Jordan Rally WRC (J) - 24-27 Apr 08

FINLAND\'S HIRVONEN TAKES STUNNING VICTORY IN THRILLING JORDAN RALLY

Posted: April 28, 2008 2:49 PM

Finland's Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen clinched victory on the final stage of a thrilling 2008 Jordan Rally to move into the outright lead of the FIA World Rally Championship after three days of thrilling action over the sinuous gravel trails near the Dead Sea.

"It's a fantastic feeling to win the rally, but Dani (Sordo) pushed me all the way," said Hirvonen, who duly clinched his fifth WRC win by a margin of 1m 15.7s. "On the last stage I did not know his split times, so I was not sure if he was still pushing. Now I lead the championship and that is a good feeling."

Jordan's first entry into the world's premier rally championship produced one of the most exciting events in the history of the series. Spaniards Dani Sordo and Marc Marti pushed the Ford crew all the way and led at the end of days one and two before finishing second overall. Running first on the road cost the Citroën duo dearly over the slippery surfaces, but they completed the 22 special stages well clear of the third-placed Australian Chris Atkinson and his Belgian co-driver Stéphane Prevot.

"I gave it my best go," said Sordo. "When I missed a braking point on the last stage and had a spin I knew it was over and time to make sure I finished."

Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila ruined their chance of taking victory when damaged suspension cost them valuable minutes, but Norwegian Henning Solberg, Britain's Matthew Wilson and Argentina's Federico Villagra completed the top six.

The UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi looked set to become only the second Arab driver in WRC history to gain an FIA Drivers' Championship point - Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Bakhashab earned a point for sixth in the 2000 Acropolis Rally -but he punctured three tyres in the final Jordan River stage and slipped from seventh to ninth and out of the points.

Frenchman Sébastien Ogier clinched a second successive JWRC victory, when Estonian Jaan Mölder rolled on the penultimate stage. Al-Qassimi's half brother Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi won the non-championship Group N category after the UAE's Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum retired from 12th place on the penultimate stage. World Champion Sébastien Loeb restarted day three under the SupeRally ruling and finished 10th.

An overnight thunderstorm had settled the dust in the opening Kafrain stage, as Sordo attempted to fend off the two Fords over the opening 16.49km. But it was to no avail and Latvala regained the overall lead by setting the second fastest time behind Hirvonen. The Finns were separated by a mere 0.3 seconds heading into Wadi Shuaib, where Sordo would, once again, have to act as the 'road sweeper'.

Loeb restarted in 11th position on the road after Saturday's liaison section crash, but Petter Solberg was withdrawn after rolling on the final stage of day two. The Frenchman set the third quickest time in the opener.

But drama unfolded in Wadi Shuaib: Hirvonen pushed as hard as he could and managed to beat Sordo by three seconds, but Latvala was in trouble. "We did something to the suspension," groaned the Finn at the stage finish. "About half-way through the stage I heard a crack at the rear of the car and it was noisy." He arrived at the finish with a wheel hanging at a strange angle and tried to make emergency repairs on the road section to the punishing 41.45km Jordan River special. It looked ominous for Latvala.

The problem dropped him down the leader board to third - 44 seconds behind his team mate - as Urmo Aava also clipped a rock, bent a wheel and plummeted from fifth position, his demise duly promoting Matthew Wilson to fifth and Al-Qassimi into a point-scoring eighth. Loeb set the fastest time, with Gigi Galli in second position.

Ogier had passed Mölder into second position behind Patrick Sandell on the 16th stage on Saturday evening and was second in the JWRC category, although the Swede began the final day with a 1m 56s advantage. That all changed in the 17th stage: Sandell crashed off the road and handed the advantage to Mexico JWRC winner Ogier, who headed to the Jordan River with a 31.3 second lead over Mölder.

Neither Latvala nor Estonian Urmo Aava needed to see the menacing Jordan River special with their problems, but Sordo was the first into the gruelling border stage, trailing Hirvonen by 5.4 seconds. He held his own in superb fashion and only dropped 2.3s to the Ford, but Latvala began to lose chunks of time with his suspension damage. The Finn completed the stage and slipped to eighth overall, but there was no sign of the Estonian.

Solberg moved up to fourth when Wilson lost two and a half minutes changing a puncture, Atkinson whacked a bridge in front of a television crew and Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson ground to a halt as the drama reached fever pitch at the Dead Sea. Wilson eventually reached service in fifth overall, just 8.6 seconds ahead of Argentina's Federico Villagra. Al-Qassimi was a close seventh and Loeb set the fastest time

A repeat loop of three stages remained in what was becoming one of the most exciting WRC rallies for years. An upbeat Latvala emerged from service with a new gearbox, rear differential and rear suspension and set his sights on sixth place, as Hirvonen began the defence of his 7.7s overall lead over Sordo.

The stage surface in Kafrain was not as slippery the second time around but Sordo dropped another 13.1s to his rival. A flying Latvala made in-roads into Al-Qassimi's seventh place with the fastest time, but spun in Wadi Shueib on his way to the fifth quickest time. Hirvonen kept sliding wide trying to get traction, but managed to extend his lead to 23.7s seconds heading into the final Jordan River special.

The contest was settled in the opening kilometres when Sordo spun and Hirvonen was able to cruise to a stunning win, although the Spaniard managed to continue to the finish to claim valuable championship points.

It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for Middle East drivers: Kuwait's Salah Bin Eidan crashed out on the final Saturday stage, Qatar's Mubarak Al-Hajri didn't reach Sunday's stages and Jordanians Faris Hijazi and Issa Abu Jamous left the road in SS19. But there were superb performances by the UAE's Group N winning Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi, Lebanon's Nick Georgiou, Jordan's Ameer Najjar and Mazan Tantash, with former rally winner Amjad Farrah and veteran Michel Saleh also running inside the top 30 for long periods.

Shaun Gallagher and Paul Kiely finish 2nd in Junior – World Rally Championship.

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:38 PM

The Irish World Rally Team climbed two places on the last day of World Rally Championship in Jordan, leaving the Irish duo of Shaun Gallagher and Paul Kiely placed second overall. Gallagher won stage eighteen on the last day of rallying in Jordan.

Gallagher and Kiely battled temperatures in excess of 40 degrees and gearbox problems and the impressive finish leaves the team second in the J-WRC Championship.

Gallagher says he is delighted with how the team performed and he believes it augurs very well for the future prospects of World Rally Team Ireland

"I am delighted to have finished in second place, it was a tough hard rally and I will be looking forward to getting back to the temperatures of Letterkenny in Donegal! Rally Jordan really improved my confidence in the car and with two events under my belt, I am already looking to the next rounf of the World Championship in Sardegna in May."

Prince Feisal Al Hussein, brother of Jordanian King Abdullah II presented the Irishmen with prizes and complemented them on an out standing performance in Jordan.

After the rally, CEO of World Rally Team Ireland, Tommy Mullen, said the result was a testament to the incredible talents of a young and ambitious rally team.

"Shaun Gallagher & Paul Kiely did Ireland proud out here in Jordan. We were very worried with the mechanical problems in the gearbox and I did not think we were going to make it to the finish of the rally.

"The last stage was over 40 kilometres long and in this heat it is very gruelling on the car and the driver. But the luck of the Irish was on our side and this really is an incredible result for the team and for Irish rallying!"

The Junior World Rally Championship now stands with Frenchman Sebastien Ogier leading the charge with Irishman Shaun Gallagher chasing in second place. Estonian Jaan Molder is in third place.

Jordan Rally

• 2008 World Rally Championship

Atkinson makes it another podium after final twist in Jordan

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:29 PM

Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot secured a podium finish on the final day of the Jordan Rally after another day of change amongst the front-runners. The only entry for the Subaru World Rally Team today, the duo snatched a step of the podium as those in front stumbled to make it three podiums in a row.

