Thu June 9, 2011

 Neuville philosophical after Yalta woes Thierry Neuville has already come to terms with the disappointment of dropping out of the battle for victory on the Prime Yalta Rally by admitting finishing first on home soil on the next round of the series in Ypres would mean far more to him....

Sun June 5, 2011

 Proton Yalta Rally Review PROTON Motorsports emerged from the PRIME Yalta Rally with Ukrainian sporting heroes Oleksandr Saliuk Sr and Evgen Chervonenko on the podium in the latest round of the Ukrainian National Rally Championship, which finished yesterday....

 Peugeot: A tough rally Bryan Bouffier’s objective on the last day of the 2011 Prime Yalta Rally was to fight for the win, while at the same time refraining from taking any risks that might jeopardise his chances of reaching the finish. He ended up second overall and the best-placed Peugeot represen...

Sat June 4, 2011

 Hanninen takes second IRC win of 2011 Juho Hanninen has become the most successful driver in the history of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in his own right after winning the Prime Yalta Rally in Ukraine today (Saturday). Driving a Skoda Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the Finn’s triumph moves him ahead of Freddy...

 Mikkelsen makes it 3 Skodas in Yalta top 4 Andreas Mikkelsen set three fastest stage times and finished 4th on the Prime Yalta Rally today in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 – just 57.3 seconds behind the event winner, Juho Hänninen, after losing an estimated two minutes with a puncture, two spins and a crash during t...

 Hanninen takes Yalta win for Skoda In Yalta, 4 June, 2011 – The Prime Yalta Rally saw a fantastic performance by Juho Hänninen of ŠKODA Motorsport (factory team) – although 11th after Day 1, his fast and flawless ride throughout the rest of the event got him to the top. Furthermore, his second victory in IRC th...

NEWS JUST IN

 UA end - Hänninen wins @ 01:04 PM - Stage win doesn't help Bouffier now, the win is Hänninen's. Wilks has a puncture, but it happens close to the finish and he keeps his position. Final results (after SS14)(subject to last road section and scrutineering):
Results after SS13:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 2h54m14s;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +11s7;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +38s7;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +57s3;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +4m00s4;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m01s5;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +7m59s3;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +10m01s3;
9th= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +18m08s9;
10th= Raoux/Magat, Renault, +21m42s9

 UA SS13 - Now it should be Hänninen @ 01:02 PM - Hänninen took another 6s from Bouffier. With one stage left the battle looks decided. Results after SS13:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 2h42m17s9;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +17s4;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +37s9;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m02s4;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +3m33s7;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +4m59s8;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +7m33s;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +9m36s3;
9th= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +17m57s;
10th= Raoux/Magat, Renault, +20m16s3

 UA SS12 - Hänninen gains advantage @ 11:15 AM - Another stage win for Kopecky. Mikkelsen briefly off road. Hänninen 2nd fastest and increases lead to 10s again. But it was the only stage in the morning loop too where Bouffier lost time to Hänninen. Results after SS12:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 2h27m06s6;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +10s8;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +43s;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m05s3;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +3m21s6;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m00s7;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +7m06s9;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +8m59s7;
9th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +11m58s6;
10th= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +17m31s4

 UA SS11 - Battles are on @ 08:46 AM - 2nd stage win in 3 stages this morning for Mikkelsen. Meanwhile Bouffier closes the gap to leader Hänninen to just 5s. Results after SS11:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 2h15m58s7;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +5s1;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +44s7;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +57s6;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +3m09s8;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +4m58s9;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +6m36s5;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +8m30s3;
9th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +9m40s3;
10th= Raoux/Magat, Renault, +16m27s5

 UA SS10 - Bouffier fights back @ 08:27 AM - Bouffier takes the time back on Hänninen he lost on the stage before. However, probably because of starting order and dirt in the wrong places with stages run in opposite direction, Kopecky and Mikkelsen might have the best start position. They were the guys to dominate the stage times this morning so far. Results after SS10:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 2h03m57s;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +8s8;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +41s7;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m069s2;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +2m59s8;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m00s6;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +6m05s3;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +7m57s9;
9th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +8m59s;
10th= Raoux/Magat, Renault, +15m17s7

 UA SS9 - Stage win for Mikkelsen @ 06:45 AM - And inexplicably slow time by Bouffier, giving Hänninen a bigger advantage. Basso didn't take restart. This is the coast stage (last of previous leg, bit shorter) back to front. Results after SS9:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 1h48m26s9;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +14s9;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +1m02s8;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m21s7;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +2m52s8;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m11s9;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +5m53s2;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +7m34s1;
9th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +8m10s1;
10th= Saliuk/Chervonenko, Proton, +11m23s9

Fri June 3, 2011

 Hänninen leads as Neuville hits trouble Juho Hanninen leads the Prime Yalta Rally following an action-packed second day in Ukraine. With three different leaders and three different stage winners, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge thrilled the thousands of fans who flocked to the sun-baked stages in the country’s Cri...

