Turkey - 12-15 Sep 19

Savvy approach in Turkey can move Tänak a step closer to maiden title

Posted: September 11, 2019 10:11 AM

After four wins from the last five FIA World Rally Championship rounds, Ott Tänak starts Rally Turkey (12 - 15 September) as many people’s favourite to repeat last year’s victory and close on his first title.

Tänak’s purple patch of form has carried him into a 33-point lead over Thierry Neuville with four rounds remaining. Sébastien Ogier’s bid for a seventh straight title looks increasingly remote as the Frenchman languishes 40 points adrift.

But while Tänak’s quartet of wins was built on the outright pace of the Estonian and his Toyota Yaris, success on Turkey’s twisty and unforgiving rock-strewn mountain roads, amid furnace-like heat, requires different racecraft.

“This event is not one about pushing to the limit all the time, it’s most important to find a rhythm which is suiting the conditions and then drive at that speed,” he acknowledged.

Gruelling conditions, in which air temperatures approaching 35°C put abnormal stresses on brakes, engines and transmissions, ensure a savvy approach is more important than pure speed, as Neuville and Ogier discovered 12 months ago.

Both retired during a rally of remarkable attrition, while Tänak adopted a cautious approach when he accepted his Yaris didn’t have the sheer speed of his rivals’ cars. It paid off as he climbed from the lower reaches of the top 10 to win.

A similar strategy is on the cards this week. “We won’t push like mad to win this rally from the start, but I would like to be in that position on Sunday afternoon,” added Tänak.

“I think Seb and Thierry are the ones who need to take more risks than we do. If you want to win this rally, the most important thing is not to stop. Not stopping for a problem or a puncture in Turkey should guarantee you a good result.”

Ogier, driving a Citroën C3 admitted he cannot afford a repeat of last year’s problems in his bid to keep his title hopes alive.

“Last year’s stages were without question the roughest I’ve ever had to face in my entire career,” he said.

“The crew that won were clearly not the quickest, so perhaps we’ll need to adapt our approach this year, especially as we can no longer afford any mistakes in the championship.”

Elfyn Evans misses a third round with a back injury and his place in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta is taken by Swede Pontus Tidemand.

The rally starts in Marmaris on Thursday evening and competitors face 17 stages covering 309.86km before Sunday afternoon’s finish.

M-Sport: TIME TO TURN UP THE HEAT IN TURKEY

Posted: September 6, 2019 2:27 PM

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Teemu Suninen and Pontus Tidemand are ready to turn up the heat at next week’s Rally Turkey – the hottest and roughest event that the FIA World Rally Championship has to offer.

To best prepare for this demanding rally the team completed a two-day test on rough gravel, and additional protection and cooling are added to safeguard against the unforgiving terrain, slow average speeds and blistering heat.

The team also had a mammoth task on their hands when it came to logistics – the service park in Asparan a whopping 2,324 miles (3,740 kilometres) from M-Sport’s headquarters on the edge of the English Lake District National Park.

The EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs were loaded into the transporter on Friday 30 August before starting their journey to the Italian port of Trieste on Sunday 1 September. Travelling via Folkestone and Calais, the precious cargo arrived in Italy on Thursday 5 September where it was safely loaded onto the RoRo which sailed the following morning.

Having sampled the sights and sounds of Trieste, the team truck driver then flew to Turkey where the RoRo is due to dock into Cesme on the evening of Sunday 8 September. And upon clearing customs, only a four-hour drive remains before the Fiestas arrive ready to rally.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:

“Rally Turkey is one of the most demanding events on the calendar with rough stages, slow average speeds and properly hot temperatures! It’s a tough test for the cars and the drivers, but I’m confident that we’ve got what it takes to deliver a strong performance.

“The Fiesta has always been strong and we historically perform well on the championship’s toughest events. The team completed a rough gravel test last week to confirm our additional protection and cooling packages, and with Teemu and Pontus we’ve got two really focused and ambitious young guys with a massive amount of potential.

