Bulgaria (J) - 9-11 July 10

Chris Patterson wins 'Sprit of the Rally'

Posted: July 16, 2010 8:14 AM

Chris Patterson, has been presented with the 'Abu Dhabi Sprit of the Rally' award for Rally Bulgaria after an outstanding debut as Petter Solberg's co-driverm finishing 3rd overall.

Report on wrc.com

Photos

Posted: July 13, 2010 12:15 PM

Enda Healy Photos

The Citroën Total WRT scores its first double of the 2010 season

Posted: July 13, 2010 12:13 PM

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena laid the foundations of their victory during the first two days of the rally. At the end of the final stages of Rally Bulgaria they racked up their 58th world championship win. Despite being under constant pressure from Petter Solberg, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti held on to their second place giving the Citroën Total World Rally Team its first double of the 2010 season.

Thanks to Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier, Citroën scored the first one-two-three-four in its history in the FIA World Rally Championship.

After a couple of fairly long days, the final leg of Rally Bulgaria was much shorter with two stages to be covered twice. The sun shining on the Bulgarian mountains left no doubt as to the choice of tyres – hard Pirelli P-Zeros for everybody!

Sébastien Loeb had a 40-second lead over Dani Sordo when he left the parc fermé so he could afford just to hold on to his position on the final day. The six-time world champion lost a handful of seconds in the first two stages:
“It’s an ideal situation but I don’t really feel very comfortable when I have to ensure my place. You can always puncture or make a mistake. I’ll try to stay concentrated and enjoy the stages. My C4 is quite simply perfect and it’s sheer magic to drive in these conditions.”

For Sordo, on the other hand, the third day looked a lot more fraught. The Spaniard had only a 4.7s lead over Petter Solberg, and he had no choice but to push to keep his position. In Muhovo 1 (SS14), the Norwegian pulled back 9/10s but Dani hit back in Slavovitsa 1 (SS15). He took 2.7s off his rival and arrived in the Dolna Banya service park with 6.5s in hand:
“I’m going to have to keep on pushing as I know that Petter will give nothing away. He drove very well in the first loop, but I wasn’t too slow either!”

The Sordo / Solberg duel continued in the next two stages. Dani fended off all his rival’s attacks and kept his second place:
“I’ve achieved my aim in this rally. Seb made a decisive break in the opening stages and once again he was the quickest this weekend. My role was to bag as many points as possible for Citroën for the Manufacturers’ World Championship title, and I also wanted to win my duel with Petter. My second podium on the trot has boosted my confidence for the rest of the season.”

Loeb kept up the same pace to score his 58th WRC victory increasing his lead in the Drivers’ World Championship to 49 points:
“It’s all gone off like a dream, really. We began with a good first day and we consolidated our position on the next one. Today was a bit more relaxed! I like the first Rally Bulgaria! It’s got good stages that highlight the qualities of the drivers and the cars. Bravo to Dani who drove a great race.”

Thanks to the third and fourth places of Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier, Citroën scored the first onetwo- three-four in its history in the FIA World Rally Championship.
“This overall result is the best proof of the qualities of our C4 WRCs, whether they’re works cars or entrusted to privateers. Seb’s and Dani’s double has helped Citroën to open up a big lead in the Manufacturers’ World Championship, so the principal aim’s been achieved,” underlined Olivier Quesnel, the Citroën Racing Team Principal

Success as Ford Fiesta Super 2000 Premiers on Tarmac

Posted: July 13, 2010 12:05 PM

This weekend marked the first time that M-Sport and Ford’s first global rally car, the Ford Fiesta Super 2000, contested an all-tarmac WRC round.

Despite Bulgaria not acting as an official Super 2000 World Rally Championship (S-WRC) round, Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor and Dennis Kuipers/Fred Miclotte produced first and second place finishes in the Group N category whilst also gaining valuable experience of the new generation rally car on asphalt.

Henning Solberg, the first WRC driver to experience tarmac in both a Ford Focus RS WRC and a Ford Fiesta Super 2000 car, got off to a solid start in the opening day of Rally Bulgaria, pulling into the end of day service just 57.8 seconds behind his Stobart M-Sport Ford team-mate, Matthew Wilson.

Bulgaria was the first time that Dennis Kuipers had driven a Super 2000 on tarmac and the 24-year-old Dutchman reported difficulties with his car’s set-up in the opening four rounds. Kuipers, therefore, adopted a cautious driving approach on his first day and finished in nineteenth position overall.

Tyre choice proved critical on the second day of Rally Bulgaria but Kuipers and Solberg decided to try different tyres. Solberg opted for Pirelli’s hard compound PZero tyres whereas Kuipers went for the soft tyres. This decision benefited Kuipers during Friday’s opening stage which was wet and slippery, suiting the soft tyres which held a better grip on asphalt. During the midday service, Solberg’s mechanics changed the power steering pump due to a reported leakage during SS6.

By Saturday afternoon, the rising temperatures meant that the repeat loop no longer favoured Kuiper’s tyre choice but were better suited to Solberg’s hard compound tyres. Kuipers reported that he had no problems for the first 15km of SS8 but for the remainder of the stage, his tyres were too hot which meant he struggled with grip. Despite this, Kuipers managed to find a good setting during the final two stages on Saturday afternoon and both drivers pulled into the end of day service in high spirits.

During Saturday’s end of day service, Kuiper’s dampers were changed and Solberg’s throttle cable was replaced. By the end of day two, Solberg remained in tenth position and Kuipers had moved up the leader board and was sitting in fifteenth position overall. Only five seconds separated the 24-year-old driver and former Formula One Champion, Kimi Raikkonen, who was in fourteenth position.

Hot weather greeted the S2000 crews for the final day of Rally Bulgaria and both drivers went for hard compound tyres to suit the hotter road surfaces. Neither Kuipers or Solberg were prepared to take any big risks during the final four stages but Kuipers reported a perfect set-up on the car for the final day. The young Dutchman successfully moved up two positions, finishing Rally Bulgaria thirteenth overall and second in the Group N category. Solberg was first in the Group N category and an impressive tenth place overall.

