Sun March 25, 2018

 Lukyanuk wins Azores Alexey Lukyanuk laid down an emphatic marker for his ERC rivals to aim for, leading the Azores Airlines Rallye from Thursday afternoon all the way through to Saturday’s final stage, and capping his wining start to this year’s FIA European Rally Championship with donuts before the...

Sat March 24, 2018

NEWS JUST IN

 Azores SS15 - End @ 07:09 PM - As always in Azores, Tronqueira is an amazing stage. Koci and Ptaszek off, Yates drops 2 places, and best bit Lukyanuk drops 35sec doing donuts before stage finish! Final results (after SS15)(subject to last road section and scrutineering):
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 2h33m51s7;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +16s4;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +25s7;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m24s2;
5th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m33s1;
6th= Herczig/Ferencz, Skoda, +4m02s9;
7th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +4m12s2;
8th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +4m15s7;
9th= Teodosio/Teixeira, Skoda, +4m43s;
10th= Fontes/Babo, Citroen, +5m01s2

 Azores SS14 @ 06:35 PM - Exciting finale. Penultimate stage and Ingram's plan seems to work as he moves past Koci into 4th again. And Bruno is catching Moura for 4th. Botka on edge of top10 went off. Herczig passes habaj and eventually a time for Yates. Results after SS14:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 2h15m38s8;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +47s9;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +1m02s;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m50s3;
5th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1m55s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m49s4;
7th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +4m16s6;
8th= Herczig/Ferencz, Skoda, +4m25s;
9th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +4m31s5;
10th= Teodosio/Teixeira, Skoda, +4m51s8

 Azores SS13 @ 05:22 PM - Tyre gambles? Surprise stage win for Kreim, who has been weak all weekend. Lukyanuk keeps his best tyres in the boot for later. Ingram dropped behind Koci, saying he did it on purpose to keep his tyres fresh for the long last stage. Results after SS13:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 2h00m48s8;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +45s8;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +1m11s1;
4th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1m46s5;
5th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m52s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m46s3;
7th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +ms;
8th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +4m15s1;
9th= Herczig/Ferencz, Skoda, +4m16s8;
10th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +4m27s4

 Azores SS12 @ 03:03 PM - Just a short superspecial, which will be replaced by day1's longest stage for the afternoon loop. Still no decission on Yates' time correction, as he lost about 1m30s behind the Larsen accident in SS11. Results after SS12:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 1h47m59s9;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +37s8;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +1m08s9;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m36s4;
5th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1m39s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m23s8;
7th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +ms;
8th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +4m02s;
9th= Herczig/Ferencz, Skoda, +4m06s3;
10th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +4m06s4

 Azores SS11 @ 01:07 PM - Top4 drivers all in problems, so positions stay the same despite all the drame: Lukyanuk spin, Moura spin, Magalhaes rear diff problem, Ingram puncture. Yates time will be corrected after being held up by Larsen crash. Results after SS11:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 1h44m29s3;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +31s7;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +1m03s9;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m33s4;
5th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1m36s7;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m24s9;
7th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +ms;
8th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +4m03s6;
9th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +4m05s2;
10th= Herczig/Ferencz, Skoda, +4m07s2

 Azores SS11 - interupted @ 11:55 AM - SS11 stopped after Larsen crashed and blocks the road. And Sousa didn't turn up for his oil cooler damage from SS10. Stage heavily delayed and Larsen and Sousa already out of top10 results.

 Azores SS10 @ 11:19 AM - Dramatic start to the last day. Griebel didn't start as he is frustrated fighting Kreim for best German in P17. Vieira has suspension damage and might have to retire. Sousa hit a wall in a spin and looks like a damaged oil cooler. Results after SS10:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 1h26m29s1;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +24s5;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +57s6;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +1m06s;
5th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1m21s2;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +2m08s4;
7th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +3m02s7;
8th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +3m10s5;
9th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +3m11s6;
10th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +3m28s9

Fri March 23, 2018

 Battles rage in Azores The Azores Airlines Rallye once again showed why it is such a formidable opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship, but as others hit trouble, Russian Performance Motorsport’s Alexey Lukyanuk held steady out front. Not even a herd of cows blocking the road on Friday...

 Lukyanuk leads home hero Moura Alexey Lukyanuk has taken a narrow lead on the FIA European Rally Championship’s opening round, edging out Qualifying Stage winner Ricardo Moura despite running wide into a field during a drama-filled second stage of the Azores Airlines Rallye this afternoon. Vila Franca / São...