Only Atkinson restarted the final day this morning, as Petter was sidelined just before the close of day two. Holding fourth position from yesterday, an intense battle for position between the top three meant that anything was likely to happen, and Chris was there to pick up the pieces. Surely enough, it was Ford’s Latvala who hit problems during stage 18, losing almost 50 seconds during the stage and carrying his handicap into the longest test of the rally, the River Jordan stage. Atkinson continued with his steady strategy, which was sufficient to take him into third position midway through the stage and his fourth podium from five rounds this season.

“Yet again Chris has shown his consistency to ensure another podium position and maintain third position in the Drivers’ Championship” said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “I’m sure Chris is now looking forward to getting his hands on the new car and being able to challenge at the front.”

It is the first time since the beginning of 2005 that any one driver has recorded three consecutive podiums for the Subaru World Rally Team, when Solberg and Mills secured their trio in Mexico, New Zealand and Sardinia.

With a comfortable gap behind him to fourth position, the Australian was able to complete the afternoon’s three stages at a consistent pace, taking no unnecessary risks to reach the finish. His result ensures Atkinson maintains his third place in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

“We scored good points again and it’s good for us and good for the team as it keeps us close to the guys at the front of the championship” said Chris Atkinson. “It was a difficult rally for us as almost from the start we were in the middle of nowhere with big gaps in front and behind of us. We managed to go along at our own pace, keeping it on the road.

“We had some hard times when things weren’t going well but we managed to get through. It was a bit of misfortune for others, but lucky for us. Sometimes that’s just how it goes. We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we want to be more competitive on pace and pushing for wins, but four podiums from five rallies is a very consistent start for us so with that I’m happy.”

Sunday was the rally’s longest and most demanding day, pitting competitors against six stages including two gruelling runs of the longest stage of the rally, and indeed of the season so far. The aptly-named Jordan River stage twisted along the banks of the Jordan River for an intensely physical 41.5 kilometres.

Crews awoke to thunder, lightning and heavy rain, although this was short lived and the baking soon broke through the cloud cover and dried the stages. Nevertheless, the surface of today’s tests was looser than that of previous days and the roads were very slippery.

A deserved podium finish for Sordo/Marti and Citroen in Jordan

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:24 PM

• Download - A deserved podium finish for Sordo/Marti and Citroen in Jordan

Victory and second place for the C2 Super 1600

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:20 PM

• Download Victory and second place for the C2 Super 1600

Hirvonen sweeps to Jordan win as Ford extends world series lead

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:14 PM

Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen claimed their first victory of the season on an enthralling Jordan Rally today. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team pair returned to the lead of the drivers' standings in the FIA World Rally Championship after winning by 1min 15.7sec in a Focus RS World Rally Car. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were seventh in another Focus RS, as reigning world champion Ford extended its lead in the manufacturers' championship to seven points.

Jordan's debut in the WRC marked the first Arab rally to appear in the series since 1976. Blistering temperatures, which hovered just below 40ºC for much of the three-day event, and hard-packed gravel speed tests in the Jordan Valley made it a punishing event for man and machine. However, the Focus RS excelled and showed a blend of speed, strength and reliability to fill seven of the top nine places.

This fifth round of the series was based on the shores of the Dead Sea, and competitors raced through the earth's lowest land point at more than 400 metres below sea level. They tackled 22 speed tests covering 359.26km, the bulk of which were on purpose-built roads amid stunning Jordanian scenery.

Tactics played a huge part in BP Ford Abu Dhabi's success. After Latvala and Hirvonen climbed to first and second yesterday afternoon, they slowed during the final metres of yesterday's last special stage to allow main rival Dani Sordo to hold the overnight lead. In doing so, the Focus RS drivers forced the Spaniard into first in today's start order, handing him the disadvantage of sweeping slippery loose gravel from the roads to allow the Finnish pairing a cleaner and faster line behind.

Their strategy worked perfectly and both Latvala and Hirvonen leapfrogged Sordo on the first stage this morning. When Latvala suffered suspension problems, 27-year-old Hirvonen broke clear and went into the final stage along the border between Jordan and Israel's West Bank with a 23.7sec advantage over Sordo, which he extended during that final test.

"My strategy paid off but I was nervous in the final stage," said Hirvonen. "No split times were available for Sordo and I didn't know how hard he was pushing. I really needed these 10 points and this is a great result for my championship challenge. I need to keep my feet on the ground and continue trying to find more speed and more wins. I've learned how important it is to consistently score points on every rally but 10 is perfect. It was a tough rally but it's good to lead the series again.

"When I woke up it was raining but as we were in Jordan I hoped it wouldn't last so that the gravel wasn't dampened down. It stopped quickly, although I expected the driving line to be cleaner. It was really slippery, just like the ball-bearing surface in Australia, and hard to keep on the road," he added.

Latvala's victory hopes ended when he dropped almost a minute in today's second stage with broken rear left suspension. The crew worked feverishly to bind the suspension together sufficiently for the next marathon 41km stage and they did a superb job to simply complete the test. They dropped 10 minutes to fall to eighth and returned to the service park where the mechanics did an equally impressive job to replace the gearbox, rear differential and rear suspension and keep 23-year-old Latvala in the points.
He climbed to seventh during the final loop.

"In the morning's first stage I hit a rock, but felt nothing," he said. "Halfway through the next test the support link in the rear left suspension snapped. After the stage we tried to strap the suspension together but it wouldn't hold and I had to drive many kilometres with the tyre bent in. I was lucky to get back. I had two perfect days on Friday and Saturday but today was a long one. I need to be more consistent and concentrate without making mistakes. I'm disappointed not to score more points."

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished ninth in another Focus RS. Al Qassimi was seventh and on course to score his first points until punctures on the final stage cost two places. However, it was still his best WRC finish. "I’m happy but also a little disappointed because I suffered two flat tyres on the last stage when I was fighting for a drivers’ point. I had to stop and fix both tyres, which cost me lots of time. I’ve never been in a points scoring position before and unfortunately luck wasn’t on my side.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "It was almost a dream weekend, but it was a fantastic team performance. Our strategy worked perfectly and it's great for Mikko to claim his first win this season and for us to lead both championships again. Full credit to Jari-Matti for nursing the car back to the service park after his problems. Compliments to the rally organisers - on their first time in the WRC, they created a classic event."

A spectating Ford of Europe President and CEO John Fleming said: "For the past three days I've seen just how demanding this rally is. The heat was intense, the stages were tough and only the fittest survived. But we did more than survive – we won the rally and the Focus RS packed the leaderboard. It's great to see the Blue Oval back on top of both the manufacturers' and drivers' standings.

Ford of Europe's motorsport director Mark Deans said: "Despite the high temperatures and arduous road conditions, to place seven cars in the top nine is a tribute to the performance and durability of the Ford Focus."

Super Solberg spears Stobart to success in Jordan

Posted: April 27, 2008 11:03 PM

The fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship has been a successful outing for the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team this weekend with all three drivers finishing with point scoring results in the Drivers’ Championship.

Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud’s strong finish today saw them end up top Stobart crew in fourth overall. Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin scored their best ever WRC finish together one spot behind Solberg in fifth. Despite retirement on Friday, Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini remained focused to finish in the final points position in eighth. The fine effort by all three crews has seen the Stobart squad close the gap on third place in the WRC Manufacturers’ Championship.

Solberg set out cautiously during the opening half of the event only to close proceedings in a dominant fashion and again finish as the number one man in the Stobart camp. Beginning in seventh this morning the Norwegian put in a string of top-five stage times to be rewarded with his fourth place finish and five valuable drivers’ points.

Admittedly a driving style unsuited to the fast gravel stages was the reason for his placid start to the rally but setup changes on Saturday and a mature approach to final day saw him leave Jordan with a smile and move four places up in the WRC Drivers’ Championship to seventh.

