Mexico (P) - 08-11 Mar 12

TÄNAK TAMES GUANAJUATITO FOR FIFTH

Posted: March 12, 2012 12:25 PM

After a mammoth distance of 407.87 competitive kilometres, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Ott Tänak rounded off what has been a sensational first assault on Rally Guanajuato Mexico in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC with fifth place overall. Elsewhere however, there was disappointment for Evgeny Novikov as an off put the Russian out of the rally; failing to score a World Rally Championship (WRC) point for the first time this year.

Displaying maturity and composure beyond his 24 years, Tänak and co-driver Kuldar Sikk impressed throughout the weekend. Despite incurring a 10 second penalty, spin, stalled engine and a puncture costing the Estonian over a minute, Tänak held his own against the top drivers, continually setting the fifth fastest time and excelling over the Super Specials with one third and two fourth place finishes.

Struggling with the set-up of their Ford Fiesta RS WRC and having to perfect brand new pace notes for the event, Novikov and experienced co-driver Denis Giraudet did well to keep in touch with the front runners over the course of the weekend. Unfortunately for the Russian, an off on the final stage of Day 2 (SS20, Comanjilla 2) saw him damage the right-rear wheel of his Fiesta. Incurring a five minute penalty, Novikov was forced to Rally 2 on the final day of competition.

Embarking on the concluding stages, M-Sport's young guns tackled another Super Special around Leon's Autodromo (SS21) before one of the longest and most challenging stages on the WRC calendar ' the daunting 54.30 km of Guanajuatito (SS22). Competitors then contested two final runs through Mexico's mountainous landscape: the fast, flowing roads of Derramadero (SS23) before competing for Power Stage points over the final test.

Requiring total concentration and commitment, the 54.30 km test separates the men from the boys. Setting the fifth fastest time behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta RS WRC ' just 14.1 seconds adrift of last year's Dakar winner, Nassar Al Attiyah ' Tänak proved he has what it takes to compete against the world's best drivers on some the most challenging stages the world series has to offer.

Following the retirement of factory Ford driver, Jari-Matti Latvala, on the notoriously challenging stage, Tänak saw himself propelled into fifth place. Moreover, a puncture for Mads Østberg meant that the Estonian found himself in contention for fourth heading into the final two tests ' just 10.1 seconds adrift of last month's podium finisher.

Setting the fourth fastest time on SS23 (Derramadero) ' 0.3 seconds up on Mikko Hirvonen ' Tänak continued to impress, consolidating his fifth place with only the final Power Stage left to run. Finishing Rally Mexico in style, Tänak set the fourth fastest time over the final test ' a painstaking 67 thousandths of a second adrift off Østberg and his first Power Stage point.

Tänak now lies eighth in the Championship standings with 14 points, two adrift of Dani Sordo in seventh.

Returning under Rally 2 for the final day of competition Novikov and Giraudet planned to use the remaining stages to perfect their pace notes ahead of next year's event. Regrettably, the pairing fell prey to Guanajuatito (SS22), crashing heavily and rolling his Ford Fiesta RS WRC onto its roof 35 km into the stage.

Despite failing to score on this event, Novikov's impressive start to the season sees him hold sixth in the Championship standings with 21 points ' just five adrift of factory Ford driver, Latvala.

Tänak's strong result saw the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team extend their lead of the Mini WRC Team in the Manufacturers' Championship.

Ott Tänak (5th) said:
'The rally has been ok. We got what we wanted to achieve here ' made it through and got the experience. Our mission was to get at least sixth position and we managed fifth so that was really good for us. I am sorry for Jari-Matti [Latvala] as he was doing really well, but that is just the way it is sometimes.

'On the Power Stage we were just 67 thousandths [of a second] away from Mads [Østberg] and our first Power Stage point so that was a little disappointing, but at least we know who will be buying the drinks tonight!'

Evgeny Novikov (DNF) said:
'This afternoon was really tough. We rolled the car onto the roof on the second stage [of the day, SS23] but it is not easy to say exactly what happened ' it all happened so quickly. I have looked at some of the in car footage but still it is difficult to see. It is very disappointing for me as I was on track for some more strong points, but these things happen.

