Tue January 23, 2007

NEWS JUST IN

 93 Photos from Rallye Monte Carlo! @ 10:56 PM - Please check our Monte Carlo Photo Gallery for new photos, just added!

Sun January 21, 2007

 Jan Kopecky wins championship point The legendary Rallye Monte Carlo ended on Sunday morning with the spectacular super-stage, some of which followed the famous Formula 1 circuit. Jan Kopecký and Filip Schovánek defended their eighth place on Saturday and entered Sunday's final stage with a secure head-start. Wi...

 Toni scores points on Mitsu debut Finnish driver Toni Gardemeister made his debut in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC on this week's Monte Carlo Rally. Despite his inexperience of the car – he only drove it for 90 kilometers before the start – he spent much of the event challenging for fourth position. Unfortunately fo...

 Chris snatches 4th at the last moment In front of tens of thousands of fans and a live television audience, Chris Atkinson was the star of the Monaco Superspecial, setting the fastest time around the stage and also snatching fourth place in the overall standings by just two-tenths of a second....

 Debut win for C4 WRC This morning's superspecial on the harbour-front in Monaco put the final seal on an emphatic one-two result on the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally for the Citroën C4 WRC thanks to Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí....

 Henning claims a manufacturer point The Stobart VK M-Sport Ford crew of Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud have successfully scored the team's first manufacturer point in 2007. Rallye Monte Carlo proved to be a great learning curve for all three drivers, competing on their first tarmac rally in the Ford Focus RS ...

 Disappointing season start for Stohl The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team has finished the Monte Carlo Rally in tenth overall place. Not really what they had hoped for but considering the constant brake problems a better result was impossible....

 Gronholm claims podium position BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen delivered a successful start to the FIA World Rally Championship season for the reigning manufacturers' champions by taking a podium finish on the Rallye Monte Carlo today. The Finns finished third in a Focu...

 Kopecky scores two 4th best times Jan Kopecký and Filip Schovánek are within reach of their first point in the driver standings in the opening event of the 2007 World Rally Championship. After the fourteenth stage, the crew of the Czech Rally Team Kopecký were eighth; in advance of Sunday's final 'super-sta...

NEWS JUST IN

 Loeb wins on C4 debut @ 02:09 PM - A 1-2 finish for the Citroen C4 on it's debut! Chris Atkinson takes 4th by 0.2sec.
1. S Loeb/D Elena 3h10m27.4s
2. D Sordo/M Marti +38.2s
3. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen +1m22.8s
4. C Atkinson/G MacNeall +2m28.1s
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen +2m28.3s
6. P Solberg/P Mills +3m12.0s
7. T Gardemeister/J Honkkanen +3m38.1s
8. J Kopecky/F Schovanek +4m39.4s
9. J-M Cuoq/D Marty +5m59.7s
10. M Stohl/I Minor +6m37.3s

Sat January 20, 2007

 C4s on top before Monaco finale With only one of the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally's fifteen stages remaining, the Citroën C4 WRCs of Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí returned to the Valence service park this evening in the same positions they have held since SS1, namely 1st and 2nd....

 Accident puts Latvala out of action Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team crew Henning Solberg and Cato Menkerud ended leg 3 of the 75th Rallye Monte Carlo on a high, in a position to claim a manufacturer point for their new team tomorrow. Solberg had struggled during the event with his performance on tarmac and it was just...

 Atkinson's battle goes to the wire The Subaru World Rally Team still has two cars firmly in the points with just one stage remaining in this year's Rallye Monte Carlo. Chris Atkinson was one of the stars of the rally and set two fastest stage times as he fought over fourth position with Mikko Hirvonen. Chris lo...

 Marcus has the podium in sight BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen ended the mountain speed tests of the Rallye Monte Carlo tonight in a comfortable podium position in their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. The Finns were no under no pressure from behind and took no risks as the...

 Victory: Watch out for C4 The new Citroen C4 WRC had the most stunning debut any car had in WRC history. There have been a few strong debuts, like the Peugeot 205 T16 and the Peugeot 206 WRC both leading their first ever rally. Or the groupB Lancia Delta S4 even won its first rally, tho helped by retireme...

 Kopecky moves into the points The second leg of the first event on the World Rally Championship calendar continued today. The organizers of the legendary Rallye Monte Carlo this year switched the centre of the event from the traditional Monaco to the town of Valence, but this hardly made the rally less challe...

 Citroen C4 dominating Monte Thanks to a score of six one-two stage times from today's six stages, the Citroën C4 WRCs of Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí continue to monopolise the top two positions at the end of the second leg of the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally. The day's menu of j...

NEWS JUST IN

 After SS14 of 15 @ 09:15 PM - All but done! Just the battle between Atkinson and Hirvonen remains after Latvala crashes out.
1. S Loeb/D Elena 3h08m36.2s
2. D Sordo/M Marti +31.1s
3. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen +1m23.6s
4. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen +2m28.6s
5. C Atkinson/G MacNeall +2m29.4s
6. P Solberg/P Mills +3m06.0s
7. T Gardemeister/J Honkkanen +3m38.3s
8. J Kopecky/F Schovanek +4m36.4s
9. J-M Cuoq/D Marty +5m55.2s
10. M Stohl/I Minor +6m353.7s

 Close battles in the top 8! @ 01:50 PM - Citroens ease off but watch the battles between Atkinson/Hirvonen and Kopecky/Latvala! Final stage of the day coming up... Standings after SS13:
1. S Loeb/D Elena 2h56m48.5s
2. D Sordo/M Marti +23.2s
3. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen +1m21.4s
4. C Atkinson/G MacNeall +2m38.6s
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen +2m45.8s
6. P Solberg/P Mills +3m10.9s
7. T Gardemeister/J Honkkanen +3m36.8s
8. J Kopecky/F Schovanek +4m25.3s
9. J-M Latvala/M Anttila +4m30.7s
10. J-M Cuoq/D Marty +5m31.8s

