Sección ingles / english Section
YOKOHAMA NELL’IRC CON BURCU CETINKAYA
l’unico equipaggio femminile nell’Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2010 gommato Yokohama
L’Intercontinental Rally Challenge rappresenta uno dei campionati di rally più importanti a livello mondiale. Yokohama è sponsor di questo trofeo da tre anni e nel 2010 vedrà partecipare il primo team equipaggiato con i propri pneumatici. La squadra sarà formata da due donne, e sarà l’unica esclusivamente femminile che parteciperà all’IRC.
Pilotessa e navigatrice sono due promesse del motorsports, che Yokohama Italia ha avuto il merito di supportare nei loro primi passi in gare svolte sul territorio nazionale. Burcu Cetinkaya e Cicek Guney, questi i nomi delle due campionesse turche, sono infatti da anni vincitrici del campionato rally femminile del proprio paese e nel 2009 Burcu ha disputato due gare in Italia, il Rally dell’Adriatico, navigata da Fabrizia Pons, storico nome del rallismo italiano, e il Rally di Azzano, navigata da Cicek.
Yokohama Italia Motorsports ha avuto in seguito il merito di mettere in contatto Burcu con Yokohama Europe, che ha accettato di intraprendere questa avventura e sostenere la stagione del team turco nell’IRC. La prima gara di questo campionato si terrà, in concomitanza con il WRC, proprio a Istanbul, città natale di Burcu e Cicek. In seguito il campionato si snoderà in più gare europee, fra cui due importantissime tappe italiane: il Rally di Sardegna a giungo e il Rally di Sanremo a settembre.
“Sono entusiasta di correre l’Intercontinental Rally Challenge” – afferma Burcu – “e sono contenta di gareggiare ancora con gomme Yokohama. Le due gare fatte nel 2009 e tutti i test eseguiti mi hanno permesso di raggiungere un buon feeling con questi pneumatici racing e di sviluppare al meglio la vettura. Yokohama Italia è stata il trampolino di lancio che mi ha permesso di concludere l’accordo con il direttore Motorsports europeo. Non vedo l’ora di tornare poi a correre in Italia: la gara in Sardegna sarà molto avvincente!”.
Media Yokohama / Italy
Andersson admits to Prodrive WRC talks.
Former Suzuki driver P-G Andersson has confirmed he is in discussions with Prodrive over a seat in the 2011 World Rally Championship.
Andersson, who is contesting the Super 2000 World Rally Championship in a Skoda Fabia this season, said he had spoken to the British firm, but he declined to go into specific details about the negotiations which relate to Prodrive’s soon-to-be-announced Mini WRC effort.
“Yes, I have spoken to Prodrive,” he said. “I’m talking about a possible programme for next year, but nothing is signed at all. Of course, I want to get back to the World Rally Championship full time, but for now there’s nothing to say. I don’t have too many options at the moment. There’s the Skoda deal and I’m talking with Proton about some events, but not so much.”
Swede Andersson, 30, has started 52 rounds of the World Rally Championship in a career which stretches back to 2002. He won two Junior world titles with Suzuki and drove the SX4 WRC for a season, ending 2008 with a brace of fifth places.
Britain’s Kris Meeke has also been linked to a Mini drive for next season, but the reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion remained tight-lipped on anything but his current Peugeot deal. He said: “After the rally we had in Argentina, all I’m focused on right now is getting the 207 right and getting some more IRC points this season.”
By Charlie Contadeli
MAX RALLY / G.B
SUBARU JOINS THE INTERCONTINENTAL RALLY CHALLENGE
Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, is delighted to announce that Subaru will join the IRC next year with the aim of supporting its customer competition business with the legendary Group N Impreza.
In the 2009 IRC season, seven manufacturers were represented with Abarth, Honda, Peugeot, Proton, Ralliart, Skoda and Volkswagen going head-to-head on spectacular events. The IRC series is designed not only to showcase these unique events through the use of innovative live television coverage, but also to provide competitors with an excellent promotional platform.
