Review of Rally Australia 2011!

Apologies for the very late review! So much school stuff to do I barely had time to follow the rally :O :O I know Shocking :-P


Rally Australia was full of surprises and unexpected events. No-one could have predicted how the weekend played out, ending with a one, two for Ford!

Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen took the win with Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttilla second. It was an extremely important win for the team who have been waiting for a win since the beginning of the season!

Latvala had started the day in the lead but ultimately slowed to enable his team mate to win the rally to aid his chances in the drivers championship. Championship leader Loeb is now 15 points in the lead with the Citroen team 62 points ahead of Ford in the manufacturers title.After a bad spat of rallies Jari-Matti has decided this his title dreams are over for this year so he wasn't annoyed when told to slow. It was the teams first one two since Sardinia in 2009!
It was also a good weekend for Matthew Wilson who equalled his best ever WRC result.
It was another strong weekend for Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson. They finished the weekend the leading Citroen, on the podium and back on pace! Petter Solberg Never Gives Up! Solberg also took away one point for coming third on the powestage!

After a catastrophic first day Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier fought back to finish in 10th and 11th place respectively. Loeb also managed to win the powerstage taking 4 valuable points away from Rally Australia.
0 points for Ogier moved him down the championship standings from 2nd to 3rd.

The very happy drivers who graced the podium at rally Australia!

Rally Australia - all the Day 1 action!

Ford's Mikko Hirvonen is leading this years Rally Australia after one of the most dramatic opening days to a rally in the last few years!
Hirvonen leads the rally by 7seconds followed by team mate Jari-Matti Latvala.

As the day began the weather was very unexpected to say the least. Heavy rain fell on the Coffs Coast in New South Wales and drivers had to compete on an unsuited hard-compound tire.

Sebastien Ogier began the day strong taking the early lead in stage 2. Team mate Loeb fought back in stage 3 to overtake Ogier only for one of the most uncharacteristic mistakes in Motorsport to happen.
1.3 Kilometres into stage 4 Seven time World Rally Championship Sebastien Loeb rolled his car out of the rally. It is the first time since Poland 2009 that Monsieur Loeb has not finished the first day of a rally. Its fair to say everyone was shocked....

Then on stage 6 his team mate Ogier stopped, crashing out 23.6km into the stage. He hit a tree and damaged his radiator, putting an end to his day. 
The Citroen Team will continue working on the cars overnight in a bid to get them back out on the stages tommorow!Both Citroen Total drivers were out for Day 1 at least and Ford drivers inherited 1st and 2nd position!

Citroen Privateer Petter Solberg and his Co-Driver Patterson had a solid Day 1 and are now the leading Citroen car in the rally after Day1!
Brother Henning Solberg is just behind in the overall classifications going into Day 2 with Matthew Wilson rounding off the top 5!

DAY 1 PRESS CONFERENCE
LATVALA, HIRVONEN, SOLBERG!

Rally Australia!

Unfortunately I Have no time what so ever to to write about the start of rally Australia even though I would love to!
Back to school and in 5th year so I have loads of homework every night! :(
  This weekend I will write about each day not each stage unfortunately!
I am very excited about this weekends rally and cant wait to see how it plans out!
Petter Solberg FTW ! :P

Review of ADAC Rallye Deutschland 2011 (final day)

Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia became the first crew to beat seven time World rally Champion and eight time rally Germany winner Sebastien Loeb on  an all Asphalt event since 2004.


Sebastien Loeb took the lead of the rally and was on course to keep it going into Day 3. He entered the final stage of Day 2 the longest stage of the rally, and picked up a puncture. The time lost cause him to loose his lead to team mate Ogier. The advantage Ogier held over his team mate going into Day 3 was too great for Loeb to take back the lead. in just 4 stages.

The Mini World Rally Team were able to claim there first podium since entering the Wrc. Dani Sordo was locked in battle with Fords Mikko Hirvonen for third place. Both fought very hard but having gone off the road in SS16, overshot a junction in SS17 and sustained a puncture in the final stage Mikko couldnt fight hard enough to overtake Sordo and steal the final Podium spot.

Sordo's team mate Kris Meeke was on course for a solid fifth place finish only to retire from the rally on the penultimate stage with a suspected alternator problem. 
Kris explained the day;
 "The day (Sunday) started out as going to be a bit of a battle with Petter Solberg. We held him in the first one and then on the second we had a little error on the pace note side as the note I had made on the recce was a little bit optimistic and I missed my braking point and lost ten seconds there. After lunch it was very wet and there was only a second between myself and Petter on the first stage, and then on the next about halfway through the car started to cut out on me, eventually stopped completely and there was nothing we could do. It was quite clear it was an electrical issue as there was no power to the control box inside the car. It was traced to just a little wire that had come off and it was one of those things."


