What a weekend that was! The BTCC’s highly anticipated return was welcomed with open arms this past weekend, as thousands of spectators lined the grassy banks of the Brands Hatch circuit, all keenly waiting for their favourite drivers to battle it out on race day. But who would take the spoils in the opening weekend?
Saturday saw a tense, nail-biting qualifying session for pretty much every driver up and down the pit lane. Rain would cause delays and ever changing track conditions. Of course, one thing that was equal for everyone was the “success ballast.” No points scored yet meaning equal weight for all. A pure fight in terms of performance creating possibly the most important pole position of the year.
After everything was said and done it was a surprising pole for Eurotech man Jeff Smith. 2016 Brands Hatch winner Tom Ingram would complete the front row and the two Halfords Yuasa racing Hondas of Gordon Shedden and Mat Neal would line up just behind.
Lights out for race one of the day saw drama from the get-go. Contact between the fast-starting Colin Turkington and the slower Mat Neal saw them both out of the running before even reaching Paddock Hill Bend. No such troubles for Tom Ingram however as he stormed ahead despite feeling under the weather.
A short safety car period would follow whilst the two former champions were cleared from the grid. Once the race restarted it didn’t take long for Shedden to pass Smith and move up into P2. Adam Morgan in the Mercedes A-Class would also quickly follow through thus completing the podium. Pole man Smith was forced into the pits after a wheel nut failure—not the start to the year he was hoping for. Ingram though proved his worth and claimed another stunning victory, mirroring what he did this time last year.
Image credit: Warren Nel
The drama didn’t just stay in race one—this is the BTCC after all, drama is its middle name.
This time for polesitter Ingram and an electrical fault with his Toyota Avensis meant he struggled to move away for the formation laps. He did however eventually get it going and regained his position. The grid lined up and out came a yellow flag just in front of Ingram. Confusion struck and the start was aborted. The cars were send around for another formation lap. By the regulations Ingram should now have to start at the back of the grid but this was missed and he lined up on pole. The stewards decided he would then have to take a drive through penalty.
All set then and when the lights went out, drama followed once again. Another former champion in strife, Jason Plato’s Subaru wrecked up against the barrier after what seemed like an identical incident to that of Turkington and Neal in race one. With debris and a stranded car littering the track there was only one choice and that was for a red flag stoppage. Cars would be reset and the grid reformed; good news for Ingram, as this took his penalty away.
A shortened race distance meant the racing would be harder and faster right up to the chequered flag. A storming start for BMW new boy Andrew Jordan saw him jump positions straight away. His BMW team mates Rob Collard and Colin Turkington also had impressive races with Rob taking a podium behind eventual race winner Shedden and ill-feeling Tom Ingram. Turkington managed to race his way brilliantly up into the top ten from the back of the grid.
Image credit: Warren Nel
Rob Austin was the man who was picked out for the reverse grid pole position, only for it to be taken away. Rob was deemed to have had overtaken Andrew Jordan under yellow flags resulting in him being disqualified from race two and losing his fourth place finish. Pole would then land with the returning Tom Chilton in his brand new Vauxhall Astra. Josh Cook and Andrew Jordan would line up just behind, all looking to take victory early in the season.
Lights out and another storming start for Jordan in the BMW, no looking back as he stormed past Cook and Chilton to take the lead. Mat Jackson in the Motorbase Ford Focus found himself skirting through the gravel as he lost grip on the outside of Chilton. It didn’t take long for Turkington to find himself further up the field and right up behind his team mate Rob Collard, team orders seemingly in place and the lighter car of Turkington was allowed through into third place. Colin was on fire taking huge chunks of time out of the leading pair. He made short order of getting past the Vauxhall and quickly set about Jordan. A close, exciting battle between the new team mates had everyone on the edge of their seats. Colin wasn’t going to try anything silly and risk losing a 1-2 finish and followed Jordan home. A great way for BMW and WSR to kick off their 2017 campaign. Tom Chilton would hang on to take third a dream result for the new Vauxhall team.
Personally I couldn’t think of a better way to open this year’s BTCC, we had action even in qualifying. We are definitely in for fireworks this year and already I’m looking forward to Donington where it will happen all over again. Who knows what will happen, three new winners? Subaru finding their form? Or some other surprise, whatever it is, it surely will leave us breathless.
BTCC returns at Donington Park Circuit on the 15th & 16th of April.
Leon Haslam stormed to a double win on Sunday at Donington Park, giving the JG Speedfit Bournemouth Kawasaki Team their first ever wins as he strolled into the lead of the championship by 19 points over Luke Mossey, his teammate.
Haslam dominated the first race, wasting no time at all in muscling his way past early race leader James Ellison, who rides the McAms Yamaha in 2017. Luke Mossey also closed in after an aggressive move on the first lap to get ahead of returning champion Josh Brookes, with the front three running very close together. Further back in the pack it was Christian Iddon on the Tyco BMW who was leading Peter Hickman, Michael Laverty, Josh Brookes – who dropped back after Mossey’s aggressive pass – and the sole remaining PBM Ducati of Glenn Irwin, after Shane Byrne crashed heavily at Craner Curves in warm up and was unable to race due to concussion.