NEWS JUST IN

 Azores SS9 - day2 @ 05:35 PM - Another stage win for Magalhaes. Ingram moves up a place. Kasperczyk rolled (crew OK) in a narrow part and is blocking the stage. No times for Vieira and Teodosio below as both are blocked by the Kasperczyk accident. Results after day2 (SS9):
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 1h11m34s;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +21s8;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +32s4;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +44s1;
5th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +56s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +1m37s9;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +1m54s9;
8th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +2m23s1;
9th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +2m26s3;
10th= Vieira/Carvalho, Hyundai, +2m45s8

 Azores SS8 @ 04:40 PM - Next stage the rim of the vulcano again. In here: Stage win this time for Magalhaes, who also moves up to 3rd. And a strong 2nd fastest for Ricardo Teodosio. Lukyanuk claims to take it a little safer now. Rego lost power steering. Results after SS8:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 54m50s4;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +20s4;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +40s2;
4th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +43s8;
5th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +46s9;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +1m18s8;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +1m34s8;
8th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +1m50s9;
9th= Vieira/Carvalho, Hyundai, +1m52s2;
10th= Teodosio/Teixeira, Ford, +1m56s5

 Azores SS7 @ 04:15 PM - Lukyanuk keeps winning stages. But the fight is so close, even though Chris Ingram is 5th fastest in the stage, this drops him from 3rd to 5th overall. Also note places 8-9-10 just seperated by 0.3s. Results after SS7:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 49m22s2;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +21s;
3rd= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +40s5;
4th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +41s9;
5th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +44s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +1m10s8;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +1m24s4;
8th= Vieira/Carvalho, Hyundai, +1m44s2;
9th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +1m44s3;
10th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +1m44s5

 Azores SS6 - Sete Cidades @ 01:26 PM - Famous Vulcano stage. Ingram elbowed past Koci by tiny margin. Kreim changed a puncture and then held up Yates for about half the stage. Results after SS6:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 44m59s5;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +20s8;
3rd= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +40s;
4th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +40s1;
5th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +41s8;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +1m06s8;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +1m14s4;
8th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +1m33s4;
9th= Vieira/Carvalho, Hyundai, +1m37s2;
10th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +1m39s9

 Azores SS5 @ 12:37 AM - Lukyanuk and Ingram fly on this one, while Moura is slowed by a puncture. Next up is the 24km dance on a vulcano. Results after SS5:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 27m52s9;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +14s8;
3rd= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +19s4;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +20s6;
5th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +25s3;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +28s9;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +37s4;
8th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +50s6;
9th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +50s9;
10th= Griebel/Kopczyk, Peugeot, +55s6

 Azores SS4 @ 11:59 AM - Moura wins stage and Lukyanuk continues to lead. Fantastic 3rd fastest time for Rhys Yates, while Sousa and Griebel drop slightly down the order without any dramas reported. Results after SS4:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 22m20s2;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +1s6;
3rd= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +5s3;
4th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +14s6;
5th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +17s;
6th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +17s6;
7th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +23s3;
=8th= Griebel/Kopczyk, Peugeot, +30s9;
=8th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +30s9;
10th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +37s5

Thu March 22, 2018

 Live TV for Azores Airlines Rallye The battle for victory on the opening round of the 2018 FIA European Rally Championship won’t just be fought out on São Miguel’s spectacular gravel stages but on live television as well. Under an exciting agreement between the Azores Airlines Rallye organiser, Rádio e Televisã...

NEWS JUST IN

 Azores SS3 - day 1 @ 07:07 PM - The day ends with the side by side Grupe Marques superspecial inside a quarry. Results after day1 (SS3):
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 17m52s3;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +2s7;
3rd= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +3s8;
4th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +13s2;
5th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +14s6;
6th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +15s;
7th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +15s3;
8th= Griebel/Kopczyk, Peugeot, +20s5;
9th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +22s5;
10th= Kreim/Christian, Skoda, +32s8

 Azores SS2 @ 06:02 PM - Only proper stage of the day, good, narrow, technical gravel. Lukyanuk went into a field and still won the stage. Ingram 4th fastest with a huge moment. Neubauer rolled and Loubet stopped with mechanical problems. Results after SS2:
1st= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, 14m25s8;
2nd= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +2s6;
3rd= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +3s1;
4th= Ingram/Whittock, Skoda, +11s5;
5th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +11s9;
6th= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +12s3;
7th= Ahlin/Sjöberg, Skoda, +16s2;
8th= Griebel/Kopczyk, Peugeot, +16s3;
9th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +16s6;
10th= Habaj/Dymurski, Ford, +27s5

 Azores SS1 @ 04:27 PM - Just a short superspecial. Still surprising to see Botka in the lead. Results after SS1:
1st= Botka/Mesterhazi, Skoda, 1m33s9;
2nd= Lukyanuk/Arnautov, Ford, +0s1;
3rd= Magalhaes/Magalhaes, Skoda, +0s6;
4th= Sousa/Cardoso, Citroen, +0s9;
5th= Yates/Edmondson, Skoda, +1s2;
6th= Moura/Costa, Skoda, +1s4;
7th= Koci/Schovanek, Skoda, +1s7;
8th= Larsen/Eriksen, Ford, +1s8;
9th= Rego/Henriques, Ford, +2s;
10th= Vieira/Carvalho, Hyundai, +2s1

Fri March 16, 2018

 Full preview Azores Airlines Rallye Based on the mid-Atlantic archipelago’s largest island of São Miguel, the rally celebrated its half-century in 2015 and remains one of the most spectacular events on the international calendar. Stages criss-cross breath-taking scenery and lush countryside and are characterised by...

Mon February 26, 2018

 Will Moura be favourite for Azores? Ricardo Moura has laid down the gauntlet to the FIA European Rally Championship title contenders by winning round one of the Portuguese national series yesterday (Sunday). Moura triumphed on Rali Serras de Fafe, the opening event of the FPAK Campeonato Portugal Ralis, in a For...