Wilson set out to tackle the final day in sixth position after a consistent run over Friday and Saturday’s legs. A continued solid drive on Sunday saw him advance to fifth by the end of the event, holding off an eager Federico Villagra behind him.

The young Brit was set for an equal best fourth place finish until a costly puncture on the monster Jordan River 1 stage saw him slip back one position, losing over three minutes. Still the top-five effort sees him move to 10th outright in the WRC Drivers’ Championship.

Galli battled his way back to eighth after his Friday problem when he slid backwards into a stone bank causing too much damage to the rear differential cooler and exhaust for him to continue; but by the end of the event he finished just 8.8 seconds adrift of seventh. The Italian brushed off an uncharacteristically slow start to set three fastest stage times on the final three stages on Saturday.

The event began on Thursday evening on the banks of the famous Dead Sea; the world’s lowest land-point at 420 metres below sea level. Crews then headed out Friday morning for the first of 22 stages over 359 competitive kilometres. Temperatures over the weekend were some of the hottest this year and the lack of cloud cover sent sweltering heat into the cockpit of all three Stobart Ford Focus RS WRCs. Surprisingly today saw a brief rain shower in the morning but by the start of stage 17, roads had almost completely dried-up.

The extremely abrasive surface on this rally challenged both drivers and their Pirelli Scorpion tyres but the rubber did its job well and delivered impressively in the soaring temperatures.

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Gigi Galli said:
“We are definitely pleased with this result but we were disappointed with the problem on Friday. On Saturday I really had to concentrate again and we found a good feeling and a good rhythm with the car and managed to set three fastest times so for sure I must be happy with this progress. Today was quite tough and the long stage made it a difficult way to finish the rally but now I have much more confidence going into my home rally in Sardinia.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Henning Solberg said:
“I came to this rally aiming for a fifth place and am delighted to have got fourth; I am really happy with this finish. I knew it was going to be a tough rally and I had to use my head. It would have been easy to push hard from the start and make a mistake but I needed to get to the finish without doing anything wrong. This plan has worked because now I have more points and everything feels good with the car and especially with the next rally quite close, it will help a lot.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Matthew Wilson said:
“We were slightly disappointed this morning when the puncture cost us a lot of time but in the end we remained focused and now we have finished fifth which I am really happy with on this new and difficult event. My fitness has played a key part and has helped a lot with my concentration and performance on the stages. This was a hard rally but this finish is now our best result so far this year.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“We’ve seen another fantastic performance from the entire Stobart team on what was a tough, demanding and tricky Jordan Rally. Gigi proved again that he has the speed as he set three fastest times during the rally, while Matthew and Henning both put in faultless drives. Three Stobart cars in the top-eight is ample proof of how they all drove with their heads and in a very sensible manner especially with the next rally so close.”

Stobart Group Ltd CEO Andrew Tinkler said:
“The heat here has taken a lot out of me and I have just been watching this rally! I must say I’m really impressed with how all three crews have driven this weekend and three Stobart cars in the points is a fantastic achievement. The British public can also be rightly proud of Matthew and Scott who’ve delivered a great result here and continued to promote the talent in Cumbria. Now they can all head into Sardinia well prepared and with more confidence.”

LOEB CRASHES OUT AS SORDO LEADS AFTER DAY TWO IN JORDAN

Posted: April 27, 2008 10:59 PM

Spaniards Dani Sordo and Marc Marti were 'encouraged' into a slender 8.5-second overall advantage after the second action-packed day of the 2008 Jordan Rally in the Dead Sea area of the Hashemite Kingdom on Saturday.

The overnight leader was forced to run first through the slippery gravel stages this morning and his French team mate Sébastien Loeb stormed into the lead over the opening three timed tests, before colliding with fellow Citroën driver Conrad Rautenbach on a two-way liaison section after the 11th stage.

Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala, Ford team mate Mikko Hirvonen and Sordo then became embroiled in a fascinating tussle for the podium places over the second loop, with Sordo disadvantaged by running first on the road. But Ford played a master stroke on the final stage of the second day and both leader-elect Latvala and Hirvonen eased their pace over the closing metres of SS16 to ensure that Sordo would have to start first again on what promises to be a thrilling final day at the Dead Sea.

Australian Chris Atkinson and Estonian Urmo Aava filled fourth and fifth position, with Britain's Malcolm Wilson and Norwegian Henning Solberg close behind.

Eight stages were run on Saturday and Loeb shadowed Sordo into the first Turki special, a mere 1.1 seconds behind in the overall classification. But the reigning World Champion pushed hard over the opening kilometres and beat his Spanish team mate by 9.2s to open up an 8.1s lead, as thousands of spectators lined the winding gravel trails at one of the lowest points on earth.

Sordo struggled over the slippery and rocky surfaces, especially on the downhill sections. Loeb extended his lead to 16.3 seconds through Erak Elamir, where the Zimbabwe driver Conrad Rautenbach lost a minute to the leading group. Patrick Sandell maintained his JWRC lead, but the UAE's Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum was enjoying a sensational run in a Group N Mitsubishi and led the showroom category in a top 15 place after as many stages.

Loeb maintained his dominance through the first Shuna stage and capitalised on Sordo's road position to stretch his lead to 34.1 seconds. Running first on the road was a crippling disadvantage for the Spaniard, who found himself falling into the clutches of both Ford drivers Latvala and Hirvonen. Latvala was a mere 0.4 seconds behind Sordo heading into the first run through the special near the reputed Baptism site of Jesus Christ.

But the Frenchman never made it as far as the stage start. He was involved in a freak collision with Rautenbach's car at a narrow two-way crossing point where cars entering the stage passed cars leaving the track and both Citroëns were extensively damaged. "It is terrible," groaned co-driver Daniel Elena. "We drive flat out, we take big risks and all for nothing. We get smashed on a road section."

Loeb had been trying to build up a 30-second cushion but was unable to reach the start of the 12th stage and Sordo found himself just 0.4 seconds ahead of Latvala in the overall classification. The Spaniard actually pipped his rival in the stage and headed into the final loop with a 0.7s overall lead. Hirvonen was a mere six seconds behind, with Australian Chris Atkinson, Estonian Urmo Aava and Britain's Matthew Wilson trailing in their wake.

Sordo collected a slow puncture in the re-run of the crowded Turki stage and Latvala duly hit the front for the first time, with Ford colleague Hirvonen setting the outright fastest time to slip into second place. Running first on the road was costing Sordo dearly, even though the roads were not as slippery the second time around. A resurgent Gigi Galli was fastest in Erak Elamir as Latvala headed into the last two stages of the day two seconds ahead of Hirvonen and 4.4s in front of the Spaniard.
Atkinson and Aava were a distant fourth and fifth.

Latvala extended his advantage to 4.6 seconds in Shuna, where Atkinson set the second fastest time and Hirvonen edged a further 2.1s away from Sordo. But the fun and games started in the closing metres of the Baptism Site special, when the leading Ford duo eased their pace to ensure that Sordo will act as the 'road sweeper' on Sunday.

The UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi was on course for his first ever World Championship point if he could overcome the Argentine Federico Villagra and snatch eighth place. Emirati rival Suhail Khalifa was in the top 15 and maintaned a good Group N lead, while Sweden's Patrick Sandell continued to dominate the JWRC category, with Estonia's Jaan Mölder delayed by differential woes.

"I have been having a fantastic time in the stages," admitted Sheikh Suhail. "To be leading Group N is brilliant on this event."

Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi succumbed to ninth stage mechanical problems and Jordanian Ala' Khalifeh never started the day's stages after a fire destroyed his Mitsubishi. But there was positive news down the leaderboard for regional drivers: Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi was Al-Maktoum's closest Group N challenger and Lebanon's Nick Georgiou, Jordan's Mazan Tantash, Kuwait's Salah Bin Eidan and veteran Michel Saleh were well-placed.

