Germany - 18-20 Aug 17

Title-chasing duo set for clash

Posted: August 17, 2017 5:45 AM

Ogier and Neuville face off in Germany as thrilling WRC title fight continues.

Four-time world champion Sébastien Ogier and comeback king Thierry Neuville lock horns in Germany this weekend in the latest instalment of the WRC’s thrilling head-to-head title fight.

With nine rounds gone and four remaining, the duo are locked together at the top of the standings ahead of the final all-asphalt encounter at ADAC Rallye Deutschland (17 - 20 August).

Neuville holds the nominal advantage, courtesy of three wins in his Hyundai i20 to Ogier’s two at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta.

That could prove key as the Belgian starts first in Friday’s opening leg through narrow vineyard tracks on the banks of the Mosel river. Conditions will worsen with every car as dirt is dragged onto the road, leaving Ogier at a disadvantage one place behind.

Neuville acknowledged the benefit, but denied he would try to pull as much mud onto the road as possible.

“There are a lot of cuts and so the road will get dirty. I won’t take more risks of a puncture just to dirty the road. If I drive fast I know the time will be good. With the cuts we’ll be taking, the road will be dirtier and make it more tricky for him,” he said.

“I think we have to continue to attack. We have to be clever, like we did on the last seven or eight rallies, and watch the progress of our rally against Ogier and focus on him.

“The target remains to finish ahead of him to get more points rather than try to win,” added Neuville, who has recovered from a disastrous start to the season which left him trailing Ogier by 38 points after three events.

There are few more difficult asphalt challenges than Germany. Bumpy vineyard tracks, multi-surface tank training roads in the Baumholder military area and narrow country lanes test drivers’ adaptability to the maximum.

The hilly Saarland region is susceptible to heavy rainfall, which can transform road conditions in minutes. Accurate tyre selection is problematic and precise information on the state of the roads from route note ‘spies’ is essential.

“Germany presents some of the most challenging sealed-surface roads on the calendar. It’s a difficult rally and you have to find the right mind-set, and the right set-up, for the many different characteristics,” said three-time rally winner Ogier.

“In the wet, it’s even trickier and mistakes are very rarely forgiven. It’s important to be fully focused and to work closely with the route note crew so as to be prepared for everything the stages have to offer,” added Ogier, who crashed out of the previous round in Finland.

The rally starts with a spectacular speed test in the heart of Saarbrücken on Thursday evening. Competitors face 21 stages covering 309.17km before the Bostalsee finish on Sunday afternoon.

Homecoming for Hyundai Motorsport at Rallye Deutschland

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:46 AM

Hyundai Motorsport has its sights firmly set on victory at Rallye Deutschland, as the WRC returns to tarmac for the first time since April’s Tour de Corse, where the team registered the first of its three wins of the 2017 season to date.

The German round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is the tenth event of the season, and a home rally for Hyundai Motorsport, whose factory in Alzenau is situated just over two hours away from the service park.

Leading the way

The scene of its first WRC victory in 2014, the team has always performed strongly at Rallye Deutschland. Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo have registered two podiums apiece at the event; a 1-2 in 2014, led by Neuville, was followed up last season with a 2-3, headed by Sordo.

The 2017 edition will have extra poignancy for Hyundai Motorsport with Neuville leading the Drivers’ Championship on 160 points, equal with reigning Champion Sébastien Ogier.

All three crews, Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul, Sordo and Marc Martí, as well as Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall, will be looking to bounce back from a difficult Rally Finland and reassert the team’s championship credentials.

Return of tarmac

Rallye Deutschland joined the WRC in 2002 after being part of the European Championship since 1982. Although there are many new elements to this year’s event, it retains its unique combination of tarmac stages: from twisty vineyards to the multi-surface Baumholder military roads, including the dreaded Hinkelstein rocks, to country roads.

The service park has moved from its Trier location to Bostalsee, with Thursday’s ceremonial start and opening Super Special Stage being held in Saarbrücken. At 309.17km of special stages, Rallye Deutschland is one of the shortest rallies on the calendar, but run over 21 stages there are plenty of challenges and demands for crews to negotiate.

To prepare for the rally, all crews have tested the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC on tarmac with car settings varying significantly from the recent run of gravel rallies. Two days of running at Baumholder in July were followed by four days in the vineyards at the start of August.

