Loeb calls for changes to WRC tyre and gravel crew regulations World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has added his voice to those calling for change to the WRC regulations which limit the choice of tyres available for each rally and ban the work of gravel crews. The issue came to a head on Wales Rally GB after competitors had to tackle ice and mud covered roads using only Pirelli’s soft-compound Scorpion gravel tyre and without gravel crews to provide advanced warning of stage conditions. The 2008 season was the first to be run under tyre regulations introduced to cut the cost of competing in the WRC. Italian firm Pirelli was appointed as the sole supplier to the championship and produced a limited range of tyres suitable for the whole season. Before each event the FIA nominated tyres from Pirelli’s range which would be best suited to the expected conditions. No tread cutting was permitted and the use of gravel crews on loose surface rallies was also banned. But extreme stage conditions - like the mud of this year’s Rally Argentina and the wintry weather in Wales - has promoted many figures in the WRC to call for changes to the regulations. Options include the addition of a cut to the tyre tread to help it clear mud and water, the reintroduction of gravel crews, or an additional ‘extreme conditions’ winter tyre. “We need to look at the regulations,” Loeb said after the rally. “In most of the rallies it worked okay to have a hard tyre but in a rally like here you have no cuts, no tyre choice, no gravel crews, no information of the condition of the stages and for me it is getting more dangerous. “I understand it is a question of reducing cost but when you see Chris Atkinson’s crash I am quite sure that if had he had a gravel crew and cut tyres he wouldn’t have crashed. He was aquaplaning on the mud. I think it would be cheaper to have a gravel crew rather than a totally destroyed car. We always speak about safety, and this is going the wrong way. I hope for next year, and especially for Ireland, we will be allowed to cut the tyres if it is raining very hard. Like this, as it is now, it is completely wrong.”
Suzuki ends debut WRC season on a high The Suzuki World Rally Team finished its debut World Rally Championship season with the SX4 WRC on a high note, equalling the team's best-ever result. Swede P-G Andersson was fifth at the end of Wales Rally GB, matching the result he obtained on the Rally Japan last month. Toni Gardemeister was seventh, ensuring that the team placed both cars in the drivers' and manufacturers' points for the second consecutive event. The team said it was ‘a very positive conclusion’ to a season that has seen Suzuki steadily climb a steep learning curve. Suzuki Team Director Shusuke Inagaki said: "The Wales Rally GB is renowned for providing an extremely tough challenge, but conditions this year have been even worse than anticipated. Nonetheless, our cars have been extremely reliable and our drivers have kept them on the road. As a result, we have once more brought both the cars home in the points without problems for the second consecutive time. This is a sign of the very real progress we have made, and I would like to thank everybody in the team for all their efforts over the course of the season." Despite the challenging stages, the SX4 showed that it was capable of setting some top-five times over the course of the rally - with Andersson finishing day one on the provisional podium. "It's been a really good rally for me, and the highlight was obviously finishing the first day in third overall,” said Andersson. “On Sunday we had a big gap to the car in front so it was more a question of maintaining our position and luckily the conditions were a little more consistent than they were on Saturday, so that helped us. We've had no problems at all during all three days and equalled our best ever result despite the tricky weather, so it's an extremely positive way to end the season." On the final day of the competition Gardemeister had a slight impact with a bank after sliding on a patch of ice. Apart from that, it was a drama free rally for the Finn. “I'm pleased to end the season with a points finish,” said Toni. “It's very clear that we've improved the SX4 WRC a lot throughout the year in terms of both speed and reliability." But while Ford, Citroen and Subaru are already at work planning for the 2009 WRC season, Suzuki is yet to confirm whether or not it will stay in the series. Either way a decision will have to be made by 15 December - the date by which Manufacturer entries have to be submitted to the FIA. Teams hoping to enter the eight round Manufacturer Teams (or M2) competition have until 24 March 2009 to register.
