The Aruba.IT Ducati Team come into the 2017 World Superbike season as one of the favourites to take not just the constructors championship, but a riders’ championship too. The bike, which has no fully acclimatised to WSBK and is up to speed, has been in the series for four seasons now without a title success. Can they go all the way?
The bike itself is a proven race winner in the hands of Welshman Chaz Davies. After initial teething problems, the machine is now firing on all four cylinders (despite it being a twin cylinder), and is ready to take championship success from national, to international race series. Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne took the Panigale to its first British Superbike Championship in 2016 at the first time of asking and Matteo Baiocco took the bike to Italian Superbike glory also. Having finished in the top three in the WSBK on two consecutive seasons, the Aruba.IT Ducati will seek to go on to finish top of the championship tree in 2017. One problem that prevailed last season was the straight-line speed of the bike – yes, you just read that Ducati struggled with top speed! It was an issue in Phillip Island and at Buriram due to the long corners that lead onto the huge straights.
But just who have Ducati hired to take the bike to the top? Unsurprisingly, Chaz Davies signed for a 4th season on the Ducati, having come so close to glory last season. Despite taking 11 race wins – more than anyone else – Chaz could only manage third in the title as inconsistencies in the mid-season put him on the back-foot. 20 wins to his name thus far, can the soon-to-be 30 year old take that all important championship victory?
Out to stop him – or act as wingman – is former 250cc champion and MotoGP winner, Marco Melandri. The famous #33 returns to a series in which he has become known as a nearly man, where the Italian has never been out of the top four, but never took the elusive title win. Having had a torrid time in 2015 for half a MotoGP season, and a retirement year in 2016, Melandri comes back hungrier than ever to challenge at the front. Having had successful surgery to fix an injured leg, he can now focus on returning to former glory and becoming the first Italian to win on the Bologna Bullet since Michel Fabrizio in 2010.
The more troubling issue for Ducati is their start of season form, as they haven’t taken a win in the opening two rounds since Carlos Checa in 2012. They’ve never won in Thailand and haven’t won at Assen since 2012 with Sylvain Guintoli. Donington Park hasn’t been kind to them either, with no win since Carlos Checa back in 2011. However, Davies comes into the championship off the back of six consecutive wins towards the end of last season – the first to win the final six races in a season since Colin Edwards in the amazing 2002 season. Both of their riders are seasoned campaigners and both will be looking for a title win, at any costs…
You can keep up to date with the goings on of World Superbike here at The Pit Crew Online. Give us a follow on Twitter @PitCrew_Online, and keep up with the live text commentary of all the big meetings!
Former Lotus, Renault and Ferrari technical director James Allison has agreed to join Mercedes in the same position. The 49-year-old, who also won two world drivers’ and constructors’ championships at Renault from 2005, will officially start work in March.
Allison had been out of Formula One since July last year following the death of his wife, and joins following the departure of former technical chief Paddy Lowe to Williams.
On joining the team that won all except two races last year, Allison had this to say: “I am very excited to be getting back to work after this time away from the sport.
“It’s a massive privilege to be given the trust of a position in a team that has done so spectacularly well in the past three seasons.
“I am really looking forward to playing my part in helping Mercedes go from strength to strength in the coming years.”
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff added: “I am delighted to welcome James to Mercedes and very much looking forward to working with him. Our technical team is extremely skilled at every level and at the top of its game after delivering three world championships in a row.”
Allison will officially start work during the first pre-season test in Barcelona, where despite the huge shake up in technical regulations Mercedes are once again expected to be on top.
The Silver Arrows are looking to defend a run of dominance that has seen them win each of the last three World Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships.
The new Formula One season begins on March 26 at Albert Park, Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, where yet another thrilling season will start.
Alex Rins has shown that injury doesn’t always hinder you, as he goes to 9th place on the second day of testing. The Spaniard, who was way down the order on day 1, was keen to try the team’s solution to chassis issues, trying a variety of configurations.
The GSX-RR rider is still getting used to his new surroundings, but reports from the team suggest that his relationship with them is getting better, as his confidence with the bike is beginning to shine through.
The same could not be said for Austrian Grand Prix winner Andrea Iannone, who, after finishing 3rd on day 1, didn’t improve his time on day 2, placing him in 12th place. Iannone is also a new signing, with team boss David Brivio putting it down to “not being able to find a style that suits his needs.
“Today we tried different things; some new specs of the chassis and the new fairings. I feel comfortable. We took a big step since yesterday. Step-by-step, lap-by-lap, I can take better lines and so I can be more consistent”.
The Moto2 title challenger from 2016 went on to say: “We could improve a lot in the third sector. We are more consistent than yesterday, we gained a lot of corner speed and I’m happy we are working in the right direction.”
As for Andrea Iannone, he was not as optimistic. “Today’s been hard because we could not find a way to improve the lap time”, he began. “We are at a point where we still have work to do. Although, looking at the pace, I’m not that bad and it’s better than yesterday. I still don’t have 100% control of the machine; it’s only the second test, little-by-little”.
The Italian went on to say that his understanding of the behaviour of the bike must improve: “I need to understand how to attack the track to achieve a better lap time and how to best read the GSX-RR, but I believe this will come with time, after riding longer and longer. Now, we are focused on many aspects. We have many positives and we are working hard on our negatives.”
Aleix Espargaro has shown that he is one of the most versatile riders in GP, as he completed day 2 of the MotoGP Test at Phillip Island in 6th place for the Gresini Aprilia Team. The Spaniard, who was further down the order on day 1, trying out new chassis settings as well as working on a new riding style that will suit the Aprilia more.
The former Suzuki GSX-RR rider is still getting used to his new surroundings at the Italian manufacturer, but little by little, things are looking up for the former GP podium finisher. Although the bike has remained much the same, he is the one who is adapting to it, and not the other way around.
“We are improving. Yesterday we had already started in the right direction. Today we did a lot of chassis tests. I am more than satisfied with both my flying lap and with our pace during the race simulation, which is very important”. Aleix does however feel that the work is not done, and that they bike still needs refinements.
“The bike has not changed much compared with Malaysia, but my feeling on it increases constantly, especially with the front tyre and that is very important for my riding style. Now we need to keep improving our package.”
Although down the rear end of the timesheets, Sam Lowes, the teams 2nd rider was full of confidence. The plucky Brit and twin brother to Tech 3 replacement Alex Lowes, remains upbeat after shaving over a second off his time from day one.
“Today we worked well. I am happy. I continue discovering how these bikes need to be ridden and I’m beginning to figure out what I need to get my times down”, the 26 year-old stated. Lowes has faith that tomorrow, the test will bring better things.