After Haslam had negotiated his way passed James Ellison, Cambridgeshire rider Luke Mossey quickly followed suit, easing through and although initially staying with Leon, Mossey faded and finished and a distant 2nd. For third, the battle was on between Iddon and Hickman, with Christian putting an aggressive move on Hicky to take the 3rd place – starting the season just as he started 2016. Hickman was 4th but annoyed with Iddon’s move. James Ellison completed the top five with Glenn Irwin finishing ahead of Brookes, Laverty, Dixon and Jason O’Halloran completing the top 10.
Notable non-finishers in race one included Sylvain Guintoli and Taylor Mackenzie; the Suzuki pairing crashing out early on. John Hopkins and Billy McConnell both crashed too, with Aaron Zanotti, Martin Jessopp and Bradley Ray also failing to finish (or in Ray’s case, failing to start).
Race two was slightly different, with Josh Brookes coming off pole position and leading the race from the start. Haslam hurried through into 2nd with James Ellison 3rd. Glenn Irwin made a poor start and was as low as 10th early on in the race, with work to do.
Taylor Mackenzie crashed again in his comeback season to BSB but was in good company, as Billy McConnell again went down at Goddard’s. Michael Laverty’s McAms Yamaha broke down and he retired at the Foggy Esses after a strong showing in the top five.
Brookes was leading Haslam but with Haslam opting for a harder front tyre, the gap was being reduced. Mossey however was not replicating his first race showing, as he was enthralled in a battle for the podium positions with Iddon, Ellison, Hickman and Irwin.
Haslam hit the lead with five to go and despite Brookes trying to remain near him, Haslam pulled the pin and used the harder tyre compound to his advantage, as Josh struggled for grip, particularly out of the Esses. Meanwhile, Irwin was now in third place, a heroic Valentino Rossi-style comeback for the Ulsterman gave Paul Bird something to cheer about after a bad start to the day.
Haslam was victorious as he cruised to his first double at Donington Park since 2007 on the Airwaves Ducati – the home of doubles lived up to its name. Josh Brookes took his first podium since 2015 and gave the Anvil Hire Tag Racing Team their first ever podium with Yamaha equipment, proving that any team can do well in BSB if they have the right riders. Glenn Irwin took 3rd place ahead of Christian Iddon and Luke Mossey, who completed the top five. James Ellison ended up 6th ahead of Guintoli, Hickman, newcomer Giugliano and Jason O’Halloran who finished 10th.
A double victory got the crowd on their feet for local rider Leon Haslam, as he leads the championship by a distant 19 points over teammate Luke Mossey and Derbyshire’s Christian Iddon in 3rd. Josh Brookes is straight in with 4th in the series, ahead of Glenn Irwin and Peter Hickman.
The racing resumes on the 16th and 17th of April, which is Bank Holiday Monday. Brands Hatch Indy is the circuit and you can be guaranteed of some fierce action around one of the shortest and scrappiest tracks on the calendar. Expect fireworks from Shane Byrne as he looks to kick-start his championship in two weeks’ time. Whatever the weather, there will be an enormous crowd so prepare for one of the best rounds of the season and make your bank holiday weekend count.
Esteban Ocon (FRA) Sahara Force India F1 VJM10. Australian Grand Prix, Sunday 26th March 2017. Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. Image courtesy of Sahara Force India Formula One Team
Vijay Mallya has set his Force India team the ambitious target of leading the midfield battle in Shanghai this weekend, following a successful points-scoring debut for the VJM10 in Melbourne:
“I was proud of our performance in Australia,” Mallya said. “Sergio and Esteban were in the thick of the action and both drivers took their opportunities to overtake. To leave Melbourne with both cars in the top ten was a tremendous team effort.”
Referring to the seventh and tenth place finishes for Pérez and Ocon respectively as “an important boost”, Mallya said that the team is expecting a similar performance in this Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, although he has admitted it will be no easy task to keep ahead of the “exceptionally close” midfield fight.
If Force India can take another double points finish on Sunday, it will be a vast improvement on last year’s Shanghai meet, in which Pérez just missed out on a point in eleventh, and Nico Hülkenberg came home in fourteenth after suffering a puncture in the early stages.
Speaking of his 2017 chances, Pérez is remaining cautiously optimistic after making his best start to a season so far in Melbourne:
“I have a good feeling for the races to come. In the last few years we’ve shown that we can develop the car well and that’s going to be especially important this year.
“Our performance in Melbourne showed that we have done a good job over the winter, but there are still areas where we need to improve,” he added, referring to the overall balance of the VJM10. “The upgrades we have coming during the next couple of races should help.”
Esteban Ocon echoed his teammate’s belief that Force India displayed “a solid base on which [the team] can build” in Australia, but also added that there is still much work to be done in China:
“It’s about exploring the limits of the car and understanding how to manage the tyres during qualifying and the race. What we learned in Melbourne will certainly make things a bit easier this weekend, but you never stop learning in this sport.”
Photo credit to Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media. Find his other images hereJosh Brookes returns to the BSB paddock this season and has took the time to do a short interview, where we talk about WSBK, his BSB return, whether or not he will be as competitive as before amongst other things. Be sure to keep an eye on Brookes as he showcases his talents and flexes his muscles once more, this time with the Anvil Hire Yamaha team, alongside Shaun Winfield.
What can we expect from you in 2017?
You can expect what you know I’m capable of. When the bike is right and it’s all working well then, I can win a championship; as you saw in WSBK, when things aren’t organised or prepared well then I can only get mediocre results in comparison to what you’ve experienced before.
How is this team compared to the SMR Team?
