From the fans… For the fans
Check out the newest video from Mobil 1 The Grid which is the feature on Toro Rosso, featuring Max Verstappen, Franz Tost and Carlos Sainz Jr.
Make sure that you follow Mobil 1 The Grid:
Website: mobil1thegrid.com
Twitter: twitter.com/mobil1thegrid
Instagram: instagram.com/mobil1thegrid
Google+: google.com/+Mobil1TheGrid
Danilo Petrucci finished the 2017 MotoGP season with a 13th place in the race, giving him 8th overall in the championship. He finished as the top ‘Independent’ Ducati, 49 points ahead of next best Ducati rider, Alvaro Bautista, whilst finishing just 13 points behind Jorge Lorenzo of the factory team.
“It was a season full of satisfaction. We have experienced great emotions that I will remember forever,” said the Italian, who took four podiums throughout a highly successful campaign for Paolo Campinoti’s team.
“I have an extraordinary team that I want to thank for the work done throughout the season. A special dedication to all those who have contributed to achieving these results,” he concluded.
Petrucci finished the season with a superb four podiums – more than Jorge Lorenzo in the Factory team. The Italian also had four front row starts, however, there were no poles.
Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson entered the record books as the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver won the first ever World RX event staged in Africa.
Former World RX Champion Mattias Ekstrom finished third and consequently secured the runner-up spot in the 2017 championship after a season-long battle with Petter Solberg. Team Peugeot-Hansen’s Timmy Hansen claimed second at this weekend’s Gumtree World RX of South Africa – the 12th and final round of this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.
In the final round of the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires Frenchman Cyril Raymond rounded off a near-perfect season by taking his sixth win in the highly competitive seven-event feeder series. Great Britain’s Dan Rooke had a troubled final when he rolled his car on lap two, causing the race to be red-flagged. Despite this mishap, Rooke secured second in the 2017 standings. Sondre Evjen and Tanner Whitten finished second and third in Cape Town. Belgium’s Guillaume De-Ridder claimed third in the end of year leaderboard.
“It’s fantastic to wrap up the teams’ and drivers’ championship and to also take the win at the final round of the season,” grinned 2017 World RX Champion Kristoffersson who won a staggering seven out of 12 events this season. “The team has worked so hard this year and ten podium results is credit to how fantastic everyone has been. Obviously to break records in World RX is an amazing feeling but to have won the World Championship is so unbelievably special. It was a good weekend all round – I had a slow puncture in the semi-final but I got a really good launch in the final and when I got clear space I was able to manage the gap back from Timmy and Mattias, as well as manage the tyres well. Thanks to everyone for such a memorable season – I’m really looking forward to being back with VW in 2018.”
Runner-up Hansen added: “This has been one of the best weekends I’ve had this year and it’s great to finish on a high including my two qualifying wins. I really wanted to take the victory for Peugeot and this weekend we were so close – I gave it everything I had in the final but I lost a little bit too much in the first lap to be able to get ahead of Johan. The 208 has been fantastic all year and it worked especially well at this track.”
Ekstrom’s reactions were fastest of today’s six finalists, rewarding him with the final Monster Energy Super Charge Award of 2017. Despite losing his World RX crown to Kristoffersson, Ekstrom praised the new World Champion. “Sometimes you’re in front and sometime you’re behind – that’s just how it goes and Johan definitely deserves the win today and the World Championship too. Timmy was really fast this weekend too, but to be honest, everybody wants to win – World RX has now reached a level where everyone will battle for everything.”
When asked about the new Cape Town RX event, Ekstrom praised the enthusiasm of the South African fans. “The grandstands were full this weekend and the atmosphere and support from everyone here was amazing.”
Solberg finished fourth in Cape Town and finished the season third in the driver standings – five points adrift of Ekstrom. “Of course it’s a little bit disappointing not to take the silver,” admitted Solberg. “I am so proud of what we have done. Johan has broken so many records this year and the whole team, everybody in PSRX Volkswagen Sweden has worked and played so hard – this weekend and this year is because of them and I can’t thank them all enough.”
