Thu June 28, 2007

 FIA WMC Suggest 12 events per year The following the World Motor Sport Council meeting notes in Paris on 27 June, 2007. The following decisions were taken in relation to the World Rally Championship. 1) From 2009, there will be 12 events in the FIA World Rally Championship. A detailed regulation around this de...

Sat June 23, 2007

 IRC Championsip standings updated

 Ypres, just north of Waterloo Ever seen a rally were until the 14th stage the podium changed every single stage? Ypres Rally has been another proof how brilliant rallying can be with a good set of rules. In a way WRCars are missing. But the excitement was not only fort he different categories of cars being fa...

 Ypres - how the fight developped

 Crazy morning in Ypres

 Cautious start for Jean-Joseph A diligent, cautious run from Simon Jean-Joseph and Jack Boyère has seen the Citroën C2 Super 1600 pair complete today's opening leg in fifth place in the provisional classification for European Rally Championship (ERC) runners....

 Ypres SS6 anulled The final stage of leg one last night, SS6 (Langemark) was cancelled this morning, due to anomalies with a yellow flag. A marshal was holding out a yellow flag at the beginning of the stage, in response to an incident on the previous running of the stage when several cars had gon...

NEWS JUST IN

 B SS18 - Rosetti wins @ 09:09 PM - Last stage was 33km long and won by Larry Cols - but it wasn't enough, Enrique Ojeda was only 0.8s slower and so it is a Peugeot 1-2!

 B SS17 - Fight is on for 2nd @ 08:25 PM - Ojeda wins stage and takes 2nd from Cols by 1.4s! 1 stage left and that is 33km long! Positions after SS17: 1 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, 2h19m06s1; 2 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +41s2; 3 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +42s6; 4 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m09s9; 5 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +2m40s3; 6 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +3m08s; 7 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +4m35s9; 8 - Snijers/?, Mitsubishi, +5m26s4; 9 - Colsoul/Colsoul, Mitsubishi, +5m44s5 10 - Czopik/Zagorii, Volkswagen, +7m14s9

 B SS16 - Now Casier off road! @ 06:29 PM - And such again a new leader, how crazy is this rally? And Travaglia off too! And Iliev off too! And Tsjoen retired with differential problems! And Cols moved into 2nd by 1.1s! And... 2 stages to go! Positions after SS16: 1 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, 2h10m28s9; 2 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +51s; 3 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +52s1; 4 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m16s3; 5 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +2m46s7; 6 - Scabdola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +2m54s1; 7 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +4m29s6; 8 - Snijers/?, Mitsubishi, +5m09s9; 9 - Colsoul/Colsoul, Mitsubishi, +5m33s9 10 - Czopik/Zagorii, Volkswagen, +7m02s8

 B SS15 - Diff problems for Tsjoen @ 06:21 PM - Tsjoen drops a lot of time with this. Haha, "a lot of time" on this rally is 9secs! However bad enough indeed to drop a place behind Larry Cols. Positions after SS15: 1 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, 2h02m14s2; 2 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +15s3; 3 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m05s; 4 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m13s3; 5 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m18s2; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +2m07s8; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m35s2; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +3m09s3; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +ms 10 - Snijers/?, Mitsubishi, +ms

 B SS14 - What no change? @ 05:52 PM - SS14 is the first stage of the whole event without change in the podium places! Scandola reports engine problem at end of stage. Positions after SS14: 1 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, 1h55m10s1; 2 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +11s; 3 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m03s7; 4 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m08s4; 5 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m12s4; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +2m; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m34s; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +3m00s6; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +ms 10 - Snijers/, Mitsubishi, +ms

 B SS13 - How close can it get?! @ 05:32 PM - When is the first stage we won't see podium changes? The top6 cars on this 16km SS13 were within 3sec - and still Ojeda and Tsjoen swapped 3rd place once again! Positions after SS13: 1 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, 1h49m26s9; 2 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +7s; 3 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m01s1; 4 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m03s6; 5 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m12s9; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m46s9; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m18s8; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +2m48s; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +4m02s2 10 - Snijers/?, Mitsubishi, +4m33s8

