CURTAIN UP ON WALES RALLY GB
TESTING STARTS IN EARNEST
World Rally Championship stars from three of the series’ four teams arrived in Wales last week, with M-sport, Hyundai and Toyota all testing ahead of next week’s Rally GB.
M-sport and Hyundai both ran on roads close to Bala and the Aberhirnant stage, before the Cumbrian squad moved into Clocaenog for the final day. The Yaris WRC started testing close to Machynlleth on Monday this week.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak completed their daylong test in torrential rain, while championship leader Sebastien Ogier enjoyed a day of sunshine before the rain returned on Friday.
Citroen will test its C3 WRC in south-west France after team principal Yves Matton said the cost of running in Britain was too high.
Ogier will start Rally GB without the drivers’ title confirmed for the first time since 2012, and the Frenchman admitted that added further focus to his two days of running.
Ogier told MN: “In the past I liked the fact I arrived more relaxed with the championship done. This is not an easy rally, you know I had some fear with this event – it’s a difficult one. You have to face the hard weather: the fog, bad visibility, heavy rain, it’s tricky. I have learned more and more about the event through the years and feel more comfortable coming here. We all know there is an important target to reach in GB. This is the first time I come without the title for four years, so it’s more important because there is a championship to be won.”
The last time the WRC ran on wet gravel was in Mikolajki for Rally Poland at the beginning of July. The loose surface stages on Rally Spain earlier this month were hard, dry and run in near-30ºc temperatures – conditions unlikely to be replicated on Europe’s final WRC counter of the season.
Ogier added: “When we come out of Spain, it’s important to get back with the muddy feeling on the roads with lower grip. The test has gone well. Driving in the sun and the rain is always good because we never know what we will have when we come to the rally.”
M-sport re-prepared the test Fiesta over the weekend and Elfyn Evans was scheduled to drive it in Greystoke on Tuesday.
Evans said: “It’s really useful to have the data from the guys’ tests in Wales last week. We can translate that to the roads we have in Greystoke and make it work for us. Greystoke’s a good place for us to test, but it’s not quite the same as Wales – it can be quite deceiving as there’s more grip in there than we’ll be likely to get on the event.”
Mikkelsen’s day in the test i20 Coupe WRC was vital, this being the first time he has driven the car on the loose with his own differential set-up.
“When I was in Spain, I had to use Hayden [Paddon’s] set-up,” he said, “Today was a day I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. It’s been a good test. OK, the weather was probably better than we will get on the actual rally but we have found a good way with the car. What’s really important in Wales is to have a car that’s easy to drive and I think we have found that.”
Mikkelsen’s day was less stressful than team-mate Neuville, who endured two changes of gearbox and hydraulic problems, as well as torrential rain to deal with. Despite those issues, Mikkelsen remains confident the team can fight.
“My chance of winning really depends on the weather,” he said. “If it gets really wet at the start then almost all the grip is for the cars at the front. But if it stays dry then I really want fight at the top. I want to go fast and show the potential, but as well I have to get ready for next year with this car. But I’m looking forward to Wales. I love this rally, we have a ton of fans who come here and some fantastic, real forest roads.”