 Monte after SS11 @ 10:03 AM - Loeb and Sordo comfortable with 3 stages to go, Hirvonen closes on Atkinson after winning stage 11.
1. S Loeb/D Elena 2h33m14.3s
2. D Sordo/M Marti +29.6s
3. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen +1m18.8s
4. C Atkinson/G MacNeall +2m46.0s
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen +2m54.9s
6. P Solberg/P Mills +3m20.5s
7. T Gardemeister/J Honkkanen +3m23.7s
8. J Kopecky/F Schovanek +4m19.9s
9. J-M Latvala/M Anttila +4m33.1s
10. J-M Cuoq/D Marty +5m14.2s

Fri January 19, 2007

 Subaru aim for double points finish After the first full day of competition, the Subaru World Rally Team is still on track to achieve its aim of two points finishes on Rallye Monte Carlo. Chris Atkinson and Glenn Macneall made a storming start to the day and vaulted from an overnight sixth place to fourth. The duo ...

 Brake problem a setback for Stohl For now the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team has to be content with eleventh place at the “Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo”, the first run to the FIA World Rally Championship 2007. After Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor had moved up from seventh to fifth place in the morning, the br...

 Gronholm chases Monte podium BP-Ford World Rally Team remains on course for both a podium finish and a solid points haul after today's second leg of the Rallye Monte Carlo, first round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen were unchallenged for third in their Ford Focus...

 Latvala climbs the order The Stobart VK M-Sport Ford team has come back fighting in leg 2 with Finnish crew Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila sitting on two WRC manufacturer points as they finish the day in ninth position. Both Mathew Wilson and Henning Solberg showed improved confidence fi...

 Stohl satisfied with start The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is satisfied with the beginning of the “Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo”. Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor lie in seventh overall place following the first two special stages that were completed Thursday night. Taking into consideration that only...

 Cautious start for Gronholm BP-Ford World Rally Team made a strong start to the Rallye Monte Carlo tonight as the legendary event signalled the start of the FIA World Rally Championship season. Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen lie third in a Focus RS World Rally Car with team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jar...

 Strong start for Jan Kopecky The St. Jean En Royans stage launched the 2007 World Rally Championship on Thursday evening. During Thursday's leg, the crews had to tackle two challenging stages of the Rallye Monte Carlo....

NEWS JUST IN

 Standings at end of day one @ 08:49 PM - 1. S Loeb/D Elena 1hr 57min 41.1sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti 1hr 58min 06.3sec
3. M Grönholm/T Rautiainen 1hr 58min 56.8sec
4. C Atkinson/G MacNeall 2hr 00min 11.4sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen 2hr 00min 28.6sec
6. T Gardemeister/J Honkkanen 2hr 00min 35.3sec
7. P Solberg/P Mills 2hr 00min 46.7sec
8. J Kopecky/F Schovanek 2hr 01min 26.6sec
9. J-M Latvala/M Anttila 2hr 01min 53.2sec
10 J-M Cuoq/D Marty 2hr 02min 12.1sec

 Sordo closing the gap @ 11:26 AM - Sordo wins SS5 and moves closer to Loeb. Standings after SS5:
1) Loeb 1h11m10.8s
2) Sordo +6.5s
3) Gronholm +36.1s
4) Atkinson +1m34.0s
5) Stohl +1m36.7s
6) Gardemeister +1m38.8s
7) Hirvonen +1m51.2s
8) P Solberg +2m03.0s
9) Kopecky +2m06.8s
10) Cuoq +2m39.4s

 Sordo takes SS3 @ 09:00 AM - Sordo wins SS3, Loeb still holds lead, positions after SS3:
1) Loeb 53m29.5s 2) Sordo +7.7s 3) Gronholm +30.6s 4) Atkinson +1m04.0s 5) Gardemeister +1m16.6s 6) Stohl +1m16.8s 7) Hirvonen +1m33.6s 8) Kopecky +1m40.3s 9) P Solberg +1m48.0s 10) Cuoq +2m06.8s

Thu January 18, 2007

 C4 WRC in 1st/2nd places after Vercors The C4 WRCs of Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí completed the first and shortest leg of the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally in 1st and 2nd places. The evening’s start ceremony was preceded by the morning’s shakedown based a short distance to the north-west of host ...

 Monte Carlo Stobart Leg 1 Report

 Steady Leg 1 for Subaru The Subaru World Rally Team achieved its aim of getting both Impreza WRCs into the top six at the end of the opening leg of Rallye Monte Carlo and the first day of the 2007 season. Mindful of the need to start the season with solid points finishes, both drivers ensured they had e...

 Stohl will need time to adjust to Xsara Prior to the “Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo” the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team has completed about 100 testing kilometres last Sunday in order for Manfred Stohl and Ilka Minor to get used to the new car. It proved to be a difficult task. The professional development during ...

NEWS JUST IN

 Standings after SS2 @ 08:14 PM - New year, new car, same story! Citroen lead by 30s after 2 stages.
1) Loeb 23m29.9s 2) Sordo +23.9s 3) Gronholm +29.1s 4) Hirvonen +51.7s 5) Solberg +57.6s 6) Atkinson +1m00.1s 7) Stohl +1m01.7s 8) Gardemeister +1m06.1s 9) Kopecky +1m13.2s 10) Cuoq +1m29.1s