WRC 2012 Round up (Part 2)

The second of GRN's two-part look back at the 2012 WRC season begins with the spectacular 'Gravel Grand Prix', the Neste Oil Rally Finland.

Sebastian Loeb won his third Rally Finland, second in succession, to continue his run of wins. Team-mate and home-hero Mikko Hirvonen came second, but only by 6.1 secs. Hirvonen later praised Loeb as “incredible”. Former event winner Jari-Matti Latvala took third place in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Known for it's massive jumps, Rally Finland has injured more than it's fair share of competitors' backs, and managed to wind Daniel Elena on a past running of the rally. Denis Giraudet was in quite a lot of discomfort after he and driver Evgney Novikov landed very heavily over a jump on the first stage of Leg 2. However, aid from the Ford team's physios and the fact they didn't need to take every jump flat out because of earlier time lost helped considerably.

Loeb again took the opposition to pieces by dominating in Germany, Round 9 of the 2012 WRC. He lead from start to finish, at an average speed of over 100km/h. Jari-Matti Latvala proved his increasing pace on tarmac by taking second overall, a full 2 mins behind Loeb. Mikko Hirvonen took third, on his very first full-tarmac rally.

Indeed, it was Loeb's ninth win on German tarmac, having only relinquished a single rally in Germany, and that was to team mate Sebastian Ogier in 2011. However it may be Loeb's final win in Germany, in rallying at least, as it is unclear whether he will contest the 2013 edition of the rally.

Jari-Matti Latvala put an end to Loeb's run of five straight victories by winning Wales Rally GB by 27 secs over Loeb. The Frenchman had a sluggish start to the rally but bounced back and beat Petter Solberg to second by less than 1 second. Solberg led the opening stages but Latvala took over on SS3 and held it to the end.

It was business as usual for Loeb in France as he claimed his eighth win of the season and his ninth World Rally Championship in front of his adoring home supporters. Jari-Matti Latvala again took second place on the tarmac rally, only 15 secs behind Loeb but it could be argued that the Frenchman was cruising to avoid a mistake in front of his home crowd or a mechanical failure that cost him the win here last year (He suffered an extremely rare engine failure onboard his DS3 WRC). Mikko Hirvonen took third place to have two works Citroens on the podium yet again.

It was Mikko Hirvonen's turn to take the winners trophy in Italy, his first outright win for Citroen having joined them from Ford at the start of the year. Hirvonen was on the podium on every rally, bar two, and in second place for six of them. A win before the season was out was just revenge for his exclusion from winning in Portugal (See Part 1 of GRN's review of the 2012 WRC). Evgney Novikov took another well deserved second place, with M-Sport team-mate Ott Tanak in third place.

Sardinia was a rally of attrition for the top runners. Sebastian Loeb clipped rocks and broke his Citroen's steering, electing not to restart on Day 2 and instead going spectating on a motocross bike instead. Petter Solberg clipped a rock and broke a cross-member whilst driving at a conservative pace, the irony being if he had been “driving faster then the car would have been more sideways going into the corner” and he might just have missed the rock. Jari-Matti Latvala suffered a rather unfortunate exit. He ran wide on a left-hander and ran over a rock, causing steam to begin rising from the bonnet of his Fiesta RS WRC. He checked with co-driver Miikka Anttila to see if there were any warning lights on the dashboard. This momentary loss in concentration left him unable to safely brake for the next corner, and while he aimed for the field on he outside of the corner. However he clipped a gatepost, putting him out for the day.

Seb Loeb won his final event as a full time World Rally driver on the final round of the 2012 WRC season, the Rallye de Espana. The mix surface event was beset by poor conditions on the opening morning of the rally, leaving Mads Ostberg leading after Day 1. However once the rally left the gravel and hit the tar, Loeb flew. As did Jari-Matti Latvala, who hounded Loeb all the way to the end, finishing only 7 secs behind the World Champion in second place. Third yet again went to the second works Citroen of Mikko Hirvonen.