Henning Solberg said:
“The [Ford Fiesta] S2000 car is very good news for us and for the WRC. It is very controlled on tarmac and I think the smaller car is well suited on tarmac. If only the S2000 had a turbo - it’d be a tough car to beat on this road surface! I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the S2000 next month for Rally Germany, especially now that I have found a good rhythm in the car. I’ve already contested Germany in a [Ford] Focus before so will know what to expect in terms of the stages next time.”

Dennis Kuipers said:
“My main aim this year is to get to know the [Ford Fiesta] Super 2000 and to get used to driving the car. I struggled with the set up on Friday but everything ran much smoother on Saturday and Sunday. The set up felt great today and on the final stages, I was getting very good grip. I didn’t want to take any big risks this weekend and I think this strategy paid off as I improved my position on the final leader board each day. Clean driving and set up proved to be the most important factors for this event.”

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:
“I was interested to see how the Ford Fiesta Super 2000 would fair on tarmac and judging from Henning’s feedback and from the results, it seems to have been very successful. Dennis did really well finishing thirteenth overall, this is the first time he’s driven on tarmac in this car so it’s a very impressive result.”

Andersson Secures Solid Start for Stobart in Bulgaria

Posted: July 13, 2010 12:04 PM

New Stobart M-Sport Ford team-mate, Per-Gunnar Andersson and co-driver Jonas Andersson, put in a strong performance in Bulgaria over the weekend as the duo contested the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Focus RS WRC for the first time.

The 30-year-old Swedish driver took a cautious approach in the opening day but steadily improved during the three-day event producing a series of impressive stage times in a new car and road surface he has not driven on since Rallye de France in 2008.

Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin had not driven on asphalt in their Ford Focus RS WRC since Rally de Espana last year and the duo struggled to adapt to the fast, tarmac road surfaces. However, at the end of day one, Wilson had moved up a ranking and finished the day in ninth position. Andersson finished the end of day one in a comfortable seventh position overall.

Changeable weather on day two meant the Stobart crews started SS5 with different tyres as Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin opted for soft compound Pirelli PZero tyres whereas team-mates, P-G Andersson/Jonas Andersson, chose hard compound tyres.

Both drivers reported that Saturday’s road conditions were dirty and their Ford Focus RS WRCs struggled in several wet patches and fog towards the end of the stage. Andersson struggled with grip on the slippery road surface on SS5 as a result of using hard tyres but despite this, completed the stage 5.2 seconds ahead of Wilson.

Andersson steadily improved his times throughout SS6 and finished the 18.13km stage sixth-fastest overall, 0.4 seconds ahead of BP Ford Abu Dhabi’s Mikko Hirvonen and 1.2 seconds quicker than Raikkonen. Wilson was less fortunate on SS6 when the young Briton incurred a ten second penalty for a jump start when their car’s launch system malfunctioned.

The final stage on Saturday morning was cancelled as spectators blocked the finish and delayed the morning’s proceedings by over 50 minutes. This was disappointing for Andersson whose hard tyres would have suited the stage conditions perfectly. However, changed weather conditions for SS8 meant the Swedish driver adopted a more confident driving approach and significantly improved his stage times, completing the afternoon’s opening 27.46km stage over one minute faster than he did on the first pass.

Team-mates Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin continued to use soft compound Pirelli PZero tyres in the afternoon but they proved tough on the fast, flowing tarmac in SS7 so they made a last minute decision to swap to the hard compound tyres for the final two stages of the day. Both drivers completed the final stages on Saturday with no major problems and consolidated their positions safely inside the top ten.

Sunshine greeted the Stobart crews for the final day of Rally Bulgaria and both crews opted for Pirelli’s hard compound PZero tyres in an attempt to conquer the increasingly hot asphalt road surfaces. The conditions bode well with Andersson who was sixth-fastest in SS11, just 5.8 seconds off Hirvonen. The quick stage time meant that the gap between Andersson in seventh and BP Ford Abu Dhabi’s Jari-Matti Latvala in sixth position had been reduced to just under a minute.

Wilson encountered no major problems on the final day and drove sensibly to consolidate his ninth place position whilst team-mate Andersson finished seventh overall, unable to catch up on Latvala in the penultimate stages.

After a tough adjustment to the first all-tarmac round of the season, the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team leave Rally Bulgaria with eight points and remain fourth in the manufacturers’ championship table.

Stobart M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson said:
“I struggled this weekend as it took me longer than I thought to get used to the feeling of driving on tarmac. It’s been a long time since I’d driven on asphalt and the stages here are very, very fast. It’s been a good learning curve for me. The remaining three tarmac rallies should be better for us though - we know some of the stages and I think the car will work better for us. I’ll be looking at the data from this rally with my engineers over the next fortnight to see how I can improve my performance on tarmac going forward.”

Stobart M-Sport Ford driver P-G Andersson said:
“I really enjoyed myself this weekend and by yesterday [Saturday], I was feeling much more confident with the handling of the car. I was really pleased with some of my split times on both Saturday and today [Sunday]. I had a few minor problems with my pace notes this morning but drove safe this afternoon to ensure I wouldn’t make any silly mistakes that could cost me valuable time. I’m just really happy with how everything went and delighted to have been given the chance to drive the [Ford] Focus for this event.”

Stobart M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“I’m really pleased with how P-G has performed in the Focus this weekend. He’s been very sensible and had a mature first drive, gradually getting used to the car and making steady progress. He improved his times significantly on Saturday afternoon and did well to keep up with some of the other, more experienced drivers. Matthew also put in a solid performance this weekend - it’s been a long time since he’s driven on tarmac so it’s only natural that it took him a bit of time to adjust to the new road surface.”

Ogier and Räikkönen show their class

Posted: July 13, 2010 12:01 PM

The eagerly awaited first asphalt round of the World Rally Championship allowed the two Citroën Junior Team crews to show their potential. At the end of the Rally Bulgaria, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia formed part of a historic one-two-three-four formation finish for Citroën, while Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström set some top stage times.

While Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia’s objective was to maintain their fourth place overall today, Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström still needed to push to claim 10th place and the one World Championship drivers’ point that came with it. As the result of a 10-minute penalty after going off the road at the end of the opening day, Kimi and Kaj started the day in 14th place: 2m46.5s off the 10th place that was held by Henning Solberg.

