RALLY FINLAND - WRC 8 KRIS-MAS COMES EARLY Story: MARTIN HOLMES Ulsterman Kris Meeke became the first British driver to win the Neste Rally Finland, winning his second WRC event this year at the wheel of an ex-works Citroen DS3 WRC. Championship leaders Volkswagen had a disastrous event apart from second place for Jari-Matti Latvala (winner the past two years), while M-Sport brought only one car home in the top 10 places. After suffering a run of uncharacteristic off-road excursions, this was the first rally for four years that VW’s Sebastien Ogier had finished a rally without scoring Drivers’ championship points. Hyundai had an unhappy event with their drivers never confident with their cars, although they scored the highest total of Manufacturer points. It was a very special event for the Irish with Meeke and Craig Breen both on the podium, while the saddest driver was Ott Tanak, who was spectacularly fast with his DMack tyres, but who went off the road on the final day when chasing a podium place after earlier delays. The event saw renewed controversy as to the effect of continued running order rules, and the implications of a second victory this year for the part-time Abu Dhabi Total team of 48 | RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE - AUGUST 2016 Rally Radio personality, Colin Clark, captured this great photo of Henri Toivonen’s brother, Harri, on the 30th anniversary of Henri’s death. Harri drove a Group B Lancia Delta S4 around the street stage in Jyvaskyla. old Citroen cars competing against regular championship drivers, who are governed by special rules. There were runaway wins in the categories for the Finnish WRC2 driver Esapekka Lappi, for the Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby in WRC3, and for Max Vatanen (son of World Champion Ari) in the DMack Fiesta Trophy. It was a popular win for Meeke, the oldest top driver in the event, whose winning speed (126.61km/h) was the highest ever recorded in the world championship. His car was built four years ago, and had never previously won a rally in Europe. THE EVENT When the start list was published showing the Portugal winner Meeke was to run eighth on the road and Ott
Tanak (a pace maker in Poland) seventh, on another event where road opening was a severe disadvantage, the writing was on the wall for Sebastien Ogier and his fellow VW driver and Poland Rally winner, Andreas Mikkelsen. They were due to run first and second, and the situation was none too promising for third runner Hayden Paddon. And so it was. Meeke took the lead, which he held from stage two to the end of the rally. Tanak chased Meeke until he spun (on a straight road!) and then suffered punctures. Ogier impressively persevered in adversity until the middle of the first afternoon when he slipped off the road in the middle of a hairpin, losing a quarter hour when lying third. Mikkelsen had an horrendous time, especially on the second day, and eventually struggled to finish seventh overall. VW’s hopes therefore rested with Latvala, whose fortunes were thwarted by a puncture on the Friday, but through determination held on to second place after Tanak fell back. There was a sense of relief for VW at the end of the event to discover that notwithstanding all their problems, their drivers were now holding the top three places in the Drivers’ Hayden Paddon battled set-up problems, but still managed 5th place. championship. It was hard to put Citroen’s success into true perspective. It was a mighty effort for both Kris Meeke and Craig Breen, but Abu Dhabi Total are not a registered team, meaning their cars run under different rules. That is one thing, but also because of their lack of accumulated championship points, their drivers enjoyed favourable running order positions, as they also had when Meeke won in Portugal. Thierry Neuville amongst some Finnish sunflowers. And victories in qualifying rounds of a championship based on manufacturer participation can throw doubts as to the value of regularly competing in the WRC. Or so the argument goes! Then, over at M-Sport ( the team similarly does not carry the Ford name), their team continued unsuccessfully to evaluate their true performance level, hoping that Ott Tanak, whose DMack-entered car was in the same specification as the M-Sport’s registered AUGUST 2016 - RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE | 49
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The April 2017 issue of RallySport Magazine features: Latest news: * Devastated Dalton to miss NZRC rounds * New AP4 Mini absent from Forest Rally * Dylan Turner unveils Audi AP4 plans * Mikkelsen set to drive fourth Hyundai i20 WRC Feature stories: * Molly Taylor column * Inside Force Motorsport - NZ’s AP4 workshop * Spectator view of the Otago Rally * 5 minutes with Norman Oakley * Ari Vatanen, Rothmans Escorts and UK’s Rally Show * The magic of French rallying * Devious Donald and the famous BP Rally * Turbogate - Toyota’s darkest hour in the WRC Interviews: * 1983 World Rally Champion Hannu Mikkola * New Zealand co-driving veteran Fleur Pedersen Event reports: * Eureka Rally - ARC 1 * Otago Rally - NZRC 1 * International Otago Classic Rally * Rally of Mexico * Tour de Corse
The March 2017 issue of RallySport Magazine features: Latest news: * Rally of Queensland shock ARC / APRC exit * National Capital Rally steps up * Six rounds for AMSAG series * Markko Martin confirmed for Otago Rally * Three drivers for factory Hyundai NZ rally team * Preview: Eureka Rally, ARC 1 Feature stories: * Molly Taylor column * Hayden Paddon column * Famous stages: Rally Australia’s Langley Park * Renault Alpine A110: quirky and quick * Project Holden Barina AP4 * From Panamericana it started * The almost forgotten German * Girls strutting their stuff on the stages Interviews: * Former Rally Australia boss Garry Connelly * Long-time Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall * 5 Minutes With: Errol Bailey * Travel tips with DMACK driver Elfyn Evans Event reports: * 2017 Rally of Sweden * Leadfoot Festival New Zealand * Rallycross Australia round one