Sunday's final leg of six special stages is dominated by two potentially treacherous runs through the 41.45km Jordan River special that skirts the border with Israel. Several of the leading drivers have plainly stated that this is the most difficult special of the entire event and will be run as the last test of the entire rally, which reaches a conclusion adjacent to the King Hussein Ben Talal Convention Centre on the shores of the Dead Sea from 15.00hrs.

Ireland – 4th Into Final Day of World Rally Championship - Jordan.

Posted: April 27, 2008 10:51 PM

Current Rookie Junior –World Rally Champion & Donegal man Shaun Gallagher finished day two of the second round of the World Rally Championship in Jordan in fourth position, less than five minutes behind Rally leader, Patrik Sandell. Day two saw the Sligo based World Rally Team cover another 110km in extreme desert conditions.

Gallagher performed strongly throughout the day, despite technical problems the previous night, and he says he is still totally focused on achieving a podium finish.

Tommy Mullen, CEO of World Rally Team Ireland commended Gallagher and the rest of the team for their focus and commitment in the face of difficult circumstances

"We were a bit apprehensive about how day two was going to go because of the problems the previous evening. The fact that Shaun and Paul Kiely drove so well today despite those difficulties is a real sign of their endurance and skills. It has been great to see the team develop out here.

Gallagher was pleased with the performance and says that it is great to be in contention for a top three finish in such a competitive rally.

"I feel I am going faster and I am finally getting used to the heat. Day three will be the really big test for the team but I'm feeling confident about my chances. I have competed all over Europe and had many victories in France and England. However, the world stage is a big step up and one I want to be triumphant in for all rally fans in Ireland.

SPANIARD SORDO TAKES DAY ONE LEAD IN PULSATING JORDAN RALLY

Posted: April 27, 2008 10:24 PM

Spaniard Dani Sordo and co-driver Marc Marti held a mere 1.1 second overall lead in the 2008 Jordan Rally after the opening leg's eight timed special stages in punishing heat in the Dear Sea area of the Hashemite Kingdom on Friday.

Team mates Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena pressured them towards the end on a day dominated by the unique challenge of driving over the challenging Jordanian terrain. "The stages were particularly tricky this morning, where grip and traction were changing all the time," said Loeb. "But we made some changes at service and it was much better this afternoon."

Ford team mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen were third and fourth at the end of day one, but Petter Solberg and the factory Suzukis hit trouble. Sweden's Patrick Sandell led the JWRC category by 54.8 seconds in his nimble Renault Clio.

Sordo and Solberg set the joint fastest time in the opening Suwayma special stage, although Hirvonen was a mere 0.5 seconds adrift. Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson left the road in the first of the factory Suzuki SX4s and was forced to retire. He was soon joined by team mate Toni Gardemeister, as the Japanese team made a miserable start to the fifth round of the WRC.

Sordo was fastest again in the Mahes special and moved into the outright lead, with Solberg and Latvala his closest rivals. All drivers complained that the stage surfaces were treacherously slippery and no-one was prepared to push and take risks. "It was just so slippery on those early stages," said Latvala. "The grip was unpredictable and the priority was not to make a mistake."

Sordo was again the form driver in the Mount Nebo stage and extended his overall lead over Solberg to 15.1 seconds, although the top seven were closely bunched. Loeb set his first fastest time in the Mai'n special and moved up to third position, but several of the leaders survived small spins on the slippery surfaces, as Sordo arrived at the major service break with a 13.8 second lead over Latvala. Petter Solberg, Mikko Hirvonen and Chris Atkinson completed the top six.

Sandell headed JWRC championship leader Sébastien Ogier by 18.5 seconds in the JWRC category, with Estonian Jaan Molder in third place. Brake problems and overheating plagued several of the leading Juniors over the abrasive gravel stages.

Latvala was fastest out of the blocks in the fifth stage, where thousands of spectators had gathered to witness the action at the popular water splash - the lowest major sporting venue in the world at 400 metres below sea level - including a fascinated HRH Prince Feisal Al-Hussein, chairman of Jordan Motorsport.

The Finn was a second quicker than Loeb, although Sordo maintained a 9.8-second lead over the Ford driver. Loeb was fastest on the re-run of the Mahes special, but Sordo maintained his lead heading into the second Mount Nebo stage, which wound its way along the spectacular mountain track.

The Frenchman was again quickest on the mountain stage and reduced Sordo's overall advantage to just 4.7 seconds before the final Mai'n stage, which reached the rally's highest point of 700 metres above sea level.

Latvala and Hirvonen were in close contention in third and fourth positions, with Atkinson and Henning Solberg completing the top six. Petter Solberg suffered suspension problems and a small fire in the sixth stage, which dropped him out of contention. Italy's Gigi Galli was also in the wars with a damaged rear differential cooler. Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi suffered suspension damage and Jordan's Faris Bustami also retired.

JWRC championship leader Ogier collected time penalties for fixing a fuel pressure problem and then sustained a sixth-stage puncture, handing a comfortable overnight advantage in the Junior category to Sandell.

Loeb was fastest on the final stage of the day and moved to within 1.1 seconds of his Citroen team mate to set up the prospect of a thrilling battle on Saturday. Latvala maintained third position and Hirvonen shadowed his colleague in fourth. Zimbabwe's Conrad Rautenbach looked set for ninth at the end of the day, but the clutch failed on an incline at the end of the final stage and this lifted Federico Villagra into ninth position, as marshals struggled to get the C4 going again in searing heat.

The UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi led the Middle East contingent in his official Ford Focus RS in 10th position. The best of the rest was Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, who held 15th overall after seven timed special stages, with Jordan's Ala' Khalifeh in 20th, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi in 21st and young Nick Georgiou in 24th.

Jordan's Mazan Tantash held 26th and Amjad Farrah was plagued by turbo boost problems in 35th. Kuwait's Salah Bin Eidan was 28th and Lebanon's Michel Saleh - the winner of the first Jordan Rally in 1981 - held 30th after seven specials.

Saturday's leg of eight special stages gets underway with the 14km Turki test at 08.53hrs and is followed by repeat runs through the Erak Elamir, Shuna and Baptism site specials, with teams returning to the service park for service around midday. The day's action concludes with the 13km second run near the Baptism site from 15.18hrs.

Gallagher/Kiely Challenging for Podium Position at Rally Jordan - Day 1

Posted: April 25, 2008 9:23 PM

Shaun Gallagher & Paul Kiely are placed fourth after the first stage of Rally Jordan on Friday.

The Irishmen are hoping to build on the three championship points picked up in Rally Mexico and the team are just four minutes behind J-WRC leader, Patrik Sandell. Conditions at the rally are proving a real test for World Rally Team Ireland with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees.

Shaun Gallagher admitted that the conditions were far from comfortable but said that he is delighted with the performance of the car and team so far.

"It is very physically demanding, the heat saps every bit of energy from your body. I am just totally focused on keeping the car on the road. It is tough going, but I am really getting a feel for the car."

After day one in Rally Jordan, the Junior World Rally Championship is headed up by Sweden's Patrik Sandell, with Estonian Jann Molder and Italian Bettega placed second and third respectively. Gallagher is challenging strongly for a top three position and he says Rally Jordan is proving an exciting test and invaluable experience for the team.

"It is a really gruelling rally and we've seen some good drivers already drop out of contention today. It is early days but I'm concentrating on getting as many championship points as I can and hopefully a podium finish."

The rally continues with another 110km stretch Saturday and finishes Sunday.

Clark makes maiden WRC voyage with Munchi's in Jordan

Posted: April 24, 2008 4:50 PM

Scotsman Barry Clark will contest his first ever FIA World Rally Championship event in a Ford Focus RS WRC this weekend on the Jordan Rally. This will be a fantastic opportunity for the 25-year-old who is set to contest three additional WRC events in the car this year as a part of his prize for winning last year’s Fiesta SportingTrophy International series.

