Germany - 22-25 Aug 19

ASPHALT DEBUT FOR ALL-NEW FIESTA R5

Posted: August 17, 2019 5:58 PM

The all-new EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta R5 will made its asphalt debut within the FIA World Rally Championship at next weekend’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland – Éric Camilli and Benjamin Veillas taking to the wheel in the WRC 2 Pro class, while ‘Pedro’ and co-driver Emanuele Baldaccini compete in WRC 2.

Éric Camilli said:
“Rallye Deutschland is a very special event for me. It’s where I made my debut in the FIA World Rally Championship, and we’ve had some really good performances since then – including a win with the original Ford Fiesta R5 in 2017. And now, I’m looking forward to giving the all-new Fiesta its first official outing on Tarmac.

“The biggest challenge in Germany is to understand the grip levels because they are changing all the time. There is always a lot of cutting at this event which makes the roads very dirty – and that’s never easy to manage at high speed on narrow roads!

“The competition will be very high, but our goal is to deliver a strong performance and fight for the top times. We will work hard to produce our best – to get a good result and show the true potential of the car.”

‘Pedro’ said:
“We’re honoured to be one of only two crews to drive the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 on its WRC asphalt debut. I will have my first experience driving the car during our pre-event test on Monday, and I know the team have worked very hard to create another fantastic machine. I take this opportunity to thank everyone at M-Sport who has made this dream possible.

"Rallye Deutschland is a very difficult and demanding rally with lots of variation – with flat and fast roads like those in Panzerplatte and those in the middle of the very complicated vineyards. The conditions always change a lot from the reconnaissance, and at high speed we will have to be careful not to lose the pace and concentration.

"It is a rally that we have never done, but we are confident of making a good race. Clearly we cannot think of challenging for the top times – we are competing against the future stars of our sport and to predict a winner is so difficult – but as far as I'm concerned, I can't wait to get behind the wheel of the new Fiesta!”

M-Sport - TIME TO TACKLE THE TARMAC

Posted: August 16, 2019 3:46 PM

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs have been transformed into their asphalt guise and are ready to tackle the Tarmac – geared up for the tenth round of the FIA World Rally Championship at next weekend’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

With Elfyn Evans still recovering from a back injury sustained last month, the championship’s youngest team mates are back at the forefront – 25-year-old Teemu Suninen and 22-year-old Gus Greensmith both keen to show their progression on one of the sport’s most demanding sealed?surface events.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
“Having challenged for the top results last time out on asphalt, we’ll be looking to build on that next week. Obviously it’s a shame not to have Elfyn. We know how competitive he would have been here, but his fitness is the top priority and we’re still capable of a strong result with our young and ambitious team.

“Teemu had a really good performance in Corsica, and also in Germany last year. With his karting background he’s no slouch when it comes to Tarmac and we’ve seen him really progress on this surface. After watching some of his footage from the test, he was certainly committed and I’m excited to see what he can do next week.

“Gus feels most at home on asphalt and it will be interesting to see what he can do on his sealed-surface debut with the top-specification Fiesta. He was really strong in Monte-Carlo earlier this year and although next week’s focus will be on experience, I think we could see him getting a lot closer to the top guys.”

RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND THREE RALLIES IN ONE
Rallye Deutschland has long been considered three rallies in one – and one of the toughest Tarmac tests the FIA World Rally Championship has to offer.

The stages vary from narrow tracks that twist through the region’s famous vineyards, to fast country lanes and the broken asphalt of the notorious Baumholder military range – better known as Panzerplatte.

The challenge is found in mastering each change in rhythm and adopting the right set-up for the right stage. Unpredictable weather can often make the going even tougher, and focus is key – especially in Panzerplatte where one wrong move will be punished by concrete blocks known as ‘hinkelsteins’ that line the road.

Competitors also rely heavily on their route note crews to report any change in the condition of the stages. Dirt and gravel are often dragged onto the racing line – thus producing treacherous and slippery conditions that catch out even the most experienced.

TEEMU SUNINEN JARMO LEHTINEN
Loose-surface rallying may be more familiar to the Finns, but with a background in karting Teemu Suninen is no stranger when it comes to Tarmac. The young Finn secured a top-five finish on his previous outing at Rallye Deutschland – and repeated the feat at the Tour de Corse earlier this year. With experienced co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen alongside, he’ll be hoping to build on those performances next week.

