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Haas F1:German Grand Prix Review

Hockenheim, Germany.
Sunday 31 July 2016.
World Copyright: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Photographic
ref: Digital Image _V2I7307

Haas F1 Team drivers Esteban Gutiérrez and Romain Grosjean drove to hard-fought 11th- and 13th-place finishes, respectively, in the German Grand Prix Sunday at the Hockenheimring.

While the effort did not yield a point-paying result, it was still a strong showing from the American team as both drivers had to rally from deep within the 22-car field. Gutiérrez got bottlenecked at the start and dropped to 18th while Grosjean started the 67-race from 20th after incurring a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change on Saturday.

The duo employed a two-stop strategy, but with differing tire selections. Gutiérrez started the race using the Pirelli P Zero Yellow soft tire and Grosjean started with the Red supersoft. Pit stops began on lap eight, but the Haas F1 Team drivers stayed out for as long as they could before making their first stops, allowing each to gain considerable track position.

Grosjean came in for his first stop at the end of lap 17 after climbing to eighth. Gutiérrez was the last driver to make his first stop, hitting pit lane at the end of lap 25 after rising to 12th. Grosjean went with a new set of Yellow softs while Gutiérrez switched to Red supersofts.

The team’s final round of pit stops began on lap 43 when Grosjean came in for a switch to Red supersofts. Gutiérrez followed at the end of lap 47, also taking Red supersofts.

While both drivers were a lap down after their pit cycles, they remained on the cusp of the top-10, with Gutiérrez 14th and Grosjean 15th with 16 laps remaining. Each driver made separate, masterful passes to get around the Renault of Kevin Magnussen, with Gutiérrez overtaking him on lap 52 and Grosjean doing the same on lap 55.

The moves, along with Carlos Sainz Jr. bringing his Toro Rosso to pit lane for his final stop, allowed Gutiérrez and Grosjean to climb to 12th and 13th, respectively.

Twelve rounds into the 21-race Formula One schedule, Haas F1 Team remains eighth in the constructor standings with 28 points. However, seventh-place McLaren widened the gap over the American team to 14 points via Jensen Button’s eighth-place finish. Haas F1 Team’s 22-point advantage over ninth-place Renault went unchanged as neither Magnussen nor Jolyon Palmer finished in the points.

Lewis Hamilton won the German Grand Prix by 6.996 seconds over Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. It was Hamilton’s 49th career Formula One victory, leaving him but 2 wins from typing Alain Prost for second place on the all times win list.

Nine races remain on the 2016 Formula One schedule, with the next event coming in three weeks with the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps.

Romain Grosjean – Driver #8

“It wasn’t too bad. I think we had a good pace, but the middle stint behind the Renault saw my brakes massively overheat, and I lost them completely for a few laps. That clearly put us on the back foot. I couldn’t get by, and that cost us having a shot at points. We need to understand that, but generally the car behaved in the race. I’m happier this afternoon than I was yesterday. Overall, it’s been an awesome first half of the season. I want us to be able to come back and score regularly in the top-10. There are a few things we need to unlock. We’ve got the potential in the car. We just need to put it all together.”

Esteban Gutiérrez – Driver #21

“It wasn’t an easy start. I had too much wheel spin and I was passed by quite a few cars. We were the only ones on soft tires, which was an aggressive strategy, so we were expecting to struggle for the first stint. After that I started to hold as much as I could and then began to fight back in the second stint. I was pushing all the way, trying to recover as much as I could, as well as trying to handle fuel saving. We’re not satisfied where we ended up, as we didn’t get the points we were aiming for. Now we head into the summer break, which will be good for the team after four races in five weeks. We’re all going to recharge our batteries and come back stronger, fighting for points at Spa.”

Guenther Steiner – Team Principal

“In general, we had a good race, though Esteban had a bad start. We need to look into that, and do better there, because we finished 11th again, one position out of the points. We basically started 18th and 20th and not 11th and 20th. Romain went from 20th to 13th. There wasn’t a lot more to do there, and obviously Esteban finished 11th. The car showed the pace and we had no mistakes, but when you start in those positions, sometimes that’s the best you can achieve. We know the pace is there. We can do it, we just have to pull it all together and get it done. We’ve showed that we can do that, which is ultimately a positive for the team moving forward.”

Next up – – VACATION!