 Peugeot challenging for the win The Prime Yalta Rally, round four of the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, had all the ingredients to be a tough event, and that's exactly what it has turned out to be. The drivers who have been delayed by incidents include Thierry Neuville and Guy Wilks, yet Peugeot...

 Mikkelsen holds a fighting 4th on Yalta Andreas Mikkelsen finished Day 2 of the Prime Yalta Rally in the same position in which he started it, but it’s been far from a consolidated run in 4th position, as a time-consuming puncture saw him drop to 8th before a fastest stage time began his magnificent climb back up the l...

 Hanninen moves into Yalta lead Day 2 of the Ukraine Rally saw a real tour de force from Juho Hänninen of ŠKODA Motorsport (factory team). Despite a 10-second penalty he'd got yesterday, Juho climbed up from 11th place after Day 1 to the top of the rankings after Day 2. His teammate Jan Kopecký is third,...

NEWS JUST IN

 UA leg2 - Wilks with puncture @ 02:17 PM - Hänninen leads before the last leg, while Wilks drops a place as he joins the long list of drivers with punctures. Kopecky with a failed power steering. Results after leg2 (SS8):
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 1h36m58s7;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +12s9;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +1m07s5;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m33s1;
5th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +2m49s;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m13s2;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +5m48s6;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +6m37s5;
9th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +7m13s7;
10th= Basso/Dotta, Proton, +9m20s

 UA SS7 - New leader & 1st retirement @ 01:13 PM - Stunning time by Hänninen, who takes the lead. Basso's Proton reached the stage finish sounding very odd. Engine has eaten all oil. Neuville puncture. Results after SS7:
1st= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, 1h18m59s5;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +6s1;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +30s5;
4th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +33s7;
5th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m20s8;
6th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +5m07s9;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +5m08s9;
8th= Tempestini/Pulpea, Peugeot, +5m18s3;
9th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +5m30s6;
10th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +5m52s4

 UA SS6 - Peugeot in control, just @ 11:54 AM - A stage win for Neuville ahead of Bouffier seems to be the norm, but earlier problems mean Bouffier leads only 2.9s from Skoda's Hänninen. Results after SS6:
1st= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, 1h03m35s6;
2nd= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, +2s9;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +21s3;
4th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +30s7;
5th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m12s;
6th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +1m24s6;
7th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +2m42s;
8th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +2m46s6;
9th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +2m54s6;
10th= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +3m43s6

 UA SS5 - Bad stage for yellow cars @ 09:46 AM - From his superb 5th place Basso/Proton goes off and collects puncture, drops 4m. Andersson/Proton loses 1m with low engine oil pressure. Leder Neuville in the yellow Peugeot goes off for 3m. Bouffier drops 1/2m with clutch problems but takes lead. Results after SS5:
1st= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, 51m23s7;
2nd= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, +1s;
3rd= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +19s9;
4th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +25s8;
5th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +1m09s2;
6th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m11s4;
7th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +2m15s5;
8th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +2m18s4;
9th= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, +3m;
10th= Cherain/Pirotte, Renault, +3m12s9

 UA SS4 - Wilks and more with punctures @ 08:49 AM - Another hill stage, second half all downhill. Next stage will be near 30km along the Black Sea coast. Wilks (from 2nd), Andersson, Sandell, Mikkelsen all suffered punctures in the downhill bit. This has Hänninen move up to 3rd from last night's 11th. But stage win was actually again Neuville from Bouffier. Results after SS4:
1st= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, 32m33s;
2nd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +8s6;
3rd= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, +23s1;
4th= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +28s6;
5th= Basso/Dotta, Proton, +46s1;
6th= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +46s8;
7th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +59s8;
8th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1m38s9;
9th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +1m55s6;
10th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +2m02s

 UA SS3 - Peugeot strong into Ai Petri @ 08:43 AM - This stage leads from Yalta reight into Ai Petri Mountains. Neuville wins and extends lead, closely followed by Bouffier, who moves up 3 places for a Peugeot 1-2-3. Sandell drops from 3rd to 7th, Gardemeister from 5th to 9th. Results after SS3:
1st= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, 16m46s4;
2nd= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +6s8;
3rd= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +7s6;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +12s;
5th= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +13s8;
6th= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, +17s2;
7th= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +22s7;
8th= Basso/Dotta, Proton, +23s3;
9th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +26s2;
10th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +37s3

Thu June 2, 2011

 Neuville leads Yalta after day one The battle for victory on the Prime Yalta Rally is tightly poised following the opening two stages in Ukraine’s Crimea region today (Thursday). Thierry Neuville, driving a Team Peugeot Belgium- Luxembourg 207 Super 2000, leads overall with Guy Wilks, in a Peugeot UK 207, just 0...

