|
Following a productive test in Italy last week
Abarth drivers Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alén
will kick off they bid for their first
Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) win of
the year when the Rally Russia when the event
gets underway with the first four stages this
evening.
The
IRC is taking its third
trip to Russia for round six of the
series and following the complex and narrow asphalt roads of Ypres,
Russia provides a complete contrast with its wide and
flowing gravel stages, which some drivers have compared
to the classic speed tests of Finland. This comes as no
surprise given that the rally is based in
Vyborg, which is less than 100 kilometres from
the Finnish border and means that Finnish driver
Alén has to be considered a serious threat for
victory
The inaugural Rally Russia
in 2007 was
won by Alén – the son of the legendary
Anton Alén – and the Abarth driver was once more in
strong contention for victory last year before his
charge was halted by a double puncture. The second
driver off the start ramp, following Hanninen,
will be Alén's team mate Basso. The
Italian, a former European Champion, has also proved
himself to be a strong force on gravel rallies such as
Russia. With the Abarth team benefiting greatly from its
test in Italy, the mood is upbeat.
The stages in Russia are mostly made up of compacted
gravel roads, which can be as smooth as a motorway in
the right conditions. However, the surface can cut up
after several cars have been through, exposing sharp
rocks that are capable of causing punctures.
These are often in evidence through the corners, where
the competitors try to save time by cutting the ideal
line in order to find the quickest trajectory. Whereas
Finland is well known for its rollercoaster crests, the
roads in Russia tend to be flatter but no less
spectacular. The weather in Russia at this time of year
is usually warm, but sudden rainstorms are far from
unknown – and these can turn the rally on its head in an
instant.
This unique mix of stages and weather, coupled with the
risk of punctures, makes tyre choice even more complex
than usual. But it is an event that tends to favour the
usual gravel specialists: in particular the Finns, who
are virtually playing at home. For the past two years,
the winner of the Rally Russia has been from Finland.
Since joining the IRC two years ago, the Rally
Russia has gradually expanded, and this year it
is up to 15 stages and 223.45 competitive
kilometres. The start of the event takes place
this evening (Thursday 9 July)
from the podium in Vyborg, with an opening leg of four
stages that ends late at night. For the first time night
stages are set to be a feature of Rally Russia, adding
yet another challenging element to what is already an
extremely technical event.
The action restarts tomorrow morning (Friday 10 July)
with six stages divided into two identical loops of
three. Amongst them is the longest stage of the rally:
the legendary 29.31-kilometre Topolki test, reckoned to
be the most challenging of the entire event. The rally
concludes with five stages on the final day before the
finish back in Vyborg at 15:00.
Rally Russia is a valuable example of the IRC breaking
new ground in emerging markets, with the inaugural 2007
event having been the first major international
motorsport fixture behind the former iron curtain since
the 1917 St Petersburg Grand Prix. As well as the Abarth
team the entry list for the Rally Russia contains both the
latest new manufacturers to join the series. The factory
Skoda outfit, headed by last year’s Rally Russia winner Juho
Hanninen, will be first off the ramp in Vyborg – north
of St Petersburg – tonight. Also on the entry
list is the new Proton Satria S2000, driven by Guy Wilks,
which made a promising debut on the Belgium Ypres Rally
last month. Like Hanninen, Wilks has previous experience
of the Rally Russia after leading the IRC 2WD class in
Vyborg last year, at the wheel of a Honda.
Significantly, the European Peugeot teams have chosen
not to contest Rally Russia as under the IRC regulations
only seven from eight scores count. With Meeke on 30
points and Skoda’s Jan Kopecky on 21 points, a top
result for the popular Czech driver could deprive Meeke
of the lead. However Peugeot will be represented by
Russian driver Aleksandr Zheludov, who takes the wheel
of a 207 S2000 for the first time.
Also out in Russia will be several other strong local
drivers, such as Andrei Zhighunov in a Mitsubishi. With
several Mitsubishi entries, the official Ralliart brand
stands to benefit greatly in the IRC manufacturers’
standings. Another driver contesting the event in a
Mitsubishi is the Austrian Franz Wittmann, who has put
together a comprehensive IRC programme this year.
The battle for IRC 2WD Cup honours will be equally
close. Three IRC registered manufacturers will be
represented: Honda (the last 2WD winners in Ypres),
Peugeot and Volkswagen. None of the IRC 2WD Cup leaders
are planning to contest the event, so this is a vital
opportunity for their rivals to try and close the gap.
|