On the first stage, the Finns got back more than 40 seconds, followed by another 35 seconds on the following stage. This was enough to place them 11th.
“We’re pushing hard again today,” said Kimi.
“Everything went well although I had a slightly strange feeling on the second stage. The team is going to change the front anti-roll bar at service.”
Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia held onto their overall position.
“After losing a minute on the first day, we can’t fight with Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg anymore,” explained Sébastien.
“That’s a pity, but it also allows us to concentrate on understanding our Citroën C4 WRC in asphalt specification. We’re trying out some settings that maybe we wouldn’t have risked if we were in the middle of a tight battle and that’s very good for our learning process.”

On the final loop of stages, Kimi continued reducing the gap to the top 10 by taking more than 45 seconds from Henning Solberg in Muhovo 2. But the Finn made a small mistake on the final stage and had to settle for 11th overall in the end. “At least we tried!” he said at the finish. “Our feeling with the car was very good throughout the rally and that’s extremely positive for what is only our first asphalt event. We keep on learning and I have the feeling that we’re making progress now.”

Sébastien Ogier eventually finished fourth behind three more Citroën C4 WRCs, having set fastest time on the final stage. The Frenchman was able to draw an extremely positive conclusion from the first asphalt rally of the season.
“It’s a great result for the championship,” he said. “We’ve shown as of now that we’re able to fight for a podium on asphalt, which is extremely promising for the rest of the season. Now we’re going to concentrate on the forthcoming Rally Finland, which we’ll be contesting for the first time with the Citroën Total World Rally Team. ”

Team manager Benoit Nogier concluded:
“It’s been another good day for the Citroën Junior Team and yet another rally without any technical problems for us. That’s a great tribute to the whole team, which has once more prepared the two Citroën C4 WRCs perfectly. The team’s performance on Friday night, which allowed Kimi to restart the rally on Saturday, was equally remarkable. Citroën has again shown that asphalt is a very strong surface for the brand, while our two drivers have displayed some fascinating potential for the future.”

J-WRC Report

Posted: July 13, 2010 11:56 AM

J-WRC Round up

Ford Focus duo takes double points haul in Rally Bulgaria

Posted: July 13, 2010 11:52 AM

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished fifth and sixth respectively in Rally Bulgaria today. It was the first occasion that Bulgaria has hosted a round of the FIA World Rally Championship and the asphalt roads in the mountains near Sofia provided a stern test for the Focus RS World Rally Car pair.

Rally Bulgaria was the first sealed surface round of the WRC since October last year. It was based in Borovets, the country's old ski resort, and the route offered 14 speed tests covering 354.10km over three days of competition. One special stage was cancelled during the second leg for safety reasons, reducing the competitive distance to 329.24km. Blistering heat was expected but drivers encountered rain, fog and cool temperatures until the thermometer finally rose to higher levels on today's last leg.

Hirvonen ended the opening day in fourth, finding increased pace during the afternoon after lowering the suspension settings on his Focus RS WRC. However, he dropped a place on the leaderboard early in the second leg after a poor tyre choice. The team's detailed weather information provided by an expert weather service in Britain suggested dry conditions for the opening test, but Pirelli's hard compound PZero tyres were totally unsuited when the roads turned out to be wet.

The 29-year-old Finn lost a minute and, with no realistic opportunity of regaining that time, he settled for a solid points finish.
"I had a good feeling with the car and enjoyed the stages, which were extremely fast in places. But the times weren't as good as we hoped, so we have to keep working hard to improve. With no chance of moving up today, we tested a few things for future rallies. Today was better and I think we learned something that will help on the remaining asphalt rallies," he said.

"Fifth brings good points for the team but I hoped for more. Now I'm looking forward to my home rally in Finland later this month where I want to fight for a win," added Hirvonen.

Latvala ended the first day in fifth, just 10.3sec behind his team-mate, after stiffening his car's suspension settings midway through the leg. The 25-year-old Finn made the same tyre choice yesterday morning and also lost a minute, and a damaged power steering system in the afternoon loop cost another 30 seconds. He, too, settled for a cautious drive through the final leg.

"I tested soft compound tyres this morning as an experiment to see how they would work in these conditions," he said.
"The car was unbalanced and I switched to harder tyres for the final two stages. It was a difficult weekend but I had a clear run and made no mistakes. I can take confidence from finishing after my retirement in Portugal on the last round. I was hoping for a place in the top five, so I'm a little disappointed not to achieve that.

"My driving on asphalt has improved since last year. Earlier in the season I raced in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race and that helped on the asphalt here. When I drove on a circuit with other cars around and sometimes saw them going faster, I realised I might be taking the wrong line in some corners or could exit bends more quickly. It was a good learning process," he added.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson admitted he was disappointed with the weekend.
"We completed intensive testing during the summer and after all the hard work we hoped for better from this rally. However, I'm pleased to see that Jari-Matti has improved his pace on asphalt and that's a positive to take away from here with three more asphalt rallies to come," he said.

Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn said:
"To finish with both cars in the points is always good, but it doesn't hide the fact that this was a disappointing weekend. We're not happy with the performance of the car here and we know we need to do some work with our rally partners M-Sport to improve the performance."

The double points haul in this seventh round of the series keeps the BP Ford Abu Dhabi squad in second place in the manufacturers' championship. Hirvonen and Latvala remain third and fourth in the drivers' standings with six rounds remaining.

News from other Ford teams
Stobart M-Sport Ford debutants P-G Andersson and Jonas Andersson finished seventh in a Focus RS World Rally Car after a troublefree rally. Team-mates Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin were ninth. The Ford Fiesta S2000 clinched first and second in the Group N category. Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor were 10th overall in their debut in the orange car, with Dennis Kuipers and Fred Miclotte taking second in 13th overall.

Next round
The championship returns to gravel later this month for one of the sport's classic events. Rally Finland, complete with its high speed roller coaster jumps, is based in Jyväskylä on 29 - 31 July.