“Riding the RS-GP here at Phillip Island is something special. I like the track and I am sure that tomorrow we will be able to take another step toward a good starting base for the 2017 season.”
Testing resumes tomorrow at the Phillip Island circuit.
On a second sunny day at Phillip Island, it was former Moto3 champion and Movistar Yamaha’s new kid on the block Maverick Vinales who was sitting pretty at the top of timesheets. Fellow countryman Marc Marquez was in a comfortable 2nd and Britain’s Cal Crutchlow, who won the Australian Grand Prix last season, was in the bronze medal position.
Vinales, who was fastest in both the Valencia and Sepang tests, set his quick time early on, during his 21st lap out of a colossal 80 come the end of the day. His 1.28.847 was under the pole time from last season but still around 8 tenths off Jorge Lorenzo’s absolute best, set in qualifying for the controversial 2013 Australian GP.
Whilst I describe Vinales’ lap count as colossal, Marc Marquez put in the most of the day, registering 107 come the chequered flag at the end of the day. The reigning champion also set his time early doors, this time on his 20th lap. Despite suffering from a cold – and by that I don’t mean the wind chill factor at The Island – Dani Pedrosa clambered out of Repsol Honda hibernation and completed 40 laps, the fastest of which came on the 38th attempt, leaving the former double 250cc champion down in 16th.
Valentino Rossi’s electric start on day 1 had subsided into a power cut on day 2. Whilst the veteran Italian racked up 70 laps, he couldn’t match the time set on his 18th, leaving him way down the field in 8th place, despite fractionally improving on yesterday’s time. Valentino, like his helmet, may well be snowed under, perhaps his reasoning will be jet lag. The Yamaha corporation has been to Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines in the last 3 weeks, meaning that both riders will be drained, but of course, it would only effect the elder statesman of the team.
Although he may not like the term, Crutchlow was the top independent rider, finishing the day in 3rd. The Brit went faster than what he managed during race conditions in the Grand Prix last season, and was just 0.478 off of a scorching Maverick Vinales. Alvaro Bautista continued his impressive form ahead of 2017, proving that he still has what it takes to be a top half-dozen rider. The former 125cc champion took 4th place, finishing top Ducati – oh what a punch in the guts for the Factory Team.
Talking of a factory team, you’ll be wondering where Ducati got to. Dovizioso took 5th place on board the 2017 version, 0.6 off Yamaha’s Top Gun at the top. The new Ducati signing of five-time champion Jorge Lorenzo wasn’t looking to good down in 15th place, but the Spaniard is still adapting to the Italian bike. Lorenzo’s best time came on lap 32 of his 64, leaving him just over 1.3 seconds off the fastest time.
German Jonas Folger was in 7th place, the Tech 3 Yamaha rider taking the top rookie honours from Phillip Island. He was only marginally quicker than his fellow rookie and teammate Johann Zarco, who completed the day in 11th, a tenth and a half further back.
Carrying on the form from the back end of last season, the Factory Gresini Aprilias look the business in 2017. Aleix “Versatile” Espargaro took a great sixth place for the team, setting Aprilia’s fastest ever lap around Phillip Island, including both MotoGP and World Superbikes! His teammate and rookie to the class Sam Lowes stayed down the order in 22nd place but improved hugely, knocking one and a half seconds off his time from day 1.
The first Suzuki was that of Alex Rins. The rookie showing that he – and the Suzuki – have gelled immediately, despite the initial setback with his injury. He was within a second of the top spot, by former Suzuki man Vinales, so that will be his reference point as he continues to adapt to new surroundings in the dizzy heights of MotoGP. His teammate, Andrea Iannone was somewhat languishing on day 2, failing to improve on day 1’s time.
Completing the top 10 was Jack Miller. The Aussie at home looked like a good combination as he continued his pre-season preparations. The Dutch TT winner was the only Estrella Galicia machine out on the course, as Tito Rabat recovers from injuries sustained in a crash during the Sepang test.
Karel Abraham was a bit of a shock up in 13th place. The Czech and former GP winner is returning to the Grand Prix circus this season after a woeful season with Shaun Muir’s Milwaukee BMW squad over in WSBK. The Czech will be out to silence his critics – including myself – and so far, he’s doing a rather sterling job of it. He led a string of Ducatis, with Petrucci and Lorenzo in behind and rounding out the top 15.
After being a revelation of 2016, Hector Barbera was somewhat off the pace during the Phillip Island Test. The Spaniard rounding out day 2 in a lacklustre 17th, albeit only 1.5s off Vinales. Barbera, like many, set his fastest lap very early in the session. He was ahead of Brit Scott Redding, who begins his 4th season in the premier class. The Pramac Ducati rider completed 90 laps, setting his best on the 83rd. Although the placing may not be too clever, the former GP winner took a hefty 1.3 off his time from day 1, as well as jumping up the order by a couple of positions.
Behind him were the Red Bull KTM pairing of Pol Espargaro (19th) and Bradley Smith (22nd). In between them was Loris Baz, who in turn was just fractionally ahead of Aprilia’s Sam Lowes. The Red Bull KTMs took over half a second each off their times from day 1, as they continue to search for the machine’s sweet spot. Bradley Smith is said to be trying to change his riding style, the one which he picked up over the last four seasons on the Tech 3 Yamaha.
There are many things to withdraw from testing, but I personally feel that the Phillip Island test has proved the most fascinating, and maybe, the most indicative. Ducati struggling and Aprilia improving, as well as the Yamahas and Hondas warring, this could be yet another vintage season of Motorcycle Grand Prix racing. And there is yet more to come, tomorrow the testing continues and we will be in for a treat as the teams try to make the gains on the final day.
You can follow @PitCrew_Online for all the updates throughout the MotoGP season, including live text commentary for all the races and qualifying sessions from all the Grand Prix! You can also follow me, @MotoGPKiko for all things original, controversial and entertaining. I also put the odd statistic up to, so be sure to check that out too.
Under more seasonable skies than have sometimes greeted the MotoGP paddock upon arrival for the race weekend at Phillip Island in October, the second Official Test of 2017 saw blue prevail over ‘The Island’, but a stiff breeze keeping the grid from heading out straight away – with new Ducati Team arrival Jorge Lorenzo one of the first to get down to work. By the end of Day 1, it was compatriot Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who topped the timesheets, as the Spaniard put in a 1:29.497.
There were some crashes for the field including Hector Barbera (Reale Esponsorama Racing) and Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), and two Red Flags on Day 1. One saw animals on track cause a short stoppage, before a crash for Lowes at Turn 6 – rider ok – damaged the tyre barrier and necessitated some repair work.