MJP Racing Team Austria’s Timo Scheider’s rounded out the top five in Cape Town after an impressive rookie season at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta. Kevin Hansen finished sixth, the Swede having retired shortly after the start with transmission problems.
In what marked the final event for the Hoonigan Racing Division, America’s Ken Block showed fantastic pace. He led the event overnight and finished second in semi-final one but was later disqualified as his car was found to be underweight.
Nine-time WRC Champion Sebastien Loeb retired on the final lap of the second semi-final but rounded off the season fourth in the overall standings – 13 points ahead of his team-mate Hansen who ends the year in fifth place.
Home favourites Mark Cronje and Ashley Haigh-Smith received tremendous support on their World RX debuts but neither driver made the semi-finals.
Paul Bellamy, World RX Managing Director for IMG, concluded: “Our first ever event in Cape Town was a resounding success – we’ve had over 27,000 people at Killarney this weekend and they were all treated to World Championship motorsport at its best. I think we’ve won over a lot of new support during our time in South Africa and the crowd really helped make this weekend a memorable event. Tickets for 2018 are on sale from tomorrow which will give people plenty of time to plan next year’s rallycross weekend. I’d like to thank the organisers and volunteers for all their hard work in putting on a great event and also to the City of Cape Town for its support in making this happen. I’m also very thankful that our sponsors and other commercial partners shared our vision and were so supportive of the inaugural Gumtree World RX of South Africa. This weekend was just the start of what I hope is a long and fruitful relationship for World RX in South Africa. We finish the season on a high and congratulations to Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Sweden for their incredible season and to the rest of the teams for their continued support.”
RX2 – ROUND-UP
Cyril Raymond completed a sensational season in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires with a hard-fought victory at Killarney International Raceway this weekend (11/12 November), as South Africa played host to a pulsating finale that served up lap after lap of spectacular high-octane action.
He might have been unquestionably the man to beat this year in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series, but Raymond found himself with a real fight on his hands in Cape Town and had to dig deep to overcome the challenge posed by JC Raceteknik rival Guillaume De Ridder, who dominated Saturday’s Qualifying Races.
The Belgian looked to be on-course for a fourth straight runner-up finish, only for engine woes to dash his hopes in the final and elevate his team-mate Sondre Evjen into second place. Tanner Whitten joined the young Norwegian on the podium in third after surviving a wild spin when he was tagged on the opening lap of Q4.
Qualifying Races
Gumtree World RX of South Africa was very much a weekend of two halves as far as the Qualifying Races were concerned, with De Ridder proving to be peerless on Saturday as he impressively took a clean sweep of fastest times – meaning that for the first time since Mettet back in May, a different name topped the RX2 Intermediate Rankings at the close of day one.
After uncharacteristically jumping the start in Q1, Raymond was playing catch-up, but the Olsbergs MSE star really turned up the wick on Sunday and allied to a double dose of misfortune for De Ridder – with contact from behind in Q3 and minor wheel damage in Q4 – his results vaulted the Frenchman to his habitual position at the summit of the standings.
Behind the top two, Evjen produced a consistently strong run – including the second-fastest time in Q4 – to place third, ahead of the ever-improving Vasiliy Gryazin (Latvia), Britain’s Dan Rooke and American ace Whitten. Swedes Simon Olofsson and Andreas Bäckman, Norway’s Thomas Holmen, Swedish teenager William Nilsson, Anders Michalak (Sweden) and Norwegian Simon Syversen rounded out the semi-final line-up.
Semi-Finals
From pole position in Semi-Final 1, Raymond led into the first corner as a squabble behind gifted him a sizeable margin. It was Rooke that emerged from the mêlée in second, with Olofsson third and Evjen dropping to fourth. The Norwegian subsequently found himself having to fend off fast-starting compatriot Thomas Holmen over the opening lap before electing to take an early joker. It was a tactic that would pay off richly.