Results

Posted: July 13, 2010 11:49 AM

1. S Loeb/D Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) 3hr 02min 39.2sec
2. D Sordo/M Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) 3hr 03min 08.7sec
3. P Solberg/C Patterson (Citroen C4 WRC) 3hr 03min 15.5sec
4. S Ogier/J Ingrassia (Citroen C4 WRC) 3hr 04min 34.2sec
5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen (Ford Focus WRC) 3hr 05min 57.0sec
6. J-M Latvala/M Anttila (Ford Focus WRC) 3hr 07min 07.7sec
7. P-G Andersson/J Andersson (Ford Focus WRC) 3hr 08min 04.4sec
8. F Turan/G Lsiros (Peugeot 307 WRC) 3hr 09min 43.2sec
9. M Wilson/S Martin (Ford Focus WRC) 3hr 12min 07.8sec
10. H Solberg/I Minor (Ford Fiesta S2000) 3hr 15min 45.2sec

Full Results: www.wrc.com

Co-Drivers names on the cars again in WRC
Chris Patterson makes his debut with Petter Solberg this weekend.

Ford Fiesta S2000 crews braced for Bulgarian battle

Posted: July 4, 2010 7:53 PM

Two Ford Fiesta Super 2000 crews will make their way to Bulgaria next week to contest the brand new FIA World Rally Championship round.

Despite Bulgaria not acting as an official Super 2000 World Rally Championship (S-WRC) round, Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor and Dennis Kuipers/Fred Miclotte will both tackle the event in the Ford Fiesta Super 2000 to gain more experience of the new generation rally car on the first all-tarmac round of the season.

Solberg will be entered in the Eastern European event under the Stobart M-Sport Ford banner, but will not be nominated to score manufacturer points. Solberg will also compete in the Ford Fiesta S2000 at the WRC rounds in Germany, Spain and France later this year as he and co-driver Minor look to gain experience of the S2000 car on tarmac.

Dennis Kuipers will drive a Super 2000 on tarmac for the first time next week and will be partnered by Fred Miclotte who recently won the Geko Ypres Rally with Freddie Loix. The 24-year-old Dutchman is an M-Sport entry and made the transition to the Ford Fiesta S2000 this year after previously contesting in several European and WRC events in a Ford Focus RS WRC in both 2008 and 2009.
For the tarmac tests in Bulgaria the Ford Fiesta Super 2000s have been given approximately 30% stiffer suspension which has lowered the general ride height of the car by 80mm. Bigger brakes are also needed as tarmac requires extra grip, so the front brake disc diameter has been increased from 300mm to 355mm. The wheels have also been changed from 7” x 15” to 8” x 18”.

Event Summary

Bulgaria is a country with a long rally history and the Eastern European country has acted as a round in the European Rally Championship for over 40 years. This year, however, marks the debut of Rally Bulgaria as a round in the World Rally Championship calendar.

Rally HQ is based in the ski resort of Borovets, at the base of the Rila Mountain in southern Bulgaria. The service park is situated 25km from Borovets, at Dolna Banya.

Friday will mark the first full day of action and consists of four stages totalling 118.68km situated south of the service park. The opening Batak Lake stage (SS1 and SS3) is the longest of the rally at 31.77km and the last half of the tarmac stage winds round the picturesque Batak Lake. A twisty 27.57km stage beside the Belmeken Lake, rounds off the end of the morning and afternoon loop.

The second full day is the longest of the three day event at 140.90km and consists of a 27.46km stage, Sestrimo, (SS5 and SS8) based close to the Belmeken Lake that the teams had to visit on the first day. Peshtera (SS6 and SS9) is a 18.13km stage based south east of the service park and Lyubnitsa (SS7 and SS10) is a stage based north, consisting of 24.86km competitive distance.

The final day of Rally Bulgaria will see the S2000 crews travel to four stages totalling 94.52km north east of Dolna Banya. The opening Muhovo stage (SS11 and SS13) is the second longest of the event at 29.53km and Slavovitsa (SS12 and SS14) is the shortest of the rally at 17.73km.

Henning Solberg said:
“I’m looking forward to trying out the new Ford Fiesta Super 2000 car in Bulgaria as I’ve heard really good reports. It’s also good that Bulgaria is a new WRC round as it will help to give everyone an equal chance, especially for me as I will be in a car that I am not used to driving. It’ll be interesting to see how the car performs on tarmac surfaces too and this will provide good practice for me when I go out to the other tarmac rounds later in the season. I’m very happy to be given this opportunity and I hope to produce some fast stage times during this round.”

Dennis Kuipers said:
“Bulgaria is a totally new rally and the first time I have driven the [Ford Fiesta] Super 2000 on tarmac so it will be an interesting experience. I am pleased that Henning Solberg will be joining me in Bulgaria in another S2000 as I think that I will be able to learn a lot from him. It is good that Bulgaria is a new rally for everyone as it will hopefully give me a chance to finish in a high position. The stages look quite fast and the tarmac may be rough in places, making the settings of the car very important for this round.”

Henning Solbergs - Ford Fiesta S2000

Citroën Junior Team tastes Bulgarian asphalt

Posted: July 4, 2010 7:48 PM

The second part of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship gets underway with the Rally Bulgaria. On its World Championship debut, the Balkan country hosts the crews in the town of Borovets, the oldest ski resort in Bulgaria. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia and Kimi Räikkönen / Kaj Lindström will defend the colours of the Citroën Junior Team on the event.

Of the seven rallies still to come, four will be on asphalt. Two of them will be on known territory in Germany and Spain, while the other two are completely new events in Bulgaria and Alsace. In order to prepare for the second half of the season, with its strong asphalt bias, the Citroën Junior Team has been testing in France and also took part in the Rally della Lanterna in Italy.

“This has allowed our drivers to stay match fit so that they are in the best possible position heading into the second half of the season,” explained team manager Benoit Nogier. “We have been working on how to get the best use and performance out of Pirelli’s new tyres. This experience will be very useful for the rallies still to come.”

As the roads will be new for all the World Rally Championship competitors, the Citroën Junior Team crews will suffer less from their comparative lack of experience relative to the other crews. “It’s the first asphalt rally of the season,” added Nogier. “It’s not necessarily the surface that we’re going to be the most comfortable on. As has been the case since the start of the year, our objective is simply to take away as much experience as possible on the forthcoming rallies. That will be our watchword with Sébastien and Kimi.”