'The first stage [SS21] was good and we were working on perfecting the pace notes for next year. I am very disappointed but we are still sixth in the [Drivers'] Championship. Now I have to look ahead to Portugal where hopefully we can be back on the pace and where we need to be.'

LOEB AND HIRVONEN’S FIRST ONE-TWO!

Posted: March 12, 2012 12:24 PM

The 2012 Rally Mexico served up intrigue and excitement right to the very end. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena produced yet another heroic performance to claim their 69th career win. Citroën Total World Rally Team enjoyed a clean sweep as second place was secured by Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen. Obviously, Loeb and Hirvonen remain first and second in the Drivers' World Championship standings, whilst Citroën has extended its lead in the Manufacturers' rankings.

Despite being shorter than the opening two days, the final day of Rally Mexico wasn’t considered to be any easier by the competitors. After tucking into an appetizer with a fourth and final run on the super special stage around the León Autodrome, the crews set off to tackle today’s main course: Guanajuatito and its 54.3 kilometres!

Armed with a comfortable lead in the overall standings, Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen didn’t push too hard, preferring to save their tyres for the Power Stage. But the many offs that littered this twenty second stage meant that the Citroën drivers’ approach proved to be right one. Almost despite himself, Mikko Hirvonen set the fastest time, seven tenths ahead of Sébastien Loeb.

On Derramadero, the penultimate stage, Sébastien Loeb added yet another win. The eight-time World Champion then pushed hard on the Power Stage, setting the second fastest time to pick up the two bonus points.
“It really has been a perfect weekend,” enthused Seb on this return to the service park. “I know this 69th win means a lot to Daniel. The rally was very difficult, I had to push really hard to shake off Mikko. Once I’d built up a bit of gap, I was able to control the race a bit more, but I stayed alert nonetheless. There is always a chance of spinning or picking up a puncture, which can ruin a race. This season has started in very typical fashion: a win at Monte-Carlo, an average result in Sweden and a win in Mexico. Let’s hope the rest of the season also goes the same way as in previous years!”

Second again, like in Sweden, Mikko Hirvonen was very pleased with this result:
“It’s great for the team to achieve a one-two here. Seb was stronger. He beat me after a good fight, but I had my chances. These three days of racing have helped me to make progress, and little by little I am changing my driving style to adapt to the specific features of the DS3 WRC. It's been a really good weekend, which augurs well for an interesting season.”

“Our two crews have produced the kind of performances we were hoping they would achieve this weekend,” added Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal. “The rally was incredible difficult, right to the very end. The perfect reliability of our DS3 WRCs is all the more precious in such conditions, so I’d like to thank the entire Citroën Racing team for the key part they have played in achieving this result. In addition to the two Citroën Total World Rally Team cars, I would also like to emphasize the performances of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Thierry Neuville. Nasser ran an intelligent rally, making good use of his rally-raid experience. Thierry was unlucky, he had to rejoin under Rally 2 rules, but analysis of his performances shows he has clear potential on gravel. He’ll be able to use the experience gained here in the next round at Rally Portugal.”

FIRST STAGE WINS FOR THIERRY NEUVILLE AND NASSER AL-ATTIYAH!

Posted: March 12, 2012 12:22 PM

Rally Mexico, the third round of the World Championship, proved to be a successful event for the Citroën DS3 WRCs. After a controlled, error-free race, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Giovanni Bernacchini (Qatar World Rally Team) finished sixth. Despite returning to the action under Rally 2 rules, Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul (Citroën Junior World Rally Team) also had opportunities to show off their potential. Both Citroën drivers were also delighted to have scored their first stage wins in WRC!

Disputed on roads in the mountains around León and Guanajuato, Rally Mexico saw high temperatures which took their toll on the crews and their cars on the long stages. With two 42km stages and one 54km stage, endurance was the watchword for the season’s first gravel rally!

And endurance rallying is very much a speciality of Nasser Al-Attiyah, winner of the Dakar Rally in 2011. Just like in Sweden, the Qatari decided to begin the rally cautiously:
“Getting used to a car like the DS3 WRC takes time. I’m approaching this challenge with Citroën Racing in the same way as I always have throughout my career: I’m taking it step by step. Mexico is a very long and difficult rally. First and foremost, you have to make it to the finish to secure a good result.”