Marc Marquez, the reigning champion, was proving exactly why he is just that, as he spent the day working with the engine specification chosen in Sepang alongside teammate Dani Pedrosa. The reigning Champion put in 68 laps and set his best on his 53rd, which would seal the deal as Test Day 1 concluded with the 5 time champion on top. Team-mate Pedrosa, who spent most of the day in 4th before a late charge from some others in the top ten, ended the first session in seventh on a 1:30.281, after 55 laps.
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP held second on the timesheets for most of the latter part of Day 1, first with Maverick Viñales after the Spaniard had led the way, and secondly with 2015 and 2016 series runner-up, Valentino Rossi – who ended the day in P2 on a 1:29.683. The rider from Tavullia also saved a potential crash earlier in the session, as the Italian continues his rivalry with Marquez even in the crash department. Viñales, who did a best of 1:29.989 after 64 laps, didn’t better his time towards the end as his Suzuki replacement and Rossi’s fellow countryman Andrea Iannone did, moving down to P4.
Iannone rapidly climbed the timesheets for Team Suzuki Ecstar near the end of the day, taking third overall with a 1:29.926 after having spent much of the session outside the top ten. The “Maniac” completed 70 laps and set his fastest on number 68. Teammate and rookie Alex Rins did 66 laps as he gets to grips with MotoGP, setting a best of 1:31.432. We would like to report that no seagulls were injured in the making of Iannone’s fast lap.
LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow completed the top five with a 1:30.065, almost a second faster than his time from the official Grand Prix Qualifying back in October. Putting in a late charge to move up, the Brit did over 60 laps and set his fastest on his final run. Cal was another rider testing a version of the new specification engine for Honda, as well as Marc VDS rider Jack Miller.
Miller did 82 laps of his home track with a best of 1:30.426 – impressively ending the day in the top ten in P9. Miller’s teammate Tito Rabat is not at the test following a crash at Sepang, but is hoping to return for the Qatar test. Miller continues to come of age, following on from his win at Assen last season, as well as his impressive performances which saw him break the top 10 a total of 5 times from the 13 races he started.
Danilo Petrucci was another late charger as he moved up to end the session in sixth, just ahead of Pedrosa and fastest Ducati on Day 1. Putting in 87 laps as he gets used to life on his new GP17, the Italian also set his quickest lap on his last – a 1:30.262. Petrucci has so far stayed safe, after his horrendous accident at the pre-season test last year. His hand injury was so bad that it was thought it may curtail his season by around 7 or 8 races.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was the next Ducati machine, and the 2016 Malaysian GP winner ended the day in eighth with a 1:30.410. Charged with testing new parts and continuing the progress of the Desmosedici, “DesmoDovi” did 64 laps. New teammate Jorge Lorenzo continued his progress as he focuses instead on adaptation to the machine, spending much of the day in the top ten and one of the first out on track. The “Spartan” did 61 laps with a best of 1:30.631, just pushed down to P11 in the latter stages. It is clear that the Ducati team need to work hard at a circuit which they haven’t podiumed at since the departed Iannone took 3rd back in 2015.
Completing the top ten was the fastest rookie of the day: Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Impressing once again after a solid debut in Sepang, the German posted a 1:30.578 and did 62 laps. Folger’s form indicates that he isn’t making up numbers for 2017, and given the tumultuous form of MotoGP in the last couple of seasons, Folger will be looking to become the first German premier class winner since Edmund Czihak in 1974.
Teammate Johann Zarco, reigning Moto2™ World Champion, did 80 laps with a best of 1:30.867 to go P15.Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), Hector Barbera and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed that top fifteen, ahead of Zarco.
Red Bull KTM Racing continue their progress in MotoGP™ as they prepare for their full-time debut in Qatar, with Pol Espargaro putting in a 1:31.200 as the fastest Austrian machine on Day 1.
Action resumes at Phillip Island on Thursday afternoon, or morning if you’re in a not-so-warm and sunny blighty, with the teams eager to get back out and squeeze in as much time as possible before the floodlights in Qatar come on, and the green lights in Qatar go out!
Marc Marquez – Fastest – Honda – 1.29.497
“We had a quite a busy day because we worked a lot on the engine, which of course is different from the one we used here at Phillip Island last year. That meant we had to readjust everything during the morning and spend a lot of time in the box. In the afternoon we found a base for the electronics, but we still need to work harder in this area. I’m fast, but like in Malaysia we want to double-check how it’s working in some areas. We also worked on the setup, and overall it has been a positive day. The weather was good, which is always important, so hopefully it will stay the same for the next two days.”
Valentino Rossi – 2nd – Yamaha – 1.29.683
“It was a good day, I’m quite satisfied. We started in a difficult way this morning. Before the break I wasn’t strong enough and because I couldn’t push at the maximum I didn’t have a lot of feeling. We worked well during the break and in the afternoon the situation changed, I was a bit better. At the end, with the new tyre, I was able to do a good lap and second position is positive for the first day. For sure, we still have a lot to do, especially on the long distance and we hope to have good weather also in the next few days.”
Andrea Iannone – 3rd – Suzuki – 1.29.926
“This morning was very difficult for us. The team couldn’t find the proper setting to feel confident. I struggled a lot. But then in the afternoon, we changed some settings and improved step by step. At the final stage I was happy because the machine improved, as well as the feeling of the bike and the pace. This is a very positive outcome, because it means we have the capability to overcome very hard situations and turn them into a positive. As of tomorrow, we have the chance to work on pace as well as single lap performance, and also introduce some more improvements. We are on a good path. My crew chief is as new as I am with the GSX-RR and it’s very important for us to learn and get to know it at its best.”
With the reigning constructor’s champions are fielding the top 2 riders from last season’s standings, they look the dominant force which has led them to win 3 out of the last 4 championships, and finish in the top 2 in the last 5.
The bike itself will be developed version of the all new-all conquering ZX10-R that was unveiled last season at Phillip Island. Immediately quick out of the blocks, it took the first 4 race victories of the championship before going on to take a staggering 14 race wins in total. That’s not to mention 6 ‘doubles’ and 10 pole positions.
The question is however: can the bike improve even more than last season. The answer looking on paper is obviously yes, but just how do you do it and what are the issues. One of the more prominent issues in the team’s 2016 campaign was downshifting, when Jonathan Rea suffered issues at both Laguna Seca and the Lausitzring which led to subsequent DNFs. Kawasaki have been working hard to try and conjure up a solution, and I wouldn’t put it past them if they have the problems sorted for 2017. Away from WSBK, the new Ninja ZX10-R had a good run out in other championships, with Leon Haslam finishing runner-up in the British Superbike championship and Kazuki Watanabe taking podiums on his way to 6th in the All Japan Road Race Championship.