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, the winners of the recent Rally of Portugal continued their winning streak on the Rally della Lanterna. “That was a different type of thing, but it’s all good for the confidence,” said Ogier, who is currently second in the World Championship standings. “Rally Bulgaria will be new for everyone so we are at less of a disadvantage even though we still lack experience. From what we know the roads will be fast and quite flowing with a lot vegetation at the side of the stages. A lot of the corners will be hidden so it will be extremely important to have good pace notes.”

Ogier continued:
“The second half of the season might not be so easy for us. The goal for this first asphalt rally will be to make progress and again get closer to the frontrunners, while hoping that we can challenge for a podium.”

The best result for Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström so far has been fifth in Turkey, and now they get to discover a new surface.
“Now we start a new chapter,” said the former F1 World Champion. “After snow and gravel, here we are on asphalt. It’s something that I’m really looking forward to. I had a really good feeling during the tests and I hope to be able to show that on the roads in Bulgaria.”

Three questions to... Kimi Räikkönen

How did you get on with the Citroën C4 WRC on asphalt so far?
“I was keen to drive on asphalt since the very start of the season. From the very first few kilometres in testing, I had a really good feeling with the car. That feeling was confirmed when we took part in a rally in Italy, which I enjoyed hugely. Even if we missed out on victory on the final special stage, we can only be pleased with our performance. The whole team helped us a lot on our asphalt debut. The experience that we’ve built up since the start of the season is beginning to pay off.”

Is being on asphalt an advantage for you?
“Even though I’ve spent several seasons in Formula One, the asphalt you find on circuits is not at all comparable to what we will encounter in rallying. Formula One and rally are two completely different disciplines. In the WRC, we will be competing on a number of different asphalt rallies with very diverse characteristics. You can’t compare the Rally Bulgaria with the Catalunya Rally, or with the roads in Germany or France. In just one stage you can go from wide and flowing roads to narrow or bumpy sections. The grip levels change from one corner to another too. It’s also vital to have a good feeling with your co-driver and the pace notes, as well as being able to make the most of a well-balanced car. ”

What do you expect from the Rally Bulgaria?
“It’s certainly going to be a very different type of playing field, and that is one of the things I like most about rallying. The flip side of this is that rallying is a very hard sport for anybody new to it. This first asphalt rally of the season will be a very important part of my learning process in the WRC. I’ve realised that it vital to pick things up as you go along and not try to run before you can walk. My objective is to get to the finish and completely understand my Citroën C4 WRC. We’ll see where we are at the end of the first day and then try to close the gap to our rivals.”

The Citroën C4 WRCs’ first outing in Bulgaria

Posted: July 4, 2010 7:45 PM

After the first part of the season run exclusively on ice and gravel, the FIA World Rally Championship is back on asphalt. Rally Bulgaria, will be a new challenge for the Citroën Total World Rally Team as the event is on the WRC calendar for the first time. Sébastien Loeb et Daniel Elena, who are leading the Drivers’ World Championship, are out to score their fourth victory of the season, and to achieve this they will have to beat their team-mates, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, who are always very quick on this type of surface.

Rally Bulgaria, one of the flagship events of the European Rally Championship, has become part of the World Championship this season. Citroën has already won this event thanks to the victory of Bruno Thiry and his Xsara Kit-Car ten years ago. For Loeb / Elena and Sordo / Marti, the rally will be a totally new challenge.

“It’s difficult to know exactly what to expect as everybody who’s told me about this event has given me a different description!” laughs Dani Sordo. “Without anticipating what lies in store, we can say that the stages are wide and quick and that the surface isn’t always in the best of states. But no worries, the team knows the car so well that it’ll be able to find the right setups for the conditions we’ll have to cope with on the spot.”

Rally Bulgaria based in Borovets, the oldest ski resort in the country, will be run on the adjacent mountain roads. There are only fourteen stages in the event whose nerve centre will be the Dolna Banya aerodrome.

“There aren’t all that many stages and some of them use the same sections in one direction or the other,” Dani goes on. “Unlike on gravel, starting sixth on the road won’t be an advantage, especially if the other cars hitting the apexes spread a lot of gravel on the lines. However, we’re happy to be back in an event on asphalt. We haven’t run on this type of surface, on which we’ve always done well, in a rally for a long time.”

Sébastien Loeb who hasn’t been beaten in a 100% asphalt event since 2005 (!) will obviously start this new rally as favourite: “It’s true that we’ve always been pretty successful on asphalt. I’m more or less in the same case as Dani: I’ve had some information about the stages we’ll have to cope with, but I don’t really pay much heed as it doesn’t change anything concerning our preparation. We’ll find out during reconnaissance what the route is like.” For the two crews of the Citroën Total World Rally Team the aim is identical – to be in a position to go for victory to score the maximum number of points in both championships. Loeb with three victories, two second and a third place has a comfortable lead in the Drivers’ World Championship with 38 points in hand over Sébastien Ogier. Dani Sordo, whose season got off to a difficult start, currently lies sixth. In the Manufacturers’ ratings Citroën is in first place, 26 points in front of its nearest rival.

Three questions to Sébastien Loeb

Have you been able to relax a little in the five weeks since your last rally?
“When I see how little time I’ve spent at home, I don’t feel like I’ve had any holidays! Between the different test sessions, promotion work, a quick trip to the Le Mans 24 Hours and a GT race in France, I haven’t really had time to relax. And this weekend we’ll be in Sofia to put on a road show for the Bulgarians. But as I hate doing nothing, it’s probably just as well! I feel absolutely ready to tackle the second part of the season.”

Since your retirement due to mechanical failure in the 2004 Spanish rally, you haven’t been beaten in 100% asphalt rallies. So do you reckon that the result of Rally Bulgaria is a foregone conclusion?
“It would be a huge mistake to think like that! It’s true that asphalt is our favourite hunting ground, but we have to tackle this rally in a humble state of mind. We’re going to discover a new route which will certainly have its own specific character. We’ll have to cope with the weather as stages at 2000 metres above sea level can be upset by storms, and also there’s the choice between the Pirelli P-Zero softs and hards. As always when I start a rally my aim is victory. Even if it’s sometimes necessary, I don’t like pussy footing just to ensure a place finish if I know that I can win.”

Are you happy about the fact that the end of the season is mainly on asphalt?
“It’s all the more pleasant as last season we only raced in one true asphalt event! This year’s calendar is better balanced and I’m delighted that Rally Germany is back on it again. There’s also Rally France, which is going to be one of the high points of the season. We recently had a test session in the Vosges and I was amazed by the number of fans who turned up. I don’t even dare imagine what the ambience will be like in the rally in Alsace!”

Summer ends for Ford as WRC switches to asphalt in Bulgaria

Posted: July 4, 2010 7:43 PM

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team renews its FIA World Rally Championship campaign in Bulgaria next weekend after a six-week summer break. However, holiday opportunities were restricted as the team focused on preparations for the first asphalt round of the season and the championship's first visit to Rally Bulgaria (8 - 11 July).

After two wins for the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car from the opening six loose surface fixtures, the emphasis of the series changes noticeably during the second half of the season. The eastern European event is the first of four sealed-surface rallies in the final seven events. Drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila have geared their preparations accordingly for the first asphalt WRC round since Rally de España last October.

Hirvonen and Lehtinen won the Serbia Rally earlier this month, a non-championship encounter held on roads similar to those the Finns will discover in Bulgaria. They also covered 526km during two days' testing in southern France earlier this week, a follow-up to three days testing in England in May. Hirvonen also enjoyed a day's coaching with asphalt expert Rob Wilson, a former European FIA Endurance Touring Car champion. Latvala covered 460km of testing in France this week.

From 1970 until 2001 Rally Bulgaria was located in the Black Sea resorts of Zlatni Piassatzi and Albena. In 2002 it moved to the south-west of the country and is now based in the ski resort of Borovets at the foot of Rila Mountain, 60km from the capital city of Sofia. As it is the country's WRC debut, drivers have no previous experience of the speed tests to fall back on. However, Tim Jackson, Latvala's rally engineer, attended last year's candidate event to gather data.

"The special stages are very, very fast," he said. "The asphalt is broken in places and so the surface is frequently bumpy. It will be tricky for drivers to judge the surface changes and to get used to the high speeds. The roads are different to the asphalt the drivers have been used to in the WRC over the last few years. I would describe them as a mix of those found in Ireland and Corsica, with the speeds of Spain. The surface is closest to the roads in Corsica and it will be very slippery if it rains."

Hirvonen, 29, has viewed photographs and footage of the roads and admits it will be a tough rally. "The stages look fast and in that situation it's important to be careful with the car and yourself. A mistake on a fourth gear bend means you lose more momentum, and time, on the following long straight than a mistake on a first or second gear bend in a twisty section.

"I've completed plenty of asphalt work recently, to shake off the rust after a long time without a WRC rally on that surface and to improve my technique. Asphalt driving doesn't come as easily to me as it does on gravel. I know what to do but I need to get into the frame of mind where I do it automatically, without having to think about it. I identified areas in which I needed to improve and I feel good about my driving now," added Hirvonen. His only previous visit to Bulgaria was while driving home from April's Rally of Turkey when flights were grounded due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Latvala was also boosted by his test. "The whole team has worked hard and I feel we've taken a step forward with both myself and the car. Previously, I sometimes I felt uncomfortable with my asphalt driving. During the test I firstly concentrated on getting back into the rhythm of driving on the surface. Then I focused on consistency – keeping my driving tidy and avoiding big cuts in bends. I continued the development work that the team began with Mikko. It was nothing major, a few small things related to car set-up. I was happy with how the two days went," said the 25-year-old Finn.

The weather often plays a crucial part in the outcome of asphalt rallies and drivers will have the benefit of safety crews for the first time since Rally Ireland in 2009. These crews drive the stages before the competitors to offer advice on tyre selection and to highlight the changing conditions of the roads.

"For the first time this season tyre choice could be a factor. The weather in the mountains is always unpredictable and streaming wet roads can quickly become dry, and vice-versa. It can be challenging to get things right and 'reading' the weather could play an important part. When it's raining in the service park it might be dry on the stages so accurate information is vital. We have to be ready for everything and if we find ourselves with the wrong tyres for the conditions, we have to ensure we make the best of it," added Latvala.

Team News

* Tyre partner Pirelli will provide two tyre specifications for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi drivers. The standard PZero asphalt tyre will be available primarily in hard compound, but with a limited amount of soft compound rubber for use in cold or wet weather. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber in the event of rain or mud and each car can carry two spares.

* Two other Focus RS WRCs are entered. Debutants Per-Gunnar Andersson / Jonas Andersson and Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin are nominated by the Stobart M-Sport Ford team. Private Ford Fiesta S2000 cars will be crewed by Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor and Dennis Kuipers / Fred Miclotte.

* This week's BP Ford Abu Dhabi test was switched to southern France after roads scheduled to be used near Malaga in southern Spain became unavailable.

* Rally Bulgaria formed part of Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr season programme. However, Al Qassimi, who is continuing his pursuit of a second FIA Middle East Rally Championship title, will not now start in Bulgaria. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority-backed driver will rejoin the team at Rally Finland later this month to mark the emirate's third anniversary in the WRC.

Rally Route

While Borovets is the rally base, the event is centred 25km to the east in the spa town of Dolna Banya, which hosts the single service park. After Thursday evening's ceremonial start in Samokov, the opening leg is based south-east of Dolna Banya, around the Batak and Belmeken lakes. The second leg is the longest and covers territory in the same area. Sunday's final leg is the shortest and is based north-east of the service park. The second and third legs both use roads used in the opposite direction the previous day. Drivers face 14 speed tests, covering 354.10km, in a route of 1069.56km before the finish ceremony in Borovets on Sunday afternoon.

Stobart Ready to Tackle Bulgaria’s Tough Tarmac Tests

Posted: July 4, 2010 7:39 PM

The Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team will welcome a new driver to the Cumbria-based squad as it prepares for Rally Bulgaria next week.