Teemu Suninen said:
“Rallye Deutschland is a really demanding rally, but I feel ready for the challenge. We had a good run last time out on Tarmac, and I hope we can build on that next week.

“We’ve had a day and a half testing to find the best set-ups on the car, and the feeling is really good. Of course it’s impossible to be on the limit all the time at an event like this, but if we stay focused I think we can have a good rally.

“The route note crews will also be really important next week – and I think this is the most important event for them after Rallye Monte-Carlo. There is always a lot of cutting here which brings a lot of dirt onto the road. The conditions can change so much from one corner to the next, and that means a lot of changes in the notes.”

GUS GREENSMITH ELLIOTT EDMONDSON
Gus Greensmith and Elliott Edmondson will make their asphalt debut with the top?specification Fiesta at next week’s Rallye Deutschland. The young Brits were victorious on their previous sealed-surface outing – impressing with the Ford Fiesta R5 at the season opener in Monte-Carlo – and are now keen to show their potential at the sport’s highest level.

Gus Greensmith said:
“I’m really excited for this one – Tarmac is the surface I grew up on, so this is my kind of territory. I thought the Ford Fiesta WRC was quick on gravel – but it’s another level on Tarmac!

“I’ve had a day and a half testing in Germany to prepare, and everything has been really promising so far. I felt immediately more comfortable with the Fiesta WRC on Tarmac, and the feeling behind the wheel was truly special.

“Being a Tarmac event the margins are smaller and everything feels that little more on the edge. But our focus is on gaining the full experience of the rally, and if I’m relaxed I’m confident the times will come too.”

VERSATILITY CHALLENGE FOR THE C3 WRC

Posted: August 16, 2019 3:45 PM

Round ten of the WRC season sees the championship return to tarmac. Citroën Total World Rally Team crews Sébastien Ogier – Julien Ingrassia and Esapekka Lappi – Janne Ferm will be hoping to play one of the leading roles at this tough, multi-faceted test.

Having secured a podium on their very first outing in a WRC – finishing third in a C4 in 2010 – followed up with a win a year later whilst still competing for Citroën and then two other outright victories, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia have always performed very strongly at this rally, where their ability to read the road has proven invaluable. One of only two rounds exclusively contested on a sealed surface along with the Tour de Corse, it nonetheless provides a completely different challenge to the French event and is one where Citroën has often shown their credentials (12 wins, 11 of which in the WRC). It is therefore no surprise that the six-time world champions come into this event with the firm intention of pursuing their progress in the championship.

Having claimed a stage win on their first outing in Germany in a WRC in 2017, Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm went even better last year, grabbing another stage win on their way to a fine third place overall. As things stand, their 2018 performance remains their only podium finish on tarmac in the WRC. And yet, this round is one of their favourites, due to the constant changes in grip and road surface. Boosted by their strong recent performance in Finland, where they finished as runners-up, Esapekka and Janne will be focusing on consistency as they seek to pick up where they left off in Scandinavia. Their seventh position in the running order may however prove to be a disadvantage, especially if there is rain, as slippery mud tends to get dragged onto the roads as more cars come through the stages.

With four days of dedicated pre-event testing held on stages that are representative of those contested during the event, the Citroën Total World Rally Team enjoyed hard-working and instructive preparations. The team tested on a wide variety of road types and was also fortunate to experience changeable weather conditions, always useful for this kind of event. It also ran through some final checks on the engine upgrade due to be introduced at this round, on which it used an upgrade token.

REACTIONS FROM…

Pierre Budar, Citroën Racing Team Principal
“After our second place in Finland, the aim will be to keep up the momentum here at this rather unusual tarmac event. We’ll be looking to secure at least another podium and also for Sébastien to score as heavily as possible for the championship. Since the last tarmac rally in Corsica, we’ve understood a few things on this surface and have worked incredibly hard to correct the issues. I’m therefore hoping that we’ll be back towards the top of the leaderboard at this round, especially as it is a rally that we know very well. We’ll also be introducing an engine upgrade on the C3 WRC at this event.”

Sébastien Ogier, Citroën Total WRT driver
“My aim coming into this round in Germany, a rally where I have always performed very well, is to secure a good result and shift the momentum a little bit in the championship. We had several types of weather conditions during testing and that’s always positive. The fact that we will be tackling the military base stage in the opposite direction to normal might make it a decisive test again, even though in the last few years the need to manage the tyres has meant we’ve been unable to push really hard. It is still a tricky section, like a lot of the rally itself. The risk of picking up a puncture is higher than usual, with the many curbs on the roads in the vineyards and the small, sharp stones that end up on the road surface in Baumholder.”

Number of appearances at the event: 10
Number of wins: 3 (2011, 2015 and 2016)

Esapekka Lappi, Citroën Total WRT driver
“My test in June was very successful. In addition to half a day in the military base, I had a full day on a good test base, with a little bit of everything we can expect road surface-wise during the race, and I felt comfortable in the C3 WRC. But it’s always difficult to know where you are compared to your rivals. In the meantime, I also spent the day at Satory, and that allowed me to get my bearings back on tarmac. So I feel ready and I think that on this kind of tricky rally, as well as having good speed, you need to be consistent given the number of incidents that invariably occur. The podium I secured last year showed just that.”

Number of appearances at the event: 5
Best result: 3rd (2018)

KEY FIGURES

19 timed stages covering a total of 344.04 km
2nd – the C3 WRC‘s best result in Germany (2017)
36 Michelin tyres, to be chosen from 32 hard compound, 26 soft compound and 12 rain tyres.
12 consecutive wins by Citroën at Rallye Deutschland: between 2001 and 2006 with Xsara WRC, from 2007 to 2010 with C4 WRC, and from 2011 to 2013 with DS3 WRC, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia having won the 2011 rally.

RALLY DEUTSCHLAND SCHEDULE (GMT+2)
This event is often regarded as actually being three rallies in one. One part of the route features very narrow, technical stages lined with pavements that wind through steep hills of the Mosel vineyards. Another part takes the crews through the countryside of the former French department of the Sarre, with a series of tight hairpins, whilst Saturday’s leg is famous for the stages held in the Baumholder military base, where the bumpy, concrete roads are hard on both the tyres and the cars’ damper systems.

The 2019 rally will be no exception to the rule, with day one unchanged compared with 2018 (101.42km of timed stages). The main difference at this year’s event is the fact that both stages held in the Baumholder military base will be contested in the opposite direction to usual. They have also been grouped together in the second loop on Saturday, which may enable a more specific set-up to be chosen for each loop and the different surfaces found on the stages contested in the morning and afternoon. In any case, with a competitive distance of 157.92km, this leg is certain once again to provide the weekend’s heavyweight challenge. Sunday, however, will be no walk in the park. The final leg includes two runs on the long Grafschaft stage, (28.06km) with all the difficulties specific to the Mosel vineyards roads, whilst Dhrontal, the other stage contested, returns to its 2016 configuration.

The weather often plays a pivotal role at this summer round, as conditions can change very quickly. Heavy showers can be extremely localised, meaning that getting your tyre choice right can prove decisive. When it does rain, the roads – left dirty by the passing farm machinery and wine-growing vehicles – can quickly turn into an ice rink, with highly inconsistent grip levels that are difficult to read…

Hyundai Motorsport Preview – Round 10: Rallye Deutschland

Posted: August 16, 2019 8:47 AM

Hyundai Motorsport returns home for Rallye Deutschland, round ten of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, aiming for a strong result from all three of its crews at the second proper tarmac rally of the year.

Rally Finland marked one of the toughest challenges of the season for Hyundai Motorsport, however the team enjoyed a satisfying outing at the Jyväskylä-based event to retain its lead of the manufacturers’ championship with five events of the season remaining.

Rallye Deutschland sees a return to tarmac competition for the first time since Tour de Corse at the end of March, an event from which Hyundai Motorsport emerged victorious. The German round comprises twisty vineyard tracks in the Mosel, smooth Saarland countryside, and multi-surface military roads. The infamous roadside Hinkelsteins can be tricky to avoid, especially when unpredictable weather is added into the mix.

Hyundai Motorsport will field a three-crew line-up for Germany. Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio return to the helm of the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC for the first time since taking victory at Rally Italia Sardegna in June, alongside Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul and Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger-Amland.

The trio have all tested the car on tarmac ahead of Rallye Deutschland as the team prepares to continue its momentum in the manufacturers’ championship battle in the final events of the season.