Team Principal Michel Nandan said:
“Rallye Deutschland is one of the highlights of the season for Hyundai Motorsport. It is our home event, and an opportunity for us to bring the WRC action closer to everyone who works so hard in the Alzenau factory. We are moving back to tarmac after a long, and generally positive, run of gravel rallies. We had a tough weekend in Finland, but we are determined to return to form in Germany, where we scored our first victory in 2014 and a double podium last year. We don’t automatically assume we will be able to repeat that sort of performance – especially with the competition in this year’s Championship – but that’s certainly our aim. With Thierry leading the Drivers’ Championship, we are all motivated to secure a strong combined team result.”

Crew Notes: Paddon/Marshall (#4 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

Rallye Deutschland will be the first tarmac event of the season for Paddon and Marshall as a crew. The duo showed their potential on gravel with a Polish podium, so will be looking to adapt quickly to the German tarmac terrain next weekend.

Paddon said: “Rallye Deutschland is a unique rally, almost three events rolled into one. We have vineyards, public road and the classic Baumholder military sections, which combine to make it an interesting challenge. We will be using the rally as a way to develop ourselves further and to build up confidence and performance on tarmac. Being so close to the team’s home base in Alzenau gives us extra incentive.”

Crew Notes: Neuville/Gilsoul (#5 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

Championship leader Neuville has scored more WRC victories than any other driver this season, with wins on Corsican tarmac, and the gravel roads in Argentina and Poland. Alongside co-driver Gilsoul, he will be looking to extend his advantage in Germany, where he has taken a win and a third place in the past three seasons.

Neuville said: “Germany is usually a really good event for us, as a crew and as a team. We have great experience and memories from there, particularly from our first WRC win in 2014 with Hyundai Motorsport. Heading into this year’s edition leading the Championship is something new, but I am really looking forward to opening the road. Hopefully, we can enjoy another strong performance, and try to increase our lead in the classification. It won’t be easy, but we know we can be fighting at the front.”

Crew Notes: Sordo/Martí (#6 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)

Sordo and co-driver Martí are relishing a return to tarmac for the first time since scoring an impressive third place in Corsica. The Spanish crew has two second-place results to their name in Rallye Deutschland as a Hyundai Motorsport crew, in 2014 and 2016. The target is to register their third top-three of the season, and third German podium in four years.

Sordo said: “It will be enjoyable to get our Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC back on tarmac after a long run of gravel rallies. We’ve had some highs and lows in recent events, so I am aiming to build up some consistent and competitive results in the coming rounds. Germany is a nice event with some tricky roads. The wider 2017-specification WRC cars will be a challenge on some of the narrower vineyard roads, and we will also have an eye on the weather. I am in a positive frame of mind and ready to hunt down another German podium.”

Rallye Deutschland at a glance

The second tarmac rally of the season is run over 21 stages and a total competitive distance of 309.17km.

The first complete day takes in narrow, hairpin bend filled vineyard roads overlooking the Mosel. For 2017, three runs of a new super special will be held at Wadern-Weiskirchen.

Saturday moves onto the military Baumholder roads for the Panzerplatte tests, with mixed tarmac surface and the traditional, unforgiving Hinkelstein rocks lining the stages.

Sunday is a new-look itinerary with stages held on country roads near to the France and Luxembourg border, as well as stages close to the Bostalsee service park, including the new St Wendeler Land Power Stage.

RETURN TO TARMAC FOR THE CITROËN C3 WRCs

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:45 AM

After five gravel events, the WRC returns to the tarmac for the tenth round of the season. Citroën Total Abu Total World Rally Team is fielding three C3 WRCs in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, with Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle, Craig Breen/Scott Martin and Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger.

A SPECIAL RALLY FOR CITROËN RACING

Since 2002 and its addition to the FIA World Championship calender, ADAC Rallye Deutschland has become a major fixture. The race’s history is closely linked to that of Citroën, which can claim 12 straight wins in Germany – including 11 in WRC – thanks to the talents of Philippe Bugalski, Sébastien Loeb, Sébastien Ogier and Dani Sordo. In fact, Citroën has been more successful at this event than at any other.

It is often said that the ‘Deutschland’ is three rallies in one. It is certainly true that the various stages are all quite different, which makes things tricky when it comes to settings, tyre management and driving style. And then there is the weather, which often muddies the equation.

This year, the rally will start on Thursday evening with a timed city circuit prologue in Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland. On Friday, competitors will weave through the vineyards along the Mosel river, with the now classic Mittelmosel and Grafschaft stages, plus three passes through the new Wadern-Weiskirchen special sprint stage. The next day, the crews will head to the Baumholder military base and its concrete track lined with hinkelsteins – huge anti-tank kerb stones. There, the Panzerplatte tests will no doubt widen the gaps. Sunday sees a brand new format for the final leg with a special at Losheim am See and a return to St. Wendeler Land to bring the rally to a close.

