Kimi testing the C4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tVWjDZo0bA

Wait a second, F1 and WRC cars are going to have the same engine?

Red Bull gives you wings?

Excellent, looks like he wasn't holding back

Cheers

Oh dear just this small video makes me getting hyper excited!

Can´t wait until thursday

such videos stop my heartbeat... AWESOME!

Not Kimi... but since we're on the topic of jumps... it's always good to remember this utter maniac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa4H6XuwsLg

the one to remember is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9MpSKTuYLY

Much of the decision seemed to come from within the ISC/NorthOne Sport Ivory Towers with endorsement from the FIA. The problem being, it is not fully decided what the 'World' engine will be as a base unit, either 1500cc, 1600cc or even 1300cc.... and yet they have decided to push ahead with the 1600cc Turbo option in what is a pretty daft timescale...UNLESS...

There is a core group (which there is - Ford, PSA and now BMW-Mini) who want to go that direction...

As I have said many times, it makes zero sense right now to introduce this new engine next year...when the current World Championship is currently on it's knees in terms of popularity. They could have embraced the S2000 formula properly at worst for a couple of years and then introduced the new engine ideally in 2015 or at the earliest 2013.

But...unfortunately the WRC has become a 'clique' and they all think what they are doing is wonderful... when in fact the Eurosport guys and the IRC are actually highlighting what a shocking job the organisers of the WRC are actually doing.

If I were Petter Solberg and if I didnt have an offer from Prodrive-Mini (which I hear rumour he has) then I would switch from the WRC to the IRC, as the customer/junior teams in the WRC are simply there to make up the numbers. As to running in the WRC S2000 World Cup....what a joke! Just as the J-WRC and P-WRC guys discovered, you pay a fortune to be bit players in the circus to get very little and poor coverage... whereas there is a championship now with some of the greatest rally events and a dedicated focus to the S2000 class of car... it's a no brainer!

If the likes of Gronholm, Solberg, Galli, Ogier, etc could go into the IRC it could possibly sound the death bell for the WRC as the leading rally championship. I understnd why Kimi wanted to sample the WRC machinery, as he loves speed and this was the last year to sample a WRC car, but I truly think that Kimi could have actually done VERY well in the IRC this year, had he chosen that option instead.

But anyway... the WRC has mde it's decision and path clear.... but from an enjoyment perspective... the IRC is providing much greater entertainment and a true core rally product right now, more so than the WRC, and that is a terrible shame.

Kimi will do well to listen to Kaj.... the man is a worldclass co-driver...

Here's what happens when you dont listen to him...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9G6b27CLjY

I actually think Kaj and Kimi will work very well together and the biggest thing Kimi has to get his head around is the recce and creating your own notes, of which Kaj will be an enormous benefit.

That said... gotta hand it to him on that testing clip...he was giving that some stick!

I dont even know if i would be able to see any of the Rally's in South Africa. That is so sad...

Does anyone know if it would be broadcast here?

Yes, it is.

We get recorded highlights on Supersport, usually a day's summary in the evening

Excellent thanks guys

It's so beautiful it almost makes me cry

Imagine sitting there around a fireplace having hot chocolate drink and sausages.

A Tengmalm's Owl looks at you from a tree. Wolves are howling somewhere around you but only making you feel more comfortable. A rabbit quickly sprints across the road afraid a fox nearby noticed it.

Then you hear a distant sound - you cannot quite decide is it the wolves making noise whilst hunting for food or is it a bear which has awoken from its hibernation and is feeling hungry and enraged? No... it has to be something else. Something only a genius could have created.

You feel the ground shaking and the noise become louder. The hot chocolate drink and sausages in your stomach are vibrated by the shaking ground creating a warmer feeling inside you.

Then the beast appears! And a beautiful beast it is! Scraping the road with its claws it quickly approaches you and you think for a split-second that you picked the wrong place for having a place to relax. But no - just as quickly as it appeared, it disappears, leaving a cloud of snow up in the air, mixing with your hot chocolate drink to have nice white foam on top of it.

You are left with a feeling of yearning - you have to see more of that beast, of that beautiful beast which rocked your trekking stool and left you with the best chocolate drink you have ever tasted.

Crikey Anssi, thats so vivid i just had to stamp my feet to get rid of the snow

This is what happens when you mix sausages with an incompatible drink instead of good red wine or something even stronger.

What you forget is that the manufacturers wanted to rally with an engine that was ''relevant to their product'' = as i'm sure you've noticed almost all car manufacturers are now moving towards smaller (ie 1600cc) turbocharged engines.

While not anywhere near perfect these days the wrc is still and always will be the pinnacle of the sport. There is no way the drivers you have mentioned would ever dream of moving to the irc. It would be like the top F1 drivers moving to gp2, would be great to watch but lets face it - IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

The reason drivers compete in the jwrc/pwrc is simple: If you win the championship you are a World Champion and that is much easier to sell to sponsors than; ''I am Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion''. Even peugeot are struggling to market that one.

The WRC is not on its knees in terms of popularity, it's more popular than its ever been and will be getting huge coverage in the states this year once ken blocks campaign begins in mexico, regardless of how far off the pace he is. And trust me, he will be way off the pace. He'll be lucky if hes beating the top PWRC drivers by the end of the year.

Who are these 10 manufacturers that are supporting the s2000 formula?
Peugeot+Skoda+Proton=3
None of the other cars are manufacturer supported:
Ford Fiesta: MSports have developed this car themselves purely to make money through sales.
Fiat Punto: Gone and will if they do return it will be in the wrc
MG: Never had any backing & is 50-60bhp down on rivals
Opel Corsa: Still hasnt recieved any financial backing from Opel
The other 3 manufacturers that you claim are supporting the 2l format are??????