As Raymond raced clear to a runaway success, Evjen’s eye-catching pace enabled him to leapfrog both Rooke and Olofsson when they jokered, the latter paying the price for getting his car up on two wheels as he pushed hard in an effort to stay in front. The Swede ultimately missed out on the final by less than two seconds, while behind, Holmen and Syversen waged their own entertaining duel over fifth, exchanging places twice on the last lap before the older of the two Norwegians eventually prevailed.
In Semi-Final 2, De Ridder held his ground at the start as Gryazin got the better of Whitten and Michalak for second and Bäckman and Nilsson disputed fifth. Whitten jumped Gryazin after both had served their jokers, following which he unleashed a scintillating turn-of-speed as he endeavoured to hunt down De Ridder, closing to within three-quarters-of-a-second by the time the chequered flag fell. Michalak got the best of a tooth-and-nail scrap with countrymen Nilsson and Bäckman for fourth.
Final
Raymond led away at lights-out, with De Ridder doing well to save a slide through Turn One after receiving a tap. The Belgian had to fight hard to fend off the attacking Whitten, but it all became academic when the red flags flew on lap two after Rooke’s world turned upside-down – quite literally. The Briton clipped the tyres at the chicane, pitching him into a dramatic roll from which he thankfully emerged unscathed.
The recently-crowned champion got the jump again at the re-start, as De Ridder slotted in behind and Gryazin took advantage of Whitten and Evjen battling to sneak through to third. As dust clouds billowed all around the circuit, Raymond made good his escape and De Ridder similarly settled into second until he suddenly stopped on the penultimate lap with engine issues.
His loss was Evjen and Whitten’s gain. The pair both used early jokers to get some clear air, and that paid dividends as they overhauled Gryazin to snare the remaining rostrum positions. All three podium-finishers stopped after the chequered flag to perform celebratory donuts, to the palpable delight of the enthusiastic crowds thronging the circuit grandstands.
Quote, Unquote
Cyril Raymond (1st): “It’s been an amazing weekend to cap an amazing year – there’s no better way to end a season than with a victory. It was fantastic to see so many people at Killarney and so much passion and support in the grandstands. It was an absolute pleasure to be here and everybody gave us an incredible welcome. With the title already won, I really wanted to finish the season in style with one last victory – as a competitor, that’s always the goal – although things didn’t begin too well when I jumped the start in Q1, which was a first for me in this category! After that, I had to battle my way back, but it wasn’t easy because Guillaume [De Ridder] was driving perfectly; he has been a formidable rival all year, and if he returns in 2018, he will be a real threat. We were on the back foot at the end of the first day, but we remained confident because we knew we had the pace and we quickly rediscovered our rhythm in Q3. The boys at Olsbergs MSE worked really hard and provided me with the tools I needed to do the job like they have done all year, and my spotter ‘Scooter’ gave me perfect guidance throughout, so this result is for all of them – we win together. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my experience in RX2; there has been a lot of respect between all the drivers all season both on the track and in the paddock, and it’s been great to be a part of it. There seems to be a real buzz around the championship and even more interest for next year, so I can’t wait to see how it develops.”
Sondre Evjen (2nd): “It’s been a fantastic experience to come and race in South Africa – a real highlight for me – and it feels great to finally finish on the podium in RX2! It’s been a long time coming and it’s the kind of result we’ve been chasing all year, so this is the perfect way to end the season. We’ve been quick at most circuits and made the semi-final five times before now but only once converted that into a final appearance, so I’m really happy that we were at last able to prove what we are capable of, as we showed with the second-fastest time after getting a clear run in Q4. We really had to fight for this result, and I must admit, I wasn’t sorry to see the final red-flagged as I lost a lot of time when Dan [Rooke] rolled and thought any chance of the podium was gone. I’m also obviously very relieved he is ok. All credit to the team for giving me a great car all weekend – this podium is for them, my family and my sponsors, and it leaves us with a lot of motivation heading into 2018.”