 Mikkelsen happy with day one of Yalta Day 1 of the Prime Yalta Rally has quickly drawn to a close, with Andreas Mikkelsen in 4th position in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000. Having left service in Yalta, located on the shores of the Black Sea, the opening day of competition contained just two short stages – de...

 Sandell the leading Skoda after day one The programme of Day 1 of the Ukraine Rally included two stages in the streets of Yalta, 7.61 kilometres in total. Thierry Neuville in a Peugeot coped best with the technically challenging track and leads the field, the best of those driving Fabia S2000s was Sweden's Patri...

NEWS JUST IN

 UA leg1 - Another Peugeot stage win @ 00:40 AM - This time stage win for Wilks. This now is a very fast main road stage. And it started to rain. Drivers report of generally big changes in grip on this stage, probably this rally. Hänninen got jump start penalty and drops to 11th. Results after leg1 (SS2):
1st= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, 4m30s6;
2nd= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +0s1;
3rd= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +2s1;
4th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +2s2;
5th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +3s2;
6th= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +3s5;
7th= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +5s5;
8th= Basso/Dotta, Proton, +5s6;
9th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +6s7;
10th= Andersson/Axelsson, Proton, +8s5

 UA SS1 - First stage win to Neuville @ 00:35 AM - Neuville wins first stage. This is an exciting Yalta town centre stage. Results after SS1:
1st= Neuville/Gilsoul, Peugeot, 1m09s7;
2nd= Sandell/Parmander, Skoda, +1s4;
=3rd= Hänninen/Markkula, Skoda, +1s5;
=3rd= Wilks/Pugh, Peugeot, +1s5;
=5th= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1s7;
=5th= Gardemeister/Suominen, Skoda, +1s7;
7th= Bouffier/Panseri, Peugeot, +1s8;
8th= Kopecky/Stary, Skoda, +1s9;
9th= Kruuda/Järveoja, Skoda, +2s2;
10th= Basso/Dotta, Proton, +2s3

Wed June 1, 2011

 Mikkelsen eager for Ukraine challenge The greater the sporting challenge, the more Andreas Mikkelsen rises to the occasion. With a reputation for being very fast over unfamiliar roads, the Škoda UK Motorsport star is looking forward to the Prime Yalta Rally (2-4 June), which takes the Intercontinental Rally Challenge...

 Wilks and Pugh are Yalta bound There is no time to rest for Guy and Phil. After their tough Corsican rally, they head to the Ukraine for the Prime Yalta rally, which starts on Thursday 2nd June....

 Civic Type R's delegation in Yalta Rally n the wake of the monumental Corsica Rally and of the Hungarian Mecsek Rally, the Prime Yalta Rally in Ukraine is another new face on the International Rally Challenge (IRC) calendar. In this IRC's 4th leg, which will be held in the neighbourhood of the Black Sea and of the s...

Tue May 31, 2011

 IRC Prime Yalta Rally preview Here the full IRC round 4 of 12 Prime Yalta in Ukraine at the Black Sea coast preview...

 Proton Prime Yalta preview PROTON Motorsports will arrive at the start of this week’s PRIME Yalta Rally on the back of a positive three-day test in Ukraine....

 Uncharted territory for Peugeot’s crews The Intercontinental Rally Challenge has earned something of a reputation for incorporating classic events like the Rallye Monte- Carlo and the Tour de Corse in its calendar, but it has brought new territory in emerging countries into the public limelight, too. Examples inclu...

Mon May 30, 2011

 Skoda ready for new challenge in Ukraine The fourth IRC event this season, the Prime Yalta Rally scheduled to take place in the Ukraine over June 4-6, will see ŠKODA Motorsport (factory team) at full strength. The team's ambitions for this asphalt rally that is part of the IRC calendar for the first time in histo...

Thu May 26, 2011

 PROTON helps make history on Yalta Rally One of the Ukraine’s most famous rallying partnerships will be reunited on next week’s Prime Yalta Rally when Alexander Saliuk Sr and Evgen Chervonenko get back into a rally car for the biggest moment in their nation’s rallying history....