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&&<br />

Cover Cover<br />

Handbrakes<br />

Handbrakes<br />

Hairpins Hairpins<br />

your your insight insight into into the the world world of rallying rallying<br />

In the hot seat with Mohammed Moosa<br />

Issue 145 • 12 - 18 Aug 2010 http://handbrakeshairpins.wordpress.com<br />

Features Features<br />

Saab aims for<br />

WRC return, P7<br />

Poulter at<br />

Osram Rally, P10<br />

Beinke at Rally<br />

Finland, P11<br />

Events Events<br />

IRC, IR IRRC<br />

RC, P PP13<br />

WCR, W<br />

P16<br />

News News<br />

Burn’s memorial<br />

Rally update<br />

Burke named<br />

Rookie of the Year<br />

Lat Latvala wins at<br />

Lah Lahti Rally


Contents / Issue 145<br />

04 News<br />

06 Features<br />

07 Saab aims for WRC<br />

08 In the hot seat<br />

10 Poulter at the Osram Rally 2010<br />

11 Beinke reports from Rally Finland<br />

12 Events<br />

13 IRC Rally Madeira REVIEW<br />

16 WCRRC All Tar Rally PREVIEW<br />

Contact<br />

E-mail us evan.hhmag@gmail.com<br />

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SPAM e-mail: email addresses are added to<br />

the mailing list voluntarily.<br />

Welcome to H&H!<br />

Welcome to issue 145 of <strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> &<br />

<strong>HAIRPINS</strong>, your FREE weekly insight into<br />

the world of rallying!<br />

As always, I hope you enjoy this<br />

week’s exciting edition!<br />

Yours in Rallying,<br />

Evan Rothman<br />

ATS has a very special ‘while stocks last’<br />

offer on the Peltor FMT110 intercom!<br />

Poor communication is a recipe for disaster in a rally car, that’s why we’re offering a<br />

Peltor communication kit comprising the renowned FMT110 intercom and FC15<br />

battery eliminator at just R2095 + VAT for both items, a saving of around R900 or 30<br />

percent on the standard pricing. But hurry – there are only a limited number of these<br />

communication kits available following<br />

which we will only be stocking the new<br />

(and more expensive) FMT120 intercom.<br />

Editorial Information<br />

Editor Evan Rothman<br />

Photojournalist Eva Kovkova<br />

Contributors RallyBuzz, Drew Sturrock,<br />

Jordan Murphy, Motorpics<br />

All content copyrighted property of<br />

<strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> & <strong>HAIRPINS</strong>, 2007-<br />

10. This publication is fully protected by<br />

copyright and nothing may be reprinted in<br />

whole or in part without written permission<br />

from the editor. While reasonable<br />

precautions have been taken to ensure the<br />

accuracy of information from sources and<br />

given to readers, the editor cannot accept<br />

responsibility for any inconvenience or<br />

damage that may arise therefrom.<br />

Contact us on 011 670 8400 to take advantage.<br />

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send an e-mail with your first name, last name and the e-mail address to use to: promo@ats-motorsport.co.za


News News<br />

the the world’s world’s latest latest rally rally news news


JOIN <strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> & <strong>HAIRPINS</strong> ON<br />

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With the ever-increasing number of events and news items<br />

being published on a daily basis, <strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> & <strong>HAIRPINS</strong><br />

has published relevant news items to its website and Facebook<br />

Page, and we also feature breath-taking videos from YouTube!<br />

Download the FREE iRally app!<br />

The iRally App is produced by Crown House Media, the<br />

well-known UK TV and radio agency which created, owns<br />

and operates the popular World Rally Radio internet radio<br />

station. It is supported by Ford and is available to download<br />

FREE of charge via iTunes at<br />

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gb/app/irally-2010-wrcirc/id347126364?mt=8<br />

from the App Store on the<br />

iPhone by typing iRally into<br />

the Search window.<br />

NEWS<br />

DAILY ONLINE UPDATES<br />

For your convenience, here are the news items in this easy-toclick<br />

menu page:<br />

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP<br />

Dani Sordo splits from co-driver Marc Marti: http://wp.me/<br />

ppkXc-1wt<br />

FIA announces new tyre rule for 2011: http://wp.me/ppkXc-<br />

1wl<br />

Paddon heads for fi rst run at all-tarmac WRC Germany: http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1wq<br />

Confi dence high for Citroen in Germany: http://wp.me/ppkXc-<br />

1vP<br />

Latvala wins Lahti Historic Rally 2010 (WITH VIDEO): http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1w2<br />

Kimi Raikkonen and Sébastien Ogier testing for Rallye<br />

Deutschland (WITH VIDEO): http://wp.me/ppkXc-1vZ<br />

WATCH: Juha Kankkunen on SS09 (ON-BOARD FOOTAGE):<br />

http://wp.me/ppkXc-1wy<br />

EUROPEAN AND INTERCONTINENTAL<br />

RALLY CHALLENGE SERIES<br />

Loix wins Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy in Madeira: http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1vy<br />