But what about the line-up that the team has aboard the machines? Jonathan Rea has proven that 2015 was no fluke (we didn’t think it was anyway) and backed it up with his 2nd championship in 2016. Although far less dominant than in 2015, Rea led the series from lights-out in Australia to the chequered flag in Qatar and will be wanting to repeat that in 2017. Throughout the season, the reigning double champion took nine wins and two pole positions, as well as six fastest laps. No one has ever taken three championship wins in consecutive seasons, but if anyone can, then Rea is your man.
Trying to put an end to the Rea onslaught is his teammate-turned-rival Tom Sykes, who was assisted to 2nd in the championship in 2016 by Rea in Qatar. Having stamped his authority on the title by beating Rea in a head to head thriller in Thailand, Sykes failed to put in a convincing title bid, and whilst closing in on Rea at Laguna Seca and again in race one at the Lausitzring, a crash in race two effectively gifted the Ulsterman a 2nd championship trophy. The former champion and three-time runner-up will be looking to beat Rea once and for all in 2017. The Hudderfielder will want to build on the solid foundations he set up on the new bike last season and go one step further in the upcoming season. 5 wins and 20 podiums in 2016 was a great season, but it will take more top step podium finishes for Sykes to level with his teammate on the title front.
And the circuits? Not a problem. The current Kawasaki team has taken victories at all circuits apart from Losail, but they’ll hope to have yet another riders and constructors title in the bag come that time in October. Data shows that Magny Cours and Losail have been difficult tracks for them, and for Sykes, he never goes particularly well at Phillip Island.
You can keep up to date with the goings on of World Superbike here at The Pit Crew Online. Give us a follow on Twitter @PitCrew_Online, and keep up with the live text commentary of all the big meetings!
Audi is the last Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters manufacturer to announce their team structure for the 2017 season.
For the first time since 2011, the DTM field will consist of only 18 cars, which comes as a result of an agreement between competing brands to run six cars each, instead of eight. While BMW and Mercedes-AMG took the opportunity to reduce the number of their teams to two and one respectively, Audi decided to keep all its existing outfits in place.
That move was possible as Hans-Jürgen Abt’s Team Abt Sportsline, which used to run four cars, will scale down its programme to two cars, in order to keep in line with Team Phoenix and Team Rosberg.
Each full-time 2016 driver will remain with their existing teams. Therefore, Mattias Ekström and Nico Müller will form the Abt squad, while Jamie Green and Mike Rockenfeller will lead Rosberg and Phoenix respectively. As for rookie goes, Loïc Duval will join Team Phoenix while René Rast will switch to Team Rosberg for his first full-season ride.
Rast and Duval also announced their race numbers – the German decided not to retain the #72 he used for a few races last year and chose to race with #33 while the French opted for #77.
Four-time World Touring Car Champion Yvan Muller was seen at the Algarve circuit testing for the factory Volvo team. The Frenchman, however, denied rumors about his full-time return.
The most successful driver in WTCC history announced late last year that he will not continue racing full-time despite receiving drive offers. The news about Volvo test sheered doubts about this statement but Muller reassured his fans that he will not abandon his retirement plans and will not race full-time in WTCC.
“In order to put an end to all speculation, I announced at the end of last year that I had decided to stop my full-time driver career, which was a deliberate choice. That decision is still valid. I have absolutely no intention of repeating a full season as a driver, but I have always said that it is not impossible that I will be driving again occasionally when I feel like it. But today there is nothing planned. As for my professional future, it has been decided for a few months already, but the announcement will be made on time.” – can be read on Frenchman’s website.
It remains unknown why Muller was testing the Volvo and what, if any, role in the team will he have. Volvo denied comment on that matter but revealed that the 2017 line up will be announced in February.
The Swedish team will field three cars for the first time in its history.
After Robert Dahlgren’s retirement earlier this year, the most likely candidates are Thed Björk, Fredrik Ekblom, Nestor Girolami and Nick Catsburg.
It was Thierry’s rally. Once again, he damaged his car on the last stage of Saturday. This time Jari-Matti was there and picked up his first victory in nearly a year.
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 02, WRC, Sweden 06-12 February 2017 Atmosphere Day 1 Photographer: Helena El Mokni Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Here’s a reminder of the stages awaiting the crews for this year’s Rally Sweden.
THURSDAY 9 FEBRUARY
8.00am: shakedown (Skalla)
8.04pm: Start of day 1 (Karlstad)
8.08pm: SS1 – Karlstad 1 (1.90km)
9.54pm: End of day 1 (Torsby)
FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY
6.50am: Start of day 2 and service A (Torsby – 15 mins)
7.59am: SS2 – Röjden 1 (18.47km)
9.06am: SS3 – Hof-Finnskog 1 (21.26km)
10.20am: SS4 – Svullrya 1 (24.88km)
11.56am: Service B (Torsby – 30 mins)
1.20pm: SS5 – Röjden 2 (18.47km)
2.27pm: SS6 – Hof-Finnskog 2 (21.26km)
3.51pm: SS7 – Svullrya 2 (24.88km)
5.15pm: SS8 – Torsby 1 (16.43km)
5.55pm: Flexi Service C (Torsby – 45 min)
SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY
6.54am: Start of day 3 and service D (Torsby – 15 mins)
8.08am: SS9 – Knon 1 (31.60km)
9.17am: SS10 – Hagfors 1 (15.87km)
10.08am: SS11 – Vargåsen 1 (14.27km)
11.29am: Service E (Torsby – 30 mins)
12.58pm: SS12 – Knon 2 (31.60km)
2.17pm: SS13 – Hagfors 2 (15.87km)
3.08pm: SS14 – Vargåsen 2 (14.27km)
5.45pm: SS15 – Karlstad 2 (1.90km)
7.41pm: Flexi Service F (Torsby – 45 min)
SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY
6.35am: Start of day 4 and service G (Torsby – 15 mins)
7.55am: SS16 – Likenäs 1 (21.19km)
9.58am: SS17 – Likenäs 2 (21.19km)
12.18pm: SS18 – Torsby 2 (16.43km)
1.00pm: Podium (Torsby)
The event started with a short stage on Thursday evening.
Jari-Matti showed that even though the Toyota is very new, it’s got good inherent pace and with him behind the wheel, it’s going to be at or near the front.
1. Latvala – 1:34,1 (72,7kph)
2. Neuville +0:00,6
3. Sordo +0:00,7
Seven stages awaited the drivers on Saturday. A day of fast flowing roads on the snow and ice, through the forests in the north of Sweden. The running order of the drivers is in championship order.