Tanner Whitten (3rd): “The weekend started out pretty well, and from there, we worked our way consistently up the timesheets. We set the car up to come on later in the semi-final, and I think that showed as we were particularly strong in the latter stages. That put us in a good position going into the final and I actually thought we had an opportunity to take second until the red flags came out, but ultimately, to finish on the podium is always a great result. I take my hat off to the organisers in Cape Town – they did a fantastic job to build a track that played to the strengths of a variety of different driving styles – and the fans gave us a phenomenal welcome. It was incredible to see so many people in the grandstands and at the autograph sessions – there was a huge turnout for the first edition, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the event grows. Overall for me, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster year, but to come away with four podiums is very positive and I’m looking forward now to taking this momentum into the off-season and hopefully 2018.”
Andreas Eriksson, RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires CEO: “We promised the South African people excitement and drama, and I think it’s safe to say our RX2 stars delivered every step of the way! Congratulations to Cyril, who produced a champion’s drive even when he no longer had anything to prove. He is a class act and wherever he competes next year – be it RX2 or elsewhere – we wish him the very best. I was delighted, too, to see Sondre up on the podium, which was thoroughly well-deserved after a superb performance. It was a shame that his team-mate Guillame was forced out through no fault of his own, but he clearly demonstrated on Saturday that his time will come. Likewise for Tanner – both are part of the new generation of young rallycross talents looking to follow in Cyril’s footsteps. Finally, what a wonderful place to conclude the season – South Africa has truly embraced our sport and gave us the very warmest of welcomes. We look forward to returning next year, as both the event and RX2 go from strength-to-strength.”
Final Result
Final Championship Standings – RX2
Penalties
World RX
Niclas Gronholm #68, loss of 10 Championship points for use of a seventh turbocharger in the season.
Mattias Ekstrom #1, five-second penalty in Q2 for causing an incident with car #44, pushing and overtaking.
Janis Baumanis #6, reprimand in Q2 for pushing.
Ken Block #43, disqualified from semi-final two after car was found to be underweight.
Mattias Ekstrom #1, relegated from second to third place in semi-final one for not respecting the priority of the driver on the standard lap at the Joker merge.
Timo Schedier #44, reprimand in semi final two for pushing.
RX2
William Nilsson #6, five-second penalty in Q3 for causing an incident with car #96.
WRX – TOP 20 FINAL STANDINGS
Neil Simmons
Twitter: @world_racing
Marc Marquez has praised his Honda team after taking their 4th MotoGP Championship together. The Spaniard almost threw away the championship with another front end moment at turn 1, however, he saved the big from crashing, running through the gravel to rejoin in 5th.
“I’m living a dream. ‘Six Titles’ are big words. The truth is that I’m incredibly happy because we worked so much this year and today the race was incredibly tense and exciting—a bit ‘Marquez Style.’ I made a mistake, but I also made my best save of the year. From that moment on, I just tried to finish the race in a good position.
“I’m sorry that Andrea didn’t finish the race, as he deserved to do so. He had an incredible season and I would have liked to have him on the podium with me today. The key to the year has been our mentality. In our world, it’s very important to remain positive and motivated during the difficult moments. Some things happened to us at the beginning of the season but when we found the way to sort things out, everything went better.
“Congratulations to Honda and the entire team for the Triple Crown. It’s an amazing achievement. Winning the title at the last race of the season in front of our fans is one of the best things possible. Now I want to enjoy this with my entire team and my family and after that, we’ll start to work for next year.”
The result means that ever since joining the MotoGP class, Marquez has been on the podium. He is the youngest rider to win six championships and is the first rider to win four championships for Repsol Honda.
In his fast-paced world Vladimir managed to find a moment for a conversation. In this interview he answers questions asked by Julia Paradowska.
(The interview took a place on 13rd of November before the Brazilian GP.)
Felipe Massa’s Formula One career doesn’t come to an end for another two weeks at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
However, after his address to an adoring public at the Brazilian Grand Prix following a typically gritty seventh place, it feels only right that a reflection on his career is made now.
Massa has said since his first announcement of retirement 12 months ago that while he did not win a World Drivers’ Championship, he would not trade the respect given to him by almost every member of the Formula One paddock.
Rarely has an entire sport taken one of its protagonists to heart in the manner that F1 has with Massa.