Clark will drive the number 10 Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team car of Luis Pérez Companc who has returned to Argentina at the last minute due to business commitments. Originally set to do the event as a Rally Technician on Federico Villagra’s Focus RS, Clark now finds himself partnering the Argentine as the second nominated point scorer for the Munchi’s Ford WRT.

In quite a unique situation Clark was only made aware of his replacement role 17 hours before departing to Jordan. This called for extreme logistical action and by 06:30 Wednesday morning – 30 minutes before his set departure from M-Sport – his competition licence, helmet, gloves and boots had arrived from his home town of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Unfortunately a later flight into Amman saw his arrival into the country this morning at 03:00 meaning no reconnaissance and will see him drive the event ‘blind’ with Munchi’s stand-in co-driver Jose Diaz. Despite not much rest before this morning’s Shakedown run it was a clean test for Clark ahead of his first event in top class machinery.

Due to the ongoing situation within the farming industry in his native Argentina, Luis Pérez Companc returned to the country on Wednesday morning after one full day’s reconnaissance. With the Pérez Companc family involved in the food industry the decision was made to return to Argentina.

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team Driver Barry Clark said: “This is an amazing opportunity for me especially ahead of Rally Turkey in a few months which I’m competing on as a part of my prize for winning the Fiesta SportingTrophy International last year. It is unfortunate Luis was unable to contest this event but for me it will be invaluable experience on a no pressure event. Not having done recce or even seen the roads here until this morning I will be driving around sensibly making sure I keep the car on the road and gain maximum mileage in the car head of Turkey. It’s a fantastic way to prepare for the other events.”

DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPION LOEB HEADS TOP CLASS ENTRY INTO HISTORY-MAKING JORDAN RALLY

Posted: April 23, 2008 5:20 PM

The 2008 Jordan Rally gets underway with a ceremonial start at the Dead Sea on Thursday afternoon and marks the start of the first FIA World Rally Championship event to be held in the Arab world in the modern era. A provisional 55 cars will compete along the 22 timed special stages that have been laid on by Jordan Motorsport, under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al-Hussein, to test the world's finest rally drivers.

HRH Prince Feisal made a surprise visit to the King Hussein Ben Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea to see for himself how preparations for the rally were progressing. "Everybody has worked hard to get to this stage and the initial feedback I have received is extremely positive," said HRH Prince Feisal. "We are looking forward to hosting a memorable and successful event."

Top seed is the reigning FIA World Rally Champion and current series leader Sébastien Loeb in the first of the Citroën Total World Rally Team's C4s.

The Frenchman is chasing an unprecedented 40th WRC win and arrives in Amman five points clear of Finland's Mikko Hirvonen in the championship standings, courtesy of his recent win in Argentina.

The event marks Loeb's first ever appearance on a rally in the Middle East, but he remains one of the most competitive of the gravel surface drivers and will be confident that he can match and beat Hirvonen and the Finn's Ford team mate Jari-Matti Latvala, who is also making his first appearance in Jordan in a Ford Focus RS.

Subaru's Chris Atkinson lies third in the FIA Drivers' Championship standings, a mere three points behind Hirvonen, and the Australian and Impreza-driving colleague Petter Solberg could well upset the form book and confirm a first victory for the Subaru World Rally Team since Wales Rally GB in 2005.

Solberg and co-driver Philip Mills were guests of Jordan Motorsport at the country's candidate event in 2007 and were permitted to view some of the special stages last year. Mills was a winner of the Jordan Rally in 1994 and his experience of Middle East culture and the nature of the terrain could be crucial as the Prodrive team chase a much-needed victory.

The 2008 Jordan Rally will also play host to both the Stobart VK M-Sport and Munchi's World Rally Teams, which are run in conjunction with M-Sport and utilise Ford Focus WRCs. Italian Gigi Galli currently holds fifth place in the championship - two points ahead of Citroën's Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg - and will be chasing a podium finish over the technical gravel stages and spectacular landscapes that make Jordan a unique rallying experience.

Galli is joined in the Stobart line-up by Britain's Matthew Wilson and Norwegian Henning Solberg, while Argentina's Luis Perez-Companc and Federico Villagra constitute the Munchi's World Rally Team.

The Suzuki World Rally Team began a full WRC campaign at the start of the year and Sweden's Per-Gunnar Andersson and Finland's Toni Gardemeister will be hoping to continue their points-scoring start to the season in a pair of Suzuki SX4s. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team will also field the former FIA Middle East rally champion Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi in a third official Ford Focus, the Emirati driver making his first WRC appearance since Sweden on an event where he took outright victory last season.

The event is also round two of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC). Frenchman Sébastien Ogier clinched maximum points on the opening round in Mexico, but will be hard-pushed to repeat the feat against fierce competition in Jordan. His closest rivals, Estonian Jaan Mölder and Poland's Michal Kosciuszko, have also made the trip to the Levant in a world-class parade of Junior drivers.

The majority of the remainder of the entry is made up of the region's leading drivers, with Jordanian Amjad Farrah leading a list of competitors that includes the UAE's Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi and Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Kuwait's Salah Bin Eidan.

After Thursday afternoon's ceremonial start, the entire event will be centred in the area around the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth at 427 metres below sea level - and the timetable will be divided into three legs of special stages on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The gravel sections will run through historical and biblical sites in the Jordan Valley and close to the Baptism site for Jesus and Mount Nebo, where Moses is alleged to have seen the Promised Land.

Days one and two will consist of two identical loops of four stages, repeated twice, with the opening leg including runs through the Suwayma, Mahes, Mount Nebo and Ma'in specials, a service break at the Dead Sea splitting the action from 11.46hrs. There will be 115.18 competitive kilometres on Friday.

Saturday's Turki, Erak Elamir, Shuna and Baptism site specials will also be repeated, but the final leg on Sunday features two runs through the Kafrain, Wadi Shuaib and Jordan River stages, the latter sure to provide a sting in the tail. The final special passes close to the border with Israel and runs for 41.45km. In a total route of 983.44km, 359.26km will be competitive.

FINAL COUNTDOWN BEGINS TO JORDAN'S PLACE IN FIA MOTORSPORT HISTORY

Posted: April 22, 2008 9:51 AM

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will create history this week by becoming the first Arab nation to host a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in the modern era of international rallying. Jordan's week in the spotlight has been the result of over three years' detailed preparations by staff at Jordan Motorsport in Amman, which is run under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al-Hussein.

The event has been tailor-made to match the exacting requirements of the sport's governing body, the FIA, and has attracted the world's leading drivers, who will compete against the region's finest rallying talent for the first time over 22 special stages in the Dead Sea region of the Kingdom between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.

The event has also attracted a number of distinguished guests from the world of motor sport and several thousand spectators from all around the globe are expected to literally descend upon the lowest place on earth to witness the high-speed special stage action.

The star attractions are likely to be the French rallying superstar Sébastien Loeb - chasing a record-breaking 40th career WRC win - and his arch Finnish rivals Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala, who drive for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team and will be making their first visits to Jordan. Hirvonen lies second in the Drivers' Championship behind Loeb and is confident that he can challenge the World Champion in Jordan.

"I've never been here, but I've spoken to some drivers who have and seen photographs from our team, who visited the candidate rally last year," said the Finn. "The roads look smooth and it seems as though the organisers have done a good job in preparing them. They look fast and flowing, like Finland but without the jumps, so if that's the case they should be good for me."

While the world's media focuses on the battle between the WRC's leading drivers, the majority of the region's top rally drivers will be fighting for honours in the showroom or Group N category. With the exception of the UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi - winner of the official candidate event in Jordan last year who drives a factory Ford Focus - his former rivals have entered a number of privately-run Subarus and Mitsubishis.