I was with the Milwaukee team for three seasons so I know them very well, with how they operate and they have a very professional presence in the paddock, whereas the Tag Racing team are a more family based team, with a very family atmosphere. We are only at the first round so I can’t predict how they will be as the weeks and months go on but so far, they’re doing everything they can to give me a bike in the most professional way possible. So far it is all good.
At what point did you know that you were going for BSB and not staying in WSBK?
I was sort of holding off in the off season. I didn’t sign until very late because I didn’t want to sign to something I wasn’t happy or comfortable with. I didn’t want to come back to BSB just for the sake of coming back – I wanted to come back and win again. I wanted to hold off and see if I could pick up a ride as a replacement to someone who got injured and roll the dice. I was looking to do other things; I’d already done the British before and I hadn’t secured a ride with the world scene but I didn’t want to commit to something. Now I’m with Anvil Yamaha, I have committed. It wouldn’t matter if Valentino Rossi’s ride became available, I can’t take it. I was open to the idea of not signing up and just doing round by round, getting enough money together to get me by, However, when this deal came along it was stupid not to take it. It’s a good bike in a good team with a good salary so it is all that I needed to be able to come back and best strong.
Do you think you will be as dominant as 2015 with the line-up this year?
I think it will hard to be as dominant as I was at the end 2015. I hope to still be able to win races and fight for the championship for sure, but absolutely I agree that the championship looks to be a thicker field now and that makes it harder to win races. In 2015, I came from the back of the grid and finished 4th, whereas now when you’ve got so many competitive riders, you’ll never be able to achieve such a comeback. The battle for 7th to 9th are just as hard to win as the battle for the win itself. It makes dominating an event or series a lot harder than before with such competition.
With big names coming into BSB, do you feel that you’re occupying a seat that could be for someone who’s trying to come through the paddock?
I think when I was a young kid coming through in Australia, the grid was full of the best superbike riders in the Australian period. They were the guys that I aspired to and had to beat if I wanted to become champion. You should look to try and beat the best that’s there and not in a year when there’s less quality there. Look at MotoGP. Rookies coming up and beating the MotoGP regulars. I think it is a better example of the rider and how they will be in the future to come and beat the best riders on the grid. That’s what they need to be focused on instead of thinking they’re being missed out. I think also with the British series is that it’s a good platform for any rider. For example, me coming over to the Tag Team. A lot of people were sceptical of me doing well because of previous seasons and their results. If you have the calibre of rider then any team can do well. They stand a chance because the rules are so fair and equal, it gives the family run teams a chance to compete against the more factory teams.
If you won the championship this year, would it be better than the first?
I have to agree with you that because it is so stacked, it is going to be more difficult to win. I certainly thought the 2015 series was difficult with the new machine – I was on the podium every round but it took me a long time to win. Once we got a bike in a range that was suitable for my style and riding and the team were comfortable with working at the bike, we were able to dominate. I think it will be more difficult to dominate this time round, so to answer your question I’d be more thrilled this time than the first time.
Can you win the title?
I believe so. We are only at round one so it’s very difficult to predict what will happen. I’ve been good so far so I think we can definitely be in the hunt and up for the fight.
South America. Argentina. Termas De Rio Hondo. MotoGP. It’s time for the Argentine Grand Prix and after one round, Maverick Vinales sits pretty on top of the world championship standings ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi. The Argentine Grand Prix made a welcome return to the series in 2014, although at a different venue to previous years gone by. Ever since returning to the country, the premier class has enjoyed some fantastic racing, with Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez doing battle. Will it be the same in 2017?
Maverick Vinales topped every pre-season test and to prove that he was fast in the race too, he went and won, in Qatar two weeks ago. He comes to Argentina full of confidence but has admitted that he is under a bit of pressure coming into the meeting. The former Moto3 champion has reason to be worried coming into Argentina, as he has never had more than a top 10 at the circuit. A retirement in 2014, a 10th in 2015 and a crash whilst in the running for the podium last year means Maverick has work to do but his seamless adaptation to the Yamaha could throw all previous form out the window. Vinales will be out for nothing less than a win.
Andrea Dovizioso was 2nd in Qatar for the 3rd consecutive season and comes into Argentina with confidence that he, for now at least, is still top Ducati. Dovi’s form around the Termas De Rio Hondo circuit is slightly mixed, with a best result of 2nd in 2015 – although that could’ve been matched had teammate Andrea Iannone not wiped him out at the final corner. Andrea has shown that the Ducati has pace in 2017 and will be settling for nothing less than a podium come race day. The massive back straight at the track will certainly favour the Ducati and Dovi, so keep an eye on the #4 as it works its way through the traffic.
Valentino Rossi has accumulated more points in Argentina over the last three seasons than anyone else in the paddock. The Doctor’s recent form around the Termas track suggests he could have an ace or two up his sleeve. The track suits styles which are natural in direction changes as well as riders who like to get the bike sideways – possibly why Rossi and Marquez do battle. Rossi’s victory in 2015 eradicated any thoughts that the 9-time champion couldn’t adapt to new circuits like the younger blood in the field. Valentino Rossi has actually been around so long that he will be able to remember winning the 1998 250cc GP race in Argentina, although at a different venue. The Doctor has said the problems of pre-season testing and Qatar are fixed and that he has found a breakthrough, so is a win in Argentina possible? After all, it is the land of the goat.