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Force India: German Grand Prix Review

 It was a double point’s finish for Force India in Hockenheim as they closed the gap on fourth placed Williams to just 15 points.

Sergio Perez recovered from a horror start to take tenth while Nico Hulkenberg ran well at his home race to bring home seventh place, with Williams only gaining two points to Force India’s seven.

With a fantastic qualifying performance, which saw both cars in Q3, albeit at the tail end. Hulkenberg qualified seventh but started eighth after an issue saw him drop a place. While Perez rounded up the top ten.

Nico started well but Sergio dropped as low as 16th after a poor start off the line. While the race was bereft of any real action, the Force India team silently and effectively ran their race to the points. Perez was in the action right up until the end as on the penultimate lap, he passed the McLaren of Fernando Alonso to take a point.

The summer break is now upon us and Force India are in a strong position, with two races showing they have more than enough ability to take fourth place from Williams and make it their own.

Meanwhile the struggle appears to be off track as again Perez continues to be linked with a move away from the team. However his wish to drive for a better team appears to be fading as vacant seats remain at a premium.

If Perez does leave however, can he provide the ultimate parting gift in sealing fourth place for Force India and the lucrative rewards that come with it.

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Hockenheim

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Williams, German Grand Prix Preview

GP UNGHERIA F1/2016 – BUDAPEST (UNGHERIA) 24/07/2016
© FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

After skipping a year in 2015, Formula One returns to Germany and to one of its most fabled locations, Hockenhiem. The circuit has seen much change since it first hosted F1 in 1970, the long straights which blasted through the forests are gone, replaced with a shorter but still relatively fast circuit. Sector one is the quickest on the track, featuring the best overtaking spot on the track, the turn five hairpin at the end of the straight which isn’t a straight, it mostly consists of a long left hander, easily taken flat out in the wet or the dry. The standout feature of sector two is the large Mercedes grandstand, always packed with Silver Arrows supporters. The final sector mainly consists of the much tighter stadium section, which is always a spectacular sight on race day.

 

For a race that has been held so many times, it is unsurprising that Williams have won the race on eight occasions. It was the location of one of the team’s first ever victories in 1979 and their first ever 1-2, Alan Jones took the honors that day from team mate Clay Regazzoni. Nelson Piquet would kick off a run of Brazilians winning the race 5 years in a row, taking the flag in 1896 and a race of attrition in 1987, in which just 6 cars finished. Senna’s McLaren won from 1988-90 but Nigel Mansell would take the trophy back to Grove in 1991, it was another 1-2 for Williams, Ricciardo Patrese backed up the Brit. Mansell took another lights to flag win in 1992, but the drama surrounded his team mate, who spun off on the penultimate lap whilst trying to pass Senna for second. Prost won in 1993 in equally dramatic circumstances, his team mate Damon Hill was odds on to take his first ever win when his tire failed on lap 42 of 45. Being classified fifteenth was of no comfort to the British driver as his team mate won his final race, prost his career on a (then record) of 51 wins. Hill finally got his German Grand prix in 1996, Alesi’s Benetton prevented another Williams 1-2. Williams dominated the last race to be held at the old track in 2001, Juan Pablo Montoya set pole position and fastest lap but a glitch with the refueling rig allowed team mate Ralf Schumacher into the lead, then Montoya’s BMW engine blew, forcing him into retirement. Ralf Schumacher won the race, 46 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello. Williams final win in 2003 was a truly dominant showing for Montoya, he took pole position, fastest lap and the race win by over a minute from Coulthard’s McLaren.

Williams were very impressive at the 2014 event, Bottas and Massa qualified second and third thanks to Hamilton’s brake failure and subsequent crash in qualifying. Massa didn’t make it past turn one, owing to a crash with the McLaren of Magnusson, which culminated with the Williams memorably rolling over. Bottas kept it all together to finish second, ahead of Hamilton’s charge from the back of the grid.

The 2014 event really made the grid stand up and take Williams seriously as podium challengers, they outclassed Red Bull and Ferrari the whole weekend. It is difficult to see a repeat performance in 2016 though, Red Bull and Ferrari are much stronger and Williams weren’t even close to challenging them in Hungary. Hockenheim should suit the car more but a podium still looks unlikely. The aim for this race weekend has to be to quash the rise for Force India with some good, solid points so that the team can go into the summer break on a high and focus on closing the gap to the top three teams.

