David Lapworth, Technical Director at Prodrive, has dropped in via YouTube to complement our recent update on the progress of the team’s new MINI WRC.
The 2011 WRC season continues next weekend with Rally Mexico. Meanwhile, Prodrive has just 67 days to go until their Countryman-based racecar makes its WRC debut on 5 May at Rally d’Italia.
The 2011 WRC season is underway and while the new Prodrive prepared MINI Countryman WRC is yet to make its race debut, its development continues apace. Keeping you up to date are a series of pics, videos and this MINI WRC media kit (188kb PDF).
Meanwhile Portuguese driver Armindo Araujo has confirmed he will compete in a Super2000 MINI in his home rally (24–27 March) before upgrading the WRC version later in the year.
MINI will launch its new WRC racecar at its Oxford Plant in mid-April, before competing in Rally d’Italia (5–8 May). MINI will go on to compete in a further five rallies during 2011, before racing full-time in 2012.
Ford WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen has started the 2011 season in the best way possible with an opening round win at Rally Sweden. Throughout the course of the weekend, which saw temperature extremes plummet to -26°C, the new Fiesta RS WRC was the car to beat.
Indeed, Ford drivers filled all three podium places with Hirvonen’s Ford WRC team mate Jari-Matti Latvala coming home in third place, with the pair split by M-Sport Stobart driver Mads Ostberg.
Thanks to the Ford WRC team for providing this highlights package of Hirvonen’s win.
Ken Block has just tweeted to let us know his 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC can be seen in this new YouTube clip. In between the skanks you can also see Ken’s itinerary for the year, which includes nine of the 13 WRC rallies on this year’s calendar.
There aren’t many better sights in the automotive world than a WRC weapon in full tarmac trim. The low ride height, big wheels and flared body kit. All finished off in race paint. This Fiesta RS WRC is no exception, it looks fantastic!
Ford’s latest WRC hope will make its competition debut at the Arctic Lapland Rally in Finland next week. The event will cap off four days of testing in Sweden starting later this week. Timely, as the WRC season kicks off at the Rally Sweden in February.
More pics after the break. Do yourself a favour and make sure you download the 2000px super image versions, okay.
Has Prodrive Chairman Dave Richards spoiled Volkswagen’s party by announcing the German marque’s forthcoming entry to the WRC? In a recent interview at Autosport International Richards claimed, “It’s very clear that Volkswagen are about to announce their return to the World Rally Championship, as well; under the Volkswagen brand rather than Skoda.”
Serious rumours about VW joining the new WRC party emerged last August when Rally Germany was used as the launch event for the Race Touareg 3, which just filled the podium at Dakar 2011. At the same event the course car was biogas powered Scirocco (pictured above). A Scirocco WRC would be a welcome sight in world rallying, let’s hope that’s the model they choose.
If we assume Volkswagen do sign up to the WRC, possibly from the 2012 season, they will join fellow newcomers MINI, along with established players in Citroën and Ford. Richards says it might be hard to attract more factory support, “Quite frankly, it’s difficult to attract many more. There’s not enough prizes to go around.”
Further good news for Prodrive’s MINI WRC program with word coming through overnight that they have signed Spanish ace Dani Sordo.
Speaking about his new contract Sordo said, “There has been a great deal of excitement surrounding MINI’s return to the WRC, so to be part of this new team is a fantastic opportunity for me.”
He will join British driver Kris Meeke who signed on last September. Full details after the break.
There’s not really much that can be added in written form about the two videos included here. Both focus on the halcyon days of rallying, the Group B era (1982–86).
The first clip runs for seven minutes and includes some super slo-mo footage perfectly complemented by a dramatic music score. The second is for the real enthusiasts and runs for 11 minutes. It features the sound of the Group B cars in all their high-revving glory. You might want to flick the volume to 11 for that one.
You may remember the video we featured last year “This is rallying”, these two clips have been compiled by the same guy. Nice work, hey!
[via Autoblog | Thanks to Richard for the tip]
First filed 26 October 2010
26 October 2010: Young Australian drivers Brendan Reeves and Molly Taylor have just been awarded €500,000 WRC Academy scholarships for the 2011 season. Both drivers were selected for the Academy following a successful showing in the recent Pirelli Star Driver Shootout.
The WRC Academy replaces the JWRC category and is a one-make series using Ford Fiesta R2s. There will be 20 competitors taking place in the Academy next year, but only six scholarships were up for grabs.
In addition to the six rounds of racing competition Academy participants will be given expert training for a future WRC career, including diet and mental preparation.
After being told of her success Taylor said, “My focus has always been working towards the WRC, so to be sitting here today knowing that this is actually a reality is surreal. This is just the beginning and the hard work starts now, I’m buzzing!”
Meanwhile, Reeves is also happy and grateful for the opportunities ahead, “This is a dream come true for me. I would really like to thank Pirelli and the FIA for giving junior drivers the opportunity to compete for such a fantastic prize. There is nothing else like it in rallying and for them to give young drivers like myself the chance to become a WRC driver, is awesome.”
Well done to Reeves and Taylor and here’s hoping both have a great 2011. Follow the source link below to see a brief video explaining the WRC Academy.
[Source: WRC]
UPDATE 4 November: The WRC Academy video from the source link has been added to YouTube and you can now watch the clip right here after the jump. Thanks to Chris for the tip.
After the jump you can see a brief “making of” video about the MINI Countryman WRC. Progress seems to have come along nicely following the official signing of documents with Prodrive in July. The MINI’s first race will take place in Italy next May.
Shame about super imposed type over the clip.
[Source: MotoringFile]
A quick shout out to Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena who won their seventh consecutive World Rally Championship by claiming an outright win in the Rally of France on the weekend. It marks an amazing run of successes, which includes most titles, most successive titles, most wins, most wins in one season, most successive wins in one season, most consecutive wins on one event. That boy Loeb can drive!
For added emotion Loeb the event took in the town of Haguenau where Loeb was raised. Thousands of well-wishers surrounded the nearby liaison stages ensuring Loeb knew his success was being appreciated, “There were people everywhere on the road, and at the stage. It was rather moving,” he said.
There are still two rallies left on the 2010 calendar, but already the Citroën Racing team has given the all-conquering C4 WRC a fitting send off. Its replacement, the DS3 WRC, also made its public debut over the weekend at the latest world motor show, which is being held in Paris – where else!
Ford has made it a trifecta of WRC reveals with these new images of their race-prepped Fiesta RS. The car has undergone 3000km of limited testing in Britain and France already. Next week the Fiesta RS WRC will be in Spain for more test sessions, the first with full 2011 specs.
Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Motorsport chief, says, “We’re delighted to preview the Ford Fiesta RS WRC in such a prominent Motor Show as Paris. There are significant visual differences from the Fiesta S2000 base car as well as major changes under the skin. The biggest, of course, is the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo engine -the original version of which was developed by Ford’s Powertrain Engineering team.”
More pics and details after the break. Unfortunately the last three pics are only available in 1024px sizing. The first three can be viewed as 2000px super images and if I stumble across full versions of the other pics I will update them accordingly.