Felipe Freitas impresses in Madeira: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1vW<br />

Challenge the best in the Ultimate Rally Challenge!: http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1w4<br />

BRITISH AND IRISH RALLYING<br />

Richard Burns Memorial Rally to raise vital funds: http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1vv<br />

McShea and Cronin for PROTON in the Czech Republic: http://<br />

wp.me/ppkXc-1vs<br />

Northern European Pirelli Star Driver shootout PREVIEW:<br />

http://wp.me/ppkXc-1w6<br />

AFRICAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN<br />

RALLYING AND OFF-ROAD RACING<br />

Osram Rally presents unknown territory for Imperial Toyota<br />

Rally Team: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1vB<br />

USA AND RALLYCAR RALLY NEWS AND EVENTS<br />

Joseph Burke claims Rally America 2010 “Rookie of the Year”:<br />

http://wp.me/ppkXc-1vR<br />

Taylor takes Rally Gisborne victory: http://wp.me/ppkXc-1vM<br />

<strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> & <strong>HAIRPINS</strong> NOW<br />

AVAILABLE IN SEVEN LANGUAGES!<br />

The power and universal appeal of both the Internet and<br />

rallying around the world has prompted me to offer H&H’s<br />

website in seven different languages. Simply visit the website,<br />

scroll down to fi nd you favoured language (represented by a<br />

country’s fl ag) and select. It is that easy!<br />

Featuring European rally championships, British rally championships, Rally America<br />

events, international rally results and videos, as well as S2000 and WRC news.<br />