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Ferrari,German Grand Prix Preview

 

GP UNGHERIA F1/2016 – BUDAPEST (UNGHERIA) 24/07/2016
© FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

Ferrari go into the returning German Grand Prix just one point clear of Red Bull in the race for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.

After losing less ground than expected in Hungary after strong race pace saw Sebastian Vettel split the Red Bulls in fourth and Kimi Raikkonen climb up to sixth from 14th on the grid at the Hungaroring, Ferrari were able to cling on to second – just.

It has been a turbulent build-up to the German Grand Prix for the Prancing Horse, with technical director James Allison departing after three years in what Ferrari called a “joint decision”, with Ferrari’s President Sergio Marchionne also reported to be sitting in on technical meetings.

Allison’s wife died in March, meaning a departure was almost inevitable with family based in England.

He has been replaced by former head of engines Mattia Binotto, although there are increasing rumours that ex-technical director Ross Brawn may rejoin Ferrari having left ten years ago following the retirement of Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari are easily the most successful team at the German Grand Prix having won it a staggering 22 times, 13 clear of Mercedes.

They last won it in 2012 when Fernando Alonso’s unlikely title challenge in an inferior car was taking hold, while Alonso won in more controversial circumstances in 2010 when teammate Felipe Massa was ordered to move over and let him into the lead.

After an absence in 2015, the German Grand Prix returns to the Hockenheimring with the future of the German round heavily in doubt beyond 2018, with neither Hockenheim nor the Nurburgring having the finance to secure the race long-term.

Ferrari will hope to gain ground on Red Bull at one of their traditionally stronger circuits, with Raikkonen in fourth just one point behind Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel a further four behind, ten ahead of Max Verstappen.

The Scuderia therefore need to put behind them a turbulent week in order to fend off Red Bull.

Hungarian Grand Prix Review

For Ferrari, the Hungarian Grand Prix was a solid if unspectacular affair which in all likelihood quietly exceeded expectations.

Sebastian Vettel showed strong race pace against the Red Bulls to finish fourth after applying heavy pressure on Daniel Ricciardo for third, while Kimi Raikkonen produced a stunning drive to climb from fourteenth to sixth place.

In a performance from the Iceman seen more often during his previous Ferrari spell, Raikkonen was unfortunate not to take fifth place after breaking his front wing against an ever-aggressive Max Verstappen, as Ferrari avoided being soundly beaten by a resurgent Red Bull.

The Iceman was uncharacteristically vocal in his criticism of Dutchman Verstappen, who appeared to move twice when defending fifth position at Turn 2 on lap 58.

“There are so many rules discussed and in some rules you can move, but when the guy behind makes the decision to commit to something, and when the other guy moves afterwards it’s difficult to avoid the car in front.”

Raikkonen also questioned the stewards handling of qualifying, with changes to the grid concerning Session 1 and the 107% rule almost coming into effect before a last-minute U-turn. He also criticised what he felt was a lack of consistency from the stewards in applying the rules, calling them a “joke”.

“A good example is the qualifying. You have the 107 per cent rule and the people who didn’t go through from first qualifying they are applying it to those cars, but not applying it on the rest. How can you apply it two different ways?

“If somebody can explain to me how that works? But it seems to be F1 these days. Something must change because it looks bad to people outside. There is a rule and it should apply in exactly the same way to every person.”

Raikkonen slipped from third to fourth in the standings, one point behind Ricciardo. Vettel is fifth, four behind his teammate and ten clear of Verstapen, while Ferrari only have a one-point advantage of Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings.

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German Grand Prix, at the end, the Germans always win

2014 Formula One German Grand Prix, Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Baden-Wurttemberg,Germany, 17th – 20th July 2014.
World Copyright: © Andrew Hone Photographer 2014.
Ref: _ONZ8035

Teams and drivers are focused on the final race before the summer break, which will take place in Germany. Gary Lineker once said that at the end, the Germans always win, that is what I expect to see in the German Grand Prix, a German to celebrate a victory in his home race.

 

 You still don’t know to whom I’m referring to? I’m talking about Nico Rosberg.

Nico Rosberg took the pole position in Hungary, but he finished second behind his team-mate and lost the leading position in the championship standings. Germany is a good place for Nico to start his counterattack and return on the top of the championship.

If Rosberg wins the German Grand Prix, he will become the first German who wins a back to back races on home soils.

