Skoda: Event `waiver` good news.
Skoda team manager, Joan Sureda has welcomed the announcement by the FIA at the end of last month, that they and Mitsubishi can miss three events in 2006, if they so choose. Skoda was understood to be unhappy about having to take in 16 events again next season, as they thought it would quite simply overstretch their budget. Confirmation then that they can now choose to only do 13, should ensure they compete, something that is a boost for the WRC in light of the decision by Citroen and Peugeot to pull out at the end of this season.
Pons gears up for Xsara debut with new co-driver.
Production Car WRC competitor, Xavier Pons will make his debut with the OMV backed Kronos Racing squad next weekend, when he drives a Citroen Xsara WRC on the Acropolis Rally. Greece is Pons’ first event with the team, after agreeing a deal late last month to contest six ‘senior’ WRC events, in addition to those he is already committed to contesting as part of the PCWRC.
Panizzi: New active differential helps a lot.
Mitsubishi’s Gilles Panizzi has hailed the team’s latest electronic gizmo – their ‘active centre differential system’ that they will use for the first time in Mexico this week. Panizzi, who returns to action after sitting out the Swedish Rally, when Gigi Galli drove the second car, is more a fan of asphalt events, however the Frenchman likes competing on the gravel in Mexico, and did so for the first time last year, when he finished eighth. “I did two [test] days and maybe 350 test kilometres and I continue to say the car is getting better and better,” said Panizzi.
Skoda appoints new team manager.
The Skoda Motorsport World Rally team has revealed that a new face will be joining the outfit in 2005, when Joan Sureda takes over from Antonio Rodriguez as team manager. Sureda, like Rodriguez, will be familiar to many people from his days as assistant team manager at SEAT Sport. Sureda is no stranger to the current WRC having been a regular competitor, co-driving for Ferran Font and, in 2002, Paco Roig. Skoda meanwhile also announced that Armin Schwarz will have a new co-driver next year.
Citroen C4 WRC – technical specifications.
Main technical specifications for Citroen’s new C4 WRC – the successor to the Xsara WRC. Engine: Turbo-compressed, developed from the XU7JP4 engine Position: transversal, inclined 25 ? towards the rear Number of cylinders: 4 in line Aluminium engine block Capacity (cm3): 1998 Maximum power (hp/revs/min): 315 at 5 500 Maximum Torque (mkg/revs/min): 58 at 2750 Chassis:
Peugeot ‘disappointed’, but will not appeal.
Peugeot Sport has confirmed that they will not appeal, following the exclusion of Marcus Gronholm and Harri Rovanpera from the Cyprus Rally, in which the former finished first, while the latter was fifth. According to a statement released by the outfit while they are ‘disappointed’, they now wish to focus on the forthcoming events, the next of which, is the Acropolis Rally next weekend. A team statement read:
First pictures: Ford Focus RS WRC 04.
The Ford Rallye Sport team today [Friday] unveiled the Focus RS World Rally Car 04, after it successfully completed the FIA homologation process this week. The car, which will make it debut later this month on the Propecia Rally New Zealand, in the hands of Markko Martin and Francois Duval, is an ‘evolutionary’ development of the Focus RS WRC 03, which finished one-two last month in Mexico. To see images of it, just go to Crash.net, click on the World Rally channel and then under Pictures, select ‘Latest Pictures’ – four are currently displayed on page 1.
Olbia named service park for Rallye d’Italia.
The organisers of the Supermag Rallye d’Italia-Sardinia have today announced that the service park of event will be situated in Olbia, while the subsidiary service park and the shakedown will be in Tempio Pausania. This decision is based on the report of Simo Lampinen – who will be the Rally d’Italia-Sardinia deputy clerk of the course – and the FIA itself. The Finn went to Sardinia recently for an official visit of the special stages and of the areas, which could host the service park.
Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo: SS10 – cancelled.
The organisers of the 72nd Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo have been forced to cancel another stage of the event, this time SS10 has been axed. Tourette du Chateau 2 [24.80 km], ran earlier in the day as SS8, was called off due to safety concerns, early reports suggesting spectators problems are to blame. Yesterday [Friday], the opening test of the event [SS1] was cancelled due to the volume of spectators, deemed too many to allow the test to go ahead. SS7 today was also stopped following Nicolas Vouilloz’s accident – his crashed 206 blocked the route.
Burns sends message to fans: Don’t worry – I’m ok.
2001 World Rally champion, Richard Burns is ‘doing really well’ according to his co-driver and friend Robert Reid. Burns, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour back in November, was forced to miss the final event of the 2003 World Rally Championship, despite still being in with a shot at the title. The Englishman, who is now undergoing chemotherapy, has been forced to put his career on hold.
Lukander’s charity ice hockey match a success.
A budget of EUR14,000 was raised during a charity ice hockey match hosted by Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team co-driver Paavo Lukander at Kuovala some days ago. The money raised will be used to help young Finns recover from drug addiction. Lukander, who is a former ice hockey player, attracted many of Finland’s World famous ice hockey stars, such as Jarri Kurri [five times Stanley Cup winner], Janne Laukkanen [NHL Tampa Bay Lightning player], and Timo Jutila [Finnish national team], to take part including Skoda team colleague Toni Gardemeister.
Makinen withdraws from Argentina.
The 555 Subaru World Rally team has announced that Tommi Makinen has been withdrawn from YPF Rally Argentina. Makinen had been looking good prior to SS8, when he was running second, however gearbox problems in that test and the in subsequent one dropped him way down the leader-board, over 10 minutes off the frontrunners. Although he recovered to 13th overall after leg 2 yesterday, even a points-finish today looked unlikely.