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF RALLYING<br />

www.rallybuzz.com


Features Features<br />

your your insight insight into into the the world world of rallying rallying


SAAB IN RALLYING IN NUMBERS<br />

Saab’s rallying history is heaped in a tradition of<br />

success. On the world’s stages, the fi rst recorded<br />

even entry for a Saab-backed crew was in 1950.<br />

Rolf Molander/Margaretha von Essen took part in the<br />

Monte Carlo Rallye in January of that year.<br />

Interestingly, Greta Molander took part in<br />

that event too, and fi nished a respectable 55th overall,<br />

fi fth in her class and second in the Ladies Class.<br />

Saab’s fi rst victory came in November<br />

1950, with Rolf Mellde in the Rikspokalen Rally, then<br />

Europe’s most gruelling rally. Greta Molander wins the<br />

Ladies Class, too.<br />

<strong>Here</strong> is a list of Saab’s involvement in<br />

rallying from 1952 to the end of its rally programme in<br />

1980:<br />

• 1952 - Greta Molander/Helga Lundberg win the<br />

Ladies Cup in the Monte Carlo Rally.<br />

• 1953 - Rolf Mellde wins the Swedish Championship.<br />

SAAB AIMS FOR WRC<br />

Story: Staff Writer<br />

Picture: Unlicensed<br />

Swedish manufacturer Saab are<br />

being tipped to make a comeback<br />

to the World Rally Championship,<br />

according to www.autosport.com.<br />

Saab, who haven’t competed in<br />

the WRC since 1979, have been linked to<br />

a possible return to the series in 2012,<br />

using a possible 9-1 or 9-2 base model.<br />

The engine is expected to be a<br />

BMW unit, which would be the same 1.6litre<br />

turbocharged motor that MINI will<br />

be using in their Countryman WRC.<br />

Spyker, who own and saved<br />

Saab from virtual collapse late last year,<br />

have had senior offi cials meet with the<br />

sport’s organisers about a possible WRC<br />

• 1955 - Erik Carlsson gets to be ‘on the roof’ with<br />

all Sweden and wins the country’s most important<br />

dependability contest, the Rikspokalen, in a Saab 92.<br />

• 1956 - Bob Wehman and Louis Braun win the fourth<br />

and last Great American Mountain Rallye. Rolf Mellde<br />

comes in sixth, with another Saab 93 in seventh place.<br />

There is only one American car among the fi rst twenty.<br />

• 1959 - Erik Carlsson scores an overt victory in the<br />

Midnight Sun Rally.<br />

•1960 - Erik Carlsson wins the British RAC Rally, his<br />

fi rst of three consecutive victories.<br />

• 1961 - Erik Carlsson enters for the Monte Carlo<br />

Rally in a Saab 95 - the factory’s only four-speed car.<br />

Finishes in fourth place.<br />

• 1962 - Erik Carlsson and Gunnar Häggbom win<br />

overall in the Monte Carlo Rally. The starting number<br />

of the winning car is 303.<br />

• 1963 - Erik Carlsson wins the Monte Carlo Rally for<br />

the second time, now with Gunnar Palm as his co-<br />

FEATURES<br />

entry. The fi rm are expected to continue<br />

negotiations at WRC Rally France in<br />

October.<br />

Sources told Autosport: “The<br />

initial meeting [between Saab and WRC<br />

offi cials, believed to include both the<br />

FIA commissions and promoter North<br />

One Sport] has happened, and there’s<br />

a huge amount of enthusiasm from all<br />

concerned. Like MINI, Saab has a great<br />

heritage in the sport and a return to the<br />

WRC makes a lot of sense.”<br />

North One Sport CEO Simon<br />

Long said: “I think MINI’s announcement<br />

has given people a lot of confi dence in<br />

the sport. The messages we’re getting<br />

are all positive.”<br />

driver. Starting number this year is 283, Erik Carlsson<br />

and Gunnar Palm come second in the Spa-Sofi a-Liege<br />

“Marathon de la Route”, one of the most demanding<br />

rallies.<br />

• 1971 - Stig Blomqvist wins the Swedish Rally in a<br />

Saab V4. A new generation of drivers takes over as<br />

Erik Carlsson becomes Saab’s roving ambassador,<br />

accredited to the whole world.<br />

• 1976 - Stig Blomqvist wins the Belgian Rally Boucles<br />

de Spa. The winning car is a Saab 99 with double<br />

overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.<br />

• 1977 - Stig Blomqvist wins the Swedish Rally in a<br />

Saab 99 EMS.<br />

• 1979 - Stig Blomqvist wins the Swedish Rallye in a<br />

Saab 99 Turbo - the fi rst win by a turbo-charged car in<br />

a World Championship rally.<br />

• 1980 - Saab shuts down its competition department<br />

and retires from all rally activities.