Hockenheim Key stats

Laps: 67

Circuit Length: 4.574 km

Total Length: 306.458 km

Fastest Lap: 1:13:780s (Kimi Raikkonen – 2004)

Tyre allocations: Medium, Soft, Supersoft

The pole positions have a significant role in Germany, six of the last ten races at Hockenheim have been won from pole position.

Ferrari must feel worried about Red Bull’s form in the last races but, Hockenheim is not Kimi Raikkonen’s favourite circuit, the Finn had five consecutive DNF’s in his first five races in Hockenheim.

It’s a home race for Pascal Wehrlein, the German driver made some comments about the upcoming race: “It’s my home Grand Prix – the one I’ve been most looking forward to. It will also be the busiest so far for me, so maybe after that a little break will be nice. I intend to enjoy it. Of course Germany will have a special significance as the first home race of my F1 career. First of many, I hope! Knowing a race track does have its advantages but, really, we push just as hard at every track we race at.”

I expect to see a battle between Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari for a place on the podium and an easy victory for Mercedes. Both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are in a good form and it will be hard for Ferrari to beat them.

I think the Hockenheimring is actually a pretty fun track. I like entering the stadium section. Also, the fans are huge motorsport fans, which is always pretty awesome. There are some cool little towns around the track which offer some traditional German food and after my week in Austria, I can’t wait to enjoy my second round of Schnitzels.” Said Daniel Ricciardo.

My predictions for the race are: 1 – Nico Rosberg 2- Lewis Hamilton 3 – Max Verstappen

Join my live race text commentary on Sunday on Twitter. Follow our twitter account @PitCrew_Online and my personal account @FP_Passion.

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Sauber Hold Station In Hungary

 

The Sauber F1 team headed to Hungary on the back of the news that Longbow Finance, a Swiss based organisation, had acquired ownership of the team, essentially securing their future in F1.

Despite the good news, race day itself was not ideal as Marcus Ericsson started in the pit lane after his Q1 crash resulted in a chassis change and Felipe Nasr (who had briefly been P1 in Q1) found himself stuck in traffic on a circuit that is notoriously difficult to pass at.

MARCUS ERICSSON

Finished P20 – 3 Stop Strategy

The Swedish driver suffered his second crash in succession at a Grand Prix weekend, after the damp conditions in Q1 saw him crash into the advertising hoardings. Starting in the pits, he hoped to be able to move up the field quickly in his characteristic style.

He however found himself stuck behind Rio Haryanto in the early stages which put pay to his alternative strategy. Buoyed by a large contingent of Swedish fans, he improved in the middle stint but tyre degradation forced a stop closer to the end of the race which saw him hold station in 20th place.

FELIPE NASR

Finished P17 – 2 Stop Strategy

Nasr briefly ran in P1 during the first qualifying session in wet conditions on Saturday and had hoped to be able to fight for points on Sunday, which got off to a positive start after he gained a place on the first lap.

The nature of the Budapest circuit however tripped up the Sauber driver as the traffic and the limited overtaking opportunities prevented the Brazilian star from climbing up the order. He remains upbeat and believes that the team can improve step by step.

Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn is understandably not satisfied with the result but remains positive given the fact that the much needed finance has been secured which will inevitably lead to the necessary development on the car.

It has been an historical week for the team as the legendary Peter Sauber has stepped down as owner of the team, leaving it in the hands of Kaltenborn and the new backers. Sauber have formed a part of the fabric of F1 and the mid-season break after Germany should bring with it a renewal of that spirit.

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Red Bull Racing Germany GP Preview

 

GP UNGHERIA F1/2016 – BUDAPEST (UNGHERIA) 24/07/2016
© FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

 

Red Bull Racing Germany GP Preview

Red Bull closed to within a point of Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship as Daniel Ricciardo finished in third with Max Verstappen in fifth.

The German Grand Prix returns to the Formula One race schedule this year after a break in 2015.

In 2014. The ‘Honey Badger’ finished in sixth at the Hockenheimring and the Australian should be confident of extending his strong performances over the past month:

“I think the Hockenheimring is actually a pretty fun track. I like entering the stadium section. Also the fans are huge motorsport fans, which is always pretty awesome.