 B SS12 - yet another new leader! @ 03:35 PM - OK, this was the long 33km Heuvelland stage, but still what an amazing rally! New leader is Casier, 7.5s ahead of previous leader Rosetti now. Also in battle for 3rd, before the stage Ojeda 1.6s ahead of Tsjoen, now Tsjoen 1.1s ahead of Ojeda! Positions after SS12: 1 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, 1h40m18s8; 2 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +7s5; 3 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m00s3; 4 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m01s4; 5 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m16s1; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m47s5; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +2m00s6; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +2m33s3; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +3m46s9 10 - Iliev/Yanakiev, Mitsubishi, +4m30s

 B SS11 - Ojeda wins stage... @ 03:02 PM - ...and overtakes Tsjoen to another Peugeot 1-2-3. Positions after SS11: 1 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, 1h20m40s3; 2 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +9s5; 3 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m05s; 4 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m06s6; 5 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m19s9; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m33s3; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +1m55s6; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +2m06s4; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +ms

 B SS10 - Vouilloz and Loix out @ 01:13 PM - and watch Princen in the FWD Clio in the wet! Loix reports engine problems on his Volkswagen, Peugeot driver Vouilloz has gone off. Positions after SS10: 1 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, 1h11m59s3; 2 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +10s4; 3 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m06s9; 4 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m08s7; 5 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m22s3; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m30s9; 7 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +1m58s1; 8 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +2m00s6; 9 - Aava/Sikk, Suzuki, +3m09s0

 B SS9 - leader Tsjoen drops @ 00:28 AM - We have a new leader as Tsjoen loses over a min with an off! Positions after SS9: 1 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, 1h03m52s3; 2 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +10s8; 3 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +18s2; 4 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1m03s1; 5 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m05s4; 6 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m21s7; 7 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m22s6; 8 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +1m52s9; 9 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +1m56s7; 10 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, +2m19s1

 B SS8 - Mixing it @ 00:19 AM - SS7 stage times came in delayed. Also SS7 it started to rain after 4 cars, making the first 4 drivers un stage untouchable. SS8 Casier attacks and puts other Peugeots under pressure. Positions after SS8: 1 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, 56m28s5; 2 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +9s2; 3 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +14s6; 4 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +14s7; 5 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +1m01s4; 6 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +1m01s5; 7 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +1m20s9; 8 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +1m43s7; 9 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +1m50s; 10 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, +2m26s

Fri June 22, 2007

 B leg1 - Dramatic day in Ypres This series just proves to be absolutely mega exciting. Belgian Pieter Tsjoen in his Fiat Abarth Grande Punto has never led the rally all day, but wins the leg! He is chased by 4 Peugeots, but they also were not the story of the day! For the first 4 stages it was a battle between...

 Ypres on EuroSport

NEWS JUST IN

 B SS5 - troubled leaders @ 09:12 PM - It looks like Navarra has hit problems in SS5. More as we get it. And Loix too! What a twist! Positions after SS5: 1 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, 41m15s4; 2 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +1s5; 3 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +6s1; =4 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +8s4; =4 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +8s4; 6 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +18s1; 7 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +35s; 8 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +40s9; 9 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +44s; 10 - Snijers/?, Mitsubishi, +1m37s2 19 - Loix

 B SS4 - the leading duo @ 08:52 PM - Loix & Navarra swapped lead again. Fight for 3rd is great too with superb times for Casier and Ojeda in this stage. Positions after SS4: 1 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, 33m10s3; 2 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +0s6; 3 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +18s4; 4 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +24s2; 5 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +28s1; 6 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +32s3; 7 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +32s5; 8 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +36s3; 9 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +51s9; 10 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +58s1

 B SS3 - very much Navarra vs Loix @ - Sola lost near a min in SS3. This 22km long stage seems different, Princen (Clio R3) in the fastest 2WD moves from 17th to 12th, but the best gN Lancers of Travaglia and Cols drop places. Positions after SS3: 1 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, 14m16s8; 2 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, +3s9; 3 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +14s1; 4 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +21s1; 5 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +25s8; 6 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +26s4; 7 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +30s6; 8 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +34s3; 9 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +40s8; 10 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +52s4