Tom Cave flies in Wales Welshman Tom Cave, the 17 year-old who became the youngest driver to compete on Wales Rally GB, scored a convincing class win on his first event in the FIA World Rally Championship. Cave and co-driver Gemma Price, reached the finish podium in 30th place overall, with a class lead of almost 15 minutes. Speaking after the finish Tom said: “It’s an absolutely fantastic result, for me, Gemma and the team. I’m over the moon to finish my first WRC event, particularly as it’s my home round but to do that and win our class is an unexpected bonus. Everything seems to have worked perfectly for us this weekend; the car performed without fault, the Yokohama tyres were excellent and I really could not have asked for more. “Before the event, I said I just wanted to finish but deep in my heart, I secretly hoped we might be able to get close to the class top three and perhaps to top 70 overall. I couldn’t have dreamed that we would win the class and be in the top 30 of the event outright. The result really surprised me but it’s unbelievably encouraging to see what we are capable of, as a team.” Tom’s quest to tackle the rally at such a young age created a stir in the British media and his story made national news in the run up to the rally. “The reaction to us here this weekend has been absolutely amazing,” said Cave. “There was a lot of media interest around me passing my driving test and becoming the youngest driver ever to do the event but more encouraging than that was the reaction from the other crews, the marshals and of course, the fans. It began at the ceremonial start on Thursday evening and everywhere we went, people were wishing us luck. I’ve been asked to autograph service passes, programmes and jackets this weekend and almost every marshal we’re spoken to had the same advice - “Keep it on the island, son...”. Just as important to Tom and Gemma as the support from the rally community has been that of the various people who made their record entry to the event possible. “There are so many people I need to thank for this opportunity,” said Tom. “My father has been the inspiration for my rallying and ultimately, has given me this chance while my mum and my sister have both been behind me all the way. Gemma’s support and experience have been invaluable, both in Latvia and of course, here this weekend and the help that Martin [Rowe, former Production car World Rally Champion] has given us also contributed to our success. Commenting on the weekend’s result, Martin Rowe said: “This is an amazing result from Tom. The conditions have been extremely tricky and the only way to achieve a result was to drive carefully and use every ounce of understanding. Tom’s approach to the event was mature and showed experience and skill that far outweigh his time in a rally car so far. I thought he would do well but like him, I didn’t expect it to be quite this good.”
Ireland's Brian O’Mahony and John Higgins will be back in action in the final two rounds of the British Rally Championship when they contest Wales Rally GB this weekend for the first time. Cork driver O'Mahony and Mayoman Higgins will be back behind the wheel of their OM Concrete Products and MIS-backed Super 1600 Renault Clio for the 230-mile Cardiff-based gravel event. Last time out on the International Rally Yorkshire in September the pair came home 10th overall and won class R3. They're aiming to simply finish this event with none of their main rivals in the junior or privateer’s championships taking part. O'Mahony heads into the event sixth overall in the drivers' championship with Higgins joint fifth in the co-drivers' points, O'Mahony leads the Junior Rally Championship and is second in the Privateer's Cup with Higgins first in the navigator's. 'We're pretty much going to be in safe mode so we can definitely make the finish,' 24-year-old O'Mahony said. 'We're going to try and keep up with the lads in front though. 'We've never done this event before or competed on any of the stages so it's going to be totally brand new for us but hopefully we can do well. 'It'd be nice to finish the BRC year well with a good result and get a good final position in the series.' O'Mahony and Higgins start Wales Rally GB at number 65. The event gets underway with a ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday evening before heading out to the stages on Friday morning. The penultimate round of the BRC will be classified at the end of Friday with the final round finishing on Sunday.
