Welcome. Established in 2006 and only with the purpose to inform and comment about one of my greatest pasions: cars. Here I also report all the inside information from three events I follow: The Carrera Panamericana, the World Rally Championship (WRC) and Dakar. I hope you enjoy following my blog as much as I do creating it.
sábado, marzo 05, 2011
Here is a reason why rallying is for professionals
After second day service
Ogier still in first place, followed by Loeb with +0.9s, and Hirvonen in third. SS15 has started now.
Enviado desde mi oficina móvil BlackBerry® de Telcel
Enviado desde mi oficina móvil BlackBerry® de Telcel
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - W&R On site!
Enviado desde mi oficina móvil BlackBerry® de Telcel
viernes, marzo 04, 2011
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - Day 1 wrap up
Day one has ended. This is what we have so far.
Overall Positions
1 - S. Ogier
2 - S- Loeb +2,3s
3 - M. Hirvonen +1.22,2s
4 - J.M. Latvala +2.53,6s
5 - E. Novikov +3:04,0m
6 - H. Solberg +3:16,5m
Sebastien Ogier has completed the two runs over the Super Special Stage at Leon’s race circuit tonight with an overall lead of 2.3 seconds heading into day two of Rally Guanajuato Mexico.
The 27-year-old Frenchman heads factory Citroen team-mate and countryman Sebastien Loeb with world championship leader Mikko Hirvonen the top Ford driver in third.
Ogier now faces the prospect of cleaning the road of the loose surface gravel when the event resumes at 08:54hrs local time on Saturday by running at the head of the field.
“I am happy but to be really happy you have to be first on Sunday and it’s going to be difficult to keep this place to the end because I will have to clean the road tomorrow,” said Ogier, who was fastest on four of the six all-gravel stages today. “It has been very close all the day between me and Sebastien and for sure it will be a good opportunity for him tomorrow to overtake. But I will continue to push and do my best.”
There had been a suggestion that Ogier would be penalised for turning left to drive into the service park rather than right to head into the regroup at midday service. While this was a breach of the rules, Ogier was adamant that it was a simple mistake and turned around as soon as he realised he had taken a wrong turn. As a result no documentation was presented to the stewards for further action.
Loeb, the winner in Mexico on the last four occasions, was fastest on two gravel stages, in his Citroen DS3 WRC. “It’s been a great battle since the start of the day we are fighting 100 per cent. Ogier has been very fast today and for sure I am happy with my road position for tomorrow because I didn’t want to be cleaning the road.”
Mikko Hirvonen spent day one cleaning the road in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC and said it had been a huge struggle to remain in contention. “It’s been very, very difficult,” said the Finn. “The car is sliding and it’s very difficult to drive. But we haven’t had any mistakes so that has been good. The car was oversteering a lot on the last two stages. It’s going to be difficult to catch the Citroens tomorrow but we will try.”
Petter Solberg was on course for completing day one in third place but an electrical glitch on stage six cost him almost seven minutes and dropped the Citroen DS3 WRC driver out of contention. “I’m just so disappointed,” said the Norwegian.
Jari-Matti Latvala is fourth overnight albeit almost three minutes off the lead after he picked up a puncture on stage four in his Fiesta. Evgeny Novikov completes the top five in his similar car, which he is using in competition for the first time as he makes his return to the WRC following a one-year absence.
“I’m surprised to be fifth, for sure, but I’ve not taken any risks and found confidence in my car,” said the 20-year-old Russian.
Henning Solberg’s fortunes improved in the afternoon after a faulty rear differential had slowed him in the morning. He holds sixth overnight, one place ahead of Mexico rookie Dennis Kuipers at the wheel of FERM Power Tools World Rally Team’s Fiesta.
Super 2000 World Rally Championship leader Nasser Al-Attiyah is eighth with class rivals Ott Tanak and Martin Prokop ninth and 10th respectively.
Rally Sweden hero Mads Ostberg is on the cusp of the top 10 in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta as he continues his recovery from the time-consuming puncture he suffered on stage three.
There was disappointment for Ostberg’s M-Sport Stobart team-mate Matthew Wilson. The young Briton was an impressive fourth only to stop on stage seven with a suspected electrical fault. Ken Block, who restarted on Friday morning after an electrical glitch prevented him from tackling Thursday’s Guanajuato Street Stage stopped on stage with a reported mechanical fault.
Federico Villagra tore a wheel of his Munchi’s Fiesta on Friday’s opening test but is expected to restart on Saturday under SupeRally regulations.
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - Day 2 midday service
Service area at the Leon Poliforum just before lunchtime service.
M. Hirvonen enetering service. Only technicians with yellow armbands can work on the car once it arrives.
George, Ford Abu Dhabi Team tyre man, checks the used rubber from Mikko's car
Comments and pictures via twitpic from Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe, Director of Motorsports.
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - SS5 has ended, Loeb takes the lead
SS5 has just ended, and 2010 champion Sebastian Loeb has taken the overall lead after winning SS4 and SS5.
Global Positions:
1- S. Loeb
2 - S- Ogier +1.3s
3 - P. Solberg +18.4s
4 - M. Hirvonen +40.9s
5 - H. Solberg +1:56.5m
Cars now will go to midday service and then race again in SS2/SS6, SS3/SS7, SS4/SS8, and at night SS9 and SS10 at the Leon Car Track.
Global Positions:
1- S. Loeb
2 - S- Ogier +1.3s
3 - P. Solberg +18.4s
4 - M. Hirvonen +40.9s
5 - H. Solberg +1:56.5m
Cars now will go to midday service and then race again in SS2/SS6, SS3/SS7, SS4/SS8, and at night SS9 and SS10 at the Leon Car Track.
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - SS4 has ended, what do we have so far.
SS4 has ended. And Ogier isleading before the Leon Street Stage (SS5)
Positions:
1 - S. Ogier
2 - S. Loeb +1.2s
3 - P. Solberg +18.3s
4 - M. Hirvonen +39.2s
4 - M- Wilson +1:36.4m
Latvala lost time with a puncture in SS4. He is now in 8th overall.
Right now, SS5 is starting.
Pic via Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team and Info via wrc.com
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - SS2 Results
SS2, Alfaro 1 (26.01 kms)
Positions:
1 - S. Ogier
2 - S. Loeb +0.5s
3 - P. Solberg +3.4s
Latvala was the fastest Ford driver, followed by Hirvonen and Ostberg. Villagra lost a wheel after a crash and it is not expected to finish the day. Block started the day with a 10 minute penalty, after an electrical failure yesterday didnt allow him to continue in SS1.
Conditions:
Dry, dusty road. No water splash in this section as in previous years.
Information and pic Via WRC.com
WRC 2011: Rally Mexico - Guanajuato Opening and SS1.
Pictures from Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team via Facebook
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