Marc Marquez has more wins in the premier class than anyone in Argentina, with two. In 2014, he came from behind to beat Jorge Lorenzo and in last season, a pit stop in the middle of the race aided him, after a battle with Valentino Rossi on track. Some may say that 2015 also showed Marc’s speed around the track but a tangle with Rossi resulted in him being on the floor with just one and a half laps to go. His 4th place in Qatar won’t be too much of a concern for the reigning champion, having started his season with 3rd last year. The Spaniard may be more concerned with how close he was to being sixth, having nearly been caught by Dani Pedrosa and Aleix Espargaro. Will he make it three in Argentina and remind the likes of Maverick Vinales that he is not going to allow an ill-handling Honda to slow him down?
Talking of ill-handling Hondas, Dani Pedrosa finished 5th at Losail, his best result since winning the San Marinese Grand Prix last season. The 31-year-old has two podiums at the Termas circuit from two attempts, having missed the 2015 race through injury. His 2014 2nd place was a reminder that Dani Pedrosa could be a lethal weapon on race day, hunting down Jorge Lorenzo before snatching it away from his compatriot. In 2016, luck was on his and Valentino Rossi’s side, after the two factory Ducatis tangled on the penultimate corner. Pedrosa is still a top-six rider but whether a podium can be made may be left to be desired. Don’t rule him out just yet though.
Aleix Espargaro put in a splendid effort in Qatar to finish 6th on the Now TV Gresini Aprilia. The Spaniard took the Noale manufacturer to the best result they’ve ever had in MotoGP and will be looking to capitalise on a circuit he has a best result of 7th at, back in 2015. The start of the season marks his best since 2014 but this time, he may feel like he has a package to cause a few more upsets. The Termas circuit is one that over the last few seasons, has seen numerous accidents. Last season, Eugene Laverty finished 4th after qualifying 17th, so anything is possible. Aleix might be a good bet for a podium should conditions be mixed too.
Other mentions obviously include Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone. Both riders have reasonably good form at Termas, although Jorge crashed last year along with Andrea. Jorge’s podium in 2014 is his only to date at the track, whereas Iannone is still out for his first points on the Suzuki.
Johann Zarco and Alvaro Bautista will be looking to make amends after both crashed out of great positions in Qatar. Zarco has won twice around the track so, like in Qatar, could be a front runner, just this time until the chequered flag. Bautista on the other hand has only had one point scoring ride at the track, which came last season with 10th. Will the Aspar Ducati man improve on that in 2017?
What we can be sure of is the Argentine Grand Prix is going to be incredible, like it has been since it’s addition to the calendar. Wet weather looms large on Friday and Saturday but Sunday looks to be OK so far. Will we see another rain-affected weekend in MotoGP and could that mean another upside-down grid? Could it see surprises in Moto2 and Moto3 with wet weather specialists such as Pawi and McPhee? So many questions with an array of answers, it all depends which one is chosen come Sunday.
The pre-season testing had finished, the public relations and interviews had been conducted and now it was time for RX Barcelona to roar into action.
World Rallycross, the most dynamic four-wheeled racing series on the planet, is back!
New partnerships, new drivers taking to the WRX stage for the first time and a new season.
Mattias Ekstrom, as defending champion, commented that every single driver now starts from ‘square one’. This statement was made, presumably, as he cast his eye down the grid when the official entry list was announced a few weeks ago. The strength in depth and talent was there to be seen and it was off to Barcelona to see how the first round of the World Rallycross Championship would unravel.
After the heats in Qualifying 3 it was new boy on the block (but not new in racing terms), Timo Scheider who topped the standings. He had a three point lead over Ekstrom who could see the likes of Kristoffersson, Heikkinen, Timmy Hansen and Solberg queuing up, waiting.
The top stories of after Q3 came in the form of three names who were regular semi-final qualifiers in the shape of Kevin ‘Round The Outside’ Eriksson, Janis Baumanis and Sebastien Loeb all sitting outside the top twelve. Independent entries, Guy Wilks and JP Dubourg were inside the top twelve, a fantastic effort so far on their part.
For those new to WRX, the top twelve drivers after four qualifying heats move through to the semi-finals. The qualifying heats are timed base, so whereas a driver would want to win their heat, it is the best possible time they can post to get them valuable qualifying points and Loeb was in a position where he could miss out on a semi-final place for the first time in his World Rallycross career. That is how competitive the grid is this season.
THE STORY OF Q4
With positions so tight in the points and places up for grabs, Q4 would see an important set of heats. Loeb would post a quick time to see him go top of the timed standings in this qualifying period. In the next heat Ken Block and Kevin Eriksson, also determined to break into the semi-final positions, battled hard and it was the American who ran straight into the back of Eriksson causing damage to both cars. Eriksson won the heat but he was not pleased with Block’s contact as he remonstrated when interviewed after the race.
Heat 3 saw Nitiss and Kristoffersson battling hard for the entire race, Kristoffersson was always looking for a way through and eventually he found it and posted a time three seconds quicker than Loeb, knocking him off the top.
Next up was Heat 4, this was just full of quality throughout the field. Solberg, Ekstrom, Scheider, Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen, a heat that would be good enough to grace a final and they did not disappoint with close racing and all the cars under a second of each other as they hurtled around the Barcelona circuit. Bakkerud took the win in his Ford Focus RS ahead of Solberg and Ekstrom. The heat was that quick that Bakkerud and Solberg slotted into the top two positions.