Ogier
Latvala
Tanak
Breen
Evans
Lefebvre
Neuville
Hanninen
Meeke
Paddon
Ostberg
Thierry picked up where he finished from in Monte Carlo and won stage two and move into the lead!
1. Neuville – 9:37,3 (115,2kph)
2. Meeke +0:02,0
3. Tanak +0:02,8
Seb’s starting position was clearly affecting his pace, only tenth fastest through the stage and dropping to eighth overall, whereas, Ott was clearly pretty comfortable with third on the road and was now Thierry’s closest challenger.
Stage three fell to Thierry as well, with Jari-Matti just six tenths slower though and bringing the Toyota back into second overall and Craig, who was making his debut in the new C3 WRC third fastest.
1. Neuville – 10:10,3 (125,4kph)
2. Latvala +0:00,6
3. Breen +0:02,3
Jari-Matti also jumped ahead into second overall with his drive through this stage. Clearly his road position was not affecting him at all.
Stage four and Jari-Matti stormed through this 8.5 seconds faster than Thierry and moved into the overall lead! What a drive! Seb found some grip and was third through this one meaning that he’d moved up into fourth overall.
1. Latvala – 12:52,3 (116,0kph)
2. Neuville +8,5
3. Ogier +9,6
Stage five was won by Thierry with Jari-Matti only fourth fastest, surrendering the lead back to the Hyundai driver. just four tenths slower at the end of the 18km stage. Ott found some good speed through as well and demoted Kris to fourth overall.
1. Neuville – 9:25,7 (117,5kph)
2. Paddon +0:04,1
3. Tanak +0:07,4
Stage six saw Thierry and Jari-Matti continue their duel at the front and there was very little to separate them at the end of the 21km stage.
1. Neuville – 10:06,4 (126,2kph)
2. Latvala +0:02,3
3. Paddon +0:03,8
So, just two stages left on this first day of competition and another stage fell to the quick Belgian, with Kris nearly 12 seconds slower and Jari-Matti nearly 18 seconds slower meant that Thierry had a very comfortable lead.
1. Neuville – 13:04,0 (114,2kph)
2. Meeke +0:11,8
3. Ogier +0:16,4
Last stage of the day then, and Ott took the 16km stage by just seven one thousands of a second from Thierry with Jari-Matti four seconds behind.
1. Tanak – 9:24,8 (104,7kph)
2. Neuville +0:00,7
3. Latvala +0:04,8
So, day one was over and Thierry had built a very good lead with his consistency throughout the day, only once not in the top three and with 5 stage victories was stamping his authority on this event just like he did in Rallye Monte Carlo.
Here’s the top ten after day one.
1 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul 1:16:24.7
2 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila +28.1
3 O. Tanak M. Jarveoja +49.7
4 K. Meeke P. Nagle +51.8
5 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia +55.7
6 H. Paddon J. Kennard +1:17.8
7 D. Sordo M. Martí +1:40.3
8 C. Breen P. Nagle +1:54.3
9 E. Evans D. Barritt +3:01.5
10 S. Lefebvre G. Moreau +3:23.6
So, the thoughts of the drivers….
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville said: “All in all, it’s been a good day’s work for us. To lead the rally by such a margin is obviously very encouraging, but we are not getting carried away because we know how unpredictable this rally can be. There’s a long way to go! We had a decent first loop today, although it wasn’t perfect. In SS4, there were a lot of deep cuts and I hit something very hard with the front. I took it carefully after that in case it was a puncture. Our pace notes were good for the afternoon loop and we looked after the studs so our tyres had performance right to the end. My door kept opening slightly on the final stage, which was a distraction but overall the car has been working very well here and I’m optimistic for the rest of the weekend.”
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 02, WRC, Sweden 06-12 February 2017 Thierry Neuville – Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Action Day 1 Photographer: Helena El Mokni Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Hayden Paddon said: “I’m not going to lie, it’s not been the start to the rally that we wanted. Things just weren’t coming very naturally on the morning stages, so we had to be patient. It was really a case of battling myself, rather than the stages. I sat with my engineer at lunchtime service and he suggested some changes that really helped us for the afternoon. I had more confidence from the start and felt that I was driving the car, not the car driving me! We lost time as the loop continued because we’d only taken five studded tyres, as opposed to six. But we’re in the top-six and I hope to have a more positive Saturday.”
Dani Sordo said: “We had a good morning loop, generally speaking. The car was working well and I was enjoying the stages. The only real issue we had was in SS4 (Svullrya) where I got distracted and missed a hairpin. We lost a lot of time and I couldn’t get back into the rhythm. As expected, the conditions were not easy in the afternoon, so we took no risks. It was difficult to keep the car in the lines, so I was lacking a bit of confidence. In the final stage, in the dark conditions, this was especially hard, so we just played it safely. These stages are fast and fun to drive, so I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of our i20 Coupe WRC tomorrow.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala
” I’m very happy with our progress today. We were able to make some adjustments to the car ourselves after the first stage today, and then it felt a lot better. I only had one stage I was not happy with, which was SS7. Although we were quick there in the morning, in the afternoon I lost confidence and started over-driving. That cost me a lot of time, which is a pity. But I cannot complain: tonight’s end result is very good and the car has been perfect. Now we stay concentrated for tomorrow.”
Juho Hänninen
” I felt that I was losing time in the slow corners this morning, so we made some changes at service. In the afternoon the car felt better and I had more confidence but unfortunately we just went wide at the end of SS5 and this meant that we hit a tree with the front of the car and caused quite big damage. We finished the stage but we stopped the car afterwards to save the engine, as we were losing cooling. Hopefully we can restart, as the most important thing for me is time in the car.”
M-Sport WRT
Ott Tänak said:
“It’s been a really difficult day. This was my first experience of being one of the guys opening the road and I never knew how hard the job was for Seb – now I can say that it is very difficult! Even with those challenges, I think we managed the day really well and I think we can be happy with our performance.
“The gaps were really close before the last stage and I pushed really hard to get the position for
tomorrow. The further back you are the better the conditions will be and I gave it everything. It was a big effort, but there will be some really fast stages tomorrow so the push will have to continue.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Sébastien Ogier said:
“We really tried everything we could, but it’s clear that the conditions have not been on our side today. Following the historic cars this afternoon was especially difficult as the first car on the road and there really wasn’t much we could do.