Marcello LOTTI, the IRC's General Manager, commented: "We are very honoured to welcome Subaru competitors into the IRC family, which gets bigger and better. Subaru is an iconic name in motorsport, which has been a mainstay of customer competition for many years. Subaru's strategy fits in perfectly with the philosophy of the IRC and we are convinced that our series will offer Subaru teams plenty of success and strong international media exposure."
Shigeo SUGAYA, Motorsports Director of Subaru added: "We are very happy to join the IRC, a series that we have been keenly observing since its creation three years ago. The IRC provides an ideal arena to develop our customer competition activities. With approximately 1,000 Subaru cars rallying around the world, this is a great opportunity for our customers to take part in the famous rallies showcased by the IRC and to benefit from the excellent promotion that comes with it."
Media IRC 2009.
Bengue and Escudero shine with the 307 WRC in France
Caroline Escudero:
Interview:
¿Caroline, how long does that you participate in the rally like navigator of Alex Bengue?
Since 2002 with 206wrc, 7 years ago
¿Skoda was one pretty experience in your sport trajectory?
The Skoda adventure stays one of my best remembers in my career. I have known a lot of wonderful people, mechanics engineer and pilots, co-pilots. Often we are keeping in touch, and become a very good friend.
¿For your opinion there are many differences between Fabia WRC and the 307 WRC?
These cars are completely different, at the beginning because the philosophy and construction are not the same, already due at the development, one was create with Pirelli’s tyres and the other with Michelin’s.
¿What memories tenes of the fantastic action next to Alex in the rally of Catalonia 2006?
It was the really nice experience, because we had never drove the 307wrc before and we can’t made more than 45km in “test” before this race…When we arrived at the shakedown, we were completely next to the reality we the set up…We had a lot of "fish to fry" during the rally to improve the car, and to finish 4th behind Marcus…Was a really pleased race, in more during this event I used the Marcus’s old seat, really confortable….great! ;-)
¿A brief concept of the Peugeot 307 WRC of equipment BSA?
It was a customer spike, with only center diff active. We have worked a lot on the balance and the under-steering.
¿A consideration of Alex Bengue like pilot?
Alex is a really kind person, is human person with his codriver, engineer, mechanics, all his team generally. It’s a really good driver on asphalt but also in gravel, evenif we have never competed on wrc gravel’s event, it’s all the time a really good moment to drive on this surface. It’s a quite, focus and working guy during rally or when he prepares them.
¿Which is the objective of this season 2008 in the French championship of asphalt rally with the 307 WRC of BSA?
For beginning, I have to precise you, is not the BSA’s car. We still have our faithful
partners Yacco with us, but is very much important for me to precise that the car is a François Combronde’s Car and we drive this year for the 2C competition/Yacco Team. And it’s thanks to Combronde family if we have the chance to drive 307wrc again. To come back to the target, we have like target to bring our team at the top of the podium again to Rally du MONT BLANC, but for the rest we don’t have previous to compete on more event than Limousin, Rouergue and Mont Blanc, we are working on Rallye de France Tour de Corse.
¿Exists some possibility of getting up itself to the IRC in the 2009 with a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 with the auspice of Yacco?
We can't never say never, but for now, it’s not our partners plan for 2009. But we are working on some projects for next year.
Alex Bengue:
¿Alex, the rally is your great passion?
Yes of course, from that I have 18 years old (we can’t drive before in france) I have organize my life with the only one target to become a professional driver!
¿What memories tenes of your debut in the WRC with the Peugeot 206 WRC of Yacco?
Some good, some bad moments, but for sure we are French champion with this magique car, and I know that I have a lot of chance to know this wrc car! It’s JeanPierre Champeau who has given to me this chance. (JPC is a French guy who helped Sebastien Loeb to become professional driver)
¿What differences there are between for your pilotage between the 307 WRC and old the 206 WRC?
No big differences in my driving, you know the cars come from the same factory, the 307 is more efficient in fast rallies and the 206 is really effective in twisty and narrow rallies like Corsica. You find in 307 a very good drive’s agreement, space and disposal… the 307 engine is unbelievable, very powerful and easy to drive. This is the best car I have never driven.
¿Alex, which is the rally that you more like of the WRC and the French asphalt championship?