It was semi-final time. Eriksson, Loeb, Baumanis and Timerzyanov, names that graced semi-finals and finals last season would miss out. This was the first time Sebastien Loeb had not made a semi-final and what made it even more frustrating for the Frenchman was the fact his two team-mates, the Hansen brothers, did make it through. Wilks and Dubourg held their positions in the top twelve and remarkably made it through to the semi-finals.
The close racing and compact finishing showed that this season was not going to be a walk in the park, with non-factory teams and independent drivers mixing it with the big boys.
THE SEMI-FINAL STORY
SEMI-FINAL 1 – GRID
Scheider
Kristoffersson
Solberg
Heikkinen
Block
K. Hansen
SEMI-FINAL 2 – GRID
Ekstrom
Bakkerud
T. Hansen
Wilks
Nitiss
JP Dubourg.
In the first semi-final it was Kristoffersson pushing MJP Racing’s Timo Scheider all the way over the 6 laps, he jokered early and was able to maintain his pace. Scheider came out in front of Solberg after his joker lap but there was one casualty when Heikkinen’s car gave up the ghost. He would not be in the final. The top three were Kristoffersson, Scheider and Solberg. It has to be said that through the qualifiers, Kristoffersson and Scheider were both looking very strong.
Semi-final 2 got under way and it was Nitiss who found himself left on the line as the other five cars blasted off. Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen bustled and fired their way to the front only to see Ekstrom take the lead and skip off into the distance to take the win. He would be joined in the final by Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen who held their places.
THE STORY OF THE FINAL
GRID LINE-UP
Kristoffersson – Ekstrom
Scheider – Bakkerud
T. Hansen – Solberg
A mouth-watering final in prospect with five different makes of cars out of the six drivers, which just goes to prove that all the teams have been hard at work during the off-season to make this a very competitive series.
It was a nightmare start for Kristoffersson when he stalled on the line. Ekstrom took the lead into the first corner after a blistering start, which saw him gain the Super Charge Award (quickest off the line). Kristoffersson, to his credit, made up good time after the bad start and was on the back of the tightly bunched pack by the end of the first lap.
Solberg, who was sitting in 5th out of the six cars, decided to joker and he was followed by his team-mate Kristoffersson who made a late call to joker also. He had the car positioned to go round for another lap but possibly a call from his spotter in the tower advised him to follow Solberg and give him something to chase to make up time.
On the second lap it was Timmy Hansen who took the joker and he came out in front of Nitiss with Ekstrom and Scheider battling up at the front.
Bakkerud, who was sitting third, jokered on the third lap and as he came across the line he drifted his way around the outside of Solberg who had cut in from the corner to hold his position. Ekstrom and Scheider, still to joker, were way up front having a battle of their own. Two DTM drivers racing on a different type of circuit in a completely different series.
They both decided to stay out on lap four and extended their lead, it looked as though Bakkerud was holding Solberg up and the other four cars who bunched together battling for that final podium position.
It would be defending champion Ekstrom who would take the spoils here in Barcelona with Scheider, in his first World Rallycross race second and Bakkerud just holding on for third.
This was the opening round of World Rallycross and it did not disappoint. If this is what we have to look forward to for the rest of the season, with far more technical tracks and joker laps to come, then we are in for one hell of a ride this season.
Ekstrom has put his stool out and shown the rest of the grid he is determined to defend his crown, but with the emergence of Scheider, a much improved Focus RS for the Hoonigan Racing Division and two very competitive Polo’s driven by double world champion Solberg and the very talented Johan Kristoffersson , I expect there to be a lot of fireworks this year.
Take a bow WRX. Take a bow Barcelona. You delivered, as you always do.
After the tarmac and ice of Monte Carlo, the snow in the forests of Sweden and last time out on the gravel roads, high in the mountains around Leon, Mexico, the fourth round of this year’s World Rally Championship comes to the Island of Corsica! Famously known for its twists and turns (apparently, it’s got 10,000 corners) we’ll get to see the new generation of faster world rally cars for the first time on a sealed surface. Okay, Monte is tarmac as well, but with the ice and snow there, it’s quite different!
2016 FIA World Rally Championship / Round 11, Rally de France, Tour de Corse 2016 / September 28 – October 02, 2016 // Worldwide Copyright: Hyundai Motorsport
This year, Tour de Corse features ten stages. Doesn’t sound much I hear you say? Well, what this event is about is quality. This year sees the crews attack 316.80km’s.
Just a reminder of the top ten last year, which saw Seb win for the first time on the streets of Corsica.
01 Ogier (VW) 4h 07m 17.0s
02 Neuville +46.4s
03 Mikkelsen (VW) +1m 10.0s
04 Latvala (VW) +1m 35.6s
05 Breen +2m 18.6s
06 Paddon +2m 36.1s
07 Sordo +3m 06.9s
08 Camilli +4m 53.9s
09 Østberg +5m 37.7s
10 Tänak +6m 26.6s
All of the teams have been testing on the island recently and are fully prepared for the challenges that will confront them.
So, lets from the crews ahead of the 60th running of this classic event.
M-Sport WRT
Sébastien Ogier said:
“We’ve had a nice few weeks since Rally Mexico – combining work with time at home – and now we’re ready to tackle the Tour de Corse. It was nice to spend some time with my family and to enjoy some skiing out on the slopes, but we also had a good test to find the best set-up for what are very unique stages in Corsica.
