Sat July 5, 2014

 Praise for Junior Zawada from Panseri Xavier Panseri has praised Aleks Zawada following the young Polish driver’s impressive performance on last month’s Geko Ypres Rally, round four of the FIA ERC Junior Championship. ...

Mon June 30, 2014

 Serious competition in ERC Juniors The serious competition ahead in the FIA European Rally Championship was underlined when Stéphane Lefebvre claimed ERC Junior glory on the Geko Ypres Rally tied on time with Andrea Crugnola following almost 300 kilometres of stage action. ...

 Q&A Freddy Loix The Ypres Rally legend took a ninth victory on the Geko-backed event when the FIA European Rally Championship came to his native Belgium last week. This is what he had to say. ...

 ERC star Abbring visits Spa WTCC Fresh from his heroics on the Geko Ypres Rally, round six of the FIA European Rally Championship, Kevin Abbring headed from west to east Belgium and to Spa-Francorchamps where he was a guest of Eurosport Events at the WTCC Race of Belgium on 22 June. ...

Fri June 27, 2014

 A room with a view for Thierry Neuville Hyundai Shell World Rally Team star Thierry Neuville was treated to a spectacular view of Ypres during a promotional visit to his home round of the FIA European Rally Championship last week. ...

Sun June 22, 2014

 Fast Freddy impresses in Ypres Freddy Loix is one victory away from making it 10 Geko Ypres Rally wins following a dramatic climax to Belgium’s FIA European Rally Championship qualifier, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in glorious sunshine today and with thousands of fans lining the challenging route. ...

 Skoda claims 5th win in a row in Ypres Record win for ŠKODA on golden anniversary of the Ypres Rally: victory marks the first time in the 50-year history of the asphalt rally around the town of Ypres in West Flanders that one manufacturer has won the event five times in a row. Freddy Loix (B), who is supported by ŠKOD...

Sat June 21, 2014

NEWS JUST IN

 B end -- Loix Ypres win number 9! @ 08:40 PM - Tsjoen wins stage and Loix takes his 9th Ypres vidtory. Now the real rally can start - the traditional Ypres party! Final results (after SS20)(provisional as subject to last road section and scrutineering):
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h43m13s7;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m09s9;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m14s2;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m32s5;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m44s5;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +5m25s4;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +6m11s5;
8th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m53s5;
9th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +6m59s7;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +9m01s6

 B SS19 - Loix in control @ 08:30 PM - There is still a small battle for 3rd, but Loix in control even though Cherain won stage. Last stage is longest of rallye and provided lots and lots of drama last year. Results after SS19:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h27m14s7;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m07s5;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m11s4;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m24s3;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m32s2;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m58s3;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +5m38s2;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +6m25s6;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m44s2;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +8m36s5

 B SS18 - More surprises to come @ 06:36 PM - Strong time by Kobus now, even though he declares to have ploughed through a mais field. Stage win for Rossetti. Results after SS18:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h18m58s7;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m08s5;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m10s2;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m19s9;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m30s1;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m36s4;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +5m12s8;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m58s4;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m25s3;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +8m13s3

 B SS17 - Loix wins stage again @ 06:25 PM - Meanwhile even Loix says he is missing the fight. Results after SS17:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h14m33s6;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m08s3;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m11s5;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m21s1;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m37s4;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m35s;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +5m09s8;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m54s6;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m23s9;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +8m03s7

 B SS16 - Stage win for Rossetti @ 05:56 PM - Rossetti wins stage while Loix is clearly cruising after all the drama so far. Results after SS16:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h07m48s7;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m05s7;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m11s5;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m19s3;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m37s3;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m30s4;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +4m58s2;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m40s6;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m14s5;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +7m48s1

 B SS15 - Next out Tsjoen @ 05:35 PM - Tsjoen ditched his 208 T16 300 meters from the finish. Slow time by Loix, as he seemingly just goes for the finish now. Stage win for Casier. Results after SS15:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 2h00m08s5;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m10s5;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m14s3;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m21s9;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m46s;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m12s9;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +4m47s7;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m27s2;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m04s6;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +7m20s1

 B SS14 - Abbring out, Loix leads @ 03:30 PM - Hollebeke longest stage of the rally, and what drama! Abbring retires before stage with unidintified tech probs. Breen retires in stage with a broken diff. Debackere loses time with the fire extinguisher going off for no reason. Simpson loses masses of time in a ditch. Results after SS14:
1st= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, 1h52m10s5;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m16s2;
3rd= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m13s7;
4th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m30s;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +3m53s7;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m12s8;
7th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +4m44s7;
8th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m15s;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +6m04s6;
10th= Hadik/Kertesz, Subaru, +7m15s4