I like all rallies, maybe I prefer the Deutschland rally in WRC and in France, Rallye du Limousin and rallye du Rouergue are without doubt the best races from my side.
¿In order to finalize, that seems to you the rally of Argentina been worth by the WRC?
About the weather condition, I am sure….! For the rest this is a rally where must be really nice to compete and the spectators are very present to support the drivers.
¿Alex, you would like to enter to the championship of the IRC in the 2010 with Peugeot 207 Super 2000?
Why not but I would prefer to drive WRC car in WRC championship, but if you have a enter or proposal to engage me in IRC championship, I’m not so far from you!!
Pablo MACHI
www.rallyreportnews.com.ar
IRC and WRC S2000 CUP 2010:
All new Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car unveiled
The highly-anticipated Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car has been unveiled at a launch ceremony at M-Sport’s Cumbrian base in the UK. The new rally car, the culmination of nine months’ hard work by the design and engineering team at M-Sport, was presented by M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson. Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Senior Motorsport Manager was present as a special Ford guest during the S2000 launch.
The Fiesta S2000, M-Sport and Ford’s first global rally car, which will be eligible to compete in national rally championships around the world as well as the IRC and S2000 World Cup, is due for homologation in January 2010. However, it will make its public debut this weekend appearing as course car at the final round of the IRC series, the Rally of Scotland.
Invited guests were given an opportunity to get a close-up look at the exciting new car which has been designed by M-Sport’s award-winning technical director Christian Loriaux and his team led by Chief Designer Anthony Brinkman and Test Engineer Chris Gray.
Continuing their close relationship with Ford, the team at M-Sport has worked in tandem with Ford’s Motorsport Technical Manager Mike Norton and the Ford small car design team that developed the acclaimed kinetic design of the Fiesta road car, to develop a dynamic and aggressive looking rally car.
The experience gained from developing the record-breaking Ford Focus RS WRC has been used by the M-Sport team to develop the Fiesta S2000 rally car while working within the new FIA sporting regulations which mean that this car can be used by customers at both national and international level.
The Fiesta S2000 has already completed nearly 3000kms of testing both in the UK and Europe and that extensive testing programme will continue into the start of the next year in readiness for the car’s competitive debut.
The Fiesta S2000 is the latest in a long line of rally cars produced as a result of the successful partnership between M-Sport and Ford, starting with the Escort Cosworth in the 1990s and moving on to the record breaking Ford Focus RS WRC and Ford Fiesta ST.
It follows hot on the heels of M-Sport’s extremely successful two wheel drive Fiesta R2, which was launched earlier this year and has already taken class victories in rallies across Europe.
The arrival of the Fiesta S2000 means that together Ford and M-Sport offer a complete ladder of opportunity for rally competitors to graduate with Ford from national level right through to the WRC in Ford cars.
M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:
“Today is a very exciting day for us. This is the first global rally car for Ford and M-Sport, I really believe that we have produced a fantastic rally car and this launch is a big step to seeing it out competing in rallies. It’s the first time in five years that we have been able to offer a Ford rally car that can challenge for overall victory in national championships across the world.
“It is also the culmination of a huge amount of hard work not only by Christian Loriaux and his team, but by everyone who works at M-Sport. We have worked closely with Ford on this project, their best-selling road car, the new Ford Fiesta, has been a perfect base car and its award-winning styling and kinematics together with M-Sport’s expertise will surely make the Fiesta S2000 a huge global success.”
M-Sport Technical Director Christian Loriaux said:
“It’s a fantastic feeling today to see the car actually launched to the world after all the hard work and testing behind closed doors. Everyone at M-Sport has had to pull together in order to get the Fiesta S2000 finished in such a short period of time and it has been a great team effort to get to this point so quickly.
“The design team, led by Anthony Brinkman and Chris Gray, has worked incredibly hard and the fact that we have been able to deliver the car to schedule is down in no small part to the commitment of the entire M-Sport team to the success of the project. We have made a very promising start in testing and I am more than pleased with the performance of the car so far; it will be interesting to see how the real pace of the car compares to the competition.”