FEATURES<br />

IN THE HOT SEAT:<br />

<strong>HANDBRAKES</strong> & <strong>HAIRPINS</strong><br />

Story: Evan Rothman<br />

Pictures: Motorpics<br />

In full-attack mode this car eats up<br />

the gravel kilometres with a voracity<br />

I’ve never experienced before. One<br />

of South Africa’s most exciting rally<br />

drivers is Mohammed Moosa, a<br />

driver for the Team Total Evolution<br />

Toyota RunX S2000<br />

“We’re over<br />

210km/h at<br />

the moment”<br />

outfi t, and is in his<br />

fi rst season in the<br />

top-fl ight Class<br />

S2000. He’s shown<br />

his speed and<br />

aggression in this<br />

the most cutthroat of Classes, and I<br />

was fortunate to experience fi rsthand<br />

his driving skills in his rally<br />

machine.<br />

Ahead of last month’s fi fth<br />

round of the South African Rally<br />

Championship, the Volkswagen Rally<br />

held in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern<br />

Cape, I attended the Shakedown Stage<br />

for the event at the Port Elizabeth Oval<br />

Track, which played host to two stages<br />

(with a majority of the Shakedown Stage<br />

part of the speed test for the event).<br />

With a few runs already under<br />

his belt, and his car set up to his liking<br />

for this challenging event, I strapped<br />

myself tightly into the co-driver’s seat<br />

for what was to be a thrilling and<br />

unforgettable drive. A few seconds<br />

short of two minutes, and our drive<br />

was over but these two minutes I, as a<br />

rally enthusiast, will forever treasure.<br />

For Mohammed it was a test and more<br />

valuable seat time, and I fortunate to be<br />

able to glimpse a snatch into the worlds<br />

of the rally driver and co-driver.<br />

The dusty stage starts with<br />

a long straight on a fl at section. A<br />

countdown from ten starts and my<br />

excitement increases with that of the<br />

revs climbing. Quickly spinning through<br />

the gears, the car was soon bouncing<br />

on its rev limiter<br />

in sixth gear;<br />

Mohammed was<br />

cool, collected<br />

and nonchalantly<br />

chatting with me<br />

even at this speed,<br />

as if for a drive to buy milk at the corner<br />

shop.<br />

As we barrelled down the long<br />

straight, I was told rather cavalierly that<br />

a fi rst-gear left hand corner awaited us.<br />

Expecting to hit the brakes and begin to<br />

scrub off speed, and seeing the straight<br />

coming to an end ahead, Mohammed’s<br />

right boot was still fi rmly planted on<br />

the accelerator pedal and it didn’t look<br />

like shifting to the brake pedal any time<br />

soon.<br />

“We’re over 210km/h at the<br />

moment: fast!” was Mohammed’s<br />

comment, as if reading my thoughts.<br />

Seeing the tree trunks lining<br />

the road clearly, the dirt berm and<br />

the bushes beyond, I turned my<br />

attention away from the horizon and<br />

to Mohammed to watch as he worked<br />

the car’s levers and steering wheel to<br />

set it up for the turn in. Hitting the<br />

brakes hard, with the car’s nose diving


aggressively towards the ground and<br />

the scenery out the side windows now<br />

becoming less of a speed blur, we were<br />

in the corner and already powering<br />

through it. It still astounds me the<br />

braking power of these machines and<br />

the grip actually made available by the<br />

tyres on this loose surface.<br />

A quick tug of the handbrake<br />

lever, bashing down the gearbox and<br />

we’re booting out of the corner and<br />

focusing on the next corner to attack.<br />

His movements on the controls results<br />

in directness: there was no wild drifting<br />

or sideways antics as I’d have imagined<br />

from the speed that we entered the<br />

corner and the quick jump of his<br />

right foot from the brake pedal to the<br />

accelerator.<br />

The revs climb quickly, the<br />

sound of the S2000 engine’s cacophonic<br />

howl rising as Mohammed punches up<br />

to fourth gear. Suddenly we’re hard on<br />

the brakes for two or three seconds,<br />

and then down the gears once more,<br />

another fl ick of the steering wheel and<br />

we are pointing in yet another direction.<br />

Of course, strapped into the car I don’t<br />

get a true sense of the speed but a look<br />

towards the digital tachometer and gear<br />

indicator gave me an indication. That,<br />

and the scenery seemingly zipping by.<br />

I can just peer over the bonnet<br />

and notice rocks and bumps in the road<br />

ahead. I would’ve been in orbit in a road<br />

car, but this machine stays planted and<br />

his right foot is still pinned to the fl oor!<br />

Talking about his family and<br />

home in Tzaneen, and then my work,<br />

all the while we are shooting through<br />

a left-right section and over a jump.<br />

The dust and sand sprays onto my side<br />

of the windows, and the scenery fl icks<br />

past very fast… There’s no wafting into<br />

corners: its fl at-out, hard on the brakes,<br />

feed the power and then fl at-out again.<br />

There’s no in between pace, not even<br />

on this Shakedown Stage. It takes an<br />

aggressive and forceful input to keep<br />

this car in line, and the Toyota RunX<br />

S2000 responds immediately. The car<br />

tracks accurately with his steering<br />

wheel inputs, and requires no coaxing<br />

to stay to his desired line. Direct are<br />

his movements, with precise little<br />

adjustments to the steering wheel and<br />

the accelerator pedal and feeling out<br />

the corner and the surface beneath his<br />

tyres.<br />

Corners approach rapidly: short<br />

straights merely serve for Mohammed to<br />

set his car up for the next corner, before<br />

pitching the car into it; it is in corners<br />

that this rally car truly shines and shows<br />

its worth.<br />

We approach a blind rise that<br />

ATS has a very special ‘while stocks last’<br />

offer on the Peltor FMT110 intercom!<br />

Poor communication is a recipe for disaster in a rally car, that’s why we’re offering a<br />

Peltor communication kit comprising the renowned FMT110 intercom and FC15<br />

battery eliminator at just R2095 + VAT for both items, a saving of around R900 or 30<br />

percent on the standard pricing. But hurry – there are only a limited number of these<br />

communication kits available following<br />

which we will only be stocking the new<br />

(and more expensive) FMT120 intercom.<br />

drops away into a set of zigzags that<br />

I look forward to. From having walked<br />

into the stage to spectate at this specifi c<br />

spot, I noticed the commitment needed<br />

to tackle this seemingly easy section.<br />

In fact, it’s a violent left-right-left-rightleft<br />

section that demands respect and<br />

concentration. Needless to say, each side<br />

of the road is lined with berms, boulders<br />

and tree stumps. To boot, the road is not<br />

wide either and a few of the other S2000<br />

machines clipped the banks in places<br />

during their shakedown runs.<br />

We enter the fi rst fl ick at speed:<br />

on-and-off the power quickly, and we’re<br />

through the fi rst two. Then it’s fl at-out<br />

through the following three corners<br />

as the car sidesteps in and out of the<br />

turns. Still, there are small movements,<br />

adjustments of the steering wheel. He<br />

uses every inch of the road, and we<br />

shoot out of the zigzags and into the<br />

fi nish zone.<br />

The Team Total Evolution Toyota<br />

RunX S2000 of Mohammed Moosa isn’t a<br />

graceful machine; it needs to be strictly<br />

directed and bullied to travel over roads<br />

at that speed on gravel and asphalt.<br />

It’s raw: an action has an immediate<br />

response and effect. It’s a fantastic rally<br />

car, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sitting<br />

inside the cockpit beside one of the<br />

bravest drivers in South Africa.<br />

Contact us on 011 670 8400 to take advantage.<br />

Do you receive our monthly newsletter, ATS News? If not you’re missing out…<br />

send an e-mail with your first name, last name and the e-mail address to use to: promo@ats-motorsport.co.za<br />

