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| 2008 Rally of Jordan : WRC Round 5 of 15 : 25th - 27th April In this issue: Event Preview Other News Team by Team Preview Event statistics Event Schedule Championship Points 1. Event Preview Located just below the northern Jordan city of Amman, Rally HQ and the service park promise a spectacular welcome for crews. Based on the banks of the Dead Sea, it is the lowest point on earth at 408 metres below sea level. Most of the rally is run below sea level, making for a stark contrast to the altitude of the last two events in Mexico and Argentina. The roads that wind through the Jordan Valley reach as low as 400 metres below sea level, and the only altitude section in the Rumman forests rises to just over 1000 metres, past the biblical site of Mount Nebo. The rally comprises 21 stages and 351 competitive kilometres of hard-packed sandy roads on which crews will use Pirelli’s hard compound Scorpion gravel tyre. The normally loose surface has been bonded and hard-packed over the last two years to create the rally’s stage route and provide crews with a very hard surface on which to compete. Whilst the first few cars to run will inevitably experience a loose covering of sand, surface deterioration should’t be an issue, even as temperatures reach towards 40 degrees Celsius. It does mean however that if crews run off line the surface will be far looser and grip reduced significantly. Whilst there is a lot of run-off in the barren desert landscape which may give crews the confidence to push harder in the knowledge there is more chance that mistakes will go relatively unpunished, off-road excursions may still prove costly with soft sand and interspersed rocky outcrops. The stages offer their own unique challenges in accurately judging distances and defining the roads amid the vast expanse of desert. Just two weeks after Rally Jordan, crews will commence a flurry of European events with three rallies in five weeks, the hardest stint of the season. Jordan will be a crucial event for teams in setting the tone of their performance in this mid-year period, and so everyone will be looking to step their performance and consistency up a gear. Those who are strong in Jordan will carry more momentum into the European events. 3. Other News Gronholm makes rallycross move http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=6916 4. Team by Team Preview BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team can expect to experience a mix of highs and lows during the course of the 15-round FIA World Rally Championship season – both literally and metaphorically. After tackling the two highest rounds in the championship in Mexico and Argentina last month, the leaders of the manufacturers' championship will aspire to a high in the lowlands of Jordan next week when the fifth round of the series takes the team to the lowest point on earth at the Dead Sea. #3 : Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: Twenty-seven-year-old Hirvonen, who is second in the drivers' championship, is relishing the prospect of attacking Jordan's roads. "I've never been there but I've spoken to some drivers who have and seen photographs from our team, who visited the candidate rally last year," he said. "The roads look smooth and it seems as though the organisers have done a good job in preparing them. They look fast and flowing, like Finland but without the jumps, so if that's the case they should be good for me. "Sunday's final leg is the longest of the rally, which is quite different to most events. If a driver has large time gaps in front or behind then there will be more kilometres than usual in which to keep an eye on things. But if the time gaps are just 20 or 30 seconds, there could still be a lot to fight for on the final day. I was happier with my speed on the first morning during the last round in Argentina. The poor conditions probably helped me initially, but when they improved I still took some time from Sébastien Loeb and so it was definitely an improvement," added Hirvonen. #4 : Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila: Latvala is unconcerned about tackling a new rally. "I think it's good because everyone is in the same position and knowledge of the roads isn't an issue," he said. "We have to be careful when making pace notes during the recce so we're confident with them for the rally. The recce vehicle is fitted with an in-car camera to film the stages so I can watch them before the start. It helps me to remember the stages because it's like a third recce pass over the roads, but it does look different on video than in reality. "Last year there were three new rallies in the championship and I enjoyed the challenge of those so I'm looking forward to Jordan. I understand the roads are hard and fast so they should suit me. Although it's my first time in Jordan, car set-up isn't a concern. Now I have a set-up that feels good, I use that as a base for most rallies and don't need to make big changes, just a little fine tuning in places," he added. #19 : Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr: Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third team Focus RS on their first outing since February's Swedish Rally, and Al Qassimi's first gravel event since Rally Finland in August. His background is in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship and he won the Jordan Rally last year when it was a candidate WRC round. He is the only leading driver with previous competitive experience of these roads. "I've competed here six or seven times but the desert stages on which we used to drive have been replaced by new roads," said 36-year-old Al Qassimi. "This year about 40 per cent of the stages are different from 2007. The roads are so smooth it's like driving on asphalt - only the brown colour tells you they are not. I won last year by only pushing at 50 per cent and that's the pace at which I will start this year. If I feel good after the first couple of stages, then I will try to push harder. This is my first rally on Pirelli's new gravel tyre so I will need some time to learn about it." Citroen Total World Rally Team http://citroen.