Media M-SPORT / G.B
Images: Press M-Sport
l’unico equipaggio femminile nell’Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2010 gommato Yokohama
L’Intercontinental Rally Challenge rappresenta uno dei campionati di rally più importanti a livello mondiale. Yokohama è sponsor di questo trofeo da tre anni e nel 2010 vedrà partecipare il primo team equipaggiato con i propri pneumatici. La squadra sarà formata da due donne, e sarà l’unica esclusivamente femminile che parteciperà all’IRC.
Pilotessa e navigatrice sono due promesse del motorsports, che Yokohama Italia ha avuto il merito di supportare nei loro primi passi in gare svolte sul territorio nazionale. Burcu Cetinkaya e Cicek Guney, questi i nomi delle due campionesse turche, sono infatti da anni vincitrici del campionato rally femminile del proprio paese e nel 2009 Burcu ha disputato due gare in Italia, il Rally dell’Adriatico, navigata da Fabrizia Pons, storico nome del rallismo italiano, e il Rally di Azzano, navigata da Cicek.
Yokohama Italia Motorsports ha avuto in seguito il merito di mettere in contatto Burcu con Yokohama Europe, che ha accettato di intraprendere questa avventura e sostenere la stagione del team turco nell’IRC. La prima gara di questo campionato si terrà, in concomitanza con il WRC, proprio a Istanbul, città natale di Burcu e Cicek. In seguito il campionato si snoderà in più gare europee, fra cui due importantissime tappe italiane: il Rally di Sardegna a giungo e il Rally di Sanremo a settembre.
“Sono entusiasta di correre l’Intercontinental Rally Challenge” – afferma Burcu – “e sono contenta di gareggiare ancora con gomme Yokohama. Le due gare fatte nel 2009 e tutti i test eseguiti mi hanno permesso di raggiungere un buon feeling con questi pneumatici racing e di sviluppare al meglio la vettura. Yokohama Italia è stata il trampolino di lancio che mi ha permesso di concludere l’accordo con il direttore Motorsports europeo. Non vedo l’ora di tornare poi a correre in Italia: la gara in Sardegna sarà molto avvincente!”.
Media Yokohama / Italy
Andersson admits to Prodrive WRC talks.
Former Suzuki driver P-G Andersson has confirmed he is in discussions with Prodrive over a seat in the 2011 World Rally Championship.
Andersson, who is contesting the Super 2000 World Rally Championship in a Skoda Fabia this season, said he had spoken to the British firm, but he declined to go into specific details about the negotiations which relate to Prodrive’s soon-to-be-announced Mini WRC effort.
“Yes, I have spoken to Prodrive,” he said. “I’m talking about a possible programme for next year, but nothing is signed at all. Of course, I want to get back to the World Rally Championship full time, but for now there’s nothing to say. I don’t have too many options at the moment. There’s the Skoda deal and I’m talking with Proton about some events, but not so much.”
Swede Andersson, 30, has started 52 rounds of the World Rally Championship in a career which stretches back to 2002. He won two Junior world titles with Suzuki and drove the SX4 WRC for a season, ending 2008 with a brace of fifth places.
Britain’s Kris Meeke has also been linked to a Mini drive for next season, but the reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion remained tight-lipped on anything but his current Peugeot deal. He said: “After the rally we had in Argentina, all I’m focused on right now is getting the 207 right and getting some more IRC points this season.”
By Charlie Contadeli
MAX RALLY / G.B
SUBARU JOINS THE INTERCONTINENTAL RALLY CHALLENGE
Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, is delighted to announce that Subaru will join the IRC next year with the aim of supporting its customer competition business with the legendary Group N Impreza.
In the 2009 IRC season, seven manufacturers were represented with Abarth, Honda, Peugeot, Proton, Ralliart, Skoda and Volkswagen going head-to-head on spectacular events. The IRC series is designed not only to showcase these unique events through the use of innovative live television coverage, but also to provide competitors with an excellent promotional platform.