FEATURES


FEATURES<br />

POULTER AIMS FOR STRONG<br />

FINISH IN OSRAM RALLY<br />

Story: Staff Writer<br />

Picture: Unlicensed<br />

The sixth round of the Sasol South<br />

African Rally Championship, the oneday<br />

Osram Rally in the Southern<br />

Drakensberg around Barkly East<br />

presents something of a dilemma for<br />

the Class A6 Imperial Toyota RunX pair<br />

Leeroy Poulter and Henry Dearlove –<br />

neither driver nor co-driver have any<br />

experience of the high speed stages they<br />

will encounter.<br />

Dearlove, in spite of 14 years in<br />

the left hand seat of rally cars and two<br />

championships, has never run the stages<br />

formerly known as the Mountain Trial. “I<br />

ran the Dewetsdorp-based Osram Rally,<br />

but I’ve never run in the mountains so<br />

I’m looking forward to it, in spite of the<br />

scary stories people tell me about the<br />

event.”<br />

The Imperial Toyota pair<br />

has a nine point lead in the Class A6<br />

Championship but their main target is<br />

the inaugural 1600cc Championship,<br />

where they are two points behind Ashley<br />

Haigh Smith (Toyota Yaris), who scores<br />

points at a 1.2 factor to equalize engine<br />

size. Haigh-Smith still has to drop<br />

his worst score, leaving Poulter and<br />

Dearlove with a nett 14 point lead at this<br />

stage of the season.<br />

For Poulter, it is again virgin<br />

territory, something he has easily<br />

adapted to this year. “Every rally is new<br />

for me so this one is nothing special.<br />

I won’t have the benefi t of Henry’s<br />

experience here, so we’ll take it easy<br />

in the fi rst two stages to fi gure out<br />

what the road conditions are like before<br />

stepping up a gear or two”, said the<br />

production car racer, enjoying a highly<br />

successful debut season in rallying.<br />

“The trick will be to stay as<br />

close to Tjaart Conradie as possible if<br />

we are behind him but our strategy will<br />

be to go as fast as possible and stay on<br />

the road and listen to my navigator very<br />

carefully!”, Poulter added.<br />

For Dearlove there is some<br />

extra pressure. “Usually I have notes<br />

from the previous years which I can<br />

fi ne-tune, but I’m starting from scratch<br />

this time, so I’ll pay more attention<br />

to what Leon Botha has to say. The<br />

Heuningneskloof stage is one I’ve been<br />

warned about – there’s a section with<br />

really big drops but otherwise it’s a fast<br />

and fl owing route that again should suit<br />

Leeroy’s precise driving style”.<br />

As a pure power rally, Race Prep<br />

Team Principle Rod Hering has realistic<br />

expectations. “I don’t see Leeroy and<br />

Henry fi nishing much higher than<br />

around 13th or 14th overall assuming<br />

everyone stays on the road. While it’s<br />

great to be the fi rst two-wheel drive car<br />

home, we have our sights on the two<br />

championships so there won’t be any<br />

heroics from inside the car. We are able<br />

to tweak the ride height a bit because<br />

the roads are usually quite smooth and I<br />

hope there will be a lot of cars between<br />

us and Ashley”.<br />

The ultra-fast Osram Rally<br />

starts from the Barkly East Golf Club<br />

at 7am and takes in eight stages,<br />

where Class A6 speeds average around<br />

135km/h and often hit terminal speeds<br />

of 170-180km/h.


FINLAND BRINGS NO LUCK<br />

FOR REIDEMANN/BEINKE<br />

Story: Josefi ne Corinn Beinke<br />

Picture: M-Sport<br />

Being forced to retire makes it<br />

hard to fi nd the step back into the<br />

championship fi ght.<br />

Christian Riedemann and I<br />

had a long journey to Finland behind<br />

them when we tested on the Monday<br />

before the legendary Neste Oil Rally<br />

Finland. Due to the fact that we were<br />

forced to retired in Portugal and without<br />

even scoring points, the fi ght for the<br />

FSTi Championship title becomes more<br />

diffi cult.<br />

We tested on Monday to be best<br />

prepared for the stages of 2010’s Neste<br />

Oil Rally Finland. With seven Finnish<br />

drivers entered for this round of the<br />

FSTi, it was clear that the main goal for<br />

this rally would be to reach the fi nish.<br />

The stages are very tricky and<br />

totally different from what I expected at<br />

fi rst; it’s much more than you can see on<br />

television.<br />

The fi rst stage of the rally<br />

took place on Thursday evening. A<br />

short stage of about 4km, and we<br />

claimed sixth position in the FSTi<br />

category and were faster than some<br />

of the Finnish drivers. Actually, it our<br />

opening performance was better than we<br />

expected and we felt confi dent for the<br />

following days of competition.<br />

The next day of the rally<br />

started without problem in the morning<br />

loop of stages. After Service the team<br />

found that the rear axle was damaged<br />

and should be changed at the evening<br />

Service. As well as the rear axle, a<br />

new heat exchanger was required and<br />

was put on the to-do-list for the next<br />

Service.<br />

The Friday’s stages went well<br />

for Team Riedemann/Beinke, and the<br />

pacenotes seemed to be okay. On the<br />

stage Myhinpää, it was very hard for a<br />

co-driver to read as fast as the speed of<br />

the car. It was the most diffi cult stage I<br />

have ever done, and I was quite happy<br />

when we went over the fl ying fi nish of<br />

this stage; I’ve never spoken that much<br />

before!<br />

At Friday evening’s Service, the<br />

service team did a very good job and<br />

fi nished with the required changes just<br />

in time.<br />

At the end of the day we<br />

were lying in fi fth position in the FSTi<br />

category. Victor Henrikson and Jussi<br />

Kumpumäki were doing very well;<br />

they are unbelievably fast! We have no<br />

chance to drive at their pace, but we<br />

hoped we could fi nish this rally and score<br />

points.<br />

Day Two of the Neste Oil Rally<br />

Finland, with another eight stages,<br />

began very well. Although one never<br />

wishes that opponents are forced to<br />

retire, we were again on the podium<br />

FEATURES<br />

after the fi rst stage in the morning due<br />

to mechanical problems for our rivals.<br />

With Victor Henrikkson in the lead and<br />

Jussi Kumpumäki in second, were in<br />

third position after bad luck for British<br />

driver Harry Hunt and Finnish star Joose<br />

Kojo.<br />

We were now driving at our own<br />

speed to reach the fi nish of this tough<br />

rally. We did not want to risk anything.<br />

It was all going very well until the liaison<br />

section to SS16... The car began to<br />

make unusual noises, but as we were in<br />

a good position in the FSTi category we<br />

decided to push on.<br />

At the start of SS16, we<br />

again suffered very bad luck: the left<br />

driveshaft broke and we had no chance<br />

to fi nish the rally. Again we were forced<br />

to retire as a result of a technical<br />

problem while lying in a strong position.<br />

The whole team was very<br />

disappointed but we are all looking<br />

forward to the WRC Rally Germany. The<br />

next round of the FSTi is on tarmac, a<br />

surface that suits us best. I hope we can<br />

fi nish the rally and the car suffers no<br />

problems.<br />

To take a look back at the<br />

Championship we need to win the<br />

German round or we have no chance to<br />

fi ght for the FSTi title. Of course it’s not<br />

easy and there is a lot of pressure on us,<br />

but we are confi dent and ready for the<br />

fi ght on homeground.