And that concludes our review of the 2012 WRC season. Ups and downs aplenty, and aside from Seb Loeb's constant winning, we enjoyed a memorable season. 2013 will be different, Loeb competing in a limited capacity, and Petter Solberg not competing at all (for now anyway) and Volkswagen putting their year of R&D to the test. It will be good, and GRN will be bringing you all the news and reviews from Round 1, Rallye Monte Carlo.

WRC 2012 round-up (Part 1)

Another thrilling season full of ups and downs has finally come to a close. We witnessed Sebastian Loeb claim another record-smashing World Title, and Craig Breen overcome a tragedy we all dread to claim the S-WRC title after a spirited comeback from the most unlikely of positions. The P-WRC was strong with Benito Guerra becoming Champion and Elfyn Evans dominating the WRC Academy.

It all began with a typical display of domination from Loeb on the tarmac of Monte Carlo, back after a transfer to the IRC. Jari-Matti Latvala lead for SS2 and SS3, but crashed out on ice with no Rally 2 available. Loeb rocketed into the distance leaving the scrap for second between Dani Sordo and Ford's returnee Petter Solberg. After a massive fight over snow, ice and tarmac, tarmac ace Sordo won out over Solberg, who finished third.

Former Monte winner Francois Delecour made a return to the top class in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC. He proved he lost little of his style and flair, throwing his Fiesta about like he was in a game. He posted some rapid stage times on his way to sixth place overall. Sportingly, he let co-driver Dominique Savignoni drive the final Power Stage as a thank you because Savignoni was due to retire after the event. Delecour even attempted to read the pacenotes himself to give his new driver the best chance of a good time!

Next up was the freezing but rapid snow of Sweden. Latvala got his season back on track with a close win over Citroen's new signing Mikko Hirvonen. The bulk of the rally was between these two, Hirvonen leading for 3 stages but Latvala leading for the most. Super-consistent Mads Ostberg was Mad Mads no more, he did exactly what he needed for points and driving to third place.

Loeb got back to business in Mexico, a rally traditionally good to him. He won by 42 secs over team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, with Petter Solberg in third. Mexico this year featured a 41km monster stage, one of the longest in the WRC. A new concept to most WRC drivers today, who are used to modern stages which are normally sub-30km. This distance is small change for Nasser Al-Attiyah, the Dakar Rally hero who is more used to covering 500-700km stages on each day of the South American epic adventure!

The Rallye de Portugal was the shock of the season. Held in the worst conditions to sweep the rally in quite a while, most of the competitors either crashed out or suffered mechanical problems. 3 stages at the end of Day 2 were cancelled due to massive amounts of rain turning the stages treacherous. Mikko Hirvonen won on the road but was later disqualified for technical issues relating to his turbocharger being ever so slightly too large, and his flywheel being non-homologated.

This means that Mads Ostberg scored his first win of his career having kept his cool and managed to get to the end. Evgney Novikov was another driver to put his tag of being a substantial crasher firmly in the bin, taking second place. Petter Solberg had to resort to Rally 2 after he crashed out of the lead in the rain. He fought back to take third place, scoring 6 stage wins along the way. Sebastian Loeb suffered a spectacular crash in the dark of Day 1, bending his Citroen DS3 WRC quite impressively.

As is not pretty much typical of Loeb, he bounced back from the crash to win Rally Argentina for seventh time, leading home a Citroen 1-2 finish at the end with Mikko Hirvonen again in second place. He too bounced back from the disappointment of disqualification in the rain of Portugal. Mads Ostberg continued his impressive run of form and consistency to finish 3^rd again.

The classic car smasher of the Acropolis Rally provided Loeb's second straight win of the season, and not catapult him into a horrifying series of barrel rolls as it did in 2009. Mikko Hirvonen was again second, with Jari-Matti Latvala putting some disappointing results behind him third place.