“I’ve been pleased with our drive and I think we did a good job with the challenges we had. Tomorrow we will have better conditions so we’re looking forward to a more enjoyable day. We weren’t able to show our true performance today, and tomorrow I think we’ll have a better indication of where we are.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Kris Meeke said:
“After a good morning, I lost time in the afternoon. On SS5, I dropped about fifteen seconds stuck in a snow bank. The car hit a bump, we ran wide on the next corner and were lucky not to lose more. On the final stage, I had no grip. My tyres were completely shot, they had lost most of their studs. But we’re still in contention for a place on the podium, so I still feel positive.”
Craig Breen said:
“It hasn’t really been our day today! I made a series of mistakes, I damaged certain parts of the bodywork and I lost some of the aero package. It’s incredible what a difference the aerodynamics of the C3 WRC make. Despite all that, we’re still in the race, less than a minute off sixth place.”
Stephane Lefevbre said:
“It’s been a good day, I think I’ve made quite a lot of progress on this surface. This morning, maybe I was driving a bit too much in the middle of the road, not daring to use the little snow banks on the side of the road. I enjoyed myself a bit more on the second pass. I would like to push more to close the gap to the guys ahead, but the risk with that is you end up being less effective. You have to find the right balance, but I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
Jipocar World Rally Team
Mads Østberg said:
We felt we were being properly competitive, and the car is absolutely fantastic to drive when everything functions as it should. I have a much more positive feeling, also drive-wise, than I had after the last events some months ago. I am already looking forward to Saturdays stages, even if we are far behind.
In regards to losing the rear wing during stage five, he said, “It was a nasty and dramatic experience. The aerodynamics on these new cars generate so much downforce and when you lose the rear wing and consequently more or less all rear downforce and grip, it’s not nice at all!
Day two was another early start. Seven stages awaited the crews, including Vargasen, which included Colin’s Crest! First up was the 31.6km Knon stage nineStage ten which stage winner Ott flew through at an average 137,6kph! The fastest stage for more than 30 years! Seb and Thierry were placed second and third, less than half a second between Ott and Seb. Thierry was still firmly in control however, with a lead of 30 seconds over Jari-Matti.
1. Tanak – 13:45,5 (137,8kph)
2. Ogier +0:02,6
3. Neuville +0:04,2
In fact, this stage was due to be run again, but due the high speed, it was cancelled on the recommendation of the FIA.
Stage ten next then and Ott continued his strong start to the day, completing the 15,67km stage one tenth faster than Thierry, who increased his lead over Jari-Matti a little. Ott was doing really well and certainly taking control of third place over Ogier who was 10 seconds behind the Estonian.
1. Tanak – 8:03,0 (118,3kph)
2. Neuville +0,1
3. Ogier +0,9
Into stage eleven then! Vargasen, featuring Colin’s Crest! There were literally hundreds of fans camped out in the snow, just waiting for the drivers to launch the cars over! Who would go the furthest?
On the first run through, Mads was the guy who jumped 42 metres! Tanak, Latvala, and Neuville, all took it easy over there. Well, after all they were in the pound seats! Ott had closed the gap a little more to Latvala as well.
1. Tanak – 8:20,7 (102,6kph)
2. Latvala +0:03,4
3. Neuville +0:03,8
As mentioned, stage twelve was cancelled, so after service the cars headed for the second run of Hagfors. Latvala won the stage from Ott who was continuing to try to pile pressure on the experienced Finn. Thierry still had a good gap to second placed Jari-Matti.
1. Latvala – 7:50,9 (121,3kph)
2. Tanak +0:01,1
3. Neuville +0:01,2
The second run of Vargasen beckoned, and Mads was in a pretty determined mood to jump further than earlier! Ott, really put the pedal to the metal, and closed the gap to Jari-Matti some more through here, the gap coming down to just four seconds! Mads drove pretty well and just missed out on the longest jump by setting a big jump of 44 metres! This stage spelled disaster for Kris however- Going over a crest which turned right and then left straight afterwards, he slid off and his car got beached… he had been in a solid fifth place, a good minute ahead of Dani Sordo. The time loss was massive; nine minutes.
1. Neuville – 8:07,5 (105,4kph)
2. Ogier +0:03,3
3. Tanak +0:05,7
One last stage then left and, well we didn’t expect this….! The short 1.9km stage saw leader Thierry hit a marker on the edge of the course, and he broke his left-front wheel. He was out! Jari-Matti was our new leader! Dani won the stage, with Seb and Ott second and third!
1. Sordo – 1:33,9 (72,8kph)
2. Ogier +0:00,3
3. Tanak +0:00,4
Jari-Matti had a lead of 3,8 seconds over Ott, with Seb now 16,6 behind in third.
Saturday end of day standings
1 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila 2:04:59.3
2 O. Tanak M. Jarveoja +3.8
3 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia +16.6
4 D. Sordo M. Martí +1:39.5
5 C. Breen P. Nagle +2:04.5
6 E. Evans D. Barritt +3:44.7
7 H. Paddon J. Kennard +5:00.2
8 S. Lefebvre G. Moreau +5:37.0
9 P. Tidemand J. Andersson +6:36.7
10 T. Suninen M. Markkula +7:52.9
The thoughts of the drivers then for you, starting with our new rally leader!
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala
” It’s been another good day for us, although not without some small issues: but these were actually nothing to do with the car. There was quite a lot of loose snow and it was hard to keep control in places, especially on the downhill sections. At one point, I even thought I had a puncture. We decided to take just one spare tyre in the car for the afternoon to help us in this big fight. But we also had some problems with tyre wear, as well as losing time behind another car. Tomorrow will be a big day so we have to try our best. The car and the team is getting better all the time, so I feel good.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Juho Hänninen
” Today has been a different type of day for us: obviously, there is a different focus when you are not competing at the front. Looking on the positive side, we got more time in the car, which is exactly what we needed, and we also did some useful testing. We have to remember that this is a learning year, so the goal for myself and the team is just to take as much away from every rally as possible”
M-Sport WRT
Ott Tänak said:
“It’s been a really enjoyable day. We had some more consistent grip levels and were able to really push. The morning loop was really good for us and I think we can be happy with the job we have done.
“We’ve had a clean run and a really good feeling with the car. We lost a little bit of time passing Kris [Meeke] through the second pass of Vargåsen (SS14), but apart from that everything has been working really well and it’s been a really clean drive.
“The gaps are really small both ahead and behind, but of course the situation has changed a little bit now and it’s the battle for the victory. Honestly, that hasn’t changed my approach. Whether it was the battle for second or the battle for the win, we have to keep pushing and we will just go out there and do our best.
“Anything is possible and, like everyone else, I’m actually quite excited to see what will happen.”
Sébastien Ogier said:
“I think we can be quite happy with our day. I would have liked to have found a bit more speed but unfortunately that just wasn’t possible. I really tried to push, but every time we were struggling with the grip and hitting the snow banks.
