Ford has also spent time in a special laboratory where it was able to replicate the altitude it is likely to experience on Rally Guanajuato Mexico, where the highest stage is a power-sapping 2700 metres above sea level.
Mikko Hirvonen: “Leading the championship can have its disadvantages and one of those is to start first on the road. My rivals have better road positions so the first leg will be tough, but I’ll still try to find a way to challenge for victory again. This is the third consecutive Rally Mexico that I’ve been in this position, so I’m used to it. I’m not underestimating the difficulties, but even if I had the option, I wouldn’t swap my win in Sweden for a better seeding in Mexico.”
Jari-Matti Latvala: “The final day of my pre-event test in Portugal was dry, which is how Mexico will be. It was ideal, and the team was able to modify the engine to reflect the power levels we can expect at altitude. I’ve opted for a less aggressive set-up and I’m confident the car will be fully competitive. It’s one of the rallies which is slippery for the first few drivers because of the loose stones. I’m third in the order for the first day, which is reasonable but I expect the guys behind to be strong as the roads become cleaner.”
Citroen Total World Rally Team
The French manufacturer and its seven-time world champion driver Sebastien Loeb haven’t been beaten in Mexico on the WRC’s last four visits to the country. Although its pre-event test in Spain was hit by damp conditions the multiple title-winning squad did manage some dry weather running with its DS3 WRCs during a test in Portugal earlier in the year. Mexico was the scene of Sebastien Ogier’s WRC debut back in 2008. He marked the occasion by claiming the Junior World Rally Championship laurels at the wheel of a Citroen C2 Super 1600.
Sebastien Loeb: “The first rally on gravel is really the kick-off of the season. The route is very like what we’ll meet during the rest of the year with this event’s special feature, a combination of very quick and very twisty sections. We know that there are quite a few victory contenders. From our side, it’s very important not to give away any points in the title chase.”
Sebastien Ogier: “I’ve got good memories of Rally Mexico. In 2008, our first world championship rally in the JWRC in the C2 Super 1600 ended in victory and eighth place overall. Last year we had an exciting finish to the rally as we were battling with Petter Solberg for second place. This year, we’ll have a good position on the road on the first day. I feel confident in this rally with its stages that are great fun for the driver. Like all my rivals, I’m impatient to see if we’ve done a good job in testing.”
M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team
The British team expands to four cars in Mexico with Russian Evgeny Novikov joining regulars Mads Ostberg, Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson. As in Sweden, Ostberg and Solberg will chase manufacturers’ championship points. Ostberg conducted a test in Portugal last week and arrives in Mexico on the back of winning the Norwegian championship Rally Finnskog last weekend. Rising star Novikov is back in the WRC after a one-year absence.
Evgeny Novikov: “For obvious reasons, I am not planning to fight for a high result in Mexico and I am not planning to drive to the limit. It is a wonderful opportunity to try out the new Fiesta RS WRC and I will have a first chance to try the car at shakedown. I have never competed in Mexico, but my co-driver [Stephane Prevot] has recommended it to me and fast stages should suit my driving style.”
Mads Ostberg: “Sweden was a really good event for me but I don’t think it is realistic to expect the same sort of result [second] in Mexico. It’s the first time there for us and it’s all about learning how the car handles on gravel at this event. I’ve got absolutely no idea what to expect from the stages - I haven’t even seen any onboard footage yet so it’s a real leap into the unknown. I’ll be content if I’m fighting in the top five.”
Henning Solberg: “I really enjoy this event. Mexico is a great place to go and the atmosphere of the fans is incredible. The Guanajuato Street Stage looks like it will be a lot of fun. I also think it will help make the event even more exciting for both the drivers and the fans. I’ve had some good results in Mexico in the past so hopefully I can put my accident from Sweden at the back of my mind.”
Matthew Wilson: “We’re moving from a rally where the conditions helped the car run at optimum levels to one where the air is less dense because of the altitude. This means the engine produces about 20 per cent less power, which is quite noticeable when driving. Sometimes the stages can be really rough and there could be a risk of punctures. Like every rally I set a pace on the first stage, see where we are and then develop the speed and feeling from there.”
FERM Power Tools World Rally Team
Sole driver Dennis Kuipers has never driven in Mexico before, nor has the 25-year-old sampled his Ford Fiesta RS WRC on gravel. As a result he admits he will be playing catch-up as he looks to land more manufacturer points for his Dutch-funded team. However, co-driver Frederic Miclotte was a finisher in Mexico in 2008 so is likely to prove to be a useful resource for Kuipers.
Dennis Kuipers: “This is the first time I drive in Mexico, where my competitors have competed here several times, so I need to catch up regarding my knowledge of the stages and gravel. On the other hand, I debuted last year on Rally of Turkey and I finished ninth. I like driving on gravel and I can feel very well how the car is handling and the car really slides a lot. Furthermore, driving very fast on the dusty roads in Mexico is just a really cool thing to do.”
Monster World Rally Team
Ken Block drove a World Rally Car in competition for the first time in Mexico last year and was in the top 10 after day one until broken suspension on the event’s second day dropped him and his Ford Focus RS WRC out of contention. Block adjusted to the Fiesta RS WRC on gravel during a test in Portugal last week. He told his Facebook page that he’s “itching” to get back on gravel again.
Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team
Rally Guanajuato Mexico is the first event of the season for the Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team and driver Federico Villagra. Like Block, Villagra prepared for the gravel event with a test in Portugal last week where he drove the Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the first time.
Federico Villagra: “I’ve had a good week testing in Portugal, the car has been running very nicely and I’ve been amazed by how responsive it is. We’ve done over 300 kilometres testing over two days so this should help me prepare for the gravel roads in Mexico. I don’t want to push too hard [this] week - we’ve got a new car and new tyres so I will want to build up a good feeling first and then we can take it from there. But for sure, I’d like to beat my personal best [seventh] so if we are fighting in the top six in Mexico then I will be happy.”
Petter Solberg World Rally Team
The 2003 world champion’s eponymous team will be eligible to score manufacturers’ championship points for the first time in Mexico. Run in conjunction with Citroen Racing in Paris, the Swedish-based squad took part in a pre-rally test in France last week where Petter Solberg was able to sample his DS3 WRC on gravel for the first. Solberg, who won in Mexico in 2005 and finished on the podium last season, ran for approximately 14 hours.
Petter Solberg: “Finally I got to drive the DS3 on a surface different than snow and I enjoyed it. After 14 pretty intense hours we had to stop, but I do think we are prepared in the best way for the Mexican stages. The event will be very exciting. For sure road position will be a key aspect.”
Please note that neither ICE 1 Racing nor Team Abu Dhabi have nominated Rally Guanajuato Mexico on their world championship schedules for 2011.
Hirvonen and Latvala cars, getting new tires and the light pod off, before starting the day.