Guess who won in New Zealand too? Yep, you guessed correctly. Seb Loeb continued his run of domination to claim yet another win in New Zealand. The classic, flowing and fast stages set the scene for yet another Citroen 1-2, but with Hirvonen 11 secs closer this time. Petter Solberg took third, having won the rally 8 years previously during his Subaru heyday.

Part 2 of our WRC round-up to follow soon.

Prodrive are not for leaving

Former World Champion squad Prodrive have no plans to go away just yet, even though they will be absent from Rallye Monte Carlo.

The firm that prepared Subaru's cars from 1990 until 2008 were dropped as MINI's preparation team last season after having been unable to find a title sponsor for the MINI WRC Team, who later withdrew from works competition altogether.

Prodrive had been trying to get to the season-opener in Monte Carlo but the funds for the event weren't available, so the decision was made to move their season début to Rally Sweden, Round 2 of the 2013 WRC season. However, Prodrive's Richard Taylor hasn't totally confirmed they will be in Sweden, stating they're “reasonably optimistic” that they will be there.

“We’re reasonably optimistic we’ll get to Sweden and we’re positive the car will be capable of setting good times. When a car works well on Tarmac generally you’ll find it works well everywhere, particularly given the upgrades we’ve made that have addressed some of the issues we had in Sweden last year.” he said.

Like last season, the team is only looking at contesting a limited programme, possibly with just a single car, in 2013. This is unless a substantial backer, or backers, found, this will be the case for the team. Even with this is mind, Taylor is sure that the car is still a rally winner. In it's début year it proved so, with Dani Sordo fighting for wins on tarmac and Kris Meeke setting rapid stage times on gravel.

“Whatever we do has to stack up commercially. There’s no financial support from MINI but some of the drivers we are talking to have their own funding and we are also in discussion with commercial partners to do a reasonable number of rallies with a car capable of winning.” he added.

For 2013, Sordo has returned to Citroen with the possibility of a full compliment of rallies in 2013 ahead of him, and there is no word of Kris Meeke's return to the WRC.  

Hero's awarded at Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards

Monaghan ace Daniel McKenna was today named as the Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year, beating off still competition from Dean Raftery and Stephan Wright.

McKenna in action in Monaghan

Having been runner up last year Sam Moffett, McKenna landed the award after some sterling drives this season, two examples of which being outright wins on the Midland Moto Rally, as well as winning the Monaghan Stages after an amazing fight with Gary McPhillips. The Monaghan Stages witnessed McKenna's car being shortened somewhat after hitting something rather substantial.

The Billy Coleman Award, named after the 1984 Irish Tarmac Rally Champion, awards €50,000 to the driver that is deemed to have come out on top after a series of examinations. Previous winners include Gareth MacHale, who went on to win the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, and the late Rory Galligan, the inaugural winner and latterly Mitsubishi works driver in the BRC.

S-WRC Champion for 2012, Craig Breen, won the Driver of the Year Award after claiming his second World Title in as many years, but under some terrible circumstances.

Breen said: "In the aftermath of the accident it took some time to decide on my next step but after making the decision to continue, I knew it was the correct one. I love every minute of what I do and it's times like this that I can look back on in years to come. The second half of the season has been difficult at times but to come back and win three rounds out of four in the SWRC has been very rewarding. I want to again thank everyone who supported me, it would not have been possible without you."

Brian O'Mahony at the Donegal
Harvest Rally

Enda Sherry received his and driver Darren Gass' award for winning the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship this year. Brian O'Mahony and John Higgins went home with the Vard Memorial Trophy as Irish National Rally Champions. Garry Jennings took the award for Irish Forestry Rally Champion, with Arthur Kierans winning the co-driver's award.

Eoin Longworth (Birr and District Motor Club) was awarded the Ivan Webb Memorial Trophy as Most Outstanding Contribution to Motorsport, having been an important piece of the motorsport puzzle in Ireland. Former Tarmac Rally Champion co-driver Paul Kiely added another trophy to his mantle piece as he took the JC Millard Memorial Award for Clubman of the Year, assisting with the running of the Sligo Stages Rally and having input into the Dunlop National Rally Championship. Sylvie Mullins collected his award as National Hillclimb/Sprint Champion, ending the long-time domination of Simon McKinley.