“This rally is as much about being clever as it is about outright pace, and everyone will need to keep that in mind next week. It’s not going to be an easy event, but if we play it right then I think we’ve got a good chance of challenging for some strong results.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing targeting another Turkey triumph

Posted: September 6, 2019 1:13 PM

On a high after its victories in Finland and Germany, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team heads to Rally Turkey (September 12-15), which presents an altogether different test over rocky gravel roads. When the event joined the calendar in 2018, the Toyota Yaris WRC proved best-equipped for the new challenge, scoring its first one-two finish: an achievement that was only surpassed by the recent 1-2-3 finish for drivers’ championship leader Ott Tänak, Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala on Rallye Deutschland.

2019 Yaris WRC

Rally Turkey is based in the resort of Marmaris on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the south west of the country. The rough and rocky surface combined with high temperatures makes the stages demanding for the cars, especially as the relatively low speeds reduce the airflow for the cooling of engines, transmissions and brakes. This means that avoiding problems can be more crucial to a good result than outright pace.

The rally begins with a super special stage in Marmaris on Thursday evening, before the longest day of the event on Friday, with two loops of three stages (beginning close to the service park before travelling north) totalling 159.14 competitive kilometres. On Saturday the rally heads west of Marmaris for three more stages each run twice. There are four stages in total on Sunday, ending with the Marmaris Power Stage that concludes on the edge of the service park.

Quotes:

Tommi Mäkinen (Team Principal)
“The confidence in the team is very high at the moment after our incredible result in Germany, but we know that Rally Turkey will be a totally different challenge. It’s the type of rally where you need to be clever: Last year, I think we were clever and we were able to achieve a great result. Of course, we will try to repeat that but it won’t be easy. Having a car that can cope with the conditions is very important, and we would like to have a bit more performance there too, so that’s something we have been working hard on in our preparations.”

Martin Järveoja and Ott Tänak
Ott Tänak (Driver car 8)
“Our aim will be to try to win again in Turkey but we saw last year that it’s a very hard event. We were able to take the victory and finish one-two as a team, but it was more thanks to being smart as our speed there was not so strong. The stages can be very rough, so the approach is mainly about avoiding any problems. We would also like to have greater performance there this year though, and the team has been working hard for this. Certainly, the motivation is high in the team after our results in Finland and Germany, as it shows that our hard work is paying off.”

Miikka Anttila and Jari-Matti Latvala
Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 10)
“Rally Turkey is the roughest event of the year. In many ways it’s about survival: Last year many of our rivals hit problems, and although we were not the fastest, we drove sensibly and that brought us a great one-two result for the team. This year I expect the roads to be in a better condition, but it will still be necessary to take care and look after the car. Before Germany, we went to Greece to test in the sort of rough conditions we face in Turkey, and to try to keep improving the car on that kind of surface.”

Seb Marshall and Kris Meeke
Kris Meeke (Driver car 5)
“Rally Turkey will be a new experience for me. From what I could see watching from afar, and what the other drivers have said, the stages there were incredibly rough last year. I’ll have to wait and see how it looks during the recce to make my own conclusions. It’s maybe going to be a bit more difficult for me without that experience from last year, but it’s the way it is. I won’t be going in with any particular targets in terms of a result, but perhaps that approach could play into my hands by the end of the weekend.”

Hyundai Motorsport Preview – Round 11: Rally Turkey

Posted: September 6, 2019 1:11 PM

Hyundai Motorsport turns its attention to Rally Turkey, round eleven of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, as it aims to maintain and extend its lead of the manufacturers’ standings.

The improved tarmac pace of the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC cars at Rallye Deutschland was unfortunately hampered by a transmission problem on Friday and a mid-stage puncture on Saturday. The team was, however, able to retain hold at the top of the championship with four rounds of the season remaining.