 B SS2 - Loix and VW take lead @ - ...but only by the narrowest possible margin. Positions after SS2: 1 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, 14m16s8; 2 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, +0s1; 3 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +4s6; 4 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +4s7; 5 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +8s; 6 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +11s; 7 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +12s8; 8 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +13s4; 9 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +14s2; 10 - Scandola/Pirollo, Fiat Abarth, +26s6

 B Ypres SS1 - Navarra and Loix @ - Strong start for new VW, but Navarra wins 1st stage. The Abarth of Volkan Isik (6th in Turkey) dropped 2min for unknown reasons. Positions after SS1: 1 - Navarra/d'Amore, Fiat Abarth, 6m37s3; 2 - Loix/Buymans, Volkswagen, +2s8; 3 - Vouilloz/Klinger, Peugeot, +4s7; 4 - Tsjoen/Chevaillier, Fiat Abarth, +6s3; 5 - Travaglia/Granai, Mitsubishi, +6s9; =6 - Cols/Godde, Mitsubishi, +7s1; =6 - Casier/Miclotte, Peugeot, +7s1; 8 - Ojeda/Barrabes, Peugeot, +8s2; 9 - Rosetti/Chiarcossi, Peugeot, +9s2; 10 - Toth/Behar, Peugeot, +14s4

Thu June 21, 2007

 Rally Ypres itinerary - watch it here Sorry, I will find it hard to hide my sarcasm. Well, I like what I see! OK, I guess for David Richards and ISC this will be a boring rally, impossible to show on TV. I mean it is dark, isn't it? Malcolm Wilson also told us have you ever seen nice footage in the dark? Well, let...

 Gilles Panizzi plans IRC 2008 attack! Here the latest news from the Rally Ypres headquarter. These include an FIA seeding for Loix. (This doesn't make a change, though. At entry number 9 he was the first of the non FIA seeded drivers, now he is number 9, the last of the seeded drivers!). But also some surprise com...

 Wanna be WRC Rally Ireland Marshal? Rally Ireland has launched a drive to recruit motorsport marshals for the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship, which will take place from the 15th-18th of November....

 Loeb on his Irish mission It was more than mission accomplished for Sebastien Loeb, co-driver Daniel Elena and the Citroen Sport team in the Shell Donegal International Rally that took place this weekend. The World champion stormed his way to one of the most impressive wins ever witnessed on Irish rallyin...

 Haugland in Skoda for Goodwood

 Suzuki with official nod before October FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) World Rally Championship Commission President M.D. Chandler made a courtesy call at Suzuki Motor Corporation’s headquarters in Hamamatsu on 20 June. He welcomed Suzuki’s plans to participate in the World Rally Championship from Octo...

Tue June 19, 2007

 First quotes from IRC Ypres Oh how much I wish to live somewhere near a town with a mayor who has such attitude, follows rallying actively and sees the true potential of rallying like this! From the other quotes it looks like this is a race, not a rally. I am also not sure on the "Racing" Director's comm...

Mon June 18, 2007

 Ford showcases history at Goodwood Ford Motor Company, a major sponsor of the Goodwood Festival of Speed since its inception in 1993, will again be supporting this prestigious event in June 2007. The Festival of Speed is Europe's premier historic motor sporting event, a combination of hillclimb, rally stage, ga...

 Jean-Joseph ready for Belgium Simon Jean-Joseph and Jack Boyère's European campaign makes a port of call in Belgium next weekend for the 43rd Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally. The French crew will be looking for a top result with their Citroën C2 Super 1600 which is built and run by PH Sport in association ...

Sun June 17, 2007

 Loeb victorious in Donegal Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won the ‘Donegal Rally’ this week end, the Irish tarmac championship’s fifth round which took place in the area of Letterkeny. Their participation in the event was form part of the team's build-up to Rally Ireland which will figure in the Wor...