Mullins at the final National
Hillclimb Championship round

“2012 has been an excellent year for Irish motorsport across all the disciplines. We have seen three Irish world champions crowned over the past month or so and we have also seen many of our drivers succeeding nationally and internationally, which is hugely encouraging. While the economic climate has made it increasingly difficult to compete we are doing all we can to support Motorsport in Ireland and if we can continue the way we are going we will see more World champions in the future.” said Motorsport Ireland President Joe Corcoran.


Note: Daniel McKenna Monaghan Rally image copyright to Declan Boyle/DBPics, all others copyright to Global Rally News/Jordan Murphy. No unauthorised use.

Solberg to leave the WRC

Petter Solberg has broken the news he won't be competing in the WRC in 2013, marking an apparent end to the charismatic Norwegians 15-year career in rallying's top level.

In a career that spanned 188 world rallies, Solberg can lay claim to 13 wins, 15 podiums, 456 fastest stage times and 852 World Championship points, and, most importantly, the 2003 World Rally Championship.

However the increasingly difficult economic times, coupled with Ford's factory-supported team withdrawal leaving a lack of competitive seats, lead to Solberg making the decision to put a halt to his WRC career, to “explore and direct focus in a different direction in his successful and decorated career”.

“I am so grateful and happy for what I have experienced during my 15 years in the WRC. For now it’s really quite sad, you know, I would have loved to have driven for a few more years, but I do realise there will not be a WRC programme for me next year. I have said I am willing to drive for free, but at this point, I will not pay to drive. This is not to say that you will never again see me in a WRC car, but for now, I think it’s best.” he said.

Even though he has left the team and was reportedly told he was to pay over $2m to hold onto his seat, Solberg bore M-Sport no ill feeling, and wished them the best of luck in the future.

“I know I am good enough to fight in the top for many years still, but I fully understand the difficult financial situation 2013 for M-Sport, and of course I wish the team all the best for the future.” he added.

Malcolm Wilson said this about his former driver: “It will be strange to begin a WRC season with no Petter Solberg in the service park, and I will miss him on a personal as well as a professional level. When we first signed him back in 1999, he was a fresh-faced youngster with a lot of potential and equally a lot to learn, and when he returned to Ford more than a decade later as a world champion, it was like he had come home.”

Always dedicated to his supporters, of whom there are many, Solberg said: “The sport has given me so much, but I want to give a special thank you to all of my fans that have supported me through thick and thin, and given me such a great feeling about what I do, and for being a large reason of why I do it. I do hope you all understand, and I hope you’ll continue to follow me on to my next venture. I promise to bring you something worthy of this. My team and I are hard at work as you read this, and we can’t wait to let you know what are plans are.”

Solberg's career of extreme highs and equal lows began when he sent a video of his rallying career, then to date, to M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson. Impressed with the young Norwegian's talent, Wilson sends for him to go to Cumbria and undergo fitness tests and a driving assessment. A test contract with some rallies included was signed, and the ball had begun rolling.

His first major test as a Ford driver came on only his second works event. Initially signed as a junior driver, Solberg was put into a Ford Focus WRC for, of all events, the Safari Rally. Thomas Radstrom was out injured, and Solberg was nominated points scorer. He scored an incredible fifth placed finish to his credit.

2000 saw Solberg begin his infamous career with Subaru and Prodrive. In his first two years with the team, he played a junior driver role again, assisting Richard Burns to the 2001 Driver's Title, however in 2001 he took his first podium finish, second in Greece. An extremely competitive 2002 season saw him take second overall in the Driver's Standings, and also take his first overall win in Wales. This season would set him up well for a magnificent 2003 season.