The February 2017 issue of RallySport Magazine features: Latest news: * MRF awarded ARC control tyre contract * ARC-winning Subaru WRX finds new home * Simon Evans to contest Otago Rally * FIA finalise new R4 kit car formula * Eli Evans aims for ARC title in new AP4 Mini * Targa North West attracts strong field Feature stories: * Power Stage reflections from Gary Boyd * Hayden Paddon column * Retrospective: the mighty Peugeot 205 T16 * 2016’s Australian state champions profiled * Gemini mission - Col Fletcher’s classic Holden * The challenge of designing a World Rally Car Interviews: * Mr Nice Guy - Belgium’s Stephane Prevot * 5 minutes with Mark Pedder * Where are they now? Adrian “Mozza” Morrisby * DMack tyre guru Fiorenzo Brivio talks about rally tyres Event reports: * 2017 Monte Carlo Rally
Updated with interviews from Toyota's World Rally Championship launch. *Full 2016 Rally Australia coverage Latest news: * New AP4 Mini Cooper for Eli Evans * Subaru back for more in 2017 ARC * Quantock wins Paddon scholarship * Mixed news for top ARC crews * Ogier, Tanak confirmed at M-Sport Feature stories: * Frank Kelly - the mad Irish Escort star, Part 2 * We drive a one-make series Ford Fiesta * Remembering the PNG Safari * Travelling man: Hayden Paddon * The history of pace notes explained * Hayden Paddon column * The Inside Line with Martin Holmes Interviews: * 5 minutes with Molly Taylor * Hyundai’s Michel Nanden Event reports: * Kennards Hire Rally Australia * Rally of India APRC * Classic Adelaide Rally * Begonia Rally * Silver Fern Rally * NSW Rally Championship * Southern Cross Rally
RallySport Magazine December 2016, featuring: Full 2016 Rally Australia coverage Latest news: * New AP4 Mini Cooper for Eli Evans * Subaru back for more in 2017 ARC * Quantock wins Paddon scholarship * Mixed news for top ARC crews * Ogier, Tanak confirmed at M-Sport Feature stories: * Frank Kelly - the mad Irish Escort star, Part 2 * We drive a one-make series Ford Fiesta * Remembering the PNG Safari * Travelling man: Hayden Paddon * The history of pace notes explained * Hayden Paddon column * The Inside Line with Martin Holmes Interviews: * 5 minutes with Molly Taylor * Hyundai’s Michel Nanden Event reports: * Kennards Hire Rally Australia * Rally of India APRC * Classic Adelaide Rally * Begonia Rally * Silver Fern Rally * NSW Rally Championship * Southern Cross Rally
The November 2016 issue of RallySport Magazine. Included in this issue: - 16-page Kennards Hire Rally Australia preview Latest news: * VW drivers in WRC lotto * One make series likely for ARC * 4 engines, 1000 horsepower from an electric rally car * Fiesta series taking shape * Paddon selects Hyundai scholarship drivers * Aussie new APRC vice president * Positive future for Targa Feature stories: * Australia’s top 10 rally drivers of all time * The ex-TTE Celica GT-Four now in Adelaide * Frank Kelly - the mad Irish Escort star Interviews: * 5 minutes with Gary Boyd * NZ Rally Championship’s Simon Bell * Young co-driver Kirra Penny * What next for Jari-Matti Latvala Event reports: * Targa High Country * Targa New Zealand * Catalunya Rally * Wales Rally GB * Malaysian Rally * Akademos Rally
The October 2016 issue of RallySport Magazine, featuring the latest rally news, features and interviews from Australia, New Zealand and the World Rally Championship.
The September issue of RallySport Magazine features the latest rallying news form Australia and New Zealand, including coverage of the World Rally Championship.
The August 2016 issue of RallySport Magazine is now available, and includes: Latest news: * Dowel backs rallycross to be bigger than V8 Supercars * Quinn’s Rally Australia WRC car bid falls short * New WRX STi could be Rally America bound * Up to 10 AP4 cars for 2017 NZRC * Skoda R5 for Mark Pedder at Rally Australia Feature stories: * Famous stages - New Zealand’s Motu * A close look at the Skoda Fabia AP4+ * Group B Mitsubishi Starion 4WD remembered * Budget rallying - Hyundai Excel * Where are they now - Wayne Bell * Hayden Paddon column * Vale: Steve Ashton Interviews: * Molly Taylor - Subaru factory driver * David Holder - NZ Rally Champion * Col Trinder - Chairman of ARCom * Emma Gilmour - NZ’s fastest lady Event reports: * Rally of Finland * APRC - China Rally * Catalans Coast Rally * NZ’s Northern Rallysprint Series * Walky 100 Rally, SARC
The July 2016 issue of RallySport Magazine, featuring news, interviews and features from Australia, New Zealand and the World Rally Championship.
June 2016 issue of RallySport Magazine, covering rallying in Australia, New Zealand and the WRC.
The first digital issue of RallySport Magazine, featuring rally news from Australia, New Zealand and the WRC.
The May 2017 issue of RallySport Magazine features: News / Regulars: * National Capital Rally preview * Vale: Timo Makinen * Five minutes with - Ross Tapper * Martin Holmes column * Photo of the month Feature stories: * Molly Taylor column * Head and neck safety * Subaru’s RS Challenge - a look back * Audi Magic - Dylan Turner’s Quattro S1 AP4 * A Kiwi in Argentina * A WRC hijacking in Sanremo Event reports: * WA Forest Rally - ARC 2 * Rally of Whangarei - NZRC 2 * Southern Rally - SARC 1 * Rally of Argentina - WRC 5 * Rally of Portugal - WRC 6 * Mitta Mountain Rally