Events Events<br />

the the full full event event previews previews and and reviews reviews


OVERALL CLASSIFICATION<br />

01) F. Loix/F. Miclotte<br />

Skoda Fabia S2000 - 03h 08m 14.3s<br />

02) J. Kopecky/P. Stary<br />

Skoda Fabia S2000 + 37.8s<br />

03) J. Hanninen/M. Markkula<br />

Skoda Fabia S2000 + 02m 25.8s<br />

04) M. Nunes/V. Calado<br />

Peugeot 207 S2000 + 02m 42.7s<br />

05) V. Sa/N. Rodrigues<br />

Peugeot 207 S2000 + 03m 13.7s<br />

06) F. Freitas/D. Figueiroa<br />

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X + 09m 03.2s<br />

07) J. Magalhaes/J. Pereira<br />

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X + 09m 29.0s<br />

08) P. Peres/T. Ferreira<br />

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX + 10m 39.8s<br />

09) R. Moura/A. Costa<br />

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX + 11m 06.3s<br />

10) D. Bruyneel/L. Vanneste<br />

Peugeot 207 S2000 + 12m 38.9s<br />

• Leading IRC 2WD Cup fi nishers: Duarte Ramos/Luis<br />

Ramos (Peugeot 206 S1600)<br />

IRC DRIVERS’ STANDINGS<br />

01) Juho Hanninen (Finland) - 54 pts<br />

02) Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) - 47 pts<br />

03) Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) - 30 pts<br />

04) Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) - 25 pts<br />

05) Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) - 23 pts<br />

06) Freddy Loix (Belgium) - 20 pts<br />

07) Thierry Neuville (Belgium) - 11 pts<br />

08) Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) - 10 pts<br />

09) Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) - 9 pts<br />

10) Paolo Andreucci (Italy) - 8 pts<br />

IRC MANUFACTURERS’ STANDINGS<br />

01) Skoda - 116 pts<br />

02) Peugeot - 79 pts<br />

03) M-Sport - 26 pts<br />

04) Ralliart - 19 pts<br />

05) Subaru - 11 pts<br />

TWO IRC WINS FROM TWO<br />

STARTS FOR FAST FREDDY<br />

Story: Staff Writer<br />

Pictures: IRC Series<br />

Freddy Loix has made it two wins<br />

from two starts in this season’s<br />

Intercontinental Rally Challenge by<br />

heading a Skoda one-two-three on<br />

Rali Vinho Madeira. Loix’s victory<br />

was his fi fth since the<br />

IRC began in 2007 and<br />

means he joins Kris<br />

Meeke at the top of<br />

the list of all-time IRC<br />

event winners.<br />

Juho Hanninen<br />

continues to lead the IRC<br />

drivers’ standings but, by<br />

fi nishing behind teammate<br />

Jan Kopecky in third,<br />

the Finn’s title advantage<br />

has now been trimmed<br />

to seven points with four<br />

rounds remaining. It was<br />

the third time this season that Skoda<br />

has fi lled all three podium places.<br />

Co-driven by fellow Belgian<br />

Frederic Miclotte, Loix didn’t put a wheel<br />

Loix didn’t<br />

put a wheel<br />

wrong<br />

throughout<br />

the event<br />

in his Fabia<br />

S2000<br />

Facelift.<br />

EVENTS<br />

wrong throughout the event in his Fabia<br />

S2000 Facelift. Following an early battle<br />

with Abarth Grande Punto driver Luca<br />

Rossetti, Loix moved into a lead he<br />

would never relinquish on stage seven.<br />

To underline his dominance he was<br />

fastest on 14 of the rally’s 21 all-asphalt<br />

stages, despite nursing an injured left<br />

shoulder, which he<br />

sustained falling off<br />

his motorbike two<br />

weeks ago.<br />

Defending<br />

IRC champion Kris<br />

Meeke started leg two<br />

in second but failed<br />

to go beyond SS17<br />

when his Peugeot UK<br />

207 S2000 suffered<br />

a terminal engine<br />

failure 2.8km into the<br />

test. Meeke had been<br />

embroiled in a close<br />

scrap with Kopecky for the runner-up<br />

spot. After dropping behind the Czech<br />

when an alternator glitch developed on<br />

SS15, Meeke hit back following rapid


EVENTS<br />

repairs by going fastest of all on SS16 to<br />

retake the place only to stop on the very<br />

next run.<br />

“It was very sudden and is a<br />

real blow,” said Meeke. “It leaves the<br />

championship hanging by a thread but I<br />

have to be pleased with my performance<br />

because I don’t think I’ve ever driven<br />

as well on a Tarmac rally as I did this<br />

weekend.”<br />

Meeke’s retirement almost<br />

brought about disaster for Kopecky and<br />

Hanninen, who were both competing in<br />

Madeira for the fi rst time. The Skoda<br />

Fabia S2000 Facelift drivers were<br />

running behind Meeke on the road when<br />

they encountered a coating of oil on<br />

the road, which had been dropped by<br />

Meeke’s stricken Peugeot.<br />

Kopecky managed to survive<br />

a wild slide on the third-gear sweeping<br />

left-hand corner, while Hanninen could<br />

not avoid brushing a concrete retaining<br />

wall. The impact caused damage to his<br />

Fabia’s right-rear corner, which triggered<br />

a puncture 8km from the end of the<br />

stage and dropped the Finn behind local<br />

driver Miguel Nunes.<br />

But with Nunes concentrating<br />

on maximising points in the Madeira<br />

championship rather than maintaining<br />

third place, Hanninen faced little<br />

opposition on his charge to the fi nal<br />

podium spot. Nunes, who only began<br />

competing in 2006, revealed his surprise<br />

at his fi nal position at the wheel of a<br />

Peugeot 207 S2000, especially after his<br />

original engine failed during a pre-event<br />

test.<br />

Vitor Sa overcame an oil<br />

pressure problem to claim fi fth with<br />

Filipe Freitas fi nishing as the leading<br />

Group N runner in sixth overall following<br />

Rui Pinto’s crash on SS16 in a similar<br />

Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer. The fi nal<br />

IRC points went to Joao Magalhaes<br />

in seventh and Pedro Peres in eighth.<br />

Ricardo Moura took ninth with Belgian<br />

Dominique Bruyneel completing the top<br />

ten on his fi rst visit to Madeira since<br />

1993.<br />

Burcu Cetinkaya achieved her<br />

objective of reaching the fi nish in her<br />

Peugeot Sport Turkey 207 S2000 as<br />

she continues to gain vital experience<br />

during her transition to four-wheel drive<br />

competition. Brazil’s Daniel Oliveira also<br />

completed the full distance in his Stohl<br />

Racing-prepared 207 S2000 after a<br />

mature drive.