Three wins and seven podiums left Solberg in a tangible position going into the traditionally wind and rain swept Wales Rally GB. He fought tooth and nail with title rival Loeb, and some truly unbelievable times over the final stages rocketed him into the lead and handed him his World Title. The realisation he had accomplished his dream was shown at the end when he leapt from his car and onto team-mate Tommi Makinen, sprinting then over to his loyal band of supporters.

The following 2004 and 2005 season's netted him second place in the Driver's table in both season's, his title defence had almost been successful had a wayward kangaroo found itself in the way of a travelling Subaru. Two poor results in the final two rounds of 2005 didn't help his cause, neither.

2006, 2007 and 2008 were barren season's for Solberg and the Subaru team. With the team scoring not one win and only six podium placings, it wasn't the ideal final season's for the once champion team. To the shock of the rallying world, Subaru withdrew from the WRC, leaving Solberg without a drive.

In a display of courage, determination and sheer grit not seen in any other sport, Solberg picked himself up, dusted himself off, bought himself a car and set about setting up his own team. He founded the Petter Solberg World Rally Team with only a Citroen Xsara WRC, an articulated lorry and a handful of men and women behind him.

He spent three years under his own banner, running at first the Xsara, graduating to a C4 WRC and later a Citroen DS3 WRC. Even though he funded quite a lot himself, and did a lot of the behind the scenes work himself, he still managed third in the 2010 Driver's Standings. He managed 12 podiums in his time as a privateer driver.

2012 saw him return to the Ford team, with team boss Malcolm Wilson saying it was like he had “come home”. His year began with a consistent run of form, but ultimately ended with poor results, and fifth in the final standings. He was sure, given another season and having learned the car, he could have become a winner again.

Alas it wasn't to be, but this surely isn't the end for the man they call Hollywood. In the 1980's Niki Lauda returned to Formula One after a three year layoff, and won another World Title. Who says Petter can't do the same....

4-way fight for final Qatar M-Sport seat

Four drivers have now been linked with the sole remaining Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team seat.

Nasser Al-Attiyah was the first Qatar M-Sport drive to be announced when the Qatar deal was made public, and not long afterwards Mads Ostberg was announced as the second driver. Ostberg was a driver M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson marked out as a driver he would like to sign, and he was promptly signed to one of the team's Ford Fiesta RS WRC's.

Wilson has got time on his hands to make the decision on the final 'works' driver, and he says he won't be rushed on it, with a single driver competing on all rallies next year his preference.

“I’ve got some time now and I’m going to take it. We’ve still got plenty to sort out before we get around to announcing who it’ll be. The one thing I will say is that my preference is to have one driver doing all the rallies, this is better for consistency and for the fight for the championship.” he said.

Petter Solberg, Juho Hanninen, Theirry Neuville and Evgeny Novikov have all been linked to the final seat in the team, and all could well get it. GRN has compiled a list of why we think each driver should get the drive.

Petter Solberg: Ford's works driver in 2012, he proved he has the speed to win again. Consistent early in the season, but crashed a lot towards the end. Solberg knows the Fiesta RS WRC mechanically by now, and is a proven development driver from his years at Subaru.

Juho Hanninen: Former IRC Champion, S-WRC Champion and European Rally Champion at his first go at it. The Finn spent four extremely successful years with Skoda Motorsport, being able to win on every surface. He isn't familiar with WRC cars at all, having hardly competed in any.

Theirry Neuville: A driver certain to win the WRC in years to come. Highly talented Belgian spent two years in the IRC, winning two rallies in 2011. Competing on all 13 events in 2012, he scored six points finishes armed with a Citroen Junior Team DS3 WRC. With experience of all of next season's events, he is sure to be on podium-winning pace next season.

Evgeny Novikov: The Russian ace has matured from a well publicised car-wrecker in his previous years in the WRC (See one of his jumps from Finland 2009, or his spectacular save in Poland of the same year), into a unbelievably consistent driver. Having scored points on all but four rallies this year, including two 2^nd places, he scored 7 times more points than last season. Spending two years in a Fiesta RS WRC, he knows the car inside-out.