Ricciardo is looking forward to his trip to Germany especially as Austria has good local food to feed his big appetite:” There are some cool little towns around the track which offer some traditional German food and after my week in Austria I can’t wait to enjoy my second round of Schnitzels.”

Verstappen will be determined to get one over his team-mate Ricciardo this weekend after his highly entertaining battle with Kimi Raikkonen.

The Dutch man and the Finn fought for fifth position in Hungary but ultimately the 18-year-old won the battle.

If Red Bull can get both cars in the top five places after qualifying, then they might overtake Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of the break at the half way stage.

Red Bull Racing Hungarian GP Preview

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo finished in third as the Milton Keynes based team showed they have the quality to challenge Ferrari.

Max Verstappen ended the Hungarian Grand Prix in fifth but his battle with Kimi Raikkonen was the standout moment at the Hungaroring: “It was a shame because at the beginning we were quick and I tried to create a gap to the Ferraris which lead to me having to back off as I got too close to the car in front.

“Regarding my battle with Kimi I was simply protecting my position. I drove hard and just made sure I didn’t lock up or make a mistake, “said Verstappen.

Team boss Christian Horner was pleased they had one car on the podium and that Red Bull are closing on Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship: “Unfortunately Max dropped behind after the first round of stops and thereafter both drivers entered into battles with the respective Ferrari drivers.

“There was some great racing between Daniel and Seb and Max against Kimi (Raikkonen), some robust defending from our guys particularly Max, who was firm but fair holding off Kimi. It was great to see Daniel finishing on the podium again, and to close the gap on Ferrari to within one point at the halfway point of the year.”

The ‘Honey Badger’ is third in the Drivers’ Championship despite being winless in 2016 but he is confident of winning despite the challenge of Mercedes:

“Three podiums in a row here is great, it’s a good place for me. I feel really good. Fridays and Saturdays have been really good for us from the start of the season but the last few Sundays, for whatever reason, I haven’t been that satisfied with, so it was important to put it together from Friday to Sunday this weekend and I believe I did that,” said an ever smiling Ricciardo.

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Hamilton Takes Control In Hungary


Lewis Hamilton has taken command of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time this season, fending off Nico Rosberg to take a record fifth Hungarian Grand Prix victory.

The Briton was forced to settle for second behind his teammate on the grid after being caught out by yellow flags in Q3, but pounced when Rosberg bogged off the line and stole into the lead through the inside of Turn 1.

Rosberg then looked set to lose another place as Daniel Ricciardo went around the outside of the Mercedes at Turn 1 even as Hamilton was on the inside, though a bold switchback move through Turns 2 and 3 saw Rosberg wrestle back second place.

The German then continued to keep his teammate in check, repeatedly lowering the fastest lap in the early stages and even closing into DRS range as Hamilton struggled for pace on soft tyres after his first pit stop.

 

GP UNGHERIA F1/2016 – BUDAPEST (UNGHERIA) 24/07/2016
© FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

But as close as Rosberg came, he simply couldn’t find a way past Hamilton, who exploited every inch of the famously tight Hungaroring to hold onto the lead and eventually take the chequered flag a comfortable two seconds ahead of his teammate.

The win was Hamilton’s fifth at the Hungaroring, now making him the most successful driver at the circuit ahead of Michael Schumacher. As his fifth win of the season as well, the Hungarian Grand Prix brings Hamilton level with Rosberg on victories and six points ahead in the standings with ten rounds remaining.

“I don’t know what the secret is here,” Hamilton insisted. “Naturally, having a great team and everything coming together is key, but it’s a track that I think works really well for an aggressive driver.

“I’ve not really thought about the standings much but it’s definitely a good feeling to get the job done here. It’s been an awesome few races and I’ve just got to keep that kind of form up for the rest of the season.”

The result was also Mercedes’ first ever 1-2 at the Hungaroring, and incredibly their first win at the venue in their dominant hybrid era.

“We’re delighted with today’s result,” said Toto Wolff. “This place has been Red Bull and Ferrari territory, so it just shows what a great place we have got to with our chassis and engine package that we were able to…control the race like we did.”

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Lowes Crashes Out of San Marino Moto2 Race

Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 rider Sam Lowes was forced to retire in today’s Grand Prix of San Marino and Riviera di Rimini at Misano following a crash during the 13th of the 26 laps of the race: the 25-year-old British racer was in fourth position, fighting for a podium finish, when he lost the front at turn 15.