Team Director Andrea Adamo said: “We are excited to compete in our home event and build on our recent good form. Dani returns for his first event since his win in Sardinia, and he has always been on the pace at Rallye Deutschland in the past. Andreas is coming off the back of two very positive gravel events and we hope he will tackle tarmac with that same energy. We took victory in the first tarmac rally of the year on Corsica, and we have been working hard to be able to challenge for the win again in Germany.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (#11 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Belgians set sights on Rallye Deutschland victory
Three previous podiums for Hyundai Motorsport in Germany, including a win in 2014

Neuville said: “Germany is a very challenging event due to the fact that you have three different days with very different characteristics. You have the vineyards, the Saarland stages and the famous Baumholder stages. In addition to that, the weather plays a key role in the result of the rally and the past editions have always been surprisingly wet. That makes it hard to choose the right tyres. We will be pushing to fight at the front and challenge for victory.”

Crew Notes: Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger-Amland (#89 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Fine fourth place finish for Norwegian crew in Finland
Crew aiming for consistency at first tarmac event of the year

Mikkelsen said: “Rallye Deutschland is a beautiful rally, and it will represent our first time on tarmac for quite a while. The rally contains three contrasting days. The Mosel valley and the vineyards are very tricky stages, and then we have the military area, which needs a completely different type of driving before the countryside stages. All are very different, but enjoyable. It’s important to find consistency and score as many points as possible to help the team maintain the lead of the championship.”

Crew Notes: Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Spanish crew return for the first time since Sardinia victory
Aiming to be on the pace from the beginning in Germany

Sordo said: “Germany is always a nice rally and really special because of the different road profiles. The Baumholder stages in particular are famous for their concrete roads that can wear the tyres, as well as the Hinkelsteins and hairpin turns. I have won here in the past and been on the podium many times. Normally I am on the pace every year, so I hope this year will be the same.”

Weekend at a glance

19 stages run over a competitive distance of 343.95km
Action begins on Thursday with the 5.2km St Wendeler Land sprint
Six stages on Friday cover a distance of 101.42km through the Mosel vineyards
Saturday is the longest distance of the rally, with eight stages spanning a whopping 157.92km in the Saarland countryside and the intimidating Baumholder military zone
Sunday will see crews return to the vineyards to complete two runs of the Grafschaft and Dhrontal stages.

Toyota Yaris WRC ready to master the varied roads of Germany

Posted: August 16, 2019 8:46 AM

The Toyota Yaris WRC returns to asphalt for round 10 of the 2019 season in Germany, where drivers Ott Tänak, Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke will take on the demanding and diverse roads of Rallye Deutschland (August 22-25). Fresh from victory on Rally Finland, Tänak is targeting his third Germany win in as many years as he seeks to further increase his 22-point lead in the drivers’ championship.

Rallye Deutschland features three distinct types of stage: Twisting roads through the Mosel vineyards, the fearsome Baumholder military training area with numerous surface changes, plus fast and narrow country lanes around the service park at the Bostalsee lake in the Saarland region. The weather is often changeable, further complicating tyre choices and car set-up.

This year the rally begins from the service park, with Thursday evening’s opening stage to take place on nearby roads that drivers will have practiced on during shakedown earlier in the day. Friday’s leg is unchanged from last year, with two loops consisting of a pair of vineyard tests and the Wadern-Weiskirchen road?circuit?on the way back to service. Saturday has a new format, beginning with two country-lane stages each run twice in the morning, followed by two loops around Baumholder – including the 41.17-kilometre Panzerplatte – separated by an additional 15-minute service. Two repeated stages back in the vineyards round out the rally on Sunday.

Quotes:
Tommi Mäkinen (Team Principal)
“Our fantastic result in Finland was really important for both championships, and we all hope that we can continue that form in Germany. We were strong there last year, and Ott has won the rally for the last two seasons, so we are feeling confident about our chances as a team of another top result. It’s a rally where there’s a lot that can catch a driver out, whether it’s in the vineyards or the Baumholder roads, so you need to have confidence in your car and be very focused to avoid mistakes.”

Martin Järveoja and Ott Tänak
Ott Tänak (Driver car 8)
“Germany is obviously a rally that I like a lot. Martin and I have won there two years in a row and our target this year is definitely to make it three. It’s certainly not an easy rally: I think last year was one of the most difficult wins in my career, as the competition was very strong and I had to push really hard from the beginning. It’s a big challenge for a driver to have so many different types of road in one rally, and to try to be fast on all of them and not make any mistakes. We know that the weather is often a big factor as well, and it can be very hard to predict.”