 B SS13 - Abbring fastest again @ 03:24 PM - First stage win for the 208 T16 on French soil. Lead extended to near 21s, but Abbring reports a strange sound at the end of the stage. Rossetti takes Simpson. Results after SS13:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h36m01s8;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +20s9;
3rd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m26s9;
4th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m16s9;
5th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m35s2;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +4m09s6;
7th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +4m17s1;
8th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +4m17s7;
9th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +4m42s6;
10th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +5m02s

 B SS12 - Famous Kemmelberg stage @ 01:41 PM - Very much a battle Loix vs Abbring. Abbring wins stage by 0.2s. Breen overshots a junction. Rossetti passes Lefevere. Results after SS12:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h30m57s2;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +20s;
3rd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +1m19s;
4th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +2m12s9;
5th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m26s7;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +3m57s6;
7th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +4m05s2;
8th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +4m15s3;
9th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +4m30s8;
10th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +4m51s

 B SS11 - Freddy now attacking @ 11:38 AM - 2nd stage win for Loix. Breen has repeating fuel pressure problems, lost well over 2 minutes. Tsjoen had a spin. Results after SS11:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h22m59s5;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +19s8;
3rd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +59s4;
4th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m43s9;
5th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +2m00s5;
6th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +3m18s;
7th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +3m21s3;
8th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +3m48s6;
9th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +4m02s4;
10th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +4m24s5

 B SS10 - Loix finds form @ 11:08 AM - Loix wins stage and takes 4.2s out of leader Abbring. Breen has an electronics glitch and loses 20s and a place resetting the car. Results after SS10:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h18m29s9;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +20s4;
3rd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +56s8;
4th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m39s4;
5th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +1m55s1;
6th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +2m09s1;
7th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +3m08s8;
8th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +3m12s2;
9th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +3m44s9;
10th= Debackere/Cokelaere, Peugeot, +4m00s8

 B SS9 - Stage neutralised @ 10:48 AM - Stage neutralised after 7 cars as Lappi went off and blocked the road. Crew OK. Breen passed Kobus before neutralisation. Results after SS9:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h11m45s;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +24s6;
3rd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +55s6;
4th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m36s;
5th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +1m48s;
6th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +1m49s1;
7th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +2m57s;
8th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +3m01s3;
9th= Duquesne/Cuvelier, Ford, +3m14s9;
10th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +3m33s1

 B SS8 - Day starts dusty @ 10:34 AM - Weather is sunny today, getting towards 25 degrees. Most drivers, even locals, are surprised about the amount of gravel on the stage. Lappi comes out with a narrow but surprising stage win. Simpson passes Vanneste. Results after SS8:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 1h04m14s4;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +24s6;
3rd= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +37s3;
4th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +57s6;
5th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m36s;
6th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +1m46s3;
7th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +1m58s;
8th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +2m57s;
9th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +3m01s3;
10th= Pons/Haro, Ford, +3m01s5

Fri June 20, 2014

 Abbring heads Ypres master Loix Kevin Abbring will start day two of the Geko Ypres Rally on course for his maiden victory in the FIA European Rally Championship after he outgunned local hero and eight-time winner Freddy Loix during an action-packed opening day in Belgium....

NEWS JUST IN

 B day1 - Abbring strong on dramatic day @ 08:44 PM - Short but technical stage to close the day. Abbring won every stage bar one. Kobus has a massive moment blinded by low sun and drops behind Wiegand. Results after SS7:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 56m30s7;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +24s8;
3rd= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +39s1;
4th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +53s8;
5th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m32s;
6th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +1m33s2;
7th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +1m58s9;
8th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +2m40s8;
9th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +2m45s4;
10th= Pons/Haro, Ford, +2m48s1

 B SS6 - Rossetti & Consani in dramas @ 08:28 PM - Dramatic stage. Abbring fine again, but Rossetti had an off with puncture and Consani's car caught fire, though they might even continue. Verschueren in the DS3 R5 lost 10min with fuel pump issues. Results after SS6:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 52m19s4;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +21s7;
3rd= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +35s2;
4th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +47s;
5th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +1m22s6;
6th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m26s1;
7th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +1m50s3;
8th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +2m27s2;
9th= Simpson/Mole, Skoda, +2m32s8;
10th= Pons/Haro, Ford, +2m37s3

 B SS5 - Rossetti passes Loix @ 08:00 PM - Abbring fastest again. Loix reports an overshot. Strong time by Rossetti. Breen's brakes fixed and back into top10. Results after SS5:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 40m03s3;
2nd= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +17s4;
3rd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +18s;
4th= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +25s1;
5th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +36s7;
6th= Consani/Vilmot, Peugeot, +46s7;
7th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +58s6;
8th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +1m06s8;
9th= Orsak/Smeidler, Skoda, +1m32s;
10th= Breen/Martin, Peugeot(T16), +1m40s1