The Qatar World Rally Team driver ended the first day in ninth position, after grabbing his first stage win on the Super Special Stage, held at night and in the rain. Having climbed to seventh by Saturday evening, Nasser moved up another place after the rally’s longest stage, in which he set the fourth fastest time.

“I am really happy with sixth place and pleased to have had an error-free race,” he said after having been cheered by the large crowds gathered for the podium ceremony. “The way I have progressed in the car is more pleasing than the result itself. We have worked well with the team and I feel more confident. I think we will be even better in Portugal!”

Lying fourth overall at Friday lunchtime, Thierry Neuville had made a great start to keep pace with the leaders.

Unfortunately, his race was effectively over after SS6:
“I tried to avoid a rock that was right in the middle of the racing line, but we clipped it with one of the rear wheels. A few kilometres later, the suspension yoke failed and we decided it was best to stop before the damage became irreparable.”

The Citroën Junior World Rally Team mechanics managed to fix the DS3 WRC and Thierry was able to rejoin the rally on Saturday. First on the road for each stage on the last two days, the Belgian racked up plenty of experience. Like Nasser, he scored his first stage win on the final run of the León Super Special Stage.
“I was a bit surprised to be able to compete with top guys on day one. It’s a shame that we were a bit unlucky,” said Thierry. “On Saturday, I took it pretty easily to try and understand how best to manage having to sweep the loose gravel. I was bit more ‘on it’ today and I set some good times. Overall, I’m pleased with my weekend. I’m better equipped to do well in Portugal.”

Solberg claims podium and Power Stage victory in Mexico

Posted: March 12, 2012 11:04 AM

Ford World Rally Team drivers Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson finished third in Rally Mexico today. The Norwegian driver and his British co-driver also won the final Power Stage speed test in their Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car to claim maximum bonus points in their FIA World Rally Championship challenge.

Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila retired from third place with two special stages remaining after rolling their Fiesta RS WRC when they were distracted by another crashed car. The accident damaged the car's roll cage and the Finns had to withdraw for safety reasons.

This third round of the series was characterised by demanding gravel roads in the rolling mountains near León, 400km north-west of Mexico City, and temperatures which topped 30ºC. The combination of the heat and long stages guaranteed tough conditions for the engine, brakes and transmissions in the Fiesta RS WRCs, as well as Michelin's durable rough road tyres.

Altitude also played a key role in the four-day rally, which comprised 384.18km over 22 stages. The roads climbed to more than 2700m in the Sierra de Lobos mountains, and the lack of oxygen at such heights reduced all cars' power output by around 20 per cent.

Solberg led the rally after the short street stage through the former mining tunnels in the picture postcard city of Guanajuato on Thursday night. The 37-year-old fell back to 13th during the first leg after twice puncturing tyres when he hit a bank and a rock. He ended the day in fifth and climbed to fourth yesterday, despite minor brake difficulties, after setting a string of consistently fast times.

Solberg moved into third when Latvala crashed, sealing a strong performance on his first gravel rally in a Fiesta RS WRC when he won the Power Stage by a crushing 1.4sec. v
'My speed was very good throughout the rally and I was towards the top of the time sheets all the way through,' he said. 'I'm a little disappointed with the bad luck that both Jari-Matti and myself suffered, but the car was fantastic all weekend. The team made some great improvements before the rally and that allowed me to be consistently fast from the very first kilometre.

'I really wanted to win the Power Stage because the bonus points are important for the championship. The extra three points means I scored the same as the second-placed driver, so it's like finishing a place higher. I've now driven on three different surfaces in the Fiesta in the opening three rallies and I was really comfortable on each, so I feel confident for the season ahead,' he added.

Latvala led during the first full day before hitting a rock and breaking his car's front left suspension arm. The 90sec time loss relegated him to eighth, but he recovered to fourth at the end of the day with three consecutive stage victories. A further four wins yesterday promoted him to third, but his chances of a podium ended in the 54.30km Guanajuatito stage when he crashed.

'I approached a fast right bend which led into a left-right combination of corners,' said 26-year-old Latvala. 'From a distance I saw Evgeny Novikov's car on its roof and it appeared to be on the side of the road. I braked hard and the car slid into a bank and rolled back onto the track. I think I rolled twice. The impact punctured the front left tyre which we changed, and then I drove slowly to the end.

'I drove on to the refuel point where an FIA official noticed a dent in the roll cage on my side, at the front of the car. We then went to the start of the next stage, where the official informed me that he had reported the damage to the rally's clerk of the course. I wanted to carry on because the dent was small but the officials regarded the cage as unsafe and I had to stop. I'm extremely disappointed, but I must put this behind me and look forward to the next round,' he added.

Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson said he was encouraged by the pace of Latvala and Solberg. 'We won 11 of the 22 stages and both drivers led the event, which shows a great improvement on our performance at altitude in recent years. Petter displayed his experience to take a podium after some setbacks on the first day. Jari-Matti's accident was hugely disappointing, but I'm confident we can take this pace forward into the other gravel rallies,' he said. v
Ford Racing motorsport manager Gerard Quinn said: 'I'm delighted Petter and Chris finished on the podium and collected a Power Stage win, but the result was tinged with disappointment following Jari-Matti's retirement. We appear to have made a big step forward on gravel and that's a big boost as the remainder of the season is predominantly on that surface.'

News from other Ford teams
Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson finished fourth in the Adapta Motorsport World Rally Team's Fiesta RS WRC, despite losing almost two minutes with a rear right puncture in the long Guanajuatito stage. Just 11.1sec behind in fifth were M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk. Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block / Alex Gelsomino finished ninth after losing almost seven minutes with a flat tyre in the long stage, and the top 10 was rounded out by the Fiesta RS WRC of Ricardo Trivino / Alex Haro. Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet retired after crashing heavily in Guanajuatito, while Chris Atkinson / Stephane Prévot stopped in the same stage after an oil leak in the suspension.

Next round
The championship returns to Europe for round four. The all-gravel Rally de Portugal is based in the Algarve resort of Faro on 29 March - 1 April.

LOEB AND ELENA CONFIRM SIXTH VICTORY IN RALLY GUANAJUATO MEXICO 2012

Posted: March 12, 2012 10:50 AM

The French duo of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena confirmed their sixth victory in Rally Guanajuato Mexico and extended their lead in the FIA World Rally Championship after the final four special stages, near Leon, on Sunday.

Leading by 36.2s overnight, the eight-time World Champions mastered their tactics to perfection over the final day and Loeb avoided trouble and took no risks on his way to a 42.4s victory over Citroën Total World Rally Team colleagues, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen.

I am very happy,” said Loeb. “I always win here! It is a great result for the team as well, with Mikko finishing second, a one-two for us.” Hirvonen was also delighted: “I am quite happy with the result. It is my first time with this car on gravel and I was able to stay on a good pace with Sébastien all the way.”

Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala looked comfortable in third position in the leading Ford Fiesta RS WRC until he was distracted by Evgeny Novikov’s stricken Ford in the daunting Guanjuatito stage. The Finn took avoiding action, thinking that the Ford was in the stage, but the Russian had actually left the road himself and Latvala crashed heavily with the loss of over seven minutes. After an FIA inspection of the damaged Fiesta, the devastated Finn was not able to continue.

Norwegian Petter Solberg and his Ulster co-driver Chris Patterson – leaders of the event after the opening stage – were promoted to the final podium position and managed to take the three bonus points for winning the final Power Stage. “I am delighted with the position but I am still disappointed that I had the four punctures and the brake problem,” said Solberg.

Norwegian Mads Ostberg punctured on SS22 and completed the stage on the rim, but managed to finish in a fine fourth overall and Estonia’s Ott Tänak was fifth. Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, partnered by the Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini, was delighted to confirm sixth overall on an event where he won his first ever WRC special stage.

Portugal’s Armindo Araújo confirmed seventh in his Mini JCW WRC.
“I started the rally with the electronic problem and then we improved from the first day,” said Armindo. “I am pleased with the Mini. It is the best result of my career in Mexico.”

Sébastien Ogier enjoyed his run in the Skoda Fabia S2000, entered by Volkswagen Motorsport, and finished in eighth overall. Ken Block confirmed ninth in the Monster Ford Fiesta.
“A nice event, but I did not enjoy sweeping the roads,” said the American. “I think the new qualifying system kind of screws the privateers, but I learned some new stuff with the car.”

Benito Guerra confirmed victory in the PWRC category with a fine 11th overall, but was beaten to the rank of being the highest-placed Mexican finisher by 10th-placed Ricardo Trivino.

Results

Posted: March 12, 2012 10:47 AM

1. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen DS3 WRC 4hr 15min 32.7sec
2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Citroen DS3 WRC 4hr 16min 15.1sec
3. P Solberg/C Patterson NOR Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 17min 44.1sec
4. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 20min 24.2sec
5. O Tänak/K Sikk EST Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 20min 35.3sec
6. N Al Attiyah/G Bernacchini QAT Citroen DS3 WRC 4hr 22min 14.1sec
7. A Araujo/M Ramalho PRT Mini John Cooper WRC 4hr 28min 19.6sec
8. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Skoda Fabia S2000 4hr 30min 30.5sec
9. K Block/A Gelsomino USA Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 37min 59.5sec
10 R Trivino/A Haro MEX Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 39min 03.4sec

Full Results - Mexico 2012

High-flying Ford duo play fast and loose in Mexican mountains

Posted: March 5, 2012 2:40 PM

Ford World Rally Team faces its first gravel encounter of the 2012 season in Mexico next week aiming to extend its winning streak on loose surface rallies. The squad is unbeaten on such roads since September 2011, following wins on gravel in Australia and Britain last year and a podium lockout for the Fiesta RS World Rally Car on snow in Sweden last month.

Rally Mexico (8 - 11 March), round three of the FIA World Rally Championship, highlights the diverse characteristics that make the series the toughest in motorsport for production-based cars.

In contrast to the challenges posed by temperatures that dipped to -15ºC in Sweden, Ford's drivers and cars face heat approaching 30ºC. As well as making the cockpit uncomfortably hot for drivers, such mercury levels bring stresses on engines and transmissions.

Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila, who led Ford's podium clean sweep in Sweden, and team-mates Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson have plenty of Mexican experience on which to draw. Latvala has two third places from his five starts, while Solberg won in 2005 and has twice finished second.

The rally is based in the leather manufacturing city of León, 400km north-west of Mexico City, and the country's fifth largest city. The competitive distance in the mountains north and east of León has increased to over 400km this year but it remains compact, with 35 per cent of the route competitive.

The hard gravel tracks climb to a breathtaking 2737m above sea level, the high point of the WRC season, on hillsides littered with cacti. The thinner air at such altitude means engines 'run out of breath' and power levels can drop by up to 20 per cent. To be fully prepared, the team has worked alongside Ford engineers at Dunton Technical Centre in Britain to replicate such conditions in testing.

Rally Mexico is the first of six consecutive gravel rallies, the dominant surface in the series. Latvala prepared with a two-day test near Malaga, in southern Spain, on Monday and Tuesday, during which he covered 488km.

'The first day was as close to Mexican conditions as we have found in Europe at this time of year,' said the 26-year-old Finn. 'The surface was the same and the temperature was 24ºC so it was ideal. After a few months away from dry gravel, it took some time to acclimatise again. I drove three unbroken 54km sections which was perfect preparation for the long 51km stage in the final leg.

'The roads in Mexico aren't the roughest of the season, but they're not the easiest either. Concrete culverts which cross the roads make it hard for the cars.

'It's important on any rally to keep the car in the ruts on the clean line, but even more so in Mexico where the altitude means there's less power than normal. If you make a mistake and slide off line, the time loss is greater because the acceleration isn't as fast as normal. It also means it's easy to be in the wrong gear for corners. What might be identified as a fourth gear corner during the recce, could be only third gear in the rally itself,' added Latvala.

Solberg suffered with the 'flu during his test, which ended yesterday, but the 37-year-old Norwegian was not too concerned. 'Nothing stops me driving!' he said. 'This test and a day on rough roads in France last week were my first opportunity to drive the Fiesta RS WRC on gravel. I felt comfortable in the car very quickly, the same as when I tested on asphalt and snow for the first time.

'I started with the same set-up as Jari-Matti and made a few small changes to suit my style. I moved quietly forwards and I'm happy with what I achieved.

'Mexico is the first gravel rally of the season and the championship really moves into top gear now. The altitude there affects the way you drive. Because there is less power, it's necessary to attack a little harder and keep the speed high. I have a good record in Mexico and another big result would complete a strong start to the season,' added Solberg.

Team News

* Michelin's updated Latitude Cross gravel tyre will be used by the Ford drivers and will be available in hard compound only. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the tyres and each car can carry two spare wheels.

* Ford World Rally Team's Fiesta RS WRCs will carry a specially commissioned windscreen sunstrip to celebrate the 50th world rally victory for the Ford / M-Sport partnership, achieved by Latvala and Anttila in Sweden last month.

* Six privately-entered Fiesta RS WRCs supplement the official cars. Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk and Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet are nominated by M-Sport Ford World Rally Team. Monster World Rally Team makes its seasonal debut with cars entered for Ken Block / Alex Gelsomino and Chris Atkinson / Stephane Prévot. Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson are entered by Adapta World Rally Team, with Mexican driver Ricardo Trivino / Alex Haro completing the Fiesta RS WRC line-up.

Rally Route

The route covers familiar territory in the Sierra de Lobos mountains north and east of León. Following Thursday morning's qualifying, the rally begins with an evening start ceremony in Guanajuato, after which competitors go directly into a street test. The city is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, famed for rich veins of silver and gold discovered centuries ago, and the stage will wind along wall-lined cobbled roads and through floodlit tunnels which once formed mine shafts. Friday's opening leg is based close to the city, ending with two tests in darkness at León's race circuit. It contains two new stages, with two more used in the opposite direction to last year. The second day is closer to León and covers a massive 183.80km, including a further two circuit tests. The final leg includes the daunting 54.30km Guanajuatito test, one of the longest of the season, before ending with the Power Stage, which offers bonus points to the fastest three drivers. Competitors tackle 24 stages covering 407.87km in a route of 1174.76km.

AL-ATTIYAH AND NEUVILLE BACK ON DRY LAND

Posted: March 5, 2012 2:30 PM

A month after making their debuts with Citroën Racing in Sweden, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Giovanni Bernacchini start Rally Mexico with a more ambitious target in mind. The Qatar World Rally Team crew will hope their greater experience of gravel rallies helps them to climb the WRC standings. Eager to experience their first rally in Central America, Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul will also be hoping to show they are improving at an event that will be easier to get to grips with than the earlier rounds. The young Belgian crew will now be scoring points in the Manufacturers’ World Champion ship for Citroën Junior World Rally Team.

Rally Mexico signals the start of a long series of six gravel rallies, the last of which will be held in Finland in August. The rally’s base is in León, in the centre of the country, and is run on predominantly flowing, quick roads in the nearby mountains. At over 2,000 metres above sea level, the engines lose some of their power due to the lack of oxygen in the air. The drivers need to pay particular attention to their driving in order to use every bit of horsepower available!

Having competed here five times since 2004, Nasser Al-Attiyah knows Rally Mexico well. Last year, he even produced one of his finest performances in WRC. Accustomed to the fervour of the crowds in Latin America, the Qatari is looking forward to the party atmosphere at the ceremonial start held in the streets of Guanajuato:
“It is really one of my favourite events, it reminds me of the excitement generated when the Dakar Rally went through Argentina or Chile. I am happy because I am going to be competing on a surface that is suited to my style of driving. In Sweden, my only aim had been to make it to the end of the rally. I learned a lot, both about how the car works and about team’s working methods. It will be different in Mexico. I am going to push harder and try to set some good times. It is difficult to predict where I will end up in the standings, but I would be happy if I can score some points in the Drivers’ World Championship.”

Thierry Neuville, in contrast, has never even been to Mexico. This will be a totally new experience for the Belgian, who still feels he will be racing on a more familiar surface.
“I have researched the rally by watching as much onboard camera footage as possible and the stages look very inviting. Unlike Sweden, I think I can get a bit closer to the pace of the top guys,” affirmed the Citroën Junior World Rally Team driver. “The fact remains that I still need to rack up as many miles as possible to keep improving. I am therefore going to listen to the advice of the team and take it step by step. I will push when I feel confident to do so.”