Rally Turkey sees a return to gravel at an event where ambient temperature and demanding stage conditions place great stress on the cars and their engines. Several routes run along the picturesque coastline of the Turkish Riviera, but the beauty does not outweigh the risk: the rocky roads can be unforgiving, making speed second to a clever approach.

Turkey is a special venue for Hyundai as the home of the i20 road car, which is produced at the Hyundai Assan Izmit plant close to Istanbul. The facility has an annual maximum capacity of 245,000 units, manufacturing the i10 and i20 models, while acting as Hyundai’s gateway to Europe together with its Czech factory.

Hyundai Motorsport will field an unchanged three-crew line-up from Rallye Deutschland for its second WRC participation in Rally Turkey. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul and Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger-Amland will be joined by Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio for the Spanish crew’s first gravel rally since taking victory in Rally Italia Sardegna.

The trio have all had the opportunity to test the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC on gravel ahead of Turkey as the team looks for a strong, reliable and rounded team performance.

Team Director Andrea Adamo said:
“We are determined to show competitive and reliable pace this weekend. With only four rounds of the season remaining we cannot afford to have anything other than consistently good results. All three of our crews have performed well on gravel events this year and we will be hunting down our fourth victory of the season in Turkey. There is no room, nor excuse, for even the smallest error.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (#11 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Belgians aiming for first victory since Tour de Corse
Neuville holds second in the drivers’ standings after fine fourth in Germany

Neuville said: “Rally Turkey is a tough event. Last year we saw plenty of cars retire, including ourselves while in the lead, but we should fight back this year. Our car has been very strong on these kinds of roads in the past so we can’t wait to be there. We know we need to push and be on the pace from the beginning, but we are confident we can be in the mix for victory.”

Crew Notes: Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger-Amland (#89 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Norwegian crew were in contention for victory at last year’s event
Aiming to support team’s manufacturers’ title bid with a strong outing

Mikkelsen said: “Turkey is one of those events where you need to find the balance of speed and consistency, while not damaging the car. It’s very rough in both passes but especially the second run through. It’s very easy to push too hard, hit some rocks and destroy the car or the tyres. It’s a bit of a survival battle, but if you want to win here you have to drive fast and be committed.”

Crew Notes: Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Triumphed in their most recent gravel rally event (Rally Italia Sardegna)
First Rally Turkey - in its new location and format - for the Spanish crew

Sordo said: “This was a new rally for everyone last year and we were here to do the recce, so we are familiar with some of the stages. Last year I didn’t do Rally Italia Sardegna and I went on to win this season, so let’s see what happens! When conditions are hard on the cars is when our team is really strong. I hope it will be same in Turkey. We have an advantage with our road position, and we are certainly confident with the car on gravel.”

Weekend at a glance

17 stages run over a competitive distance of 309.86km
Thursday’s opening stage is a 2km sprint through the Marmaris marina
Friday covers over half of the rally’s distance at almost 160km in six stages
Six stages on a compact Saturday include the scenic Datça test and the brand new Kizlan stage to finish both loops.
Sunday features four stages, culminating in the Marmaris Power Stage.

Entry List

Posted: August 16, 2019 4:21 PM

Turkey - 12-15 Sep 19 - ENTRY LIST

REVISED RALLY TURKEY ROUTE READY TO CHALLENGE WRC TEAMS IN SEPTEMBER

Posted: August 16, 2019 10:13 AM

Rally Turkey officials at TOSFED have now had the route for the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship officially approved by the FIA. The event will be based in Marmaris and takes place on September 12th-15th.

The itinerary features 17 special stages and 310.10 competitive kilometres in a route of 988.50km.

There are several minor revisions to the successful format used in 2018, including the introduction of a 17km Kizlan stage (SS10 and SS13) that offers a spectacular backdrop, as it winds its way around the coastline, and the twisty Çiçekli special (SS16) that has moved from Friday to a Sunday morning slot and will run in the opposite direction to 2018 and precedes the Wolf Power Stage finale.