 B SS4 - At last stage win for Loix @ 06:39 PM - Loix wins this stage, but Rossetti and Abbring are within half a second. Verschueren's Citroen R5 has fuel pressure problems, cutting out for power. Results after SS4:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 32m06s8;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +11s;
3rd= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +13s5;
4th= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +18s6;
5th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +32s2;
6th= Consani/Vilmot, Peugeot, +37s5;
7th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +48s1;
8th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +54s6;
9th= Orsak/Smeidler, Skoda, +1m10s6;
10th= Vanneste/Snaet, Peugeot, +1m17s5

 B SS3 - 3rd stage win for Abbring @ 06:33 PM - Strong show from Abbring. Lefevere drops 10 places with a puncture. Results after SS3:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 24m41s1;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +11s5;
3rd= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +13s6;
4th= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +16s;
5th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +27s1;
6th= Consani/Vilmot, Peugeot, +32s9;
7th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +41s1;
8th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +48s8;
9th= Verschueren/Hosten, Citroen, +55s6;
10th= Orsak/Smeidler, Skoda, +1m

 B SS2 - Peugeot up and down @ 05:26 PM - Abbring another clear stage win, but Breen has a broken brake pipe from his first stage puncture. Results after SS2:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 20m26s4;
2nd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +7s6;
3rd= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +12s6;
4th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +13s5;
5th= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +18s6;
6th= Consani/Vilmot, Peugeot, +28s;
7th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +35s;
8th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +42s8;
9th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +44s6;
10th= Verschueren/Hostens, Citroen, +51s3

 B SS1 - dramatic and surprising start @ 04:33 PM - Kevin Abbring fastest on SS1 with Belgian newcomer Cedric Cherain 2nd. Craig Breen had a puncture, Luca Rossetti and Pieter Tsjoen both had overshots and Bernd Casier even retired with a lost front wheel. Results after SS1:
1st= Abbring/Marshall, Peugeot(T16), 8m00s8;
2nd= Cherain/Leyh, Ford, +4s9;
3rd= Loix/Gitsels, Skoda, +5s2;
4th= Lappi/Ferm, Skoda, +5s3;
5th= Rossetti/Chiarcossi, Skoda, +5s9;
6th= Kobus/de Wild, Ford(S2000), +13s5;
7th= Consani/Vilmot, Peugeot, +16s;
8th= Lefevere/Vangheluwe, Mitsubishi, +19s5;
9th= Wiegand/Christian, Skoda, +19s6;
10th= Verschueren/Hostens, Citroen, +22s4

 B SS0 - Happenings before the start @ 04:27 PM - Temperature is around 24 degrees, cloudy but dry. Bruno Magalhaes blew his engine in shakedown on the very first run and can't. Odd this as it was a fresh engine from his Acores retirement. Pieter Tsjoen even experienced a massive engine fire during his qualifyng run. Although the car can be repaired, he will start with a penalty. Vazily Gryazin (Ford no.14) and Mark Higgins (Subaru no.15) never showed up at the event.

Wed June 18, 2014

 Ypres - a-not-to missed ficture! The Geko Ypres Rally is invariably one of the highlights on the FIA European Rally Championship (FIA ERC) calendar. An immensely popular event, it has attracted this year a field of no fewer than 100 competitors, including all three Peugeot Rally Academy drivers: Craig Breen and ...

 Skoda drivers looking forward to Belgium The Ypres Rally is taking place for the 50th time – and the ŠKODA drivers have their sights set on playing a major role at the anniversary event. After the one-two at the Circuit of Ireland Rally, Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN) and the ŠKODA AUTO Deutschland team of Sepp Wie...

Mon June 16, 2014

 All 6 R2 cars in Ypres Junior action All six cars built to the FIA’s R2 regulations will be in action when the Geko Ypres Rally hosts round for of the FIA ERC Junior Championship. ...

Sun June 15, 2014

 Former champ Thiry makes ERC return Former European champion Bruno Thiry will be going back in time when he contests the Geko Ypres Rally next week. ...

Sat June 14, 2014

 Bernd Casier has tested his R5 car The team preparations for the Geko Ypres Rally are presently in full swing. After Peugeot Sport had finished off a development test session with the 208 T16 in the vicinity of Ypres, Bernd Casier also put his Ford Fiesta R5 through its paces. Bernd Casier is one of the Belgian ou...

 Freddy Loix Q&A The eight-time Ypres Rally winner and Belgian hero is returning to try to make it win number nine on round six of the FIA European Rally Championship....