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| 2009 Rally Poland : WRC Round 8 of 12 : 26th - 28th June In this issue: 1. Event Preview 3. Other News 4. Team by Team Preview 5. Event statistics 6. Event Schedule 7. Championship Points 1. Event Preview Rally Poland is the second-oldest in the world behind the classic Rallye Monte Carlo, and returns to the series for the first time since 1973 when it formed part of the inaugural FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. On that occasion only three of the 62 starters finished the two-day rally that covered 55 speed tests and 750 competitive kilometres - more than twice the length of this week's encounter. Until 2005 this was an asphalt rally but since then it has been an all-gravel event over fast and flowing roads in the hilly Mazurian Lake District in the north-east of Poland. Its location means large crowds are expected as fans can gain easy access from across central Europe. The special stages are a mix of forest and open countryside and to keep speeds in check organisers will position hay bales at obvious cuts in corners, affecting the natural flow of the tests and rewarding neat and precise driving. The tracks weave through picturesque green countryside that many have likened to Finland, and while the surface is generally sandy with plenty of loose gravel on top, many roads are harder after extensive improvement programmes. 3. Other News " FIA confirm 1600 Turbos for 2011 " Meeke makes it an IRC hat-trick in Belgium 4. Team by Team Preview BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 Back-to-back victories have rejuvenated th! e Ford World Rally Team's title challenge ahead of this week's journey into uncharted territory in Poland. Rally Poland (25 - 28 June) is the first of two all-new fixtures in the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship and the last of a compact mid-season flurry of three events in just six weeks. #3 : Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: "After Greece, I'm back in the championship fight and the next two events, in Poland and Finland, are on fast gravel roads which should suit me," #4 : Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila: "From what I have seen the roads remind me of Finland but the surface appears to be softer. It appears it may cut up, but because it is sandy it is unlikely there will be rocks in the ruts," Citroen Total World Rally Team http://citroen.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=1 WRC newcomer Rally Poland promises to be an important fixture for the Citroen World Rally Team: both! the team and its best-placed crew Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena will start the eighth round of the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship at the top of their respective points tables, but they will be eager to return to their winning ways with a view to extending their cushion over their rivals. #1 : Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: "During testing, I got a chance to drive the C4 WRC in both dry and wet conditions. The stages are quite fast and not too rough, so they should be interesting. I think we should enjoy ourselves," #2 : Daniel Sordo/Marc Marti: "Personally, I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of my C4 to try to put the disappointment I suffered in Greece behind me. I really felt I could have won the Acropolis Rally; everything seemed to be flowing so naturally. It's now up to us to bounce back, while at the same time bearing in mind that Citroen is above all in need of manufacturers' points." Stobart F! ord World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford drivers Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg take a step into the unknown next week as they aim to rise to the challenge of the newest rally on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar, Rally Poland. But there will be one Stobart driver who will be familiar with the rally, three-time Rally Poland champion Krzysztof Holowczyc, who joins the team for this event. #5: Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin: "I think that Rally Poland is going to be a big challenge but I am really looking forward to it. It is going to be quite tough. There will be some fast stages like in Finland but also some quite narrow and technical stages. It is great that Scott has done it before and he knows what to expect; that should be a big help to us. The last day of the Acropolis Rally went really well so we are feeling confident going in! to this rally. We have got a test on Monday so that will give us plenty of opportunity to perfect the set-up." #6 : Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: "I'm looking forward to Poland and I enjoy the challenge of a new event. As we saw in Greece, events with new stages can mix up the results and it puts the non factory drivers on a more level ground. I think the stages will have a bit of everything so the secret will be adapting to these new conditions as soon as possible and making an accurate set of pacenotes on the recce. I've been unlucky with a few events this year so hopefully that will stop now and we can concentrate on the next gravel events." Citroen Junior Team http://citroen.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=1 The Citroen Junior Team will field three C4 WRCs on the Rally Poland for Conrad Rautenbach/Daniel Barritt, Evgeny Novikov/Dale Moscatt and Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia. The eighth round of the 2009 World Rally Championship will take place in Miko³ajki from 25-28 June. #7: Evgeny Novikov/Dale Moscatt: "It's a new rally for everyone and a great opportunity for us to show our speed. I can't wait to get to the start so that we can continue making progress." #8: Conrad Rautenbach/Daniel Barritt: "From what I have understood, the roads there are going to be quick. If the route looks anything like Finland then I'll be happy, because I love those types of roads. We learnt a lot in Greece and I can't wait get stuck back into the action again!" #12: Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia: Poland will be a different type of rally but it will be just as difficult. We are going to maintain the same strategy in order to accumulate as much experience as possible and be sure of getting to the finish." 6. Event Schedule Thursday 25 June 7. Championship Points SS 1 MIKOLAJKI S. SPEC. 2.50 km 20:00 Friday 26 June SS 2 GRABOWKA 1 12.09 km 09:51 SS 3 PIANKI 1 11.34 km 10:19 SS 4 PAPROTKI 1 33.17 km 10:49 SS 5 GRABOWKA 2 12.09 km 14:01 SS 6 PIANKI 2 11.34 km 14:29 SS 7 PAPROTKI 2 33.17 km 14:59 Saturday 27 June SS 8 DANOWO 1 11.85 km 10:14 SS 9 GAWLIKI 1 32.75 km 10:59 SS10 WYDMINY 1 30.09 km 11:52 SS11 DANOWO 2 11.85 km 15:18 SS12 GAWLIKI 2 32.75 km 16:03 SS13 WYDMINY 2 30.09 km 16:56 Sunday 28 June SS14 MILKI 1 27.07 km 07:51 SS15 TROS 1 15.11 km 08:57 SS16 MILKI 2 27.07 km 11:49 SS17 TROS 3 15.11 km 12:55 SS18 MIKOLAJKI S. SPEC. 2.50 km 14:24 Full standings http://www.rallye-info.com/points.asp |