There will be a number of new features, most notably a change of location for the rally’s service park, now at the lakeside of Bostalsee instead of Trier.

THE CHALLENGE: BUILD ON THE WORK DONE IN TESTING

With the fast roads littered with hairpin bends on Friday, the military tracks on Saturday and Sunday’s open country roads, ADAC Rallye Deutschland offers three very different types of surface, requiring considerable preparation work from the engineers and driver crews.

Citroën Racing therefore ran seven days of testing for the C3 WRC ahead of the event. Kris Meeke, Craig Breen and Andreas Mikkelsen worked in stints to gather as much information as possible and decide on the best settings according to conditions. On the final day of testing, Sébastien Loeb rounded the job off during his first session at the wheel of the Citroën. All of this data will be invaluable during the rally but the team will still need to keep an eye on the weather.

For the second all-asphalt race of the season, the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT crews have a few aces up their sleeve. Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle, who led the Tour de Corse before running into mechanical issues, will want their revenge. As for Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger, they topped the scorecards at the end of the first stage of the German rally in 2016 and will be keen to play a starring role for their first outing on tarmac with the C3 WRC. Although Craig Breen and Scott Martin only have limited experience on this surface, they will again be aiming for the top five, a result they have now achieved five times and which puts them seventh in the current World Championship standings.

M-SPORT - FIERCE FIGHT AWAITS AT RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:43 AM

As the FIA World Rally Championship embarks on the tenth round of the season at next week’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland, a fierce fight awaits M-Sport’s fleet of record-breaking Ecoboost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs.

M-Sport currently head the manufacturer championship with Sébastien Ogier holding the joint lead of the drivers’ standings – making the German fixture a pinnacle round of the most closely-fought season in years.

The competition is expected to be extremely strong, but the team are determined to deliver their best and fight for the highest positions. Whatever the outcome, a thrilling event awaits.

RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND THREE RALLIES IN ONE

Considered three rallies in one, Rallye Deutschland provides one of the most challenging and exciting asphalt fixtures of the year.

Twisting roads through picturesque vineyards, fast lanes through open countryside and broken Tarmac through the famous Baumholder military range are the order of the weekend and the crews must master all three in their pursuit of a strong result.

If that weren’t enough, unsettled weather provides an added challenge with the crews having to work tirelessly alongside their route note crews, weather crews and strategists to extract maximum performance whatever the conditions.

A firm favourite with rally fans throughout Europe, this year’s fixture sees a change of location with the service park moving from the historic town of Trier to the holiday resort of Bostalsee.

Saarbrücken – the administrative, cultural and commercial heart of Saarland – hosts the opening ceremony on Thursday evening followed by a spectacular city centre street stage.

On Friday, three passes of a new super special stage at Wadern-Weiskirchen splits more familiar vineyard tests with junction after junction on narrow, winding roads.

Saturday will see the crews tackle the fast roads of Saarland as well as the daunting Panzerplatte stages with the fearsome ‘hinkelsteins’ – road-lining concrete blocks designed to stop military tanks.

Sunday is a new day for all with stages close to Bostalsee completing the 309.17 kilometre route.

The Power Stage is contested just 2.93 kilometres from the service park and allows the podium celebrations to take place mere minutes after the end of the rally – a true spectacle for the many fans who visit this popular event year on year.

MALCOLM WILSON TEAM PRINCIPAL

Since 1997, M-Sport have secured victory on all events bare one – ADAC Rallye Deutschland. This year, the team have their best chance yet of putting the history books to rights and Team Principal Malcolm Wilson is intent on challenging for that goal.

Team Principal, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:
“Rallye Deutschland hasn’t been so kind to us in the past. It’s the only event that we are yet to win, but this year we have our best chance of putting that right.

“All three of our drivers have enjoyed success in Germany over the years, and Sébastien knows what it takes to succeed having won the event on three separate occasions.

“We feel that we have a good package for Tarmac and we have been building on that during our pre-event testing.

“The competition will be extremely strong and I expect a hard-fought battle. The great thing about this year’s championship is that it’s anybody’s game – but we aim to be in the fight and hope to come out on top.”

OGIER AND INGRASSIA THE JOINT CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia know what it takes to win at Rallye Deutschland. The Frenchmen have three victories to their name and will be looking to challenge for M-Sport’s first victory on German soil next week.

Currently tied on points with Thierry Neuville at the head of the drivers’ standings, Ogier is focused on getting his championship defence back on track and will be a favourite for the top results.

Previous starts: 8
Best result: 1st (2011, 2015, 2016)

Sébastien Ogier said:
“Every year I look forward to Rallye Deutschland, and this year’s event will be really exciting with the championship battle so close. Naturally, we aim to deliver our best and get our championship defence back on track.