 Unfortunate Solberg was plagued with punctures early in the rally.Norwegian Petter Solberg then inherited Fifth place after Meeke's problems.

Kimi Raikkonen claimed six position in Germany, a strong finish for the Fin.


When the crews took to Trier for the 4.37 kilometre Circus Maximus Power Stage, Seb Loeb made up for losing 1st place by setting the fastest time and taking away the three bonus points. Team mate  and eventual rally Germany winner Sebastien Ogier took away two extra points, fifth place Petter Solberg took away the final one point.


After the rally,
Sebastien Loeb continues to lead the drivers Championship.
Victory in Germany means Sebastien Ogier has moved ahead of Mikko Hirvonen.


In the manufacturers Championship, Citroen continue to head the field 90 points ahead of Ford.
Another win in Germany means Citroen are now the most successful manufacturer in wrc with 78 wins.


The Championship now takes the crews to the gravel roads in New South Wales for Rally Australia (8-11 September).

Rally Germany 2011 Day 2 stages 11,12,13,14

SS11 Hermeskeil / Gusenburg 2 (11.37km)

After service the drivers headed back to Hermeskeil / Gusenburg  for a second test of the 11.37km stage.

Sebastien Loeb entered the stage first and finished with a time of 6m 12.6s.

 "It's okay, still slippery on the gravel. No problems. We are in a position where it would be stupid to fight. We have two minutes on the other drivers."

His team mate Ogier was quicker by 3.5s. Pushing hard for his first win on Asphalt despite team orders telling him to freeze position.

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen dropped 3.0s to Sebastien Ogier on the stage but went 1s quicker than Dani Sordo. The two boys are locked in battle for the remaining podium position.

Hirvonen said...

 "Dani Sordo and MINI are doing really well, but it will be hard to catch them. My car is really good to drive now."

Sordo said....

 "It's not so bad. I tried to push, but it's a long rally with really long stages. I'm very happy with the MINI, it's working really well."

Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala sets the second quickest stage time on SS11, dropping 1.2s to stage winner Sebastien Ogier. 

"I was fastest here on the first run through, I really tried hard again on the gravel section but it wasn't so easy to make time."

Unfortunate Petter Solberg suffered another puncture on SS11 although he didnt lose much time. He only dropped 4.0s to Ogier. He must have picked up the puncture towards the end of the stage.

 Kris Meeke dropped 1.8s to team-mate Dani Sordo and 2.8s to Ford's Mikko Hirvonen on SS11. 

"It wasn't too bad. I was a little bit untidy in one or two places, but okay."

Petter's brother Henning set a strong time on SS11. 6m 15.6s. 

 "The stage is okay. I tried my best and I'm pushing hard."

AFTER STAGE 11 SEBASTIEN LOEB WAS STILL IN THE LEAD BUT ONLY BY A SLIM 1.3S.

STAGE TIMES SS11

Stage

Pos	No	Driver	Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	2	S. OGIER	6:09.1	0.0	0.0
2.	4	J. LATVALA	6:10.3	+1.2	+1.2
3.	3	M. HIRVONEN	6:12.1	+1.8	+3.0
4.	1	S. LOEB	6:12.6	+0.5	+3.5
5.	11	P. SOLBERG	6:13.1	+0.5	+4.0
6.	37	D. SORDO	6:13.1	0.0	+4.0
7.	52	K. MEEKE	6:14.9	+1.8	+5.8
8.	9	D. KUIPERS	6:15.4	+0.5	+6.3
9.	15	H. SOLBERG	6:15.6	+0.2	+6.5
10.	6	M. ØSTBERG	6:16.1	+0.5	+7.0

OVERALL CLASSIFICATIONS AFTER SS11

Overall

Pos	No	Driver		Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	M	2:07:49.9	0.0	0.0
2.	2	S. OGIER	M	2:07:51.2	+1.3	+1.3
3.	37	D. SORDO		2:09:50.7	+1:59.5	+2:00.8
4.	3	M. HIRVONEN	M	2:10:22.6	+31.9	+2:32.7
5.	52	K. MEEKE		2:10:27.8	+5.2	+2:37.9
6.	11	P. SOLBERG	M	2:10:42.8	+15.0	+2:52.9
7.	9	D. KUIPERS	M	2:12:47.0	+2:04.2	+4:57.1
8.	15	H. SOLBERG		2:12:50.8	+3.8	+5:00.9
9.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	M	2:12:54.5	+3.7	+5:04.6
10.	4	J. LATVALA	M	2:14:07.2	+1:12.7	+6:17.3

SS12 Bosenberg 2 (14.29km)

The drivers then headed to the second run of Bosenberg!
Rally Leader Sebastien Loeb set the fastest time on the second stage of the afternoon, after his team gave Ogier a target time for the stage. Ogier wasnt happy about being ordered to go slower.He dropped 2.1s to his team mate with a time of 8m 25.9s,

"We had to slow down for the team."