Marcello LOTTI, the IRC's General Manager, commented: "We are very honoured to welcome Subaru competitors into the IRC family, which gets bigger and better. Subaru is an iconic name in motorsport, which has been a mainstay of customer competition for many years. Subaru's strategy fits in perfectly with the philosophy of the IRC and we are convinced that our series will offer Subaru teams plenty of success and strong international media exposure."
Shigeo SUGAYA, Motorsports Director of Subaru added: "We are very happy to join the IRC, a series that we have been keenly observing since its creation three years ago. The IRC provides an ideal arena to develop our customer competition activities. With approximately 1,000 Subaru cars rallying around the world, this is a great opportunity for our customers to take part in the famous rallies showcased by the IRC and to benefit from the excellent promotion that comes with it."
Media IRC 2009.
Bengue and Escudero shine with the 307 WRC in France
Caroline Escudero:
Interview:
¿Caroline, how long does that you participate in the rally like navigator of Alex Bengue?
Since 2002 with 206wrc, 7 years ago
¿Skoda was one pretty experience in your sport trajectory?
The Skoda adventure stays one of my best remembers in my career. I have known a lot of wonderful people, mechanics engineer and pilots, co-pilots. Often we are keeping in touch, and become a very good friend.
¿For your opinion there are many differences between Fabia WRC and the 307 WRC?
These cars are completely different, at the beginning because the philosophy and construction are not the same, already due at the development, one was create with Pirelli’s tyres and the other with Michelin’s.
¿What memories tenes of the fantastic action next to Alex in the rally of Catalonia 2006?
It was the really nice experience, because we had never drove the 307wrc before and we can’t made more than 45km in “test” before this race…When we arrived at the shakedown, we were completely next to the reality we the set up…We had a lot of "fish to fry" during the rally to improve the car, and to finish 4th behind Marcus…Was a really pleased race, in more during this event I used the Marcus’s old seat, really confortable….great! ;-)
¿A brief concept of the Peugeot 307 WRC of equipment BSA?
It was a customer spike, with only center diff active. We have worked a lot on the balance and the under-steering.
¿A consideration of Alex Bengue like pilot?
Alex is a really kind person, is human person with his codriver, engineer, mechanics, all his team generally. It’s a really good driver on asphalt but also in gravel, evenif we have never competed on wrc gravel’s event, it’s all the time a really good moment to drive on this surface. It’s a quite, focus and working guy during rally or when he prepares them.
¿Which is the objective of this season 2008 in the French championship of asphalt rally with the 307 WRC of BSA?
For beginning, I have to precise you, is not the BSA’s car. We still have our faithful
partners Yacco with us, but is very much important for me to precise that the car is a François Combronde’s Car and we drive this year for the 2C competition/Yacco Team. And it’s thanks to Combronde family if we have the chance to drive 307wrc again. To come back to the target, we have like target to bring our team at the top of the podium again to Rally du MONT BLANC, but for the rest we don’t have previous to compete on more event than Limousin, Rouergue and Mont Blanc, we are working on Rallye de France Tour de Corse.
¿Exists some possibility of getting up itself to the IRC in the 2009 with a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 with the auspice of Yacco?
We can't never say never, but for now, it’s not our partners plan for 2009. But we are working on some projects for next year.
Alex Bengue:
¿Alex, the rally is your great passion?
Yes of course, from that I have 18 years old (we can’t drive before in france) I have organize my life with the only one target to become a professional driver!
¿What memories tenes of your debut in the WRC with the Peugeot 206 WRC of Yacco?
Some good, some bad moments, but for sure we are French champion with this magique car, and I know that I have a lot of chance to know this wrc car! It’s JeanPierre Champeau who has given to me this chance. (JPC is a French guy who helped Sebastien Loeb to become professional driver)
¿What differences there are between for your pilotage between the 307 WRC and old the 206 WRC?
No big differences in my driving, you know the cars come from the same factory, the 307 is more efficient in fast rallies and the 206 is really effective in twisty and narrow rallies like Corsica. You find in 307 a very good drive’s agreement, space and disposal… the 307 engine is unbelievable, very powerful and easy to drive. This is the best car I have never driven.
¿Alex, which is the rally that you more like of the WRC and the French asphalt championship?
