Tour de Corse 2011

[RonSkoda]

Peugeot are sponsoring the event this year: http://peugeot.rallye-info.com/article. ... &stid=9205

They haven't announced any special drivers yet though, I reckon they are keeping their cards close to their chest so Skoda don't out-do them!

I have also heard there will be 6 hours of live tv for this event.

[Gregor]

Has an entry list been posted? I looked around the IRC and event websites and found plenty of spectator information but no entry list.

[ChrisB]

Entry list is here:

http://www.rallye-info.com/event_entryl ... ?event=553

The layout of the event is very promising too. They could have done more stages I feel and the 84km 1h stage has disappeared since it was an early idea. Still, looking forward to leg2 which starts in Calvi, finishes in Ajaccio and the stages centre around Corte. The stages are classics that have not been run for at least 10 years! SS 5 & 7 is the stage in which Henri Toivonen & Sergio Cresto lost their lifes near exactly 25 years ago. Though the stage goes in opposite direction and stops about 1km before Henri & Sergio's head stone, which will be passed as a road section.

Just for the records, we do these stages on Friday the 13th and entry number 4 is Jan Kopecky....

[Gregor]

Let's hope number 4 is not third time unlucky.

And of course good luck to Delecour.

[ChrisB]

I think the EuroSport guys won't object if I copy part of a personal email he sent me, because this should be interesting for everyone:

We’ll show some picture of the memorial Toivonen/Cresto in our magazines on Thursday and Sunday night and in the introduction of the live coverage of Taverna-Pont de Castirla and of the live coverage of last stage of the rally on Saturday evening, Sarrola-Plage du Liamone.

The Toivonen stage was Corte-Taverna. A good 1/3rd in you find Pont de Castirla, so the Taverna-Pont de Castirla stage is the actual Toivonen stage but reverse and not actually passing the accident corner. It is run as SS5&7, but if I see this right only SS5 will be shown on TV and only on EuroSport 2 & EuroSport Asia Pacific. Well, here the TV guide. Should be good to watch!

http://www.rally-irc.com/html/uploadedF ... .times.pdf

[ChrisB]

If anyone has noticed I mad an upgrade to the entry list:

Ari Vatanen will start as course opening car in a 207 RC. His navigator is so far unknown, as it is his son, but I am not 100% sure if it is Kim or Max.

[RonSkoda]

The entry list for Corsica is a bit disappointing in the end (no Vouilloz, no Hanninen, no "special" Peugeot driver)... I think this is a symptom of being less than one week after Sardinia.

There are also some rumours that Delecour will not start.

However, if Canarias is anything to go by it should still be a great event and we have live tv too.

[mof]

If anyone has noticed I mad an upgrade to the entry list:

Ari Vatanen will start as course opening car in a 207 RC. His navigator is so far unknown, as it is his son, but I am not 100% sure if it is Kim or Max.

Off topic, but Ari Vatanen drove in the Otago Rally in New Zealand in April this year in an RS1800 Escort. Good to see the legend getting around doing what he loves.

[ChrisB]

Didn't know about NZ. That should have been fun. Ari also did the Boucles de Spa this year in an RS1800.

Sadly Delecour withdrawing from Tour de Corse seems confirmed. Apparently he had no budget for the tyres and Peugeot wouldn't help him with it either.

[RonSkoda]

Didn't know about NZ. That should have been fun. Ari also did the Boucles de Spa this year in an RS1800.

Sadly Delecour withdrawing from Tour de Corse seems confirmed. Apparently he had no budget for the tyres and Peugeot wouldn't help him with it either.

I am a little bit disappointed with Peugeot here that they didn't seem to make any extra effort for Corsica. Ok, Petter was in Sardinia last weekend and Sarrazin was at a Le Mans series race but I'm sure they could have coped with Corsica too. I think this had the knock on effect of Skoda not employing any extras (Hanninen/Vouilloz) to combat Peugeot.

[ChrisB]

I agree with you on that, Ron.

Here a nice video showing the character and beauty of the island:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/6bfngHoa6sY?hd=1

[Gregor]

After breakfast and shopping I made it home in time to see the end live. Even more impressive was the fact the video feed was working.