Mikko Hirvonen sets the second fastest time  on SS12 as he kept fighting with third-placed driver Dani Sordo. 

"We just had a big jump, I like it like that! I was in my element."

His team mate Latvala set a time 2.3s down on Sebastien Loeb's fastest time.

"We are calculating where we can be at the end of the day. I was maybe pushing too hard because we had a small off."

Dani Sordo couldn't explain why he lost time on SS12, He lost 4.5s of his lead over Hirvonen.

 "We lost a lot, I don't know why. We didn't make any mistakes. In the stage I didn't feel those five seconds. At the moment I am trying to push."

His team mate Meeke was 3.5s faster through the 14.29km test.

 "Its the first stage today where I haven't made a mistake. I'm striving for perfection and I'm getting there slowly. I have to be quite encouraged, but there's more to come."

Petter Solberg was "losing time where (he) shouldnt be..." on stage 12.

STAGE TIMES: SS12

Stage

Pos	No	Driver	Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	8:23.8	0.0	0.0
2.	3	M. HIRVONEN	8:25.5	+1.7	+1.7
3.	2	S. OGIER	8:25.9	+0.4	+2.1
4.	4	J. LATVALA	8:26.1	+0.2	+2.3
5.	52	K. MEEKE	8:26.5	+0.4	+2.7
6.	11	P. SOLBERG	8:26.9	+0.4	+3.1
7.	37	D. SORDO	8:30.0	+3.1	+6.2
8.	6	M. ØSTBERG	8:34.8	+4.7	+10.9
9.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	8:38.9	+4.1	+15.1
10.	9	D. KUIPERS	8:39.4	+0.5	+15.6

OVERALL CLASSIFICATIONS AFTER SS12

Overall

Pos	No	Driver		Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	M	2:16:13.7	0.0	0.0
2.	2	S. OGIER	M	2:16:17.1	+3.4	+3.4
3.	37	D. SORDO		2:18:20.7	+2:03.6	+2:07.0
4.	3	M. HIRVONEN	M	2:18:48.1	+27.4	+2:34.4
5.	52	K. MEEKE		2:18:54.3	+6.1	+2:40.5
6.	11	P. SOLBERG	M	2:19:09.7	+15.4	+2:56.0
7.	9	D. KUIPERS	M	2:21:26.4	+2:16.7	+5:12.7
8.	15	H. SOLBERG		2:21:31.3	+4.9	+5:17.6
9.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	M	2:21:33.4	+2.1	+5:19.7
10.	4	J. LATVALA	M	2:22:33.3	+59.9	+6:19.6

SS13 Birkenfelder Land 2 (15.23km)

Sebastien Loeb was fastest again on SS13, 0.4 quicker than team mate Ogier stretching the gap between 1st and 2nd to 3.8s.

After that it seemed a stage for all the remaining drivers to drop time.

Hirvonen dropped 3.4s to Seb Loeb,

Sordo 0.2s to chasing Hirvonen,

Meeke 19.7s to team mate Sordo,

Solberg 7.7s to Meeke.

Punctures for Petter Solberg, Mr Latvala and Kris Meeke were the cause of lost time on SS13.

STAGE 13 TIMES!

Stage

Pos	No	Driver	Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	8:36.5	0.0	0.0
2.	2	S. OGIER	8:36.9	+0.4	+0.4
3.	3	M. HIRVONEN	8:39.9	+3.0	+3.4
4.	37	D. SORDO	8:40.1	+0.2	+3.6
5.	9	D. KUIPERS	8:50.8	+10.7	+14.3
6.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	8:51.3	+0.5	+14.8
7.	15	H. SOLBERG	8:52.4	+1.1	+15.9
8.	17	A. ARAÚJO	8:59.2	+6.8	+22.7
9.	51	P. FLODIN	8:59.7	+0.5	+23.2
10.	52	K. MEEKE	8:59.8	+0.1	+23.3

AFTER THE NEXT STAGE THE TOP TWO DRIVERS WERE TO SWITCH POSITONS. YOUNG SEBASTIEN OGIER WAS ABOUT TO BE HANDED THE RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND LEAD!