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=1 For the first time in WRC history, the fifth round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship takes world class rallying to Jordan where Citroën has entered C4 WRCs for Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí. Two privatelyentered C4s, run by PH-Sport with the support of technicians from Citroën Sport Technologies, will also make the trip for Conrad Rautenbach/David Senior and Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk. #1 : Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: "We don't know much about the Jordan Rally, so I will be on my guard a little bit," predicts Sébastien Loeb. "It doesn't appear to be too tough on the cars, but running first on the road will be a handicap. I am told there are similarities with Mexico, and the C4 WRC was competitive there, so that's very encouraging. Our objective will be to win with a view to increasing our lead in the Drivers' championship and enabling Citroën to stay in the fight for top spot in the Manufacturers' standings. If Daniel and I can pull that off, it will be our 40th WRC win. That's not something I'm particularly obsessed about, but it would make a nice, round figure!" #2 : Daniel Sordo/Marc Marti: "I have rarely turned up for the start of a WRC round with more experience of the event than most of my rivals," observes Dani Sordo who was in Jordan to recce the 2007 event. "The stages tend to be fast and wide, with a surface that's as hard as concrete but which shouldn't cut up too much after the first loop. I think the pace will be quick but we will have to watch out for the top coating of loose gravel which will produce changes in grip. It will be unwise to stray off the ideal line, while going off isn't an option because of the deep ditches! We will aim for a podium finish." Subaru World Rally Team http://subaru.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=5 The Subaru World Rally Team have entered two Impreza WRC2007s for Rally Jordan. Petter Solberg / Phil Mills will drive car number five and Chris Atkinson / Stéphane Prévot will be in car number six. Petter and Phil conducted a recce of 18 of the stages in May last year, and it was on the Rally of Jordan in 1994 that Phil Mills scored his first international rallying win with Middle East champion Mohammed Bin Sulayem. #5 : Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: “I did the recce in Jordan last year and I was very happy to have the chance to look at the roads. It will be a new event for everyone so we are doing all we can now, using the notes from the recce to prepare as best we can and try and be in the best shape for the rally. It may be possible to do the rally well with new pace notes and no experience of the roads, but I’m just trying to do things 110 per cent, and if the recce gives us even a slight advantage, it was worth it. It’s a brand new event but we have the same mentality and approach to it as any other event, as we continue in the way that works best for us. The unseen roads are quite tricky, and there are a lot of crests. It’s quite wide, but it’s a little difficult to read the road surface and know just how much to push.” #6 : Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot: “I haven’t been to Jordan and don’t really know what to expect. I’ve heard the roads are in quite good condition, but it’s going to be difficult first time there having not done the recce last year. It’s very interesting to go to a country like that anyway as an experience, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m going out a few days earlier to look around and see Petra, as it’s not every day we’ll come here. The fact that no-one has competed here before may even things up a little, but we know that the same guys will always be fast anywhere. At this part of the season it’s all about linking events to build momentum for the next few rounds.” Stobart VK M-Sport Ford World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 Coming off the back of one of the less successful events in Argentina last month, Jordan will be a breath of fresh air as both Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini and Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud continue as the team’s two nominated points’ scoring crews.Brits Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin will run the third Stobart entered Ford Focus RS WRC07 as they look again to post points on the board after a successful run in Mexico which sees both competitors positioned 13th in their respective championships. #7 : Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini: “Rally Jordan enters the World Rally Championship this year for the first time so it is going to be brand new for most of the drivers. We haven't been to the race or to this country so we