CITROËN TAKE ON THE SIERRA MADRE

Posted: March 5, 2012 2:28 PM

After racing on tarmac, snow and ice, the 2012 World Rally Championship begins a series of six gravel rallies. Over the last few seasons, Mexico Rally has become something of a classic WRC rally. The mountainous roads through the Sierra Madre have become a happy hunting ground for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, who are unbeaten here with the Citroën Total World Rally Team since 2006! Second last year, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen will be hoping the qualities of their DS3 WRC can help them to do at least as well this year.

After first appearing on the World Championship calendar in 2004, Rally Mexico has become one of the season’s most popular rallies. The rally fans in the León province have long since overcome their initial reservations and are now very excited to see the drivers showing off their skills, especially their idol, Sébastien Loeb.
“It’s always an enjoyable event. It’s sunny, the stages are great fun to drive and you can see that the fans love it”, confirmed Sébastien Loeb. “The ceremonial start held on Thursday evening in the streets of Guanajuato is one of the highlights of the season. And it’s great to get the rally going straight afterwards with the special stage on the paved underground streets of the mining city.”

Mostly run on gravel, Rally Mexico also features a host of ‘super special stages’, making up seven of the rally’s twentyfour timed stages. Although they only add up to 3% of the total mileage, these stages can prove decisive if the rally is close.
“I don’t particularly like this kind of rallying, but you have to take it seriously because you can quickly lose two or three seconds, which is the sort of gap you generally get at the end of a 20-kilometre stage,” warned the eight-time World Champion. “I much prefer the conventional gravel stages. In Mexico, the mountain roads are generally fairly wide and quick. Of course, there are some winding, narrow sections where you have to be more careful, but by and large it’s a rally that is fun to drive.“

Unbeaten here in the last five years, Citroën, Loeb and Elena know what they have to do in order to win in Mexico. Their domination has long been a source of frustration for Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, who have finished in the minor places since 2007. Second last year, the Finns are keen to get on with the rally in their DS3 WRC, the benchmark car in 2011 with seven wins on gravel out of nine rallies.

“I have good memories of last year, as we finished on the podium as runners-up, but it is a complicated rally to manage. The rally is held in a region that is around 2,000 metres above sea level, which means that the engines have significantly less power. I also remember picking up a few punctures, although this rally isn’t the hardest on tyres,” recalled last year’s World Championship runner-up. “I’m excited at the prospect of competing in this rally with Citroën, because the team has always achieved good results in Mexico. I’m all the more enthusiastic for the fact that the testing I did on gravel went very well. I had an excellent feeling with the car.” As the championship heads into a long series of gravel rallies, Mikko believes this is when the season will really get underway: “Most of the WRC is now held on gravel, so it will be interesting to see a real pecking order between the drivers and the teams taking shape. As far as I’m concerned, I hope I can set some fastest stage times. But I realise that we are fighting against all the other teams together, so we have to get a good overall result for Citroën.”

In the World Championships, Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen hold the top two positions in the Drivers’ standings, while the Citroën Total World Rally Team leads the Manufacturers’ standings.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR… SÉBASTIEN LOEB

First at Monte-Carlo, sixth in Sweden: how do you assess your start to the season?
“Starting with a win in Monte-Carlo was obviously a good result. Sixth in Sweden, however, left me with a sense of what could have been. I know I can do better on that surface, but obviously I just can’t seem to manage it! At the end of the day, I’m leading the World Championship, ahead of Mikko, and Citroën is leading the Manufacturer’s standings, so it’s positive. I would say that the start of the 2012 season has been fairly typical. If the rest goes the same way as the last eight years, I'd take that!”

You are unbeaten in Mexico since 2006. Do you have a secret formula? How does the altitude affect the performance of the cars and your driving style?
“There is no secret formula; it just comes down to a lot of hard work with the entire team. I have always felt comfortable on the stages here in Mexico, despite often having to cope with being first out on the road. Fortunately, this aspect won’t come into play this year thanks to the qualifying stage and I will be able fight fairly with the other drivers from day one. The altitude does indeed play a vital role, because the lack of oxygen means that the engines have less power. Fundamentally, it doesn’t change the way I drive. It's perhaps a little easier to exit corners because you don’t hit the accelerator pedal as hard. And equally, you have to be careful not to head into a corner too quickly.”