Overall

Pos	No	Driver		Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	1	S. LOEB	M	2:24:50.2	0.0	0.0
2.	2	S. OGIER	M	2:24:54.0	+3.8	+3.8
3.	37	D. SORDO		2:27:00.8	+2:06.8	+2:10.6
4.	3	M. HIRVONEN	M	2:27:28.0	+27.2	+2:37.8
5.	52	K. MEEKE		2:27:54.1	+26.1	+3:03.9
6.	11	P. SOLBERG	M	2:28:17.2	+23.1	+3:27.0
7.	9	D. KUIPERS	M	2:30:17.2	+2:00.0	+5:27.0
8.	15	H. SOLBERG		2:30:23.7	+6.5	+5:33.5
9.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	M	2:30:24.7	+1.0	+5:34.5
10.	17	A. ARAÚJO		2:32:04.8	+1:40.1	+7:14.6

SS14 Arena Panzerplatte 2 (34.18km)

Sebastien Loeb entered the final stage of Day 2 expecting to lead the rally into the final day only to pick up a puncture on the longest stage of the rally at just over 34km.

 Team mate Ogier inherited the Rally lead and surprisingly went into the final day of the rally with a lead of 1m11.3s!

At the stage end the boys said

 "I don't know what happened. There were some rocks on a straight. I was taking it easy."

Sebastien Ogier

 "I don't want to celebrate it. I can't be happy when my team-mate has a problem. There is justice in the squad, which is a good thing."

Mini driver Dani Sordo fought well to keep his third place setting the second fastest time 3.4 slower than Ogier. Rival Mikko Hirvonen could only manage a time of 19m 58.5s. losing more time to Dani.

 "I tried to fight for third but Dani is going well. We'll see tomorrow."

Kris Meeke completed SS14 having collected some damage to the rear of his MINI. He set a time of 20m 22.3s. 

"At a junction it got away from me under braking. We changed the set-up but I didn't like it, but we're still here."

Petter Solberg suffered another puncture on the final stage of the day.

He struggled through the test with a broken front-right damper, sustained on the previous stage. He set a time of 20m 8.3s.

STAGE TIMES FOR THE FINAL STAGE OF DAY 2

Stage

Pos	No	Driver	Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	2	S. OGIER	19:49.2	0.0	0.0
2.	37	D. SORDO	19:52.6	+3.4	+3.4
3.	3	M. HIRVONEN	19:58.5	+5.9	+9.3
4.	11	P. SOLBERG	20:08.3	+9.8	+19.1
5.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	20:11.7	+3.4	+22.5
6.	15	H. SOLBERG	20:18.9	+7.2	+29.7
7.	52	K. MEEKE	20:22.3	+3.4	+33.1
8.	17	A. ARAÚJO	20:30.0	+7.7	+40.8
9.	14	P. VAN MERKSTEIJN	20:36.7	+6.7	+47.5
10.	51	P. FLODIN	20:44.8	+8.1	+55.6

OVERALL CLASSIFICATIONS AFTER DAY 2 OF RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND

Overall

Pos	No	Driver		Time	Diff Prev	Diff 1st
1.	2	S. OGIER	M	2:44:43.2	0.0	0.0
2.	1	S. LOEB	M	2:45:54.5	+1:11.3	+1:11.3
3.	37	D. SORDO		2:46:53.4	+58.9	+2:10.2
4.	3	M. HIRVONEN	M	2:47:26.5	+33.1	+2:43.3
5.	52	K. MEEKE		2:48:16.4	+49.9	+3:33.2
6.	11	P. SOLBERG	M	2:48:25.5	+9.1	+3:42.3
7.	8	K. RÄIKKÖNEN	M	2:50:36.4	+2:10.9	+5:53.2
8.	15	H. SOLBERG		2:50:42.6	+6.2	+5:59.4
9.	17	A. ARAÚJO		2:52:34.8	+1:52.2	+7:51.6
10.	14	P. VAN MERKSTEIJN	M	2:53:09.1	+34.3	+8:25.9

So with Day 2 completed with a shocking final stage what will Day 3 be like tomorrow?
It looks very unlikely that anyone other than Sebastien Ogier will win the rally tomorrow.

There will be a fight for the final podium position between Mikko Hirvonen and Daniel Sordo.

Will mini get the first podium?

Kris Meeke and Petter Solberg will also be battling for Fifth position!
It looks like we have a very exciting final day tomorrow!

 NONE OF THE IMAGES IN THIS POST BELONG TO ME. 

SOME OF THE PICS BELONG TO CITROEN AND OTHER BELONG TO A WRC FAN.