“We’re back to asphalt and I had a good feeling with the Fiesta in Monte-Carlo, but this event offers a completely different surface which demands a slightly different approach. Working with the team, we were able to explore a lot of different settings with the dampers and centre-differential which I hope will see us well placed to challenge for another strong result next week.
“We’ve seen some very close battles this year, and I expect that to continue. We’ll certainly be doing our best to be in the battle, and the ultimate goal will be to come out on top. It won’t be easy, but the Tour de Corse never is. Even if the route remains very similar to last year, this rally is always a big challenge!”
Ott Tänak said:
“Next week’s Tour de Corse will be the biggest test of the year so far, but we’ve done a lot to improve ourselves and await the challenge.
“It’s an event that I’ve not really clicked with in the past, but to be honest I had the same feeling about Rallye Monte-Carlo. That worked out really well for us so if we remain focused and motivated, anything is possible and we could find ourselves in contention for a positive result.
“That’s always our goal and we always want to deliver the best result we possibly can. The Fiesta felt really good in Monte and we’ve done a lot of work in testing since then. Last week we completed close to 500 test kilometres, so hopefully that all pays off next week.
“But at the same time, I know just how challenging this event is. The stages are so narrow and twisty and there is something happening all the time. There really is no margin for error and we’re going to have to remain calm and focused from the very start.”
D-Mack WRT
Elfyn Evans said:
“The Tour de Corse is a real technical challenge but I think that’s what I like about it. We’ve had some really good results there and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do this year.
“It’s a unique event and there’s actually quite a lot of variation amongst the stages. Some are surprisingly smooth, but then there are those which are typically Corsican with abrasive Tarmac that twists through the mountains.
“It’s all about adapting to the conditions but at this time of year, and with the stages being so long, it’s possible to be faced with dry Tarmac and wet Tarmac on the same stage. Like in Monte-Carlo, we could find ourselves looking for the package that provides the best compromise.
“When we had dry Tarmac in Monte, our pace was really good and that gives us a big positive to build on. We had a test working of different set-ups last week and it felt pretty good. It’s an event that you can never predict, but there’s no reason for us not to feel fairly optimistic so let’s see what happens.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Hayden Paddon said:
“I am determined that Corsica will be the real start of my 2017 season. I feel confident in myself and I’ve been working hard to prepare for the first WRC tarmac event of the year. Taking part in Rallye Sanremo will give me the chance to adjust to the driving and pace notes on that surface. Corsica is a difficult event, the toughest tarmac rally on the calendar in my opinion, but I am really looking forward to it. We are ready to put a good performance.”
Thierry Neuville commented:
“Tour de Corse is a famous and historic rally. It’s also an event that Nicolas and I have won back in 2011 – when it was part of the IRC – so we remember what it is like to go there and perform. I thought we did well there last year especially, finishing second. The stages were just lovely, so we are looking forward to getting back there. Mexico was a really important result for us after the competitive but frustrating first rounds of the season. We want to build on that podium – and Corsica is a great place to do just that.”
Dani Sordo said: “Corsica is our first experience of a proper tarmac rally this season, so I am excited to have the chance to show what both we and the car are capable of. The setting of the rally is one of the most spectacular on the calendar, with the route taking us through the mountains and the forests- it really is a great event to take part in. Our performances so far this year have been pretty consistent but now is the time to step up our game – and bring ourselves even closer to the front.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Kris Meeke
“For sure, we won in Mexico, but the Tour de Corse is a completely different kettle of fish. For me, this rally is the ultimate challenge on tarmac. Last year, I really enjoyed the stages and I would’ve been in contention for the win had I not made a minor mistake. I can’t say that I come into the rally full of confidence, but I’m very pleased with the work done in testing. We have a good car, with consistent handling. In the rally itself, we’ll see if we are close to our full potential. I can’t wait to get started, I’m expecting it to be very close at the front.”
Number of appearances at the event: 4
Best result: 4th (2015)
Craig Breen
“I was surprised to learn that I’m the team’s most experienced driver at this rally! It’s true that I know the Tour de Corse very well and I really love racing here. There are some similarities with conditions in Ireland, like the unpredictable weather and the uneven surface of the roads, which are sometimes in poor condition… Last year, I had a good feeling on my first tarmac rally in a WRC. This year, I hope I’ll be able to put together a series of stages with a good level of confidence. It really is all about confidence with these new cars! If I can manage to do that, then we should secure a good result.”
Number of appearances at the event: 5
Best result: 4th (2013/ERC)
Stephane Lefebvre
“Like Monte-Carlo or Finland, the Tour de Corse is one of the WRC’s unmissable rounds. I don’t have particularly fond memories from my appearance here in 2015. It was hell on earth with all the rain! I therefore still see myself as a rookie and I know that my lack of experience may be difficult to overcome. But I’ll be giving it 100% to try and secure the best result possible. Testing helped me to fine tune my driving on tarmac. The C3 WRC handles a little bit like a track racing car.”