“It was much better than yesterday, but we know that it is a big advantage to start at the back of the field at this rally. We didn’t have the optimum road position, but there is still a fight going on.
“It’s going to be an exciting day tomorrow and we all want to achieve the best result. I’m sure we’ll all be flat-out and we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Dani Sordo said: “I enjoyed driving the very fast stages today, but obviously we are all sorry to see Thierry lose the lead of the rally this evening. It was hard to take comfort from winning that stage considering what happened to our team mates. Generally, we have tried to get into a rhythm today and to pick up our pace, but it’s not been easy. On the opening stage this morning, it was difficult to keep the speed through the corners. I then made a small mistake in the first Hagfors stage, SS10, which lost some time. Vargåsen is always fun, especially with the Colin’s Crest jump, but overall I could’ve done better on the loop. We couldn’t take it too easy in the afternoon with Breen so close behind, so Sunday will be about managing our gap to him, and securing fourth place.”
Hayden Paddon said: “Another day of two halves for us. This morning was difficult and physically demanding. Rallying on these stages with no power steering is a just incredibly tough. It felt like an extended gym session, or wrestling a lion – and coming off second best! To make it through the loop was an achievement in itself. With power steering back in the afternoon, it was like having a feather at the fingertips. We hadn’t done the two stages at speed so we were playing catch-up to find a rhythm. We are overdue a change of fortune, but I’m determined to end this rally on a high.”
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 02, WRC, Sweden 06-12 February 2017 Hayden Paddon, John Kennard, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Action Day 1 Photographer: Helena El Mokni Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Thierry Neuville said: “There are really no words that convey how I feel right now. It was a very sudden end to what had been a good rally for us. We had spent all Saturday with a deliberate strategy to take things steady and to stay in control of the rally. We didn’t want a repeat of Monte, but that’s exactly what we got. I am so disappointed for the team, for Nicolas, and myself but we have to put it quickly behind us. We can’t dwell on such things, however frustrating. We know we have the pace to win rallies with the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC. We have the confidence and I am sure the results will come. Tomorrow, we come back under Rally 2 and we’ll go for Power Stage points. We will then fight back again in Mexico.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Craig Breen said:
“It was a good learning experience for us today. I tried to keep it clean so as to avoid making any silly mistakes. The afternoon was a bit more mixed: I had a good feeling on the Hagfors stage, but not so much on Vargåsen, where I was struggling to keep the car on the road. I’m pleased to be in the top 5 and I’ll try to keep it going right to the finish.”
Kris Meeke said:
“This morning, I had the impression I was driving well on the stages but my times weren’t good enough to hold onto fourth place. I got caught out on the second run on Vargåsen: the rear snapped away from me coming into a left-hander and I couldn’t turn in. We went off the side of the road and got stuck in the snow. Thanks to the spectators for helping us so we could finish the day!”
Stephane Lefebvre said:
“The first loop was difficult, because I was second on the road and had to contend with sweeping the five centimetres of fresh snow on the racing line. My pace notes weren’t perfect either, so I also used the morning to make a few corrections. In the afternoon, I lost about thirty seconds after hitting a snow bank. The rest of the leg went well and I’m pleased to be in eighth place overall.”
Jipocar World Rally Team
Mads Østberg said
“I really set out to beat he record second time through. On a day where we have had very little to drive for, I thought it would be funny to flatten the competition over the jump. And we really did that, both times. But the conditions didn`t give me enough speed out of the last corner before the jump to beat the record. Still a 44 metre jump in a car is quite long, says Mads somewhat jokingly…
I am not using the full potential of the car. I haven`t yet explored the possibilities with active center differential, but have been driving with a locked differential. Another key area is the aerodynamics. These new cars give so much more downforce and grip, but to trust the downforce to keep you on the road in the really highspeed corners is something you have to experience and learn. I had a little fright Friday with the rearwing disappearing, but it was a real ‘eyeopener’ experiencing the downforce the car actually generates.
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
So, Sunday dawned for the first time since 1999 with a Toyota leading a WRC event! Could Jari-Matti actually win this, or would one of those M-Sport Fiesta’s blast past him?
Well, we got an answer pretty fast on that. First driver to crack was Seb. He spun right near the start of the stage and lost 27 seconds! Jari-Matti won the stage from Tanak by seven seconds, and his lead was now extended! Hayden was finding some good pace as well, just a couple of seconds slower than his teammate Dani, and fourth fastest ahead of Kris.
1. Latvala – 11:06,9 (114,4kph)
2. Tanak +0:07,1
3. Sordo +0:07,7
The next stage, was actually the same stage again, and Jari-Matti also won that as well! He was not going to let this one slip through his fingers! Tanak and Paddon were second and third, but Ott had lost another nine seconds to Jari-Matti, meaning that his lead was now 20 seconds over the Estonian! Juho had also set a very good time, going fourth fastest.
1. Latvala – 11:06,3 (114,5kph)
2. Tanak +0:09,1
3. Paddon +0:13,6
Just one stage remained then, for what would be a remarkable result for the returning manufacturer, in a year which they expected to be a development year.
You’d have understood if Jari-Matti and Miikka just stroked it home. What they actually did was go out there and win the stage and take all five power stage points, beating Seb and Thierry, who had managed to get three points from a weekend that promised so much! Kris and Hayden also scored points in that stage, so at least they didn’t leave empty handed.
1. Latvala – 8:51,1 (111,4kph)
2. Ogier +0:01,2
3. Neuville +0:01,5
But the big story was that Jari-Matti and Miikka had won their first rally for Toyota and their fourth Rally Sweden as well! Just an incredible result!
Here’s what the drivers had to say at the end of a truly classic event, starting with the winner!
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala
” I am so, so happy. For a new team and new car to win its second rally: I really have no words. I think I drove my best power stage ever today. Huge thanks to all the team. Now we are super-motivated to continue like this: I just can’t wait to get to Mexico. It’s fantastic to win but I also feel very sorry for Thierry Neuville, who lost the lead yesterday at the super special stage. I have been in a similar situation myself in the past, so I completely understand how he must be feeling now. We know we were lucky, so we need to carry on improving and working for our goal.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Juho Hänninen
” I am so proud to be part of this team of dedicated and hard-working people and so happy. This is an amazing result for all of us. From our point of view, we spent the rally recovering from our mistake on Friday, but we completed plenty of useful testing and I increased my time and confidence in the car.”
M-Sport WRT
Ott Tänak said:
“I think it’s been a really good weekend for us. I had a new experience opening the road on Friday but when the conditions were more equal yesterday we had some really good speed. I’m happy with that and what we have achieved this weekend has given us a lot of confidence.