Duarte Ramos secured IRC<br />

2WD Cup honours in his Peugeot 206<br />

after long-time leader Luis Serrado went<br />

out on Friday’s fi nal stage. Not only<br />

did Ramos, who becomes the seventh<br />

different winner in the two-wheel drive<br />

class this season, cover the event’s<br />

298.20 competitive kilometres, he<br />

also doubled as a mechanic due to a<br />

shortage of helpers in his privately-run<br />

team. Filipe Carvalho, at the wheel of a<br />

Peugeot 106, fi nished second.<br />

Luca Rossetti’s challenge came<br />

to an end with a sizeable accident on<br />

Friday’s penultimate stage. Although his<br />

Procar-run machine was badly damaged,<br />

neither Rossetti nor co-driver Matteo<br />

Chiarcossi suffered any injuries.<br />

Loix had double reason to<br />

celebrate after the fi nish in Funchal when<br />

he was handed the Colin McRae IRC Flat<br />

Out Trophy, which is presented to the<br />

most spectacular driver on all remaining<br />

rounds of this year’s IRC as part of the<br />

association between Eurosport Events,<br />

promoter of the IRC, and the Colin<br />

McRae Vision charity. Loix was chosen as<br />

the winner by IRC’s Jean-Pierre Nicolas,<br />

Eurosport’s Gilbert Roy and Jim McRae,<br />

Colin’s father.<br />

EVENTS<br />

Driver Quotes:<br />

Freddy Loix (Belgium), Skoda Fabia<br />

S2000, fi rst overall: “It’s been a good,<br />

clean drive from the start. I had a twohour<br />

test on Wednesday evening and<br />

straightaway I had a perfect feeling with<br />

the car and there was never a problem.<br />

Okay, I hurt my shoulder but it was fi ne<br />

in the stages because this car is so good<br />

and easy to drive. I’m very happy.”<br />

Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), Skoda<br />

Fabia S2000, second overall: “It was a<br />

shame when Kris stopped because we<br />

were having a nice battle but it also<br />

caused me to have a big moment. I had<br />

a great test in Spain before the rally and<br />

this is a really good result.”<br />

Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia<br />

S2000, third overall: “Before the start I<br />

would not have believed I could be third<br />

because this is such a specialist rally<br />

and it has not been easy for me. But I<br />

am lucky to fi nish because I hit the wall<br />

really hard on stage 17.”


EVENTS<br />

DHRT TAKES ON THE<br />

FIX-A-SMASH ALL TAR RALLY<br />

WCRRC: ALL TAR RALLY<br />

14 - 15 August 2010<br />

Story: Divan de Goede<br />

Pictures: Frank Pey and Eric Josephs<br />

With a successful 2010 FIFA Football<br />

World Cup now in the history books, it<br />

is once again time to fi re up the rally<br />

cars for some action. The fi fth round of<br />

the 2010 Western Cape Regional Rally<br />

Championship will be the CCMCC Fix-a-<br />

Smash All Tar Rally.<br />

With most of the competitors<br />

last seeing action at the React Rally<br />

in early May, the rally crews will be<br />

relishing the opportunity to drive their<br />

cars in anger once more.<br />

The long break gave all the<br />

crews enough time to repair their cars’<br />

battle wounds and prepare the vehicles<br />

for the remaining three rallies on the<br />

calendar.<br />

This break also gave DHRT the<br />

opportunity to correct some issues on<br />

the car, such as fragile engine mounts<br />

and suspension top hats. The Corolla’s<br />

standard fi ve-speed gearbox was also<br />

rebuilt, only requiring minor attention. It<br />

is actually quite astounding the amount<br />

of punishment this gearbox can take,<br />

doing what it clearly wasn’t intended<br />

for. Other than this, our ultra-reliable<br />

Toyota Corolla N2 only required a normal<br />

service and lowering of the ride height to<br />

prepare for the upcoming rally.<br />

The rally will once again be<br />

based at the Killarney Motorsport<br />

Complex, spreading over the Saturday<br />

and Sunday.<br />

The rally will start at 14h00,<br />

with the Saturday’s fi nal stages being<br />

run during the night. DHRT understands<br />

that the night stage will be a very<br />

technical stage that should add to the<br />

challenge of this rally.<br />

Another feature of the All<br />

Tar Rally is that it is not only open to<br />

the rally crews, but also allows teams<br />

from other categories such as the GTi<br />

Challenge, Clubmans and even Motards<br />

to compete on the stages. This should<br />

add to the drama, and hopefully boost<br />

rally’s image at the same time.<br />

DHRT is once again entered into<br />

the very competitive Class S3, which will<br />

also see the return of Richard Behm in<br />

the Mike Nathan Class A6 Toyota Corolla.<br />

The team will also be relaying<br />

their stage times and speeds real-time<br />

using the SportsTracker program. We<br />

will be testing it at the All Tar Rally and<br />

the data will, if successful, be relayed to<br />

our Facebook Page (DH Rally Team) and<br />

Twitter (divanrally). If successful, the<br />

team will be using this program on all<br />

future rallies.<br />

DHRT would like to thank the<br />

following companies for their support:<br />

Saldanha Truck and Marine Centre, 4<br />

Wheel Alignment, JD Motorsport and<br />

Speedy Vredenburg.


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EVENTS

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