In the previous laps Lowes engaged a good fight for the third step of the podium, overtaking Johann Zarco and Thomas Luthi, then he battled with Franco Morbidelli and Takaaki Nakagami before the crash that put him out of action exactly midway through the race.

Lowes: I was still faster than the others

“We struggled over the weekend and also today the race was not easy. Apart from Nakagami, who had a good pace, I was still faster than the other riders involved in the fight for third place, so I was determined to pass them to try to pull away. Then I had some problems with the bike, I lost the front and I crashed. It’s a real shame. However, now we look forward to the tests we will carry out in Valencia in the coming days, before facing the Aragon Grand Prix, where we will keep working to improve”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Rally Finland Preview…. Round Eight

This is a very important rally. It’s one of the absolute classics. Formerly known as the 1000 Lakes Rally, the roads are so specialized that it took years for someone not born in the region to win. First held in 1951, it took till 1990, when Carlos Sainz won driving a Toyota Celica GT-Four.

The drivers with the most wins are Hannu Mikkola and Marcus Gronholm, each winning the rally seven times.

Now this event features one of the most spectacular stages in the world. It’s called Ouninpohja. It is 33km (21 miles) long and is a real roller coaster of a stage! This year it features twice on Saturday and the drivers will need to be ready, as it is the first stage on Saturday morning! That will make them wake up for sure! It’s also being run in the opposite direction this year, so this adds a further twist!

Here are the details of this year’s stages.

Thursday evening

SS1 Harju 1 2,31km 19h00

Friday Morning

SS2 Mökkiperä 1 13,84km 07h13

SS3 Halinen 7,07km 07h46

SS4 Jukojärvi 1 21,24km 09h02

SS5 Surkee 1 14,95km 10h39

SS6 Horkka 1 15,01km 11h32

Friday afternoon

SS7 Äänekoski-Valtra 7,39km 14h10

SS8 Mökkiperä 2 13,84km 15h08

SS9 Jukojärvi 2 21,24km 16h38

SS10 Surkee 2 14,95km 18h15

SS11 Horkka 2 15,01km 19h08

SS12 Harju 2 2,31km 20h30

Saturday morning

SS13 Ouninpohja 1 33,00km 08h08

SS14 Päijälä 1 23,50km 09h11

SS15 Pihlajakoski 1 14,51km 10h34

SS16 Saalahti 1 4,23km 11h52

Saturday afternoon

SS17 Ouninpohja 2 33,00km 14h48

SS18 Päijälä 2 23,50km 15h51

SS19 Pihlajakoski 2 14,51km 17h14

SS20 Saalahti 2 4,23km 18h32

Sunday

SS21 Lempää 1 6,83km 08h28

SS22 Oittila 1 10,15km 09h21

SS23 Lempää 2 6,83km 11h15

SS24 Oittila 2 (Power Stage) 10,15km 13h08

The total competitive distance of the stages is 333,60km over the three days and this promises to be an exciting weekend of fast and flowing stages and hopefully a big battle for the win.

We can expect the drivers from the Nordic states to be near the front, so watch out for Jari-Matti, and Andreas from Volkswagen to challenge for the podium. The other driver I expect to be near the front, if not in the lead is Ott Tanak. After his total domination last time out in Poland, and finishing 4th last year in this rally, he will want to fight at the front again.

This was the result from last year

J.M Latvala / M. Anttila (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 2:33:03.8

S. Ogier / J. Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +13.7

M. Østberg / J. Andersson (Citroën DS3 WRC) +1:36.8

T. Neuville / N. Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 WRC) +3:58.7

O. Tanak / R. Molder (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +4:29.3

J. Hänninen / T. Tuominen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +4:44.3

M. Prokop / J. Tomanek (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +6:20.3

E. Lappi / J. Ferm (Škoda Fabia R5) +7:11.2

P. Tidemand / E. Axelsson (Škoda Fabia R5) +8:52.2

L. Bertelli / L. Granai (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +9:37.4

D. Sordo / M. Martí (Hyundai i20 WRC) +10:17.8

Here are the thoughts of the drivers ahead of shakedown then.

