Battle starts for Loeb’s crown
The new projectiles – wider and shorter that their predecessors — with the 1.6-litre turbo engine, minus launch control, active central differential and paddle shift gear change that was part of the 2.0-litre turbo engine cars of previous seasons, will place more emphasis on driver skill.
Essentially and for the moment at least, it remains a battle between Citroen, with their DS3 WRC’s and Ford with its Fiesta WRC. Loeb (36) spearheads the Citroen challenge and will be joined by new team-mate Sebastien Ogier and privateer, Petter Solberg, who has Irish co-driver, Chris Patterson calling the notes.
Ex-F1 champion, Kimi Raikkonen, completes the Citroen line-up.
Ford (winner of Rally Sweden since 2006) has put its Fiesta WRC through some 12000km of testing with the renamed Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. With almost a quarter of the test mileage undertaken in Sweden, there are high hopes for Ford’s latest challenger.
Mikko Hirvonen (30) “We have a new car, new rules and a new look for the sport and I’m so excited. Initially in testing I was simply learning about the Fiesta and making changes to understand how it reacted. That took a while, but then I was able to focus more specifically on set-up work. I’ll need to be more committed behind the wheel in the new car.”
His team mate, Jari Matti Latvala (25) took his first WRC win in Sweden (2008) and having finished runner-up in the Drivers’ championship last year, is confident of being competitive.
PG Andersson is also Ford mounted while Bangor’s Michael Orr will partner Khalid Al Qassimi.
Waterford’s, Craig Breen will drive his Fiesta S2000, possibly for the last time as he switches to a Fiesta R2 in a busy 18 rally programme. Amongst today’s six tests is the stage at Lovhaugen that starts in Sweden then crosses into Norway before it returns and finishes in Sweden.
Michele Mouton has been appointed WRC manager with immediate effect.
She was appointed directly by FIA president, Jean Todt, who will visit Ireland next week.
On the home front, the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship begins with the Mitchelstown based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally.
Cork driver, Owen Murphy in his Hankook liveried Mitsubishi and a winner of the Group N category in the series back in 2006, has targeted the series as his main priority.
He should have a good battle with 2010 series runner-up, John Reid in his Toyota Corolla WRC. However, the challenge from drivers such as Colin Britton and Ian Cochrane, both in Mitsubishi’s, cannot be dismissed.
Making his customary visit from the USA, John Drislane (Subaru WRC) is seeded at six ahead of the Subaru WRC’s of Martin Cairns and Enda McNulty. The battle for the two wheel drive category involves Escort pair, Frank Kelly and Adrian Hetherington.
The top ten is completed by Alastair Fisher, who debuts a Ford Fiesta R2 in preparation for his tilt at the WRC Academy series that now has 18 drivers signed for the series.
The Tipperary organisers have seeded over 60 crews including Paul Mulcahy (Toyota Starlet), Rallies Committee chairman, James Coleman (Ford Escort) and Patrick Keenan (Mitsubishi). Mallow’s, Sarah and Amy Moynihan will campaign an ex-Prodrive N11 Subaru and Ballyvourney’s, Gerard and James Lucey compete in a Mitsubishi Evo8. Following the start at 9.30am, the stages at Cambaun, Kilcoran and Kilworth will be repeated in the afternoon.
The Midland Navigation Trial at Rooskey, Co. Roscommon starts at 9 pm tomorrow night.
The new MINI WRC that will be driven by Irish driver, Kris Meeke and Spain’s, Dani Sordo, will have its official launch in Cowley, Oxford on April 16. Irish legend, Paddy Hopkirk said: “It is just great to see it all being revived. I admire the talents of these guys, Kris took me around the Prodrive test track in the MINI WRC and it was absolutely fantastic.”
Motorcycle Expo, a festival of Motorcycling covering all aspects of two wheeled motoring will take place in Mondello Park on Sunday, May 29.
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