Number of appearances at the event: 2
Best result: 11th (2015)
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala said:
“Corsica is a special event for me: when I won there, it meant so much to me because for Finns it was always a difficult place, after the accident with Henri Toivonen in 1986, and as a nation we never used to do very well there. Now I think it is different, and of course rallying is a lot safer. We had a very good test completing 380 kilometres over two days, with one day on narrow and bumpy roads and the second day on fast and abrasive roads. On the rally, we will have both, so I think we found a good set-up between those two conditions, trying a few different damper settings. We already have an idea about the potential of the car on asphalt after Monte-Carlo, and my feeling with the car now is much better than it was after the test for Monte. However, our rivals will be very strong, as we saw already on all the rallies so far, so we take nothing for granted. We are just staying focused on our task of improving the car with every rally. Up to now, that objective is being met, so I am happy.”
Juho Hänninen said:
“I feel so much better now than I did before so I am looking forward to Corsica: it feels good to be back on Tarmac. I have only done the rally once before and that was a long time ago, although I also did the recce last year. So, I have been relying a lot on the advice from Jari-Matti about how to set up the car and this is working very well. To me, the car actually feels quite similar to what we had in Monte-Carlo, but that is good as I had a very nice feeling with the car there. The main difference in Corsica is the tyres, so we have been learning how to get the best out of them, especially for the long stages. Mexico showed that if you persist you can have a good result even if the circumstances are against you and that is also a little bit the philosophy of Toyota this year: we are going to keep trying to make the car better and better.”
So, these are the stages that await the crews. The itinerary is 96% identical to last year’s event, which was held in October.
I’d say that Friday is the most challenging day, as there is no midday service, just a tyre fitting stop. It would be very easy to make a mistake and cost yourself a lot of time or even retirement from the event and then any hope of scoring points.
With the pace that Thierry has shown on asphalt, I’d say he should be the one to watch for the victory, but we know how strong Seb is, and he won this rally last year. M-Sport are also very capable of building a quick car for this surface. Witness Elfyn and Dan leading this rally two years ago, and getting their best result with second place behind Jari-Matti in the end.
Speaking of him, he’s had his best start to a season for a while and has really come into his own at the new Toyota team. If the car is up to it, then I can see him getting a podium.
Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall drove Rallye Sanremo last weekend in their first event together and scored a very positive second place behind the wheel of an i20 R5 car. Tarmac is a surface that Hayden has been working hard to get the pace right.
During Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle’s part season last year, they performed well at this event, but a puncture during one of the stages put paid to his fight for the lead. He subsequently had an accident, which put him out of the points. He set some quick times though, getting some great experience for this year.
Any driver could be on the podium, so let’s enjoy the event and see what happens!
The spectacular Motorland circuit, in the heart of the Aragon desert, provided the backdrop to the opening round of the European leg of the 2017 World Superbike championship. The first round back on the continent is often remarked as the ‘second start’ to the season, as teams traditionally bring a host of upgrades and revisions to their machines.
Ducati Bring The Fight To Kawasaki
Aruba.it-Ducati’s Chaz Davies finally managed to open his account in this year’s championship by claiming victory in the second Superbike race, on Sunday. It so nearly could have been a brace and a full 50-points for the Welshman, had he not suffered the cruelest of blows on the penultimate lap of Saturday’s race and high-sided off the track. Nevertheless, a stunning ride the following day ensured that Jonathan Rea’s (KRT) incredible early season run of victories was ended. The championship standings may still firmly be in the favour of the triple world champion, but Davies has now marked himself as his chief rival in the duel for the highest honour in production bike circuit racing.
Resurgence At Yamaha
Whilst the green and red machines currently have a stranglehold on the race victories, Pata-Yamaha have emerged from this weekend as undoubtedly ‘best of the rest’. The Japanese manufacturer have made no secret that they are concentrating more resources into their World Superbike challenger. The team now work in close proximity to the Yamaha-M1 MotoGP factory outfit in Italy. Whilst limited in what upgrades they can produce for the R1, the team have vowed to make the championship a three-way shootout at the top. With Suzuka 8-hour winner Alex Lowes leading their on-track efforts, the Aragon round proved to be a real step forward for them with a consistently strong showing across the weekend. Indeed, Lowes was keeping pace with the front runners during Sunday’s race before out-braking himself into the T13/14 chicane and dropping back. Nevertheless, the promises of improvement have clear substance, and it surely will not be long before the team find themselves on the podium.
Not All About The Factories
Aragon was not all about the factory powered teams. There was a strong showing from the smaller, privateer teams. Jordi Torres, spearheading the efforts of the Althea-BMW outfit, was one of the standouts of the weekend. The Spaniard provided more than just pride and consolation for the home crowd by securing finishes inside the top ten for both races. It should come as little surprise that it is Torres who is effectively leading a resurgence in among the privateers – he is the former Spanish Moto2 champion, and has a CV loaded with victories across a multitude of categories. During the run up to the 2017 season, there had been open concerns amongst teams and supporters alike that the factory dominance of Kawasaki and Ducati in recent years had rendered the privateers uncompetitive. There is still an undeniable gap in outright performance of the machines, but riders like Torres are keeping the likes of Yamaha and Honda more than honest.
Honda On The Long Road Back
The first round on European soil also produced some good news for the Red-Bull Honda team. With two former world champions and MotoGP contenders piloting the new ‘Fireblade’, Aragon showcased the progress the troubled factory outfit. With a raft of upgrades including a new engine map and stiffer suspension, both Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl made it into the second Superpole qualifying session. Whilst the races still proved difficult and only minor points were all that the team could secure, there is potential in the bike. The riders have the quality to deliver the results. They just need the team to provide the upgrades.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodrguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday 1 April 2017. Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02. Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _56I7110
Lucas di Grassi has put an end to Sébastien Buemi’s run of consecutive Formula E victories, by taking the chequered flag in a Mexico City ePrix that saw drama at every turn.