are particularly curious to discover it. Part of the route is below sea level which is going to be quite strange! I hope not to have trouble here and be able to have a good race and maintain a good pace. We did not have the best events in the last two rallies but I am really starting to get used to the new Focus now and I can’t wait to see what it can do in Jordan.” #8 : Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: “We will try again here in Jordan, it was quite unlucky what happened in Argentina but that is in the past and we have to focus on this rally now. I don’t know much about the rally only what I have seen on the internet from last year through some video clips on wrc.com. My engineer has done many years in the Middle Eastern Championship so I think it will be an advantage to have someone onboard who knows a lot about the surface already. We will be fighting hard again and hopefully a top-five result in this rally.” #16 : Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin: “Jordan is shaping up to be quite a different event to what we have seen in recent times in the WRC. Both Scott and I have been training quite hard for this event because looking at the forecast, temperatures could climb as high as 40 degrees which will mean over 50 in the cockpit of the rally car. On a long stage like the big one on Sunday, fitness and concentration will play a huge part. It has been an unlucky start to the year for us but I have been happy with the speed and now we come to an event that is new to everybody; the last time this happened in the WRC was Rally Ireland where we finished seventh overall. This will also give Scott and I a chance to write a brand new set of notes from scratch for the first time this year and the aim will definitely be for a top-eight finish by the end of the rally.” Suzuki World Rally Team http://suzuki.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=12 In common with all the teams, Suzuki takes a step into the unknown next weekend with the very first World Championship rally in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. However, Suzuki will be hoping to turn this situation in to a positive - as for the first time all year nobody starts at an advantage in terms of experience. Jordan is also the debut World Championship rally in the burgeoning motorsport capital of the Middle East, and the first event to be held largely below sea level! Having proved its ability to score driver or manufacturer points on three out of the four rallies held so far this year, Suzuki will once again be looking for a points-scoring result in the heat and the dust of Jordan. Although a number of teams have carried out some pre-event tests in Europe to prepare for the Jordan Rally, the World Championship rules dictate that nobody is allowed to test in the actual country - so for everybody this rally will be a mission of discovery. In order to cope with the specific demands of the event, there have been a number of evolutions on the SX4 WRC in order to enhance the performance and reliability. The engine control system has been modified to put the accent on reliability, whilst the underbody cladding and sump guard have been reinforced in order to counteract some of the rougher conditions. In view of the extremely high temperatures forecast the cooling system has been overhauled, while damper adjustments have improved the roadholding. Toni Gardemeister and P-G Andersson are starting their fifth event in the Suzuki SX4 WRC, but Jordan will be an entirely new experience for them. A small number of drivers completed the recce before it became a World Championship event - but neither Toni nor P-G have ever even set foot in the country before. After four events of working together, the Paris-based rally team is really beginning to function effectively as a unit. While it hasn't always been easy, there has been regular and steady improvement on the car: a vital key to making progress. However, nobody is underestimating the formidable challenge of the desert - least of all team principal Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, an experienced driver in his own right."The path to success is rarely a smooth one," he said. "It is precisely because the World Rally Championship is so difficult that it holds so much attraction for us. Every time we compete we have to overcome new and bigger challenges, and the Jordan Rally is the latest in a long line of them. With such high temperatures and a wide variety of surfaces, this new event is sure to place a huge strain on the cars and drivers. It is also an event where we have no real idea of what to expect, but like the drivers I am hopeful that we can use this situation to our advantage. Of course, there is still a lot to learn and a long way for us to go, so our realistic objectives need to be modest. Nonetheless, I would like to fix the objective of continuing our rate of improvement and scoring points with both cars if possible. If we can achieve that after such a tough rally, then I will be very happy!" #11 : Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen: "It's very hard for me to know what to expect," said the experienced Toni Gardemeister, a veteran of more than 100 World Championship rallies. "In fact, it's very strange to be setting off to compete somewhere and to have no idea what I will find there: I can't remember the last time I was in that situation! I think Jordan will be quite different from anywhere else though, and that can only be good for