“It’s always nice to return to asphalt and the German fixture presents some of the most challenging sealed-surface roads on the calendar. It’s a difficult rally and you have to find the right mind-set – and the right set-up – for the many different characteristics.

“In the wet, it’s even trickier and mistakes are very rarely forgiven. It’s important to be fully focused and to work closely with the route note crew so as to be prepared for everything the stages have to offer.

“This year, there are also a number of new speed tests which will make things even more interesting. The Fiesta has behaved very well on asphalt this year so Julien and I are really looking forward to the challenge.”

TÄNAK AND JÄRVEOJA THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Ott Tänak will be keen to rekindle the taste of German champagne next week. The Estonian won the S-WRC category in 2011 – a result which helped prompt his promotion to the works team for a one-off drive at that year’s Rallye du Var.

Since then, Tarmac has not been his preferred surface but he should not be discounted for a strong result – especially considering his pace at the previous asphalt outings this year.

Previous starts: 6
Best result: 8th (2015)

Ott Tänak said:
“The fast gravel events might be my favourite, but I’m looking forward to another asphalt challenge. Considering our pace in Monte-Carlo and Corsica, it will be interesting to see what we can do and we have no reason not to be hopeful of a strong result.

“This is definitely one of my favourite asphalt events. Each stage is different and it’s a real test of how quickly you can adapt to the changing conditions. The weather in this region can also be quite unsettled so it’s important to have the most up-to-date information from the stages – working closely with the route note and weather crews.

“We’re currently in the middle of a pre-event test to get a taste for as many different roads, surfaces and conditions as possible. Set-up is very important here and this preparation will be really important for a good rally.

“As history has shown, anything can happen at Rallye Deutschland. We’re focused on delivering our best and extending the team’s lead at the head of the standings.”

EVANS AND BARRITT SIXTH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Rallye Deutschland is one of Elfyn Evans most successful events. As the Welshman made his way through the rallying ranks, the German fixture delivered much success and he secured his maiden stage victory through the Rallye Deutschland Power Stage in 2014.

Following an impressive drive to second place at last month’s Rally Finland, Evans will be keen to keep the momentum going and challenge for another top result next week.

Previous starts: 4
Best result: 4th (2014)

Elfyn Evans said:
“Rallye Deutschland is one of my favourite events on the calendar, and an event where I have enjoyed a lot of success over the years. It’s a challenge, but I think that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much.

“There are a number of different surfaces and stage characteristics and it’s all about finding the right rhythm and set-up for each variation. You really do have to be fully focused and at the top of your game – one wrong move, one lapse in concentration, and you don’t get a second chance.

“The weather can also play a crucial part and a wet rally could make things really interesting – another factor to consider as we make your way through the demanding stages; many of which we’ll be experiencing for the first time.

“Coming off the back of a good result in Finland, I’m looking forward to next week and hoping to keep the momentum going.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing looks to continue momentum on German asphalt

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:39 AM

After a hugely successful home event in Finland, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team now heads to Rally Germany for the next round of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship season. As only the second pure asphalt event for the Yaris WRC, the main objective is to further develop the car on sealed surfaces. The team aims to maintain its confidence, while switching to a new focus on asphalt.

Rally Germany is known for providing a mixture of different types of asphalt tests during the rally. These include twisting roads through vineyards, the notoriously tough Baumholder military area and fast country lanes. The differing characteristics of these roads and the often-changeable weather conditions can make car set-up and tyre choice difficult.

The rally has a new base this year at Bostalsee and begins with a new super special stage in nearby Saarbrücken. Another new spectator-friendly stage, Wadern-Weiskirchen, is run three times on Friday around the Mittelmosel and Grafschaft vineyard tests. On Saturday, the action moves to Baumholder for nine stages, including two passes of the 41.97-kilometre Panzerplatte. Sunday features two stages run twice: the new Losheim am See and St. Wendeler Land, which acts as the Power Stage and finishes up on the edge of the service park.

Although better known for his exploits on gravel, Latvala has a decent record in Germany, twice finishing second, in 2012 and 2015. Hänninen on the other hand has only contested the rally once before, back in 2011. Lappi last year claimed the WRC2 win on the event and finished seventh overall.