The service park will again be situated in the hills at Asparan, a short distance from Marmaris, and crews will tackle the short shakedown stage at De?irmenyani to open proceedings on Thursday, September 12th.

The ceremonial start at Marmaris Meyden and the two-kilometre super special stage on Thursday evening are sure to attract thousands of spectators in Marmaris town centre before the on-stage action commences on Friday morning.

Teams face six special stages on Friday, starting with the first of two runs through the 24.80km of Içmeler and the first pass through a slightly revised Çetibeli test that is the longest of the rally at 38.15km. The first of two passes through Ula (16.57km) precedes a return to service at Asparan and the repeat of the three specials in the afternoon.

Six stages feature in the timetable for Saturday, September 14th. The 33km of Ye?ilbelde opens the day’s action and runs through Datça (8.75km) and the new Kizlan stage precede a service and regroup at Asparan. The three specials are then repeated on Saturday afternoon.

Datça may be a short special by WRC standards, but it offers incredible scenery and spectacular backdrops to the sea.

Two runs through the 7.22km Marmaris stage – the second acting as the Wolf Power Stage – and Gökçe (11.32km) and Çiçekli (13.20km) ensure that the final section on Sunday, September 15th will be anything but straightforward.

The Marmaris test starts in the town of Içmeler and finishes in the service park, the Power Stage making for a fitting end to what promises to be a thrilling WRC rally on the Turquoise Coast for a second successive year.

Rally Turkey first joined the prestigious WRC calendar in 2003 and was held until 2010 before returning to the calendar in 2018. On the event’s return last year, Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja claimed a 22.3-second victory in their Toyota Yaris WRC.

The official candidate event in 2017 marked the first time that the event had run on stages in the Marmaris and Mu?la regions of the Turkish Riviera. That event was won by the Turkish duo of Orhan Avcio?lu and Burçín Korkmaz.

TIDEMAND RETURNS TO FIESTA WRC

Posted: August 16, 2019 8:55 AM

Pontus Tidemand will return to the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC to contest the eleventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship at next month’s Rally Turkey.

Partnered by Norwegian co-driver Ola Fløene, the pairing were in action at Rallye Monte-Carlo as well as Rally Sweden earlier this year, and are now keen to show what they can do with the top specification Fiesta on gravel.

The Swede has proven ability on all surfaces, and gravel is no exception – all but one of his 11 WRC 2 victories the result of impressive performances on various loose-surface events.

Having contested Rally Turkey last year, Tidemand knows what to expect but will also complete a rough-gravel test with the team in preparation – getting to know the limits of the Fiesta WRC on some of the toughest terrain the championship has to offer.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
“It’s great to see Pontus back in the team and back behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta WRC. This is something a lot of people wanted to see – myself included – and I’m looking forward to seeing how he performs in Turkey.

“He didn’t have the best of luck earlier this year – road position and some technical issues working against him – but when you take all of that into account it was a really solid debut and we’re keen to see what he can do on gravel.

“Pontus is an all-rounder who’s competitive on all surfaces. He’s got the talent and we want to see him take the next step up in his career. He’ll complete a rough-gravel test with the team in preparation for Turkey, and we know he’ll make the most of the opportunity.”

Pontus Tidemand said:
"I'm so excited to be back in the FIA World Rally Championship, and back with the M-Sport team – I've been waiting for this since we completed Rally Sweden in February! I'm so happy that it's finally happening and want to thank M-Sport and my local partners for their continued support, and all the people who have helped me.

“The Ford Fiesta WRC is the ultimate car to drive and even though there were a lot of new things to learn in Monte-Carlo and Sweden, I loved the car from day one.

“I'm fully focused on preparing as thoroughly as possible because I know from last year that Turkey is a really tough rally – but I'm up for the challenge. I'm hoping to have good progression during the rally and that I'll be able to be more competitive now that I've got some experience under my belt."

Rally Guide / Details / Event Website

Posted: July 22, 2019 10:08 AM

Rally Turkey