McRae is honoured in hall of fame Colin McRae was World Rally Champion in 1995 Motor racing legend Colin McRae has been inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Former World Rally champion McRae, who died in a helicopter crash alongside his young son last September, is one of four new inductees. Scotland's 1990 Grand Slam-winning captain David Sole was also honoured. And Olympic swimmer Catherine Brown and disability sportswoman Isabel Newstead were recognised for their outstanding sporting achievements. McRae, the son of five-times British rally champion Jimmy, wrote his name in the record books in 1995 when he became the first Briton to win the World Rally Championship. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presided over the occasion at the National Museum of Scotland. And Sturgeon said: "It is a fantastic privilege to be able to pay tribute to Catherine, Colin, David and Isabel. "Honouring these sporting greats highlights our outstanding achievements as a nation and gives us a great opportunity to look back on the many champions that our country has produced. It is a fantastic privilege to be able to pay tribute to Catherine, Colin, David and Isabel Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon "Their induction into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame will help ensure that their legacy continues to inspire for generations to come." Accepting the award on behalf of McRae was his wife, Alison, and father Jim. Alison said: "Colin would have been honoured and privileged to become a member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame and take his place alongside the greats of Scottish sporting history." Sole, who was capped 44 times for Scotland's rugby union team, will forever be remembered for the inspirational manner in which he led his side out at Murrayfield for the Grand Slam decider against England in 1990, with the Scots famously triumphing 13-7. The loose-head prop also captained the British and Irish Lions in two of their three series-winning tests against Australia in 1989. Brown is one of Scotland's most successful-ever female swimmers. She achieved 29 British records spread over a 16-year career in which she won three European Championship medals and went on to swim at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, winning bronze in the 400m freestyle. Isabel Newstead excelled in several sports, including swimming, athletics and shooting, and won nine medals across all three sports at the Paralympic Games in Athens in 1984. She also competed in the 1988 and 2004 Paralympics, winning a gold medal in the women's air pistol. She passed away in 2007.
Valentino Rossi and Sébastien Loeb - two of the biggest and most successful names in motorcycle racing and rallying - will go head to head next week on Wales Rally GB. Rossi, the showman of MotoGP and eight times World Champion will line up behind five times FIA World Rally Champion Loeb at 6pm on Thursday 4th December for the ceremonial start outside Cardiff City Hall. The 29 year old Italian - nicknamed "The Doctor" - will be driving a 130 mph Ford Focus World Rally Car in the livery of Stobart VK M-Sport and displaying the Pudsey Bear logo, in support of BBC’s 2008 Children in Need appeal. This will be his second attempt at Rally GB (debut in 2002) and his third World Championship rally. Loeb, whose mascot is "Scratch", is the most successful driver in the history of rallying after winning an unprecedented fifth FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title for Drivers. Along with co-driver Daniel Elena and his Spanish team-mates (Dani Sordo/Marc Martí), the 34 year old Frenchman now has his sights on winning the FIA WRC Manufacturers crown for Citroen. This year he has won 10 of the previous 14 WRC rounds, bringing his tally of outright WRC wins to 46 - another record. Surprisingly, from six starts in a Citroen WRC car he has yet to win Rally GB. Although Rossi (carrying 46 on his rally plates - to match his racing number) is unlikely to beat Loeb over the closed road special stages over Forestry Commission and Military land in mid and South Wales, Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson says he has the potential to finish in the top 10 of the three-day, 892 mile rally. Coincidently, Rossi (with Ferrari) and Loeb (with Red Bull) have recently tested Formula One cars - both setting impressive times and confirming their position as perhaps the most talented drivers of their generation. Both are expected to have spectators cheering and blasting air horns inside the Millennium Stadium which hosts the timed Cardiff Stage at 6 pm on the evening of Saturday 6th December. Latest Rossi news: Rossi on the new 2009 FIAT Yamaha was fastest at the recent two day winter test at Jerez. The majority of his MotoGP rivals were there. He commented, “Now we can look forward to holidays and Wales Rally GB where I hope we can have lots of fun”.