us as it makes everything more equal. With no problems, we have had the potential to finish in the top six on every rally so far I think. We have to keep working hard and wait for everything to come together. In time, I'm sure that it will." #12 : Per-Gunnar Andersson/Jonas Andersson: The 27 year-old P-G Andersson has a very similar outlook. "It's going to be a bit of a mystery tour for us, but the same is true for everyone," he said. "I'm going to take the same approach as I have done on all the rallies this year: I'll push hard but nothing crazy and see where that puts us relative to everybody else. So far, our pace has been pretty good. I'm not actually sure which developments have gone on the car since Argentina, but for the moment I think we need to concentrate on reliability so we are sure of making the finish." 5. Event Statistics · 1st Jordan Rally (round 5 of 15), April 24-27 · Surface: gravel · Base: the Dead Sea region · Practical information: the local currency is the Jordanian dinar (JOD). JOD1 = €0.9. The time difference between Jordan (GMT+3) and continental Europe is one hour. When it is 11am in Amman, it is 10am in Paris. · Technical matters: the Jordan Rally is paired with Sardinia. The same chassis and engines will contest both events (the engines also competed in Argentina). Two gearbox/differential packages are authorised per driver. Five sets of dampers and five hub carriers are authorised per event. · Tyres: only one type of tyre is available: the Scorpion WRC 205/65R15 Hard. It is possible to carry two spares but the 're-cutting' of tread patterns is not permitted. 54 tyres may be used during the event (including shakedown). · Recce: scheduled for Tuesday April 22 and Wednesday April 23. Two passes are authorised at a maximum speed of 70kph. · Shakedown: Thursday April 24 (08.00 until 12.00). The 2.05km test stage is situated near Suwayma, 7.48km north of the service park. · Press conference: Thursday April 24 (from 13.30) at Rally HQ (King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre) which is 5km from the service park. · Rallyshow & start ceremony : Thursday April 24 (from 18.00), Emaar South Park. · Route: the total distance is 983.44km, including 359.26km divided into 22 stages (11 different). · Day 1 (Friday April 25): 305.46km, including 115.18km divided into 8 stages (4 different). Starts from the service park at 08.00. SS1 (Suwayma 1, 13.03km), SS2 (Mahes 1, 20.00km), SS3 (Mount Nebo 1, 11.10km) and SS4 (Mai'n 1, 13.46km). Regroup (11.16, 30 minutes). Service A (11.46, 30 minutes). SS5 (Suwayma 2), SS6 (Mahes 2), SS7 (Mount Nebo 2) and SS8 (Mai'n 2). Service B (15.35, 45 minutes). Last car due into parc ferme at 18.50. · Day 2 (Saturday April 26): 316.64km, including 109.84km divided into 8 stages (4 different). Starts from parc ferme. Service C (08.00, 15 minutes). SS9 (Turki 1, 14.13km), SS10 (Erak Elamir 1, 12.47km), SS11 (Shuna 1, 15.19km) and SS12 (Baptism Site 1, 13.13km). Regroup (11.28, 30 minutes). Service D (11.58, 30 minutes). SS13 (Turki 2), SS14 (Erak Elamir 2), SS15 (Shuna 2) and SS16 (Baptism Site 2). Service E (15.44, 45 minutes). Last car due into parc ferme at 19.00. · Day 3 (Sunday April 27): 361.34km, including 134.24km divided into 6 stages (3 different). Starts from parc ferme. Service F (06.45, 15 minutes). SS17 (Kafrain 1, 16.49km), SS18 (Wadl Shuelb 1, 9.18km) and SS19 (Jordan River 1, 41.45km). Regroup (10.13, 10 minutes). Service G (10.23, 30 minutes). SS20 (Kafrain 2), SS21 (Wadl Shuelb 2) and SS22 (Jordan River 2). Service H (14.09, 10 minutes). Podium ceremony (15.00). · Finish ceremony: Sunday April 27, Emaar South Park seafront. 6. Event Schedule Thursday 24 April: Ceremonial start Start Emaar South Park / Dead Sea 18.00 Friday 25 April: Day 1 Dead Sea - Dead Sea Start Dead Sea 08.00 SS1 Suwayma 1 13.03km 08.19 SS2 Mahes 1 20.00km 08.53 SS3 Mount Nebo 1 11.10km 09.38 SS4 Mal'n 1 13.46km 10.25 Serv A Dead Sea (30 mins) 11.46 SS5 Suwayma 2 13.03km 12.35 SS6 Mahes 2 20.00km 13.09 SS7 Mount Nebo 2 11.10km 13.54 SS8 Mal'n 2 13.46km 14.41 Serv B Dead Sea (45 mins) 15.35 Finish Dead Sea 16.20 Total 115.18km Saturday 26 April: Day 2 Dead Sea - Dead Sea Serv C Dead Sea (15 mins) 08.00 SS9 Turkl 1 14.13km 08.53 SS10 Erak Elamir 1 12.47km 09.21 SS11 Shuna 1 15.19km 10.24 SS12 Baptism Site 1 13.13km 11.05 Serv D Dead Sea (30 mins) 11.58 SS13 Turkl 2 14.13km 13.06 SS14 Erak Elamir 2 12.47km 13.34 SS15 Shuna 2 15.19km 14.37 SS16 Baptism Site 2 13.13km 15.18 Serv E Dead Sea (45 mins) 15.44 Finish Dead Sea 16.29 Total 109.84km Sunday 27 April: Day 3 Dead Sea - Dead Sea Serv F Dead Sea (15 mins) 06.45 SS17 Kafrain 1 16.49km 07.37 SS18 Wadi Shuelb 1 9.18km 08.10 SS19 Jordan River 1 41.45km 09.13 Serv G Dead Sea (30 mins) 10.23 SS20 Kafrain 2 16.49km 11.30 SS21 Wadi Shuelb 2 9.18km 12.03 SS22 Jordan River 2 41.45km 13.06 Serv H Dead Sea (10 mins) 14.06 Finish Dead Sea 15.00 Total 134.24km Rally total 359.26km 7. Championship Points FIA World rally Championship’s rankings ‘Manufacturers’ (round 4/15)* 1. Ford, 44 points – 2. Citroën-Total, 41 pts – 3. Subaru, 33 pts – 4. Stobart, 22 pts – 5. Munchi's, 10 pts – 6. Suzuki, 6 pts. FIA World rally Championship’s rankings ‘Drivers’ (round 4/15)* 1. S. Loeb, 30 points – 2. M. Hirvonen, 25 points – 3. C. Atkinson, 22 pts – 4. JM Latvala, 16 pts – 5. G. Galli, 11 pts – 6. D. Sordo, 9 pts – 7. P. Solberg, 9 pts – 8. C. Rautenbach, 5 pts – 9. F. Villagra, 5 pts – 10. F. Duval, 5 pts – Full standings http://www.rallye-info.com/points.asp |