There are two 42km-long stages on Saturday and a 54km-long stage in Sunday. Will tyre management be especially difficult on these stages?
“I don’t think so, because the Michelin Latitude Cross tyres are sufficiently hard-wearing on the road surface here, which is actually not that abrasive. Sunday’s stages will perhaps be a bit more difficult to manage in terms of strategy, because the four stages are being run without any service period. Depending on the positions and time differences, we’ll have to attempt to solve an equation with several imponderables. Should we take one or two spare tyres, focus on fighting for position in the overall standings or in the Power Stage? It will be interesting right up to the very end.

M-SPORT YOUNG GUNS READY FOR MEXICAN FIESTA

Posted: March 5, 2012 2:25 PM

As the mountain roads through the Sierra Madre play host to the third round of the season at Rally Guanajuato Mexico next week, M-Sport young guns, Evgeny Novikov and Ott Tänak, will be looking to secure another strong result for the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team.

Contested over more than 400 competitive kilometres, Rally Mexico will mark the first of eight gravel rallies in the 2012 calendar. Since its inclusion in the World Rally Championship (WRC) back in 2004, the South American event has become a firm favourite with fans and drivers alike.

With five of the 24 stages Super Specials and an opening street test trough the cobbled streets and flood-lit tunnels of Guanajuato itself, the rally boasts some spectacular viewing with the remaining tests challenging each crew's speed and endurance over some of the WRC's most challenging stages.

In stark contrast to the sub-zero temperatures of last month's Rally Sweden, drivers and machinery will have to endure soaring temperatures in the region of 30'C. Reaching altitudes of up to 2737m above sea level, the event also places huge stress on the engines. With power levels dropping by almost 20%, M-Sport's talented youngsters will be looking to utilise their past experience of the conditions as they aim to secure the Cumbria team's third place in the manufacturer standings.

Fresh from his second consecutive fifth place last month, Novikov will be keen to do one better next week as he challenges the top drivers for his best ever WRC finish. Last year's Rally Mexico was bitter sweet for the young Russian who had been fighting over fourth place with Ford factory driver Jari-Matti Latvala before an overheating engine forced his retirement.

Working on perfecting their pacenotes for the 2012 edition, Novikov and regular co-driver Denis Giraudet will be looking to secure some top stage times as they chase their first podium behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Tänak and co-driver Kuldar Sikk had their first experience of Rally Mexico last year when they contested the gravel stages in their MM Motorsport Ford Fiesta S2000. Despite suffering a roll on the twisty downhill section of Day 2, Tänak set two fastest stage times to claim the final podium position in the S-WRC.

Returning with the Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Tänak will be looking to continue what has been an educational season for the youngster thus far. Showing some impressive pace, Tänak claimed his first WRC stage wins on the snow-covered stages of Rally Sweden last month and fans can expect flashes of the same speed as the Estonian embarks on what will be his first competitive 2012 outing on his preferred gravel surface.

Evgeny Novikov said:
'I am really looking forward to [Rally] Mexico. We did the rally in 2011 and I really enjoyed driving the stages. We've had no pre-event testing but we'll be working on improving our pacenotes from last year so that we are in the best possible position going into the event.

'I hope we can have a good rally and improve on fifth place. That's my aim and we'll be flat out from the start to achieve this.'

Ott Tänak said:
'I'm feeling really good ahead of [Rally] Mexico ' and I'm hoping we'll have some nice weather and lots of sunshine! We competed in Mexico last year and I really like the stages but first priority for us will be to make sure we complete all of the stages. We missed a day last year, so it is really important for us to get a good knowledge of all of the stages this time around.

'I completed some gravel testing in the UK after Sweden and had a really good feeling in the car, but we won't have had any specific altitude and temperature testing ' just the sauna!

'For us, the main aim is to get some good experience of the stages. For sure it is always good to score some strong points, and if the feeling is good, we can push the pace, but the main thing for us is to finish the rally.'

Entry List

Posted: February 21, 2012 1:16 PM

Mexico (P) - 08-11 Mar 12 - ENTRY LIST

Event Website / Details / Rally Guide

Posted: February 21, 2012 1:10 PM

Rally Mexico