Per-Gunnar Andersson joins the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team as a guest driver for the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship along with co-driver Jonas Andersson. The 30-year-old Swede has tested the Ford Focus RS WRC twice over the past month as he bids to hit the ground running in a car and on a surface he is less than familiar with.

Bulgaria is the first asphalt WRC round since Stobart’s Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin competed in Rally de Espana in 2009 and finished in seventh position, equalling their best ever result on tarmac. The young Cumbrian duo will be looking to improve their times at the new event as they tackle the first of four tarmac rounds this season in the Ford Focus RS WRC.

Regular Stobart M-Sport Ford driver crew Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor will also be competing in Bulgaria, but will swap their usual Ford Focus RS WRC for the new Ford Fiesta Super 2000. They will be entered in the Eastern European event under the Stobart M-Sport banner, but will not be nominated to score manufacturer points. Solberg will return to driving the Ford Focus RS WRC for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team at Rally Finland in July.

Mechanics at M-Sport have made several changes to the Stobart team’s Ford Focus RS WRCs ahead of the switch to Bulgaria’s fast asphalt stages. The brake discs have been increased from 300mm to 370mm and, in order to accommodate the bigger brake discs, the wheels and durable Pirelli Scorpion tyres have also been extended from 15” to 18”.

The springs, dampers and anti-roll bars have all been made stiffer and the suspension and steering components have changed to a tarmac spec which has helped alter the geometry of the car. As tarmac is smoother than the gravel stages of previous WRC rounds, the cars have been given approximately 30% stiffer suspension which lowers the general ride height of the car by up to 90mm. This will help to make the Ford Focus RS WRC more stable and reduce the centre of gravity on the car.

Event Summary

Despite being a country with a long rallying tradition, Bulgaria will make its debut as a World Rally Championship round for the first time next week. The new event is the first of four asphalt rallies this year and the combination of a challenging, compact route surrounded by stunning mountain scenery is sure to make it an exciting addition to the WRC calendar.

From 1970 – 2001, Bulgaria was a round in the European Rally Championship and the event was held in the famous Black Sea resorts of Zlantini, Piasatzi and Albena. In 2002 the competition moved its base to the central part of South Bulgaria and now takes place in the picturesque ski resort of Borovets.

The three-day event will kick off with a ceremonial start at the Samokov Stadium on the Thursday evening. The stadium can seat a maximum capacity of 12,000 people and huge crowds are expected to attend the official opening ceremony.

The service park will be based at Dolna Banya, situated 25km from Rally HQ in Borovets. The rally comprises of 16 special stages covering 354.10km, with a spectacular selection of asphalt tests centred around the base of the Rila mountain.

Day one consists of four stages covering 118.68km based south of the service park at Dolna Banya. The opening Batak Lake stage (SS1 and SS3) is the longest of the rally at 31.77km and the last half of the tarmac stage winds round the picturesque Batak Lake. A twisty 27.57km stage beside the Belmeken Lake, rounds off the end of the morning and afternoon loop.

The second full day is the longest of the three day event at 140.90km. The opening 27.46km stage, Sestrimo, (SS5 and SS8) is based close to the Belmeken Lake that the teams had to visit on day one. Peshtera (SS6 and SS9) is a 18.13km stage based south east of the service park and Lyubnitsa (SS7 and SS10) is a stage based north, consisting of 24.86km competitive distance.

The final day of Rally Bulgaria will see WRC crews travel north to four stages covering 94.52km situated north east of Dolna Banya. The opening Muhovo stage (SS11 and SS13) is the second longest of the event at 29.53km and Slavovitsa (SS12 and SS14) is the shortest of the rally at 17.73km.

Date: 9 – 11 July, 2010
Round: 7 of 13 FIA World Rally Championship
Based: Borovets, Bulgaria
Stage surface: Tarmac
Total stage distance: 354.10km
Number of stages: 14
Longest stage: Batak Lake (SS1 and SS3), 31.77km
Service Park: Dolna Banya

Stobart M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson said:
“It’s going to be tough doing a full tarmac rally after driving on gravel every WRC round of the season so far. It might take everyone a bit of time to adjust to the new surface but the fact it is a new rally means it will not give any WRC drivers an advantage. I’m keen to beat my personal best of seventh on tarmac whilst I’m out in Bulgaria so I’m going to give it my best shot and hope that I can produce some fast times.”

Stobart M-Sport Ford driver P-G Andersson said:
“I’ve had little experience of driving on asphalt but my plan is to find a good rhythm. However, I managed to fit in some testing M-Sport earlier this month so I’m hoping this will pay off and I’ll be able to drive well on the tarmac surfaces. I feel really lucky to have been given the opportunity to drive for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team so I will definitely make the most of it and drive to the best of my ability.”

Stobart M-Sport Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“I’m delighted that P-G will be joining the team in Bulgaria next week and it will be interesting to see how he performs in a different car at a new event. This will be a very challenging rally for our drivers - not only is Rally Bulgaria a new event where neither driver will be familiar with the stages, but this is also the first tarmac rally of the year so will provide an added difficulty for the crews. On the other hand, it will provide an excellent opportunity for Matthew to try out the Ford Focus RS WRC in the first of the four all tarmac rounds in the WRC calendar this year.”

P-G Tips Stobart to Perform in Bulgaria

Posted: June 24, 2010 11:29 AM

Ahead of his debut for the Cumbria-based Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team at Rally Bulgaria next month, Sweden’s Per-Gunnar Andersson took time out of his busy schedule during a visit to team headquarters at Dovenby Hall to speak about his chances at the event and tell us a little bit about himself.

The 30-year-old former Junior World Rally Championship title winner will contest the rally alongside co-driver Johan Andersson in a Stobart branded Ford Focus RS WRC, and will be nominated for points in the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship in addition to team-mates Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin.

How do you feel about joining the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team in Bulgaria?

It’s fantastic! I’m really delighted to join one of the top teams in the WRC and I feel so privileged to have been given this chance

How did the opportunity come about?