I like all rallies, maybe I prefer the Deutschland rally in WRC and in France, Rallye du Limousin and rallye du Rouergue are without doubt the best races from my side.
¿In order to finalize, that seems to you the rally of Argentina been worth by the WRC?
About the weather condition, I am sure….! For the rest this is a rally where must be really nice to compete and the spectators are very present to support the drivers.
¿Alex, you would like to enter to the championship of the IRC in the 2010 with Peugeot 207 Super 2000?
Why not but I would prefer to drive WRC car in WRC championship, but if you have a enter or proposal to engage me in IRC championship, I’m not so far from you!!
Pablo MACHI
www.rallyreportnews.com.ar
IRC and WRC S2000 CUP 2010:
All new Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car unveiled
The highly-anticipated Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car has been unveiled at a launch ceremony at M-Sport’s Cumbrian base in the UK. The new rally car, the culmination of nine months’ hard work by the design and engineering team at M-Sport, was presented by M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson. Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Senior Motorsport Manager was present as a special Ford guest during the S2000 launch.
The Fiesta S2000, M-Sport and Ford’s first global rally car, which will be eligible to compete in national rally championships around the world as well as the IRC and S2000 World Cup, is due for homologation in January 2010. However, it will make its public debut this weekend appearing as course car at the final round of the IRC series, the Rally of Scotland.
Invited guests were given an opportunity to get a close-up look at the exciting new car which has been designed by M-Sport’s award-winning technical director Christian Loriaux and his team led by Chief Designer Anthony Brinkman and Test Engineer Chris Gray.
Continuing their close relationship with Ford, the team at M-Sport has worked in tandem with Ford’s Motorsport Technical Manager Mike Norton and the Ford small car design team that developed the acclaimed kinetic design of the Fiesta road car, to develop a dynamic and aggressive looking rally car.
The experience gained from developing the record-breaking Ford Focus RS WRC has been used by the M-Sport team to develop the Fiesta S2000 rally car while working within the new FIA sporting regulations which mean that this car can be used by customers at both national and international level.
The Fiesta S2000 has already completed nearly 3000kms of testing both in the UK and Europe and that extensive testing programme will continue into the start of the next year in readiness for the car’s competitive debut.
The Fiesta S2000 is the latest in a long line of rally cars produced as a result of the successful partnership between M-Sport and Ford, starting with the Escort Cosworth in the 1990s and moving on to the record breaking Ford Focus RS WRC and Ford Fiesta ST.
It follows hot on the heels of M-Sport’s extremely successful two wheel drive Fiesta R2, which was launched earlier this year and has already taken class victories in rallies across Europe.
The arrival of the Fiesta S2000 means that together Ford and M-Sport offer a complete ladder of opportunity for rally competitors to graduate with Ford from national level right through to the WRC in Ford cars.
M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:
“Today is a very exciting day for us. This is the first global rally car for Ford and M-Sport, I really believe that we have produced a fantastic rally car and this launch is a big step to seeing it out competing in rallies. It’s the first time in five years that we have been able to offer a Ford rally car that can challenge for overall victory in national championships across the world.
“It is also the culmination of a huge amount of hard work not only by Christian Loriaux and his team, but by everyone who works at M-Sport. We have worked closely with Ford on this project, their best-selling road car, the new Ford Fiesta, has been a perfect base car and its award-winning styling and kinematics together with M-Sport’s expertise will surely make the Fiesta S2000 a huge global success.”
M-Sport Technical Director Christian Loriaux said:
“It’s a fantastic feeling today to see the car actually launched to the world after all the hard work and testing behind closed doors. Everyone at M-Sport has had to pull together in order to get the Fiesta S2000 finished in such a short period of time and it has been a great team effort to get to this point so quickly.
“The design team, led by Anthony Brinkman and Chris Gray, has worked incredibly hard and the fact that we have been able to deliver the car to schedule is down in no small part to the commitment of the entire M-Sport team to the success of the project. We have made a very promising start in testing and I am more than pleased with the performance of the car so far; it will be interesting to see how the real pace of the car compares to the competition.”
Media M-SPORT / G.B
Images: Press M-Sport