He first appeared on the Formula One scene as a fresh-faced 20-year-old with Sauber in 2002, regarded as one of Brazil new prospects. After a strong 2002 season he was drafted into test for Ferrari in 2003, returning to Sauber for 2004 and 2005.
His strength against teammate Jacques Villeneuve earned him a seat at the top table in Formula One as Ferrari replaced Rubens Barrichello with Massa for 2006, where he took his first win at the Turkish Grand Prix before winning at home for the first time.
In 2007 he was a successful rear gunner for Kimi Raikkonen’s victorious World Championship quest against the might of McLaren, Lewis Hamilton and future adversary Fernando Alonso, before roles at Ferrari were reversed the following year.
Few will forget the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix. Few will forget the celebrations in the crowd as Felipe Massa crossed the line for victory, seemingly on his way to a maiden World Championship.
Few will forget the manner in which Hamilton stole it from him with a last gasp pass on Timo Glock to move back into fifth place.
Few will forget the emotion, dignity and passion shown on that podium as Massa realised that it was not to be. It was the other side of sport, as Hamilton celebrated with his entourage and mechanics in the garages below.
That was far from the last time the 36-year-old showed grit in adversity, as in 2009 the Ferrari was uncompetitive heading into what was to become a sombre Hungarian Grand Prix when Massa was struck by a spring from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn and knocked unconscious.
A fractured skull was to rule him out for the rest of the season, a small price given the initial fears for his life.
He was never to win a race again.
Alonso joined Ferrari for 2010 and became top dog, as Masa operated as a reliable back-up. The controversial German Grand Prix saw shades of the old Felipe, as he led for much of the race before a now-infamous team order to allow Alonso through to victory, with many feeling he had been cheated.
A mixed 2011 was marked largely by an ongoing spat with Hamilton, the collided on several occasions, while an uncompetitive Ferrari in 2012 seemed to affect him more than Alonso.
A podium appearance at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix was as good as it got, before he was jettisoned by Ferrari in favour of Raikkonen. He resurfaced for 2014 at Williams.
At Williams, he became team leader once again and his consistency during a successful first two years peaked with a pole position at the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix, with the team finishing third and fourth in the Constructors’ Championships.
2016 and 2017 have been more disappointing for Williams. Force India relegated them to fifth in 2016, while they are battling with Renault and Toro Rosso for a top five Constructors finish this time around.
Should he finish outside the top three in Abu Dhabi, In 14 seasons Massa has taken nine victories, 16 pole positions and 41 podiums.
Felipe will leave the sport not as a champion, not as a man known for a ruthless streak and not as a driver with a fearsome reputation.
He will leave as driver known for facing down adversity and for keeping his dignity when others with more glittering careers sometimes failed to.
Massa leaves Formula One as a driver as well-liked as much as he is well respected by peers and fans alike.
In Formula One, that does not often happen.
Obrigado and Ciao, Felipe.
It’s time for this year’s final round! The teams head for Coffs Harbour and the unique roads around the Gold Coast, with stages held on dusty tracks, the rainforest and through bushy territory giving this event an authentic down-under feel!
Last year, Andreas Mikkelsen took the victory in the final event entered by Volkswagen Motorsport. He returns this year, driving for Hyundai Motorsport.
The championships may have been decided, but there is lots to be excited about ahead of this classic event. We have our first winner from these shores for the first time since Richard Burns and Robert Reid won in 2000 for Subaru. If Elfyn wins down-under, he could finish ahead of Jari-Matti in the championship. We shall see….
There are 21 stages and a total of 318.33km’s of competitive action over the three days.