I was asked to drive in a Ford Fiesta R2 in the Pirelli International Rally in April. We nearly didn’t make it because we were delayed by the ash cloud returning from Rally Turkey but ended up driving from Sweden to Cumbria in 28 hours in order to still compete. The rally didn’t go as well as I had hoped but I was asked to stay on for an extra couple of days to do some endurance mileage on the Ford Focus RS WRC and after some good feedback from M-Sport, I was offered the chance to drive in Bulgaria

How do you feel about driving the Ford Focus RS WRC?

I tested the Focus on gravel the other week which was a great experience for me - I know it has the speed to win rallies. Like anything, you just need to learn how to drive the car in order to get the best performance

What are your thoughts about Rally Bulgaria, do you think it will be a good rally for you?

I’ve not driven on tarmac for over two years now so that is preying on my mind a little. However, this rally is new for everyone and after I’ve done some testing, I will be prepared as I possibly can be. My main aim is to get a good final result. It may take a few stages before I am comfortable but I plan to increase my pace throughout the rally

How did you first get into motorsport?

I’ve been watching rallies since I was really young and have always had an interest in rallying. My big break came when I started competing in Rallycross when I was 15

What has been your best memory/highlight as a rally driver?

My best memories are winning the two J-WRC titles in 2004 and also in 2007. Another brilliant memory is when I had my debut in a WRC car in Monte Carlo back in 2008

What has been your worst moment?

That would have to be in 2004 when I rolled my car twice in Greece

What would you suggest to somebody who is trying to get into rally driving?

I would tell them to start on a level they can afford and to try and get as much experience as they can. My experience of the Fiesta R2 in the Pirelli International Rally was a bit of an eye opener, the R2 is just a small car but feels like it’s a proper rally car – it’s really fast and with the series of championships in different regions this would be a potentially good route for anyone serious about progressing into the sport

What is your fitness regime like?

During the warmer months, I go running and I ski during the winter. I try to maintain a good level of fitness all year round

How is your fan base back in Sweden?

My fan base in Sweden is great and I seem to have lots of fans - maybe because there hasn’t been a top driver in Sweden for several years. Joining the Stobart team will help increase the interest of rally in Sweden so it’ll be brilliant news for all of my fans

Who is your motorsport idol?

Colin McRae

Tell us a bit about your home life?

I live with my girlfriend Marie Louise, and her 5-year-old daughter, Alice, in a lovely house in Arjang. When I came back home from the IRC round in Sardinia last week I found a new member in the family... a cat aged 12 weeks (Elvis)!

What do you do to relax away from motorsport?

I love spending time in the countryside – fishing, hunting and generally relaxing. I really enjoy getting the chance to spend time with my friends and family too. I also like going to other motorsport events but I don’t always have the chance or the time to do that

Favourite car?

I like the look of the new Ford Focus RS 500 – I’ve not had a chance to drive it but it’s been well received by the press and looks really good in black.

Favourite holiday destination?

Thailand

Favourite food?

A good steak!

Where do you aim to be in three years time?

In three years I will be fighting to be the world rally champion... watch out Loeb!

Solberg Set for Ford Fiesta Super 2000 in Bulgaria

Posted: June 19, 2010 7:49 AM

Henning Solberg will contest the four forthcoming tarmac rounds on the FIA World Rally Championship 2010 calendar in an Expert supported Ford Fiesta Super 2000, making his debut in the car at Rally Bulgaria next month.

The Norwegian will be entered in the Eastern European event under the Stobart M-Sport Ford banner, but will not be nominated to score manufacturer points.

Solberg will also compete in the Ford Fiesta S2000 at the WRC rounds in Germany, Spain and France later this year.

Solberg’s regular WRC co-driver, Ilka Minor, will join him as the pair look to gain experience of the S2000 car on tarmac.

The crew will continue to drive a Ford Focus RS WRC for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team on gravel rounds, and will be nominated for manufacturer points alongside team-mates Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin at Rally Finland at the end of July.

Henning Solberg said:
“I’ve heard nothing but good reports about the new Ford Fiesta S2000 so far, and it will be interesting to drive it in Bulgaria and give my opinion on how I feel it runs compared to the Ford Focus RS WRC. Bulgaria is a new WRC round and that will give everyone an equal chance - it will be good for me as I contest it in a car that I am less familiar with. It’s a great opportunity for me and I think I am really going to enjoy the experience.”

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:
“It is great news that Henning will be doing the tarmac rallies in the S2000 for the rest of the season. The Fiesta is the platform for the next generation of WRC cars and this gives Henning the chance to be right at the forefront of the development cycle. We look forward to receiving the feedback from Henning that his experience within the WRC can provide.”

Posted: June 19, 2010 7:48 AM

Per-Gunnar Andersson to Join Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team in Bulgaria

Posted: May 28, 2010 4:01 PM

Sweden’s Per-Gunnar Andersson will join the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team as a guest driver in Rally Bulgaria next month (June).

The 30-year-old former Junior World Rally Championship title winner will compete in a Ford Focus RS WRC in the famous Stobart green and white livery, and will be nominated for points in the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Andersson has valuable experience in a WRC car having formerly driven for the Suzuki World Rally Team, and also has winning credentials having taken the J-WRC title in both 2004 and 2007.

The first of four asphalt rallies in 2010, as a newcomer to the WRC Bulgaria represents a leap into the unknown for the majority of WRC teams and drivers. However, the combination of a challenging, compact route and stunning mountain scenery will make it an exciting addition to the championship calendar.

Per-Gunnar Anderson said:
“I’m really proud to be joining the Stobart team in a Ford Focus RS WRC. I had my first test in the Focus two weeks ago on a gravel surface and everything went very smoothly. My only concern is that the stages in Bulgaria are tarmac and these are not my preference so it may take a bit of time to get used to the car on a new surface. I’m sure it will all be fine though and I am very excited about joining the team.”

Stobart M-Sport Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“I am delighted that PG will be representing the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team in Bulgaria next month. We were really impressed with the feedback we received when he competed in a Ford Fiesta R2 in the Pirelli International Rally last month and I am sure that he will do just as well in a WRC round. He also performed very well in the test a few weeks ago - I have no doubt that he will be a great representative for our team.”

Rally Guide 1

Posted: February 11, 2010 5:18 PM

Rally Bulgaria

Event Website / Details

Posted: January 1, 2010 12:01 AM

Rally Bulgaria