“Today, we knew straight away that Jari-Matti would be hard to beat. At the beginning of the first stage we knew that we didn’t have the same feeling as yesterday. It was a bit disappointing at the time, knowing that we had no option but to settle for second, but I’m still really happy with my weekend.
“It’s been a great start to the season and I have a really good feeling with the car. We’ve got a great package to build on and, although there is still some work to do behind the scenes, we’re ready to give it another big push in Mexico next month.”
Sébastien Ogier said:
“It’s been a tough weekend so it’s great to be on the podium at the end of the rally. It was a really difficult weekend but we have to look to the positives and we’re taking some good points away from this event.
“I didn’t have the chance to fight for anything more today as I made a really silly mistake on the first stage of the morning. On the first corner – just 50 metres into the stage – we were caught by the inside of a snowbank and spun. I knew I couldn’t fight for anything more after that, but looking at the weekend as a whole, I think we have to be happy.
“We knew at the start of the season that we would have a lot less preparation then everyone else. We still need some time to find a perfect feeling with the car but to see the results that we have achieved so far is really encouraging.
“We still need to do some work of course, but I think we have good pace and have had a really positive start to the season so let’s see what Mexico brings.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Dani Sordo said: “I have enjoyed this rally a lot, with some very fast and breath-taking stages. We knew our target this morning was to take fourth place, and pick up the important points of the Championship, so we took it carefully. These stages in Sweden are tricky and slippery, so we had to be cautious not to make any mistakes. The Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC has been a pleasure to drive, very competitive and with good pace. We need to take the consistency from Monte-Carlo and Sweden and build on this for Mexico, where I will be aiming for the podium.”
Hayden Paddon said: “That was most certainly not the easiest of weekends but getting to the finish feels like a release of pressure. Things just didn’t click for us 100% but we used this morning to try a few things and there are definitely things we can learn for future rallies. We gave it a bit of a push in the Power Stage and finishing P7 gives us some points to kick-start our Championship. I am positive about this car and the direction we are heading, so it’s a case of onwards and upwards.”
Thierry Neuville said: “We gave it everything in the final stage but we had to settle for three points instead of the five we wanted. It was a very close-run stage with just 1.5-seconds separating the top-three. The result overall is of course a big source of frustration. I feel disappointed for the whole team that we lost the lead of the rally for a small driving mistake. It was another issue with big consequences for the Championship. I am sure that our approach to this rally was correct, until our misfortune, however our potential is clear and we have to focus on moving forward positively.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Craig Breen said:
“I’m pleased to have made it to the finish and to score my first points for a factory team! It was a pretty cool weekend, even though we weren’t always completely happy with our performance level. We have to move on. The Citroën C3 WRC has so much potential and I can’t wait to be driving it again!”
Kris Meeke said:
“We haven’t finished were we wanted to be. We have a lot of work to do and we need to analyse all the information that we’ve collected so we can improve. After two winter events, we’re now going to switch to gravel and so the next test session will obviously be very useful. It’s hard for me to feel confident after two difficult rallies, but I’m not about to give in.”
Stephane Lefebvre said:
“I feel like I really learned how to drive on snow this weekend. The first day gave me chance to get my bearings. Yesterday, I was at a disadvantage due to my road position but I still managed to improve before confirming my progress today. I think we did a lot of good work, especially on making the most of the tyres and managing tyre pressure. It was a very positive weekend for us, with some very useful information for us for the future.”
D-Mack WRT
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: “Overall it’s been an encouraging weekend after having limited testing before the rally. Our pace was strong on the first day but unfortunately the mistake dropped us time and also meant we were disadvantaged by running at the front of the field. However, it’s another good haul of points, we are sixth in the championship and I’m confident as we head to the more traditional gravel events.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Jipocar World Rally Team
Mads Østberg said:
For sure we need more mileage, and will be concentrating on doing some testwork before the next rally. This is especially important as the next event is on tarmac and so far, I have just driven the car a few kilometres on that surface during a test in France before Christmas. We can see from the splits in Sweden that we have been quite competitive on the technical parts of the stages, but I need a bit more confidence to actually trust and use the aerodynamic possibilities the car gives me in the really fast sections. But I am positive and have definitely enjoyed driving the new and very fast WRC-car.
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World
After two rounds, it is clear that Hyundai have built a very good car, and I would say that the combination of Thierry with his pace and experience and the speed of the car have a very good platform to take this year’s championship. However, he needs to eliminate these mistakes, to get him into the hunt. Right now, you’d say that Seb has a great opportunity to win the title with the dark horse being Jari-Matti.
Citroen will be hoping their luck will change, with all their problems. Of all the teams, they are the ones most on the back-foot. They will want a strong run to the podium next month in Mexico. Who would have thought that Craig would be their top performing driver after two rounds? After all, he did drive a DS3 in Monte Carlo.
Mads will not be driving in Mexico, as his wife is due to give birth, so we will see him back in the Fiesta WRC in April’s Tour de Corse.
Final Overall Classification – Rally Sweden
1 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila 2:36:03.6
2 O. Tanak M. Jarveoja +29.2
3 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia +59.5
4 D. Sordo M. Martí +2:11.5
5 C. Breen P. Nagle +2:51.2
6 E. Evans D. Barritt +5:26.6
7 H. Paddon J. Kennard +5:31.2
8 S. Lefebvre G. Moreau +7:14.7
9 P. Tidemand J. Andersson +9:11.1
10 T. Suninen M. Markkula +10:02.9
11 O.C Veiby S. Skjaermoen +10:18.5
12 K. Meeke P. Nagle +10:28.7
13 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul +11:31.5
2017 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers’ Standings
After round 2
1 J.M Latvala 48
2 S. Ogier 44
3 O. Tanak 33
4 D. Sordo 25
5 C. Breen 20
6 E. Evans 18
7 S. Lefebvre 10
8 T. Neuville 8
9 H. Paddon 7
2017 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings
Under more seasonable skies than have sometimes greeted the MotoGP paddock upon arrival for the race weekend at Phillip Island in October, the second Official Test of 2017 saw blue prevail over ‘The Island’, but a stiff breeze keeping the grid from heading out straight away – with new Ducati Team arrival Jorge Lorenzo one of the first to get down to work. By the end of Day 1, it was compatriot Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who topped the timesheets, as the Spaniard put in a 1:29.497.
Four-time World Touring Car Champion Yvan Muller was seen at the Algarve circuit testing for the factory Volvo team. The Frenchman, however, denied rumors about his full-time return.
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
