Skoda has performed another test for the upcoming Rally Monte Carlo, this time in Czech Republic and on real snow surface.
Thanks to Rigipepa and RallyZone.cz for the video.
Posts Tagged ‘testing’
Video: Skoda testing for Monte Carlo on snow
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Video: Luca Betti Peugeot 207 S2000 test
Friday, December 25th, 2009Italian driver Luca Betti tested the Peugeot 207 Super2000 in Montemale with the Kimera team on the 23rd of December. From what I know, Betti is currently trying to secure a budget for IRC in 2010 and a start in Monte Carlo is rumoured – but no deal is signed and the problem is – as always – money.
Anyway, let’s hope Betti comes to the startline and until then we’ll enjoy his drive on this video:
Video: Anders Gröndal winter-testing in Norway
Thursday, December 17th, 2009Anders Gröndal tested his Subaru Impreza WRC today in Norway. The conditions seemed to be really snowy and the temperature was at -17 degrees celcius. Watch for yourself:
I know that Mads Östberg tested with Gröndal earlier this week, but still there seems to be no dedicated video available from that test.
Gröndals test didn’t went very good. He had damper problems from the beginning – and something happened during the test that forced the team to cancel, and that also jeopardizes Gröndal’s scheduled local event Romhjulsrallyt, a few days after christmas.
Video: Juho Hänninen Skoda Fabia S2000 test
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009The Skoda tests continue and now Juho Hänninen has done his drive in Col de l’Able. Here is the video:
Thanks to rallyelange for the video.
Gravel tyres do work on tarmac
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009Well, the always up-to-date (irony, guys!) WRC.com has written that Pirelli’s scorpion gravel tyres have passed some tarmac testing, making all lights green heading onto the Cyprus Rally, where the surface will be mixed as we already know. In the article on WRC.com, Pirelli’s tyre manager Mario Isola says:
- Obviously it’s not the best situation for us because we develop tyres for specific surfaces, but this is a compromise in order to help the teams and manufacturers not to transport a lot of spare parts, and in these special circumstances we are happy with the results.
So, seems like I was quite right then when I questioned Sebastien Loeb’s crying on that matter? Of course gravel tyres on tarmac are never the best solution to go fastest – but maybe it’s good to the entertainment with big sideways slides?! If you don’t believe me, see my previous post or this older one.
Video: Ford testing on Sardinia
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009Ford has tested on Sardinia earlier this week, including tests of the Pirelli Scorpion gravel tyre on tarmac roads (since this combo will be used on Cyprus). Here are a few videos:
Ford on tarmac with gravel tyres:
Jari-Matti Latvala on gravel, Capoterra, 24 feb:
Mikko Hirvonen on gravel, Capoterra, 21 feb:
One more video, including some service shots:
Interview: PG looking forward to Rally Norway
Monday, February 9th, 2009Despite a tight economy, PG Andersson will drive Rally Norway in the same Skoda Fabia WRC as he has used during two rallies in the Norweigan Championship recently. The Fabia is owned by Norweigan driver Bernhard Kongsrud and has now passed a major overhaul since last time it was used. During Sunday and Monday, PG tested the car in Finnskogen, Norway:
- It worked out quite well. I want to change some small things, but overall it works fine. On Wednesday we will get new differentials delivered, so we will try to fit them on the car before shakedown to test them there. Besides that, it’s the same car as I used in the Norweigan Championship – the only difference is that it’s now completely gone-through and checked.
In 2008, PG was works driver for the Suzuki World Rally Team. However, after just one year of competition – Suzuki decided to close their WRC activity and blamed the financial crisis. Just looking at the chassi, the Skoda Fabia WRC is quite similar to the Suzuki, but we all know that means almost nothing. So, how similar are the two cars? PG answers:
- In size, they’re quite similar and they also have the same type of suspension, so it’s not a major difference – but all cars have their own character. The Skoda has a little bit more torque than the Suzuki, but it lacks a bit of top capacity. Besides that, the Suzuki was more aggressive and therefore harder to drive than the Skoda.
Surprisingly, PG’s regular co-driver Jonas Andersson can’t accompany him in Norway. He is a building worker and got a new employer in December that doesn’t seem to like rallying – despite the building company being Norweigan, Jonas can’t get off-duty. That means that Anders Fredriksson will join PG in the rally. He is not completely new to PG and the Skoda, since he has done quite some rallies with PG before – and also was the first one in the right seat when PG tested the WRC Skoda for the first time.
Yesterday I talked to Patrik Sandell, who said that the new wider Pirelli Sottozero tyres worked good in the tracks but made it really slippery in the snow. PG seems to agree to that, but he doesn’t share Patrik’s theory that the tyres would favour Scandinavians:
- The tyres work really well in the tracks, but as soon as you get out of the track it get’s slippery. Of course it has always been slippery out there, but now it’s even worse than before. Now it has been snowing quite a lot, but I can’t see that it would favour us Scandinavians. I think Loeb and the others can keep into the track too…
Talking about Sandell, some people have speculated on the Fabia Super2000 car being able to beat the Fabia WRC, probably much because of the good initial result of the Proton S2000 in Ireland. However, this seemed to depend much on the tyres in the difficult Ireland conditions – and PG doesn’t give much about the thought about the Fabia S2000 beating the WRC, if nothing happens of course:
- I’m nooot worried, says PG with a laugh.
As I mentioned previously, PG’s start has been surrounded by economical problems. However, those seems to be solved now, but the rest of the season looks dark:
- We’re obviously here and we’re gonna drive – but there wont be any money left after that, is PG’s short answer being questioned by me about the economical situation.
So, what can we expect in Rally Norway? During todays tests, PG drove on the same roads as Petter Solberg on Finnskogen. They did some comparisons and after winning two Norweigan Championship rallies PG seems to look resonably bright on his chances, despite not having a top car:
- Petter did his last run today 4 seconds faster than me with new tyres on a 9 km road, and I set my time using tyres that I had driven on for 100-110 km’s, so it seemed quite okay. The opposition now is of course totally different from the Norweigan Championship rounds I’ve driven, so if I can finish on fifth or sixth position I have to be really satisfied. You can’t really drive away from the Fords and Citroens, so you have to have some luck too. If I can battle somewhere around Mads Östberg I’ll have to be happy…
Aava off road on test
Monday, February 9th, 2009I’ve previously mentioned Aavas problems to keep on the road. Going to Norway – he seems to have decided to do the offs on testing. At least I hope so, or maybe he’s going to to a double – off road on testing and off road in the rally? That remains to see, but at least he was off today…
Check out the Aava-in-the-ditch-picture.
Video: Henning Solberg test in Gol, Norway
Sunday, February 8th, 2009As I wrote yesterday, Henning Solberg has tested his Stobart Ford Focus WRC for the upcoming Rally Norway. Here is a video from the test:
Thanks to Styylie for the nice video.
Video: Daniel Sordo test in Alicante
Sunday, February 8th, 2009While many other teams test snow setups for Rally Norway, Citroen is back in Spain testing setups for Cyprus Rally with Daniel Sordo. A new grip is introduced in Cyprus with one day running on tarmac and two on gravel, which means gravel tyres may have to be used on tarmac. So, the Citroen test turned out quite spectacular when they tested the gravel tyres on tarmac. Of course it causes really hard tyre-wear and it gives a wide sideways driving style which is not similar to the normal driving style of tarmac rallies.
Check out a video here:
