Метка: Rally Finland

Neuville pips Katsuta to claim early lead

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


World Rally Championship points leader Thierry Neuville snatched the opening stage victory from Takamoto Katsuta to claim an early Rally Finland lead.

Neuville was the last of the Rally1 cars to tackle the Harju super special stage in host city Jyvaskyla and was able to pip Toyota’s Katsuta by 1.1 seconds on the mixed surface test.

The stage time arrived following a challenging Thursday morning shakedown at the famous gravel rally for the Belgian.

“It’s a good start, but the real stuff starts tomorrow,” said Neuville. “We are looking forward, it was a difficult shakedown for us this morning and we had some problems with the car.”

Hyundai’s Ott Tanak was third fastest, 0.2s adrift of the outright pace, while Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier, making his first Finland start since 2021, was fourth quickest. Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera rounded out the top five.

“This is always a tricky stage to start the rally and it felt narrower in places — I just wanted to get it done, we are through and tomorrow the rally starts,” said Rovanpera.

Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Adrien Fourmaux led M-Sport-Ford’s charge in sixth (+3.0s) ahead of Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi (+3.1s), who was lucky to avoid clipping a tyre wall with the right rear of his i20 N. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans was eighth (+3.2s) ahead of Rally1 rookie Sami Pajari (+4.6s).

“Very special moment, always nice atmosphere here on the Harju stage but I am not sure how much I was enjoying it due to the conditions, 500 horsepower and the power but there we go — we are excited for tomorrow,” said Pajari.

M-Sport’s Gregoire Munster completed the top 10 (+8.2s).

WRC2 title contender Oliver Solberg led the way in the second tier posting a time 1.1s faster than Estonia’s Georg Linnamae, while Toyota WRC team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, making a one-off outing, was third (+2.1s_ driving a Rally2-spec GR Yaris.

“That’s weird, I just took it easy, I didn’t warm my tyres enough at the start and I was way too careful on the first bit, but the second lap was decent,” said Solberg.

The rally now continues on Friday with nine gravel stages awaiting the crews.



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WRC drivers concerned by GPS virtual chicane warning system

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


World Rally Championship drivers have voiced their concerns over the GPS system that will warn crews to slow down for virtual chicanes, which will make its competitive debut at Rally Finland.

Event organisers have introduced a virtual chicane in the shakedown and Ouninpohja stages at this weekend’s gravel rally that marks the ninth round of the championship.

A virtual chicane provides a way to slow cars down ahead of a challenging section without organisers placing a physical obstacle for drivers to navigate around. Instead of using heavy hay bales to mark out a chicane, organisers can now designate predetermined areas where drivers are required to slow to 60km/h.

Drivers will be warned of the virtual chicane with arches counting down from 300 metres prior to the zone. This will also be replicated on the GPS tracker box located toward the bottom of the centre console in the cars, which will also highlight the car’s speed and flash green when 60km/h is reached.

The system was tested in Latvia, but after passing through the virtual chicane in Thursday morning’s shakedown, drivers were concerned by the fact they have to avert their gaze from the road to look at the tracker box to ensure they don’t incur a two-second penalty for every km/h over the set figure.

When asked if he was happy with the system, Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi, who topped shakedown, said: “No, this system they have provided is very bad.

“They [the FIA] could make it easily more safe and more efficient, but they don’t want to. I have to take my eyes off the road and look for a green light. In shakedown it is fine as you have low speed, but in Ouninpohja you will arrive at this place at 185km/h, I don’t want to take my eyes off the road. It’s a bad system.”

Toyota’s Elfyn Evans echoed Lappi’s view, adding: “I don’t think it’s particularly consistent and I think what I found as well is that your eyes are not on the road at all.”

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier suggested that a radar system being used in the Finnish Rally Championship could offer a more reliable solution.

“The little question mark I have is regarding the reliability of the GPS signal and the fact that we are a bit dependent of technology. We are fighting these days for nothing sometimes and I lost a rally recently by 0.2 seconds,” said Ogier.

“I heard that in Finnish Championship they are using a radar and with a board, and if the board turns green, then you can go. It looks like a better idea and more reliable.

“So maybe that could be an idea to think about for the future, especially as with this option, you keep your eyes on the road and with the one we have we are forced to look in the cockpit, which is not really good regarding safety.”

Speaking after the virtual chicane test in Latvia, FIA rally safety delegate Nicolas Klinger said that tracker boss is clearly visible to both driver and co-driver.

“The system is easy. You have a warning on the tracking box at 300 metres, 200 metres and 100 metres,” said Klinger. “Like when there is red flag in the stage the screen will turn to red. The driver will slow down until you hit the right speed and it goes green and you start, and then when you pass through the section you drive normally again.

“The tracker has been used for a long time for safety reasons, and showing red flags, for sure it is visible and also you have the co-driver there.”

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Photo by: M-Sport

While teams and drivers understand the safety reasons behind the implementation of virtual chicanes, M-Sport’s team principal Richard Millener feels the penalty for speeding through the section is too severe.

“The penalty is incredibly harsh and let’s see how that works out in reality,” Millener told Autosport/Motorsport.com.

“On paper, for me, it’s probably too much, it is the most excessive penalty you can get in terms of time in rallying basically. It’s two seconds for every kilometre an hour you are over.

“If you have an issue or you have something that goes wrong, or someone have a freak thing that happens, if you go through there 20 kilometres over, your rally is over basically.”

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Why the WRC is introducing virtual chicanes in Finland

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The World Rally Championship will introduce virtual chicanes for the first time in competition at Rally Finland, in a move that has helped re-introduce the legendary Ouninpohja stage.

The advancement in technology has seen virtual chicanes become more prevalent in rallying with the system already being used in various championships including the European Rally Championship at Rally di Roma.

This weekend will see the concept graduate to the WRC following a test of the system during shakedown at Rally Latvia earlier this month.

A virtual chicane provides a way to slow cars down ahead of a challenging section without organisers placing a physical obstacle for drivers to navigate around. Instead of using heavy hay bales to mark out a chicane, organisers can now designate predetermined areas where drivers are required to slow town o 60kph.

Virtual chicanes will be deployed again in shakedown in Finland and will feature in the Ouninpohja stage, which will be run twice as stage 13 and stage 16 on Saturday. Ouninpohja returns for the first time since 2016 and is being run in the legendary 33-kilometre ‘long’ format but in the opposite direction this year.

The stage is among the most famous in WRC history, known for its high-speed jumps and its challenging sweeping corners and its return can be credited to the introduction of virtual chicanes.

“It was great for the organisers to ask about it [Ouninpohja’s return],” Nicolas Klinger FIA rally safety delegate told Motorsport.com.

“They wanted Ouninpohja and to run it again, but for sure we know it is very fast. It is not about the fast straights it [the virtual chicanes] are to avoid entering a dodgy corner that is fast to lower the risk a bit.”

Virtual chicane

Virtual chicane

Photo by: WRC.com

Why are virtual chicanes being introduced?

As Klinger explained above one of the reasons why virtual chicanes have been introduced is due to safety. The concept reduces the speed of cars prior to a challenging section of road and does so in a way that further reduces the risk without using physical objects that could cause collisions and cause damage to vehicles.

However, the advancement in technology to enable event organisers to adopt such a system coupled with struggles to source hay bales to designate chicanes has also played a part in the rise of virtual chicanes in rallies across the world.

“In some countries, they can’t have straw bales and it has become more and more difficult to get straw bales. Straw bales weigh 400kg and you need to move them, and also sometimes roads can be very narrow, so you can’t implement the chicane just because of the width of the road,” Klinger added.

«So, this is one of the reasons and I have to say that technology has changed, and it now allows us to do virtual chicanes. It is something which is run in Australia, in Netherlands, in Germany, in Italy as well, so it’s not something new. It is just using the technology that we didn’t have before.

“For sure [safety is factor] because in the future that will help us and allow us to do other things and go into other stages where we are not allowed to go.

“There is also a sporting side as everybody is slowing down to the same speed [for the virtual chicane] so you won’t have someone who comes and pushes the straw bales and then the following car can go 20kph faster and take advantage.

“In Latvia, it was not a test for us. We know that it works it has been tested and in other countries, it was more for the drivers.”

Virtual chicane

Virtual chicane

Photo by: WRC.com

How will the virtual chicanes work?

Rally crews will see signs counting down to the virtual chicanes during the stage with the stage side markers counting down from 300 metres down to 100 metres before the virtual chicane zone begins. These warnings will also appear on the tracking box located in the cockpit of the car, the device which also flashes up red flag warnings during stages.

The car must slow down to a maximum of 60kph within the 200-metre zone prior to the virtual chicane. The tracking box will show a green light when the correct speed is reached. Once that speed is achieved the vehicle can accelerate again.

Failing to decelerate to 60kph will incur a penalty of two seconds per every kph over the limit and will be added to the overall stage time.

Virtual chicane

Virtual chicane

Photo by: WRC.com

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Pajari to make WRC Rally1 debut in Finland as Toyota rejigs Latvia line-up

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Rising World Rally Championship star Sami Pajari will now make his Rally1 debut in Finland instead of Latvia following a change to Toyota’s driver line-up.

Toyota announced last month that Pajari and co-driver Enni Malkonen will step up from driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car in WRC2 to pilot a fourth GR Yaris Rally1 at the gravel rally that will make its WRC debut from 18-21 July.

However, the reigning world champion team has now decided to make an alteration to its plan. Pajari and Malkonen will now contest their home round Rally Finland from 1-4 August, with Toyota planning to field Sebastien Ogier in a fourth GR Yaris Rally1 for Latvia, alongside regulars Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and part-time and two-time world champion driver Kalle Rovanpera.

Rovanpera was originally set to drive in Latvia and is also expected to contest his home round in Finland. 

“The decision for Pajari to compete in Finland has been taken in consultation with the driver while considering the best possible conditions for his debut. Before the event he will have the opportunity to test in the team’s local area near its base in Central Finland, on roads that are similar in character to those used in Rally Finland: an event Pajari is naturally familiar with,” read a statement from the team.

“The change in schedule also opens up the possibility for the team to enter Rally Latvia with the strongest available line-up of regular crews across its four entries, with full-season drivers Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta to be joined by world champions Kalle Rovanpera and Sebastien Ogier.”

Winner WRC2 Sami Pajari, Enni Mälkönen, Printsport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2

Winner WRC2 Sami Pajari, Enni Mälkönen, Printsport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

Eight-time world champion Ogier says he is happy to add Latvia to his plans to help the team in its quest to retain its manufacturers’ title, after scoring two wins and a pair of second place finishes from his four events to date.

“It was not the original plan for me to be in Latvia, but the opportunity came up after analysing together with the team the situation in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships,” said Ogier.

“There was a desire from the team for me to do some more events and that’s something that I‘ve gladly accepted. I want to give back to the team and thank them for allowing me the opportunity to continue driving with them in the way that I have done the last three years. I’m enjoying the season so far and the strong performances we’ve had.”

Pajari is also looking forward to making his first Rally1 foray on more familiar roads compared to those of Latvia which will make its WRC debut.

“It is even more special to be making my Rally1 debut at home. Latvia would have been a new rally for everyone and an equal start for me in a way, but in Finland of course I know the stages generally very well and our testing will be in Finland, so to have that chance to prepare the car on roads that are very similar to the rally will be a good help for me,” said Pajari.

“And in terms of the emotions, it’s even nicer to have this chance in Finland and I’m extremely looking forward to the event.

“To drive this car on those stages will be something really cool and also really demanding: they’re very high-speed roads and I will need to learn how the aerodynamics are working.

“But this is all about trying to learn as much as we can. Of course, I will try to enjoy it too because it’s like a dream come true, but the main target is just to gain the experience. I’m really excited for it.”

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