Volkswagen

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1

“The Rally Finland is unquestionably one of the highlights of the year. I love driving there, because rallying is everything in Finland. I am also looking forward to Finland, because the Finns manage to produce perfect route conditions. The roads are not only beautiful, but are tailor-made for rallying. The starting order has denied me any realistic chance of winning any of the gravel events this year. As such, the weather situation will also play a major role again in Finland. Let’s wait and see, and keep our fingers crossed that it is nice and damp. Admittedly, what matters most in the end is that we defend our title. We are looking good in that regard at the moment, but it would be nice to have another fair shot at winning a rally in similar conditions. Particularly as the series is blessed with some very strong drivers at the moment.”

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2

“The Rally Finland is obviously the highlight of the season for me. I am really looking forward to it, even though the pressure is naturally greater than at any other rally. That can also serve as a motivation, as you obviously want to do well in front of your home crowds. The expectations of the Finnish fans are huge, particularly as I have only won once so far this year. The characteristics of the rally suit me. Fast gravel roads and big jumps – that is my kind of rally. The keys to this rally are ensuring the pace notes are correct and choosing the right line for jumps and fast sections. I will relax ahead of my home race in a very Finnish manner – in the sauna.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9

“The way I see it, it will not be easy to repeat our victory in Poland at the Rally Finland. The rally has a completely different character. The surface is much harder and there are many more crests and jumps. On the whole, the rally is far more demanding than the one in Poland. It is particularly important to get the pace notes spot on. As such, we will focus hard during the ‘Recce’ to get the pace notes as accurate as possible. Because there are a lot of blind crests, you need to know exactly what to expect on the other side. That then gives you the confidence you need to be fast. One of the new features this year will be the ‘Ouninpohja’ stage, which we will drive in the opposite direction to recent years. That will add a bit of extra spice to the occasion.

Hyundai

Thierry Neuville said: “Finland is probably one of the most challenging rallies of the season. Everybody is always a bit nervous going there. It’s a very fast event with huge grip and big jumps. You need to get everything 100% right to be fast and not make any mistakes. It’s very enjoyable once you get a good feeling and you are ‘on it’. It is the rally where you get the best sensations. But, it can be a difficult rally if you don’t find the best settings and get a good feeling, then it can quickly turn into the worst rally of the season! Nicolas and myself have had some positive results recently, so we want to build on that in Finland.”

Hayden Paddon said: “The result in Poland was really important for us and allowed us to bounce back after two tough results. I think Finland is the one we always look forward to the most. It’s like the home of rallying, the Monaco Grand Prix of the World Rally Championship. It’s a rally that I aspire to win one day, it’s very high on my list! We have a good car and a good package this year, so for sure we are going to try and fight right up near the front. But the Scandinavians on home turf are also very fast so we’ll have our work cut out for us. We’re feeling up for the challenge.”

Now, Dani Sordo was injured in pre event testing in an accident, so Kevin Abbring will be stepping into the i20 for this weekend. He’s not driven the new generation i20 competitively yet.

Kevin Abbring commented: “First of all, I would like to wish Dani a speedy recovery and thank Hyundai Motorsport for this opportunity. Our debut in the New Generation i20 WRC will be at rallying’s most challenging event. We’re obviously really excited for it, but we know that it’s a tall order. Rally Finland is just special; the roads are really fast and the fans are passionate about rallying. It has such an amazing atmosphere! The plan will be to continue to gain as much experience as possible and get more acquainted with the New Generation i20 WRC – I cannot wait to tackle the amazing stages this week.”

M-Sport

Mads Østberg said:

“It’s time for a comeback and we’re fully focussed on Rally Finland. We’ve all been working really hard in the lead-up to this event, and myself and Ola have spent a lot of time preparing. We’re determined to return to the stage-winning pace we showed in Sardinia.

“Eighth place in Poland was not what we came for, but I was ninth there last year and ended up on the podium in Finland. We need to keep that in mind and focus on being as competitive as we can from the very first stage.

“This is one of the events that everyone looks forward to. It’s such an adrenaline rush and when you hook up that perfect stage there really is no better feeling. We’re looking forward to that, and I can promise you that we’ll be aiming for a strong result. If everything goes to plan, there is no reason why we can’t be challenging for the podium again.”

Éric Camilli said:

“Rally Finland is a very special event, and I can’t wait to discover these stages for the first time in a world rally car. We have some knowledge of the rally from last year, but this year will be a completely new challenge. The speed of the world rally cars on these roads is incredible. We really enjoyed our test and did a lot of work with our engineer which should see us well-placed for the rally.