Quotes:

Tommi Mäkinen (Team Principal)
“This will be our second asphalt rally of the year, so it is going to be interesting to see how the improvements we have made to the car since Corsica now work in the different conditions of Germany. The asphalt development is still going on as there were some new things we tried in our pre-event test this week, especially with the dampers. From my experience of Germany as a driver, I remember just how tricky the stages are: generally, the higher up your start order is, the easier it is. We’re all in a confident mood after Finland and the drivers are feeling very positive with the car, so we’re looking forward to starting the rally and seeing what we can do. I think the Yaris WRC should be quite well-suited to these stages.”

Jari-Matti Latvala (Driver car 10)
“We had some rain during our test, which I was very pleased about, as normally during Rally Germany you can expect rain at some point during the weekend. The Yaris WRC in asphalt specification is pretty much as I remember it from Corsica but Germany has some different characteristics, with fewer corners and heavier braking into junctions from high speed: the braking is one area we were concentrating on during the test as you can gain or lose a lot of time there. We also worked on the suspension: we’ll be running a slightly softer car in Germany than we did in Corsica. Germany is one of the trickiest rallies of the whole year and our rivals will be especially strong, so if we can finish in the top five I would be happy and a podium would be a really great result.”

Juho Hänninen (Driver car 11)
“My feeling is very good after Finland. Although I’ve not driven in Germany for a long time we were able to show some good speed on asphalt in Monte-Carlo and Corsica earlier this year, so I think we can be strong in Germany too: especially after testing. The weather can change a lot in Germany, and if it rains there will be a lot of mud in the road during the first day, which will be a challenge with our road position. But this rally is also really good fun: the Baumholder stages on day two are really unique.”

Esapekka Lappi (Driver car 12)
“Winning in Finland won’t make any difference to my approach in Germany: I’m going from my strongest event of the year to one that is definitely outside my comfort zone. It’s my first asphalt rally in a World Rally Car, but actually I find that the Yaris WRC is even easier to drive on asphalt than it is on gravel, because it really feels like a racing car. The aerodynamics and the potential of the car is so big that the tyres are the limiting factor: there’s more power than grip, so you have to drive very cleanly and gently to keep the life in the tyres. If we can stay out of trouble in Germany then I think we have a chance to finish in the top five and score some points. That’s my goal.”

Entry List

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:38 AM

Germany - 18-20 Aug 17 - ENTRY LIST

Citroen line up for Germany

Posted: July 3, 2017 5:27 AM

In Germany, the three C3 WRCs will be driven by Kris Meeke, Andreas Mikkelsen and Craig Breen

KREMER TAKES TO THE FORD FIESTA WRC ON HOME SOIL AT RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND

Posted: June 22, 2017 4:16 AM

Armin Kremer will contest the 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship with an M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta WRC.

The multiple German, European and Asia-Pacific champion from Mecklenburg will contest this year’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland in M-Sport’s top-specification Ford Fiesta WRC.

Last month saw Kremer get his first taste of 2017 machinery when travelling to the UK for a test drive. Just a few kilometres at M-Sport’s private testing facility was enough to convince the German and he is now looking forward to contesting his home event at the very highest level.

A total of 21 stages covering a competitive distance of more than 309 kilometres awaits. The challenging route mixes a variety of characteristics – from the spectacular new city circuit stage in Saarbrücken to the fast country lanes of Saarland; from the twisty tracks through the Moselle vineyards, to the rugged concrete of the Baumholder military ground.

In preparation for this unique challenge, Kremer will conduct a pre-event test alongside M-Sport’s manufacturer entries in early August.

The German’s entry at this year’s Rallye Deutschland goes full circle – Kremer having taken to the wheel of M-Sport’s Ford Focus WRC at the very first FIA World Rally Championship round to be held on German soil in 2002.

Armin Kremer said:
"I am overwhelmed and proud. It is an honour and a great pleasure for me, but also a huge challenge to compete with the same rally car at the ADAC Rallye as the four-time world champion Sébastien Ogier.

“I will translate everything in order to confirm the confidence placed in me by M-Sport and Malcolm Wilson. It is still too early to think about a result, but I am sure that with the support of the M-Sport drivers and engineers I will quickly get used to the Ford Fiesta WRC and find the optimal set-up for me.

“Anyone who knows me knows how much I want to get a decent result and to offer the German fans a good show.”

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE:
“It’s great to welcome Armin back to the team for his home event. We’ve worked with him in the past and he is an extremely experienced driver – especially at Rallye Deutschland.

“It’s fantastic to have a German driver in a Ford Fiesta WRC for his home event – particularly as the home of the road-going Fiesta is just up the road in Cologne.

“I’m sure that Armin will enjoy every minute of it. I also have no doubt that his vast experience of these unique roads will benefit the entire team.”

Rally Guide / Event Website

Posted: June 22, 2017 4:15 AM

Rally Germany