When the race began, it didn’t look as though di Grassi would have much of a part to play. After qualifying in a lowly eighteenth position, the Brazilian made contact with his teammate Daniel Abt and Venturi’s Maro Engel on the first lap and had to pit to replace his rear wing.
Meanwhile, all eyes were on the front of the field, where the lead of the race was being contested by polesitter Oliver Turvey and a chasing José María López. The two were able to make their battle a private affair as the likes of Vergne, Bird and Buemi bunched up behind Nick Heidfeld in third, but despite piling on consistent pressure López was unable to find a way past Turvey.
But at quarter-distance, the Mexico City ePrix took its first twist as Turvey broke down on the start-finish straight, allowing López to assume the race lead by two seconds from Heidfeld and Vergne.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodrguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday 1 April 2017. Jose Maria Lopez (ARG), DS Virgin Racing, Spark-Citroen, Virgin DSV-02. Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _56I7014
However, just as with Turvey, López’s lead was not to last. Whilst the safety car was out for Turvey’s stricken NextEV, the Abt team gambled on an ambitious strategy for di Grassi, calling him in from the back of the field on just lap seventeen.
This gave di Grassi the tall order of driving another 28 laps in his second car, but it also gave him invaluable track position: when the rest of the field pitted at the conventional halfway mark, di Grassi assumed the lead from Jérôme d’Ambrosio—who had also stopped under the earlier safety car—with half a lap back to López, now in third.
And despite having considerably less energy than the former leading pack behind him, di Grassi was able to maintain his advantage until the end as d’Ambrosio’s defence of second place acted as a roadblock for López and Vergne.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico Friday 31 March 2017. Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _J6I6039
The battle for second was ultimately resolved in Vergne’s favour, after López spun off under pressure at turn one and d’Ambrosio ran out of energy on the final lap, and Vergne’s former Virgin teammate Sam Bird finished third for his second podium of the season.
Mahindra had looked set for a solid double points finish just off the podium, until Heidfeld was hit in the closing stages by Nico Prost and sent spinning into the path of his teammate Felix Rosenqvist. This allowed Mitch Evans through to take a remarkable fourth place for Jaguar, collecting his and the team’s first Formula E points.
Prost then came through in fifth despite his collision with Heidfeld, ahead of López in sixth and Daniel Abt in seventh. Adam Carroll compounded a strong finish for Jaguar with a further four points for eighth, and the final points positions were rounded out by NextEV’s Nelson Piquet, and series debutant Esteban Gutiérrez.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodrguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday 1 April 2017. Mitch Evans (NZL), Jaguar Racing, Spark-Jaguar, Jaguar I-Type 1. Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _56I5722
Championship leader Sébastien Buemi suffered a dismal race by his own recent standards, qualifying down in ninth and losing places in the pitlane to come home just fourteenth, albeit with one point for setting the fastest lap.
The results from Mexico City now see Buemi’s title lead cut down to just five points from di Grassi, with a further 25 points back to Prost and Vergne’s tussle for third. In the teams’ standings, Renault e.Dams remains ahead of Abt Schaeffler Audi, whilst Jaguar gets on the board with sixteen points, and Mahindra slumps to fifth behind DS Virgin and Techeetah.
Having failed to make it through automatically to the Superpole 2, both Red-Bull Honda’s of Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl put on a commanding display in the opening session. The former MotoGP riders were imperious, with the next best contender (BMW’s Markus Reiterberger) over half a second slower.
It has been a difficult week so far for the Grillini-Racing Team, who have had to endure a very uncompetitive meeting so far, as both Ondrej Jezek and Ayrton Badovini could not qualify beyond the last two spots on the grid, more than two seconds off the pace of the Hondas.
Superpole 2
There was drama almost as soon as the second qualifying session began as Pata-Yamaha’s Alex Lowes ran off the circuit on entry to the final corner. The 2016 Suzuka 8-hours winner was left unable to set a time, and will have to start from P12 on the fourth row for Race 1. The off-track excursions continued throughout the session – most notably was Stefan Bradl who’s Honda machine caught fire at the end of his first run, and had to be content with P11.
With Lowes out of contention, the battle for pole position was left exclusively between the works Kawasaki and Ducati outfits. Reigning champion Jonathan Rea set the early pace, and looked his usual metronomic self throughout the session. However, a stunning effort from Aruba.It-Ducati’s Chaz Davies in the dying moments, was enough to steal the top spot with a time of 1’49.319, pipping the Kawasaki man by 0.043 seconds. Tom Sykes (KRT) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it-Ducati) completed the top four.
Davies was quick to play down his chances for Race One, saying “The bike still isn’t quite there” having lost an entire practice session yesterday due to a technical fault.
Front Three Rows:
Pole: Davies (AI-Ducati) P2: Rea (KRT) P3: Sykes (KRT)
South America. Argentina. Termas De Rio Hondo. MotoGP. It’s time for the Argentine Grand Prix and after one round, Maverick Vinales sits pretty on top of the world championship standings ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi. The Argentine Grand Prix made a welcome return to the series in 2014, although at a different venue to previous years gone by. Ever since returning to the country, the premier class has enjoyed some fantastic racing, with Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez doing battle. Will it be the same in 2017?