Former Jordan Rally winner and regular PWRC runner Amjad Farrah leads an 11-strong home contingent in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX and is seeded at 33. Fellow Jordanians Faris Bustami, Ameer Najjar, Ala' Khalifeh, Faris Hijazi, Mazen Tantash, Ammar Hijazi, Issa Abu Jamous, Tamer Tabaa, Abir Batikhi and Ahmad Mihyar have ensured that the host nation is well supported on this flagship event for Middle East motorsport.

The UAE's Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi is a former regional Group N champion and is joined on the entry list by fellow Emirati Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, Both have tackled the Jordan Rally many times in the past and are delighted to be able to support the event on its WRC debut.

In the absence of the Arab world's top driver Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah - who is tackling the Central Europe Rally in Hungary and Romania with the X-raid team - a returning Mubarak Al-Hajri and Khalid Al-Suwaidi represent the State of Qatar in a pair of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions. Saleh Bin Eidan is the sole Kuwaiti entrant and the recent Kuwait Rally winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi flies the Saudi Arabian flag in Jordan, alongside his British co-driver Steve Lancaster.

Lebanese veteran Michel Saleh would not have missed Jordan's WRC debut for the world and the charismatic UAE-based driver is joined by co-driver Ziad Chehab, young London-based Lebanese driver Nick Georgiou and co-driver Joseph Matar to ensure that nearby Lebanon has a four-man contingent on the entry list.

Saleh has the distinction of competing in over 20 Jordan rallies and was a competitor in the first Jordan Rally back in 1981. The Lebanese, en route to the Rally of Cyprus, was persuaded to take part in the event by Toyota's Jordan agent George Haddad and went on to win outright in a Toyota Celica 2000 GT. He followed up that success with victory again in 1982.

The event fires into life at the Dead Sea from 15.00hrs on Thursday afternoon, when all teams will attend the traditional ceremonial start. Traditional Arabic entertainment will be followed by the presentation of all the drivers and the afternoon's festivities will conclude with a spectacular firework display on the shores of the Dead Sea.

GALLAGHER / KIELY – IRISH HOPES ARE HIGH FOR RALLY JORDAN

Posted: April 22, 2008 9:05 AM

World Rally Team Ireland arrives this week in Amman, Jordan to compete in the Junior World Rally Championship. The team hopes to build on their impressive showing in Rally Mexico, where Shaun Gallagher finished sixth despite suffering from a viral infection. Gallagher will be partnered by fellow Irishman and Sligo native Paul Kiely.

Tommy Mullen, CEO, World Rally Team Ireland says Rally Jordan will provide an important test for the team, particularly give the difficult conditions that the team is likely to face. "The only worry we have is the soaring temperatures of over 30 degrees. When you are in the rally car it can reach over 60 and this takes its toll on the driver and co-driver. It is not an ideal climate for Irish Competitors."

Despite the difficult conditions, Mullen is extremely confident about the teams prospects at Rally Jordan. "With one event under our belt and Shaun back to full health, we are confident of achieving an improved result in Jordan. We are also delighted to see Paul Kiely accompanying Shaun in the Citroen. He is a co-driver with the highest national accolades in rallying and he is a real asset to Shaun and the team."

C2 Junior Experience

Posted: April 22, 2008 8:47 AM

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Ford hunts for highs among the lowlands of Jordan's Dead Sea

Posted: April 18, 2008 11:37 AM

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team can expect to experience a mix of highs and lows during the course of the 15-round FIA World Rally Championship season – both literally and metaphorically. After tackling the two highest rounds in the championship in Mexico and Argentina last month, the leaders of the manufacturers' championship will aspire to a high in the lowlands of Jordan next week when the fifth round of the series takes the team to the lowest point on earth at the Dead Sea.

Rally Jordan (24 - 27 April) is the first WRC round in an Arab country since 1976 and represents a step into the unknown for Ford's Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila. Neither pairing has visited Jordan before, so the characteristics of the Middle East roads and the vagaries of the conditions will offer a steep learning curve for the Finnish quartet as they strive to extend Ford's three-point series lead in their Focus RS World Rally Cars.

The rally is based on the shores of the Dead Sea, 420 metres below sea level, and the location will provide a boost to the Focus RS' engine performance. In contrast to Mexico and Argentina where low air pressure at altitude meant less oxygen was available to burn fuel in the engine, resulting in less power, the opposite will be true in Jordan.

The speed tests will be held in west and north of the country and Government support has enabled organisers to build several new gravel roads specifically for the rally. With rain extremely unlikely, conditions will be dusty and it promises to be gruelling for drivers with temperatures forecast to be well in excess of 30ºC initially, before cooling slightly as the rally progresses.

Twenty-seven-year-old Hirvonen, who is second in the drivers' championship, is relishing the prospect of attacking Jordan's roads. "I've never been there but I've spoken to some drivers who have and seen photographs from our team, who visited the candidate rally last year," he said. "The roads look smooth and it seems as though the organisers have done a good job in preparing them. They look fast and flowing, like Finland but without the jumps, so if that's the case they should be good for me.

"Sunday's final leg is the longest of the rally, which is quite different to most events. If a driver has large time gaps in front or behind then there will be more kilometres than usual in which to keep an eye on things. But if the time gaps are just 20 or 30 seconds, there could still be a lot to fight for on the final day. I was happier with my speed on the first morning during the last round in Argentina. The poor conditions probably helped me initially, but when they improved I still took some time from Sébastien Loeb and so it was definitely an improvement," added Hirvonen.

Latvala is unconcerned about tackling a new rally. "I think it's good because everyone is in the same position and knowledge of the roads isn't an issue," he said. "We have to be careful when making pace notes during the recce so we're confident with them for the rally. The recce vehicle is fitted with an in-car camera to film the stages so I can watch them before the start. It helps me to remember the stages because it's like a third recce pass over the roads, but it does look different on video than in reality.

"Last year there were three new rallies in the championship and I enjoyed the challenge of those so I'm looking forward to Jordan. I understand the roads are hard and fast so they should suit me. Although it's my first time in Jordan, car set-up isn't a concern. Now I have a set-up that feels good, I use that as a base for most rallies and don't need to make big changes, just a little fine tuning in places," he added.

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third team Focus RS on their first outing since February's Swedish Rally, and Al Qassimi's first gravel event since Rally Finland in August. His background is in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship and he won the Jordan Rally last year when it was a candidate WRC round. He is the only leading driver with previous competitive experience of these roads.

"I've competed here six or seven times but the desert stages on which we used to drive have been replaced by new roads," said 36-year-old Al Qassimi. "This year about 40 per cent of the stages are different from 2007. The roads are so smooth it's like driving on asphalt - only the brown colour tells you they are not. I won last year by only pushing at 50 per cent and that's the pace at which I will start this year. If I feel good after the first couple of stages, then I will try to push harder. This is my first rally on Pirelli's new gravel tyre so I will need some time to learn about it."

Team News
* As part of the sport's new regulations, BP Ford Abu Dhabi will have just one tyre pattern from Pirelli. The Scorpion gravel tyre will be available in hard compound only. Because anti-deflation mousse is also outlawed this year, the Scorpion includes reinforced sidewalls to offer increased protection against punctures Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber and each car can carry two spares.

* Five other Focus RS cars will start the rally. Gigi Galli / Giovanni Bernacchini and Henning Solberg / Cato Menkerud will be nominated for points by the Stobart VK M-Sport team. Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin will drive a third Stobart car. Munchi's Ford World Rally Team has nominated Federico Villagra / Jorge Pérez Companc and Luis Pérez Companc / José María Volta to score.

* BP Ford Abu Dhabi held a four-day test on gravel in northern Spain this week. Hirvonen drove for the first two days with Latvala taking over for the final two days of the test, which finished yesterday. The two drivers covered 680km, with the first three days in dry conditions before heavy rain on the last day. The test concentrated on development work with engine and suspension parts.