RALLY AUSTRALIA SCHEDULE (GMT+11)
THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER
8.00am: Shakedown (5.02km)
FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER
7.30am: Start (Coffs Harbour)
8.13am: SS1 – Pilbara I (9.71km)
8.36am: SS2 – Eastbank I (19.05km)
9.39am: SS3 – Sherwood I (26.68km)
11.24am: Service A (Coffs Harbour – 30 mins)
12.37pm: SS4 – Pilbara II (9.71km)
1.00pm: SS5 – Eastbank II (19.05km)
2.03pm: SS6 – Sherwood II (26.68km)
4.54pm: SS7 – Destination NSW SSS I (1.27km)
5.02pm: SS8 – Destination NSW SSS II (1.27km)
5.22pm: Flexi Service B (Coffs Harbour – 45 mins)
SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER
6.00am: Service C (Coffs Harbour – 15 mins)
7.18am: SS9 – Nambucca17 (48.89km)
8.56am: SS10 – Newry17 I (20.87km)
9.44am: SS11 – Raceway SSS (1.37km)
10.49am: Service D (Coffs Harbour – 30 mins)
12.22pm: SS12 – Welshs Creek (33.49km)
1.08pm: SS13 – Argents Hill (12.24km)
2.16pm: SS14 – Newry17 II (20.87km)
4.54pm: SS15 – Destination NSW SSS III (1.27km)
5.02pm: SS16 – Destination NSW SSS IIII (1.27km)
7.32pm: Flexi Service E (Coffs Harbour – 45 mins)
SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER
6.40am: Service F (Coffs Harbour – 15 mins)
7.38am: SS17 – Pilbara Reverse I (9.93km)
7.56am: SS18 – Bucca16 (31.90km)
9.08am: SS19 – Wedding Bells16 (6.44km)
10.33am: Service G (Coffs Harbour – 30 mins)
11.46am: SS20 – Pilbara Reverse II (9.93km)
1.13pm: SS21 – Wedding Bells16 II Power Stage (6.44km)
2.16pm: Service H (Coffs Harbour – 10 mins)
3.30pm: Podium (city centre)
Let’s hear from the drivers then.
Sébastien Ogier said:
“Heading to the final round of the season with a fifth championship already secured is fantastic, and exactly what we were aiming for in Wales. It lifts some of the pressure and means that we can go to Rally Australia fully focused on enjoying the great stages that they have there.
“I say some of the pressure as we still want to secure a good result. So far, the team has had a podium on every event and we want to see that continue next week. If it’s dry, our road position won’t make it easy, but we will try our best as always.
“It’s quite an intimate event, but the locals really get behind the rally and we always receive a very warm welcome. If we could end the season with another strong result, it really would be the perfect ending to an incredible year.”
Ott Tänak said:
“It’s a nice feeling heading to Rally Australia as part of a championship winning team, but the hard work isn’t over yet. We’ve still got a chance of finishing second in the championship and we’ll be giving our all to end our time with the team on a high.
“It won’t be easy – Rally Australia never is – and it’s completely different to anything else we experience. Everything is different – even the shadows in the forest – and we’ll have to be at the very top of our game if we want to deliver a strong result.
“It all starts with the recce and we’ll have to be fully focused from the word go – driving with complete trust in the notes and keeping the foot to the floor to combat what would be some fairly heavy road sweeping if it stays dry.”
Elfyn Evans said:
“Securing the win on home soil gave us an amazing feeling, but there wasn’t too much time to celebrate with the next event just around the corner. After a little party, it was straight into our preparations for Australia.
“I’ve always enjoyed this event, but it’s not been particularly kind to us in the past. It’s not the easiest of events and visibility can often be a big challenge. We can get some hanging dust and when the sun is low it can create a strobe effect through the trees which makes it difficult to read the road. It’s certainly an event where you need complete confidence in your notes.
“We missed this rally last year and there are quite a lot of new stages to get to grips with. We’ll also have to wait and see how the conditions suit our package. At the moment the forecasts look a bit uncertain, so that could be interesting. But whatever happens, I always enjoy coming to Australia and we’ll be giving it our all as always.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville said:
“Australia is an enjoyable rally, an event where I have finished on the podium a couple of times in the past. It will certainly be nice to finish the season with a great atmosphere and some Australian summer sunshine, my aim for this final rally is clear: to secure our second place in the Championship. We know we have the technical package to compete at the front, so with the addition of a bit of luck I am hopeful we can do what we need to do.”
Hayden Paddon said:
“It is always nice to be heading back to our side of the world. It isn’t quite a home event but it is as close as we can get. The support we receive from the fans is unreal and we want to give them a good show – and something to shout about. We are not competing on the public roads as much as previous seasons, with a lot more stages in the forest. That will make the event slightly different but we are confident in our abilities. Finishing the rally in Wales in the top-eight wasn’t necessarily the result we wanted, but it gave us good mileage in the car, which we hope will translate positively to Australia.”
Andreas Mikkelsen said:
“Australia is probably my favourite rally of the season, and I have great experiences from the event previously. Winning in 2016 was a great memory and I hope we can be in the mix again with Hyundai Motorsport. It would be an amazing way to end the season, and to prepare for a full-season campaign in 2018. It is always a challenging event, so nothing can be taken for granted. We do have an advantageous starting position, though, which we hope to make the most of. I am looking forward to it!”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Kris Meeke said:
“I have some very good memories of my three appearances in Australia. In 2015, I had led the rally for two days before losing out to the VWs, but third place was nonetheless a very good result. This year, a few of the stages that appeared last year will be new to me, but that shouldn’t be a big problem because I feel comfortable on these roads. There are some characteristics that you just don’t get anywhere else. For example, the trees are so tall in the jungle that the light flashes through the branches, creating a ‘strobe’ effect. The changes in light can make it very difficult to read the road. I’m looking forward to contesting the Nambucca speed test again – it’s one of the finest stages of the season in my opinion. Considering our performance level at the last two gravel rallies, I think we’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Craig Breen said:
“I often say Australia is my second home! My sister lives in Perth and there is a big Irish community in the country, so I have a lot of friends and supporters here. I can’t wait to start my second rally outside of Europe. I know it won’t be easy, because I’ll have to learn the whole course, which is quite a disadvantage at an event that doesn’t change much from year to year. But the stages look magnificent and the performance of the C3 WRC on the last few rallies fills me with optimism. I hope we can finish 2017 in a positive manner.”
Stephane Lefebvre said:
“It’s easier to forget it, but this is the longest journey of the year and we have to think ahead and prepare for the time difference. In 2015, I came here originally just to do recce. Then Mads Østberg had an accident and the team asked me to step in to replace him at the last minute. We didn’t have our racing equipment and we had to come up with improvised solutions for all that within a few hours.. Despite the lack of preparation, I set some decent times overall, whilst also experiencing some difficulties in dealing with the stages in the rainforest, such as Nambucca. Everyone would like to finish the season on a high. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be aiming to build on my level in Spain, when I was setting times within 2/10ths per kilometre of the leading drivers.”
Toyota Gazoo WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala said:
“I’m really looking forward to Rally Australia. It’s a nice event to finish the year, usually in warm conditions and sunshine. The stages are fast and flowing and it’s a rally that I have pretty much always enjoyed. This year there will be some new sections and parts that have not been used for a long time. On Rally GB we struggled slightly but I think the Yaris WRC should be well-suited to the stages in Australia. Personally, I want to go out there and really push for the podium, and if we could challenge for the victory that would be even better.”
Esapekka Lappi said:
“One of the main characteristics of Rally Australia is the loose gravel on top of the surface, so the first cars have to do a lot of road sweeping. Further down the order it should be better, but it is really important to keep the car on the racing line. Another challenge will be tyre management, as the second pass of the stages can be quite hard for the tyres, and if the weather is warm we will need to look after them. We weren’t so successful in Britain, but it should be better for us in Australia hopefully. We certainly want to have a good season finale.”
It should be a spectacular event, with every driver pushing to get a great result before the winter break. Ott Tanak will want to sign off his time with M-Sport with a top result and perhaps we’ll find out what’s happening with Seb as well. Will he be staying at M-Sport?
Kris did well here a couple of years ago, leading before ultimately finishing third, behind two Polo WRC’s. He’ll want to end the year well, after a real up and down season.
Enjoy the event then!