“Even though the event didn’t go to plan for us last year, we were pleased with our speed. With only a few gravel events under our belt, we were still discovering what it takes to perform on that surface but were able to set some really competitive times.

“We’re keen to keep up the same level of progress that we have shown recently. We’ll take everything in our stride and focus on our own rally, but I hope to build on the speed we had in Poland.”

Elfyn Evans said:

“The WRC 2 field is extremely strong at the moment and it will be a challenge to beat the Scandinavians on their home turf. This is probably one of the most competitive events of the year, but we’re ready to give it our all. We’re feeling well prepared and ready to challenge for the win, but we know it won’t be easy.

“Speed and precision is what we’ll need. The stages are so fast that any time loss is hard to recover. You need to have precise notes and the confidence to drive to the maximum. We’ve shown some pretty good speed here in the past so, if we can couple that with a clean run, anything is possible.”

Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT

Kris Meeke (#7): “Finland is a unique moment in the WRC season. I have excellent memories here, such as my first race with Citroën Racing in 2013 and my podium finish the year after. Every year, I take pleasure, above all, in driving on the most amazing routes in the world. I’m not competing in every race this season, but I was determined that Finland should be part of my programme. It’s a rally that often comes down to just a few tenths of a second and it will provide a good opportunity for me to work on my turn of speed. I won in Portugal, but I don’t have any particular goals. I’ll be doing my best to learn, understand and enjoy myself at the wheel. The weather forecast is for rain every day in Jyväskylä, which will no doubt have an influence on performances depending on the starting orders. But once again, it doesn’t really matter to me, as I don’t have any special aims this season. I think it’s going to be a big challenge from reconnaissance on. There are a lot of new special stages, including Ouninpohja, which we are going to be taking on in the opposite direction from usual. We’ll have to forget our usual markers and approach that sector as if it were totally new.”

Craig Breen (#8): “Obviously, I feel much better prepared for this race than for my first two rallies with Abu Dhabi Total WRT! I’m going to be able to draw on my experience from a month ago and my aim will be to pick up where I left off at the end of Rally Poland. For this rally to be a success for me, I’ll have to produce a consistent race, without making any mistakes, and attacking a little harder when I feel able. I’m familiar with Rally Finland as I’ve already taken part six times. Two years ago, I was at the wheel of a WRC, but in a totally different context, with my dad working on the car and my mum doing the catering! That family effort has got me here and I fully intend to take this new opportunity.”

Khalid Al Qassimi (#24): “I can’t wait to be back in Finland. It’s a really special event for the WRC. The course is known for being fast and for its high-speed jumps. We will be able to draw on our experience from last year, but more than half of the special stages are new and we will have to be focused from reconnaissance on to make sure we take good notes. It will be important to feel good at the wheel again, particularly after such a long break since Portugal. You need a lot of commitment for this rally and we will be working hard to gradually get to grips with the car. I hope we will enjoy ourselves and that Kris and Craig will do the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team proud.”

D-Mack

Ott Tänak said: “Finland is always a highlight of the season and all the drivers love the high speeds and rollercoaster roads. Our confidence is good after Rally Poland and once again we will push as hard as possible. I’ve done the rally quite a few times now and have a strong level of experience so, if things feel good, then we should have a chance.”

Karl Kruuda said: “The feeling is quite good after Poland and I’m looking forward to some fast stages again. The aim is to try and be up there with the other guys and pick out a few stages where we can beat them, but Finland is still a tough and sometimes daunting place. Poland highlighted a few areas where we can make some changes so we will aim to improve further.”

Marius Aasen said: “Finland is one of my favourite rallies and I have always dreamed of participating there in a R5 car. This will be my fourth time doing the rally, but I know the Fiesta R5 is much faster than the cars I have driven there before, so it will be a big difference. After our crash in Poland I think we will need some stages to get back into the good rhythm. This time we will use some of our pacenotes from last year and I’m sure that will help us.”

So, can Ott and Raigo challenge at the front again? Will Jari-Matti continue his winning form at home? Can Mads find some good form, and finish on the podium like last year, or will he beaten by his teammate, Eric? What about Kris Meeke, who is back in an DS3? Could we see him challenge at the front? After all, he won in Portugal.

I strongly recommend you follow this event. It is astonishing!

Enjoy!

Warren Nel

27th July 2016

@Warren_S_Nel

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