Miikka Anttila and Jari-Matti Latvala
Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 10)
“It was really good to get the podium finish in Finland, and it means that I have a more relaxed feeling going to Germany. Last year we were up to second place when we had a problem on the final day and had to retire, so we know that we can be strong there. I’m really excited to see how we will do and I hope we can be fighting for the podium places again. The last asphalt rally in Corsica was difficult for me but we really worked on this in our test in Germany before Rally Finland: We were working on the braking and the turning, and I had a good feeling in the car.”

Seb Marshall and Kris Meeke
Kris Meeke (Driver car 5)
“After a run of gravel events, I’m really looking forward to competing on asphalt again. I’ve had a great feeling with the Yaris WRC so far on asphalt and I hope that we can find that again in Germany. It’s always a really demanding event because of the three different types of terrain and, on top of that, the weather is often changing from one stage to the next. But it’s a rally where I’ve been competitive in the past and I really hope that we can secure a good result for the team.”

Hyundai Motorsport announces Rallye Deutschland line-up

Posted: August 8, 2019 7:28 AM

Hyundai Motorsport has confirmed a three-car line-up for its home event, Rallye Deutschland, the tenth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

The team’s trio of crews for Germany will be Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul, Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger-Amland and Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio.

As always, the selection has been made based on the team’s philosophy to enter the strongest composition of drivers for each individual event, in a bid to secure the best combined result possible for the manufacturers’ championship.

Team Director Andrea Adamo said: “After having seen the most recent rallies, and having done a projection for the final part of the season, we think that Thierry/Nicolas, Andreas/Anders and Dani/Carlos will give us our strongest line-up for Germany. I trust my people a lot and I have been amazed at the performances from the crews in the first half the season. I think this is the best choice we can make, to put us in a position to secure the best result possible in our fight for the manufacturers’ championship.”

Rallye Deutschland will be the first tarmac event since Tour de Corse at the end of March, which was won by Neuville. The rally takes place just a few hours’ drive from Hyundai Motorsport’s Alzenau base, and will run August 22-25.

GREENSMITH IN FOR EVANS IN GERMANY

Posted: August 8, 2019 7:21 AM

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Elfyn Evans will miss the next round of the FIA World Rally Championship as he continues to recover from the back injury sustained earlier this month.

The Welshman had to forgo last weekend’s Neste Rally Finland and has been advised not to contest the forthcoming ADAC Rallye Deutschland – ensuring he makes a complete recovery and is back to full strength upon his return to the championship.

Once again, Gus Greensmith and Elliott Edmondson will stand in for Evans and co-driver Scott Martin. The German fixture will mark the young Brits’ third outing with the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC – and their first on asphalt.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
“Elfyn is understandably frustrated not to be back in Germany – especially at such a critical point in the season. We all know what he would have been capable of here, but his health is the most important factor and we need to ensure he is fully recovered and 100 percent fit before getting back behind the wheel. He’s doing everything he can to aid the healing process, and we hope to have him back in time for Turkey.

“Gus made a positive debut with the top-specification Fiesta on gravel, and we were keen to give him the same opportunity on asphalt. We’ve been working with him for a number of years now, and I know that he and Elliott will make the most of the experience. They impressed everyone at Rallye Monte-Carlo earlier this year, and I think we could see some great progress from them on this surface.”

Gus Greensmith said:
“Like everyone else, I was hoping Elfyn would be back for this one. I feel really sorry for him, but it’s important that he makes a full recovery. I’m proud that Malcolm and Rich trust me to fill the seat again – it’s another huge opportunity and I want to say thank you to them and the team.

“There’s no denying that asphalt is my preferred surface, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do with the Ford Fiesta WRC in Germany. It’s an event where I have a lot of experience and Elfyn has already proven how competitive the car is on this surface. I also won my last rally on Tarmac, and think I’ll be able to get a lot closer to the top guys.

“I’ll share a three-day test with Teemu next week to get used to the car on Tarmac, and I plan to make the most of every kilometre. Malcolm and Rich were happy with the approach I took into Rally Finland, and I plan to do the same in Germany – building our speed with every stage.”

Rally Guide / Details / Event Website

Posted: July 9, 2019 10:19 AM

Rally Germany