Peter Hickman has declared his intentions for the 2018 British Superbike championship very early on, stating he feels that he has good chance of BSB title success in the coming season.
The fastest Isle of Man TT newcomer took a win at Thruxton in an emotional weekend, giving the Smith’s Racing BMW outfit their first win. Hickman also achieved two other podiums, on his way to his and Smith’s BMW’s first Showdown, where he finished 4th, 59 points off title success.
“This will be the first time in my career I’ve stayed with the same team on the same bike, so I’m delighted to be back with the Smiths team and on the BMW for 2018”, began an elated Hicky.
“We had a great season this year and we can now hit the ground running which can only benefit us. We know we have a lot more to come so I can’t wait to get started”, continued the five-time Isle of Man TT podium finisher.
“I genuinely feel I can push for the BSB championship next year. We had a great package on the roads too and it’s great to get everything sorted early, so we can focus 100% on the goals we want to achieve in 2018,” he concluded.
Hickman will be joined at Smith’s BMW by double FIM European Superstock 1000 champion, Sylvain Barrier, who comes across from MotoAmerica, in which he finished 15th this season.
Mika Häkkinen on a world wide mission, to make our roads a safer place; that sounds great; its a valued initiative that in many parts of the world traffic and road skills may not be to scratch.
This week Mika, is in one of the largest countries in the world in terms of population: India.
One of the leading causes of road deaths is alcohol. thats why Johnnie Walker has over the last 10 years promoted responsible drinking, #JOINTHEPACT is Johnnie Walker’s global initiative for people to make their commitment to NEVER DRINK & DRIVE.
Since the 2007 launch of the campaign, more than 4.8 million pledges have been collected in over 40 countries worldwide. The campaign’s goal is to collect 5 million commitments by 2018.
Our man in India Kunal Shah, was at a facebook live season with mika – here is the video below
https://www.facebook.com/firstpostin/videos/1620801137979535/
Isle of Man-based outfit Team IMR have signed Chrissy Rouse and Jordan Gilbert for the 2018 National Superstock 1000 season, competing on BMW machinery. The team ventured into the series towards the end of last season with Joe Collier, securing a best finish of 9th in the final race of the year.
Chrissy Rouse is believed to have been hot property but after speculation, he confirmed his departure from Mission Racing to join IMR. Rouse was a persistent front runner in 2017 and excelled in many rounds, including Cadwell Park and also at Silverstone, before he crashed whilst leading. Jordan Gilbert finished runner-up in the National Superstock 600 class, taking three wins along the way – Knockhill, Thruxton and Snetterton being the venues.
In the team, Ian Moffitt will continue his role as owner/manager. Steve Brogan follows Chrissy Rouse and Jordan Gilbert, to help them progress yet again. Brogan himself was the 2008 National Superstock 1000 champion, winning 8 races from a possible 12. Ex TAS Racing crew member, Philip McLaughlin, will be the crew chief for the team.
Chrissy Rouse said, “I’m really excited to have signed for Team IMR and to have everything in place for 2018 so early is terrific. With such a strong package in place at Team IMR, I’m confident we’ve got the tools to do the job. I learnt a lot in 2017 and was close to the lap record at each circuit but I know there’s plenty more to come from me so I want to be challenging for the title in 2018”.
Rouse continued, praising Steve Brogan and his importance in the team. “Keeping Steve is a massive boost as he’s a tremendous help to me so with an ambitious team whose goals match my own, I’m confident we’re going to have a great season together.”
Jordan Gilbert was equally as excited; “I’m delighted to be joining Team IMR and, having enjoyed a strong year in 2017 in the Superstock 600cc class, it’s a tremendous opportunity for me”.
Gilbert continued, stating his plans for attack in 2018. “It’s a new class and a new bike for me but I’ll be able to tap into their knowledge and the continuity will mean I can concentrate on my riding. Ian’s put together a great team and it’s nice to have everything sorted so soon. I’m really excited about 2018 and I can’t wait to get going.”
The first weekend of the National Superstock 1000 season gets underway on the 31st of March, at Donington Park, near East Midlands Airport.