Duval confirms GB and new co-driver François Duval has confirmed he will contest next month’s final round of the FIA World Rally Championship – Wales Rally GB – with WRC expert Denis Giraudet on the notes. Duval’s entry now confirms a six-strong Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team contingent as he is joined by Matthew Wilson (second nominated point scorer), Henning Solberg, Barry Clark Dave Weston and Steve Perez, all driving Ford Focus RS WRC cars. Giraudet joins Duval after an accident in Japan saw regular co-driver Patrick Pivato hospitalised and placed in intensive care. Fortunately Pivato recovered from his critical condition and is currently on a flight back to Lyon where he will be transported to hospital for the final operation to set his broken pelvis. During the ordeal in Japan Giraudet was one of the first on the accident scene and, as a good friend of Patrick’s, did not hesitate to accompany him and Duval to the hospital to help with the situation. Despite all this the Frenchman still managed to rush back to the Sapporo dome to complete the final two super special stages with PWRC driver Eyvind Brynildsen before returning back to hospital where his friend was undergoing surgery. It is a tremendous showing of admiration to both Pivato and Duval that Giraudet has offered to co-drive for the Belgian driver. Duval began to question whether he was psychologically fit enough to enter Wales Rally GB after the incident in Japan but the new partnership with Giraudet seems like the most appropriate one for the situation given the events which have affected both of their lives over the past two weeks. The Stobart team also appreciate the acceptance of the decision by Brynildsen who was set to be partnered by Giraudet on the Welsh event but kindly agreed to let him partner Duval on this rather unique and special occasion. Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said: “This is a great gesture by Denis and I believe that François couldn’t have a better person sitting next to him for GB considering what they both went through in Japan. Denis will also bring a wealth of experience with him and his presence will give François more confidence than anyone else. I’m also looking forward to him building on his last performance from Rally GB in 2006 which really impressed me.”
Stobart support Valentino Rossi’s run for Children In Need Stobart Motorsport have backed MotoGP star Valentino Rossi’s bid to raise funds for Children In Need on next month’s Wales Rally GB. Rossi will drive a Ford Focus RS with full Stobart livery and incorporate the charity’s logo and mascot Pudsey Bear. In an effort to increase charitable donations for the Children in Need appeal the Stobart team are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to one lucky person by putting up for auction a priceless item within the realms of world motorsport. In keeping with all Eddie Stobart trucks, and the team’s other rally cars, the five times MotoGP champ will sport a girl’s name on the front of his car; and the choice of name will go the highest bidder in a charity auction. After the event, the name will then be transferred to one of the 1850 Eddie Stobart trucks where it will be cemented in the history books of the trucking Superbrand. The winner will also receive Stobart VIP hospitality for the event. The auction will run from Friday 14 November until Friday 21 November and details on how to place your bid can be found at http://www.stobartmotorsport.com/ The 29-year-old Italian is attempting the Cardiff-based event for the second time in his career and will be in the safe hands of expert co-driver Carlo Cassina who has contested 24 WRC events in his career. Cassina’s impressive resume includes one victory on Rally Portugal in 1988 beside the last and only Italian to win the World Rally Championship for drivers, Miki Biasion. For decades the Eddie Stobart transport company has upheld an idiosyncratic tradition of identifying its many trucks by allowing their drivers to choose a female’s name to adorn it. The fact that thousands of people are currently on the waiting list to name a Stobart truck demonstrates the popularity of the iconic UK-based logistics firm; now part of the newly-formed Stobart Group. This tradition has since been employed by its motorsport wing which has seen cars named by their drivers in the WRC, British Rally Championship, Production World Rally Championship and the Fiesta SportingTrophy. Valentino Rossi said: “If two wheels are the big love of my life, 4 wheels, and especially rally cars, are surely my big passion! Having the chance to race at the Wales Rally GB and having, at the same time, the possibility to raise funds for Children In Need is something really special and I am very proud and happy. I cannot wait to be in the car and to have a lot of fun!” Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said: “We are very excited to have Valentino driving a Stobart car on Wales Rally GB and its only right that the company does its bit to help raise money for the Children in Need charity which he is driving for. I am a great fan of Valentino’s and it will be a massive compliment to have our brand on his car and it will really bring a lot of excitement to the whole team next month.” *Full terms and conditions available at http://www.stobartmotorsport.com/