SWRT readied for sand, sea and salt in WRC-first

Posted: April 18, 2008 10:08 AM

For the first time in the history of the World Rally Championship, crews will travel to the Middle East for the fifth event of the 2008 season. The debutant Rally Jordan is set to be a gruelling challenge of hard-base sandy roads that sprawl through the region’s desert plains from the rally base alongside the Dead Sea.

Located just below the northern Jordan city of Amman, Rally HQ and the service park promise a spectacular welcome for crews. Based on the banks of the Dead Sea, it is the lowest point on earth at 408 metres below sea level. Most of the rally is run below sea level, making for a stark contrast to the altitude of the last two events in Mexico and Argentina. The roads that wind through the Jordan Valley reach as low as 400 metres below sea level, and the only altitude section in the Rumman forests rises to just over 1000 metres, past the biblical site of Mount Nebo.

The rally comprises 21 stages and 351 competitive kilometres of hard-packed sandy roads on which crews will use Pirelli’s hard compound Scorpion gravel tyre. The normally loose surface has been bonded and hard-packed over the last two years to create the rally’s stage route and provide crews with a very hard surface on which to compete. Whilst the first few cars to run will inevitably experience a loose covering of sand, surface deterioration shouldn’t be an issue, even as temperatures reach towards 40 degrees Celsius.

It does mean however that if crews run off line the surface will be far looser and grip reduced significantly. Whilst there is a lot of run-off in the barren desert landscape which may give crews the confidence to push harder in the knowledge there is more chance that mistakes will go relatively unpunished, off-road excursions may still prove costly with soft sand and interspersed rocky outcrops. The stages offer their own unique challenges in accurately judging distances and defining the roads amid the vast expanse of desert.

Just two weeks after Rally Jordan, crews will commence a flurry of European events with three rallies in five weeks, the hardest stint of the season. Jordan will be a crucial event for teams in setting the tone of their performance in this mid-year period, and so everyone will be looking to step their performance and consistency up a gear. Those who are strong in Jordan will carry more momentum into the European events.

The event starts with a ceremonial start on Thursday evening, and finishes at the King Hussein Bin Talal convention centre on the banks of the Dead Sea, shortly followed by a finish podium set against the spectacular backdrop of the body of water famed for being the most buoyant in the world due to its exceptionally high salt content. Twenty two stages take crews through 360 kilometres of competition.

Jordan is a barren landscape that, at less than half the size of Great Britain, is more than 80 per cent arid. It lies just east of the Mediterranean Sea, sandwiched between Israel, Syria and Saudi Arabia.

Entries
The Subaru World Rally Team have entered two Impreza WRC2007s for Rally Jordan. Petter Solberg / Phil Mills will drive car number five and Chris Atkinson / Stéphane Prévot will be in car number six. Petter and Phil conducted a recce of 18 of the stages in May last year, and it was on the Rally of Jordan in 1994 that Phil Mills scored his first international rallying win with Middle East champion Mohammed Bin Sulayem.

Team quotes
David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal: “I have been very closely linked with motorsport in the Middle East since 1976 when I was first involved in organising the early rallies in the Gulf and then working with Saeed Al-Hajri who won the Middle East Rally Championship on three occasions for Prodrive. I built so many great friendships in the region and very much look forward to meeting everybody again in Jordan.

“It has been a long-held dream of mine that the World Rally Championship would finally come to the Middle East and I am particularly pleased that it is doing so in Jordan. It will be a totally different experience for the WRC teams but I am sure that with the support of Prince Feisal it will be extremely well organised and we can expect a wonderful Arabic welcome to the region.”

Paul Howarth, Subaru World Rally Team operations director: “Jordan is a new event so no drivers in the WRC have competitive experience of it which could prove to be a bit of a leveller amongst the younger drivers. Temperature will be a factor here as it’ll be the hottest round of the season so far so everyone will have an eye on cooling and brake temperature. The route is quite twisty but because of the way they have bonded the stages together there is a lot of grip on what would seem to be very loose surface. It’s a new event but we’ve done all our research: two years ago we studied the nature of the stages and, with a ban on testing there since, obtained the knowledge we will use now to develop a base setup for the event. Consistency here is key to carrying momentum into the following batch of three European events.” Driver quotes

Petter Solberg: “I did the recce in Jordan last year and I was very happy to have the chance to look at the roads. It will be a new event for everyone so we are doing all we can now, using the notes from the recce to prepare as best we can and try and be in the best shape for the rally. It may be possible to do the rally well with new pace notes and no experience of the roads, but I’m just trying to do things 110 per cent, and if the recce gives us even a slight advantage, it was worth it. It’s a brand new event but we have the same mentality and approach to it as any other event, as we continue in the way that works best for us. The unseen roads are quite tricky, and there are a lot of crests. It’s quite wide, but it’s a little difficult to read the road surface and know just how much to push.”

Chris Atkinson: “I haven’t been to Jordan and don’t really know what to expect. I’ve heard the roads are in quite good condition, but it’s going to be difficult first time there having not done the recce last year. It’s very interesting to go to a country like that anyway as an experience, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m going out a few days earlier to look around and see Petra, as it’s not every day we’ll come here. The fact that no-one has competed here before may even things up a little, but we know that the same guys will always be fast anywhere. At this part of the season it’s all about linking events to build momentum for the next few rounds.”

Between the rallies
After Rally Argentina, Stéphane Prévot flew straight home to his family to take his daughter on a long-promised trip to Disneyland Paris, amid his preparations for Jordan. Petter Solberg, Chris Atkinson and Phil Mills travelled to Cordoba for a two day shooting break, along with P-WRC Subaru competitor and multiple Asian shooting champion Nasser Al-Attiyah.

As the pace of the calendar rises, Solberg and Atkinson have been increasing their exercise programmes and training to improve their fitness in time for May and the toughest part of the season. Improved fitness will also help them with the extreme in-car temperatures of Jordan, Greece and Turkey.

Citroen Preview

Posted: April 18, 2008 10:05 AM

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Companc hits 30 in Jordan’s Middle Eastern challenge

Posted: April 18, 2008 10:02 AM

Luis Pérez Companc, partnered by regular co-driver José María Volta, will mark 30 event starts next weekend as the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship heads to the Middle East for the Jordan Rally.

Making up the second half of the Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team is Federico Villagra/Jorge Pérez Companc who head into the event coming off their best ever WRC result last month in Argentina where they finished sixth overall.

The Jordan Rally will become the first FIA WRC round to be held in an Arab country since 1976 and, as such, the event is set to be a sunny extravaganza with hype and excitement already rife throughout the country.

While this will be Pérez Companc’s 30th WRC start – a feat only 106 WRC drivers have achieved – it will also be his penultimate for the 2008 season after the Argentine driver announced his intentions for a reduced calendar this year due to business and family commitments.

Villagra has continued with his success in the Argentine Rally Championship in between WRC events winning the most recent event, Rally de Bariloche, by just over half a minute. This now leaves the Argentine with a commanding 12 point lead in his national championship after winning both the opening two rounds.

Jordan is set to be one of the most unique events in recent times and is the latest addition to the WRC since Rally Ireland last November. The event is to be based on the shores of the famous Dead Sea – the world’s lowest land point at 420 metres below sea level.

Conditions in Jordan are predicted to be in true desert form with daily temperatures set to reach anywhere up to 40 degrees centigrade and not a drop of rain in the forecast. High air temperatures will however mean even higher ones in the cockpit of the Munchi’s Ford Focus RS WRC07 and both crews are set to expect temperatures inside the car in the 50 degree centigrade region.

Roads in Jordan are described as sandy, desert gravel with an extremely hard-packed surface. The stages look to be some of the smoothest in the championship and being all manmade will offer numerous high-speed excitement sections.

Currently the Munchi’s Ford WRT lie four points ahead of Suzuki’s works outfit despite the Japanese manufacturer competing on two more events than the Argentine squad. Villagra leads the way in the drivers’ classification as he occupies eighth with points finishes on both WRC rounds he has attempted this year.

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team Driver Federico Villagra said:
“We will be looking to score points for the third event in a row in Jordan next week. It has been a great start to the year for both Jorge and I and hopefully this can continue over in the Middle East. I don’t know too much about the conditions in Jordan but I have heard it will be dry and quite smooth which will be a big change from Argentina last month. I have been racing in the Argentine Rally Championship before this event and we won the Rally de Bariloche so I am feeling very good coming into this event. The plan will be to again score more points for the Munchi’s team and stay ahead of Suzuki in the Manufacturers’ Championship. This will be a new rally for everybody which could help our result and I am looking forward to starting the event next Friday morning.”

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team Driver Luis Pérez Companc said:
“Jordan is going to be a very challenging event with the fast and slippery stages. I have heard that only a few drivers have competed in the Middle East which will make for an interesting competition because none of the drivers have pacenotes to look over, so it will be a fresh start for everybody. I don’t think there will be any problem with the Pirelli tyre in Jordan because on this event we will reach the proper tyre temperature faster with the hot conditions. Punctures could be an issue with any slight off road excursions because I have heard there will be lots of stones on the side of the roads. My plan for this event is to finish inside the top-eight and score my first drivers’ point this year. Also hopefully the Munchi’s team can stay head of Suzuki in the manufacturers’ after a good start so far.

Stobart jaunt to Jordan for demanding desert challenge

Posted: April 18, 2008 10:00 AM

A new event awaits the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team as the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers heads to an Arab country for the first time ever next weekend. The Jordan Rally is the fifth round of the 2008 season and will offer a level playing field as WRC crews tackle the fast desert roads for the first time in their careers.

Coming off the back of one of the less successful events in Argentina last month, Jordan will be a breath of fresh air as both Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini and Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud continue as the team’s two nominated points’ scoring crews.

Brits Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin will run the third Stobart entered Ford Focus RS WRC07 as they look again to post points on the board after a successful run in Mexico which sees both competitors positioned 13th in their respective championships.

A five point deficit currently separates Galli from BP Ford Abu Dhabi works driver and former Stobart man Jari-Matti Latvala who occupies fourth in the drivers’ classification. Solberg lurks quietly in 11th as he’ll look to add to his 2008 points tally in Jordan next week.

Event HQ is based some 50 kilometres from the Jordanian capital of Amman in the Jordan Valley region which nestles next to the world’s second saltiest body of water, the Dead Sea. At 420 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea and the roads which surround its region are considered the lowest point on the surface of the earth on dry land; quite a contrast from Mexico and Argentina which saw crews soar up mountains 2000 metres above sea level.

With a total mileage of just 983 kilometres Jordan is set to become one of the more compact routes on the WRC circuit. The 359 kilometres that make up the 22 stages of the Jordan Rally are all manmade, fast, flat roads on a sandy gravel which is expected to heat up quite substantially as temperatures rise well above the 35 degree centigrade mark during this time of year.

Winding through desert, cactus farms and date palm farms, the Jordan River stage is the longest of the event at 41 kilometres in length and will run twice on day 3. Throughout the three days of competition the event will run through a series of historical and biblical sites including the King Hussein Bridge inside the Jordan-Palestine border crossing.

The Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team currently lie fourth in the FIA Manufacturers’ Championship just 11 points behind last year’s rivals Subaru. After four rounds to settle in, the team now looks to close the gap on the Japanese manufacturer in the hunt for a podium position by the close of season.

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Gigi Galli said: “Rally Jordan enters the World Rally Championship this year for the first time so it is going to be brand new for most of the drivers. We haven't been to the race or to this country so we are particularly curious to discover it. Part of the route is below sea level which is going to be quite strange! I hope not to have trouble here and be able to have a good race and maintain a good pace. We did not have the best events in the last two rallies but I am really starting to get used to the new Focus now and I can’t wait to see what it can do in Jordan.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Henning Solberg said: “We will try again here in Jordan, it was quite unlucky what happened in Argentina but that is in the past and we have to focus on this rally now. I don’t know much about the rally only what I have seen on the internet from last year through some video clips on wrc.com. My engineer has done many years in the Middle Eastern Championship so I think it will be an advantage to have someone onboard who knows a lot about the surface already. We will be fighting hard again and hopefully a top-five result in this rally.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Matthew Wilson said: “Jordan is shaping up to be quite a different event to what we have seen in recent times in the WRC. Both Scott and I have been training quite hard for this event because looking at the forecast, temperatures could climb as high as 40 degrees which will mean over 50 in the cockpit of the rally car. On a long stage like the big one on Sunday, fitness and concentration will play a huge part. It has been an unlucky start to the year for us but I have been happy with the speed and now we come to an event that is new to everybody; the last time this happened in the WRC was Rally Ireland where we finished seventh overall. This will also give Scott and I a chance to write a brand new set of notes from scratch for the first time this year and the aim will definitely be for a top-eight finish by the end of the rally.”

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said: “This is going to be a unique event which could benefit the Stobart team being new to the WRC calendar. Conditions will be demanding in the heat and the long stage on Sunday will be a true test of concentration and fitness. All three Stobart drivers have shown impressive speed on gravel this year and Gigi’s speed in Mexico was right up with the top guys until his retirement. A new rally brings with it new challenges and the main aim will be for each crew to finish with maximum experience of the new event with strong points for the team.”

Stobart Motorsport – Trucking all over the world

Posted: April 9, 2008 5:55 PM

Everyone knows the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team drivers face a tough challenge during the year; with 15 events across the globe that make up the FIA World Rally Championship. But when the drivers arrive at each event, their Ford Focus WRC cars are ready, polished and waiting for battle.

That’s because the Stobart Motorsport truck drivers make sure all the rally cars, equipment and spares arrive at each event safely and on time. However, one of the biggest logistical challenges they will face all year starts today as the 12-strong convoy sets off for Rally Jordan.

This Middle Eastern event is the furthest the trucks will venture this season, and their route uses road, sea, rail and air - reflecting the multimodal logistics service offered by the team’s sponsor Stobart Group.

Stobart Motorsport driver Peter McIntyre heads the fleet in his Iveco truck. In keeping with the Eddie Stobart tradition of naming the vehicles, his steed is called Michèle Mouton - after the famous female world rally driver. He transports the two Stobart team cars of Matthew Wilson and Gigi Galli around the world and explains, “This is one of our longest trips by far. We start by driving to Felixstowe, get the Eurotunnel train to Calais and then drive down through France and into Italy. The trucks then get loaded onto a ship and make their way to Jordan while we get a flight back to the UK.”

When the drivers get back to M-Sport’s HQ at Dovenby, Cumbria, they help with the final preparations for the rally. To complete their outward travel the truck drivers will fly to Amman, in Jordan, with the rest of the team – 120 people in total – and drive to the port to be reunited with their wagons. After this 700km round trip on the sandy roads the procession will arrive at the rally Service Park beside the Dead Sea and the unloading and set-up process will begin.

After the rally finishes the fun starts once again. Everything is loaded up and the 12 lorries are driven back down to the port in Jordan – where they sail to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia for the Rally d’Italia. The drivers fly back to the UK, prepare some more spare parts, then fly to Sardinia in time for the rally. Once the Italian round of the WRC finishes the trucks are then driven back to Cumbria to get unloaded and reloaded. Why?

“We are only back home after Sardinia for two days before everything sets off again for Greece and the Acropolis Rally,” explains McIntyre. “It really is a tough job with long hours. However, I couldn’t drive a world rally car as fast as Matthew and I doubt he could handle my truck; but that’s what makes this job so special. We all have a place within the Stobart team and everyone pulls together to make it a success.”

Entry List

Posted: March 27, 2008 11:26 AM

Jordan Rally

• 2008 World Rally Championship

Details & Event Website

Posted: March 12, 2008 10:08 AM

Jordan Rally

• 2008 World Rally Championship