Come to think of it, none of the peugeot cars are directly supported by the factory either......

Yep!
The idea is that the 3 FIA sanctioned world championships (F1, WRC & WTCC) all use the same engine, although obviously in different states of tune

Beer and sausages, no other drinks please!

My oh my..

The sound of F1 is really something, it tears You in pieces. It´s just...wuuuuuuuf
To stand in a rally stage and hear the car comin´not seeing it it is so fu....ng great. You can actually hear is it gonna be fast or not.

Totally different sports. With so many common parts.

Just loved these seconds of the clip.

That was awesome. I have a feeling Kimi will do just fine and continues to surprise people with his pace immediately. He seems extremely comfortable and focused.

That's the problem: they are moving towards. It's a positive movement, no doubt. But are you sure they will be there next year?


Err... How many PWRC/JWRC champions have been successful in WRC? Loeb surely and Sordo to certain extent. But where are Karamjit Singh, Martin Rowe, Niall McShea, Brice Tirabassi, Dani Sola or Per-Gunnar Andersson? And they were all proud World Champions.

I agree with you - WRC is not on its knees. It's lying on the ground helplessly with its face in mud. Do you really think one Ken Block can pull it up from there? How long can he keep US audience interested with 7th or 8th places? How about improving coverage in Europe considering WRC replaced Eurosport as their Euro-wide broadcaster with niche-channel Motors TV?


Yes, they are SUPPORTING IRC by building cars but not necessarily COMPETING themselves. IRC never pretended to lure lots of works teams in. Quite the opposite - it's a place where privateers can fight if not for the overall title then at least for wins on single rallies. When did you see that happening in WRC last time?

Here is some onboard footage from Rally Finland 2009!

In both clips, some engine problems. Kimi not exactly happy about it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS6KowQTUBs...feature=channel

The car bottoming out a lot here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j0CIb7SLEY...feature=related

(Kimi: "the car isn´t going anywhere "#¤%&")

Yep...Mr Lindström is absolutely brilliant. Not only skillful and experienced, but also the kind of character Kimi needs on his side. Kaj knows when to step in and guide the rookie in most difficult places, one can hear that quite nicely from the clips I posted.

I never said that the champions were successful, i only explained why they choose to compete in the PWRC/JWRC instead of the IRC
But its not MANUFACTURERS that are building the cars!
The only MANUFACTURERS to build S2000 cars are:
Peugeot
Skoda
& Abarth (Fiat)

MEM designed & built the proton long before it got any support from the factory

I can bet they were working hoping that support will come. IMHO that makes no difference. Thing is there were six makes represented in top class at IRC opening round . OK, Abarth (aka Fiat) is probably going to disappear from entry lists but Proton is going to replace them.
How many WRC makes can you count at Rally Sweden? My count stops at four thanks to Mads Ostberg (Subaru) and Dany Snobeck (Peugeot). Otherwise it would be two. And how many manufacturers remain taking into account Fords are built by M-Sport?
OK, IRC claiming they have 10 manufacturers is a PR-stunt. Six regular makes with S2000 cars is much more realistic. But even so it's three times more than WRC has with Ford and Citroen.
All in all, IRC is much more healthy at the moment than WRC. But IMHO WRC will become stronger in the future again. They simply have to if they want to survive. IRC seems to have no direct ambitions to take over WRC's place as a top rallying series. There's even no obligation to enter all the rounds. But if WRC will go bust IRC can fill the gap, no doubt about that.

Brilliant, a series that's not even on a major station in this country yet used to be huge and has lost all but two of the manufacturers who used to compete whilst not being able to produce anything like the spectacle it used to and it's at the height of it's popularity.... that's some brilliant marketing they must have.

excellent thax

http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages.../220110RY03.jpg
http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages.../220110RY06.jpg
http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages.../220110RY02.jpg
http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages.../220110RY01.jpg
http://www.redbull.com/cs/RedBull/RBImages.../210110RY05.jpg
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9324/21...ry016634647.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8421/210110ry036577006.jpg

YES!

But msport are paid by ford to build the focus, wheras they arent paid by ford to build the fiesta
I can only see 4 makes represented in the irc's ''top class'' (S2000), so same as the wrc.
I'm not trying to say the wrc is perfect, or even close to it, in its current guise but i do think that the 1600 turbo formula will work. Ford, Citroen, and mini have already committed, skoda openly claim that its their ambition to step up and abarth have said that if they do return to rallying the 1600t route is the one that they'll follow

Fantastic picture! We really didn't see Kimi with that expression often enough in F1. It almost looks surreal.

He must be really pumped!

Looks like he's having plenty of fun.

Your actually factually incorrect on a number of points, which I will try to discuss below:
1: How many manufacturers can you reveal have stated they want a 1600cc Turbo engined rally car? Ford and PSA? Maybe Mini....yet can you buy a Fiesta 1600cc Turbo? No.... Can you buy a Citroen C3 1600cc Turbo...er no.... can you buy a single VAG branded car with a 1600cc Turbo engine....er that would also be a no..... But you can Buy a Mini 1600cc Turbo....and whose group will make those....ahhhh yes Prodrive.... and who runs Prodrive???? Ahhhhh yes David Richards.... and who established ISC...ahhhhh yes Mr Richards.... starting to see a pattern here? If you believe this formula of 1600cc Turbo's was created by the manufacturers, you have been naively mislead.

2: You seem to make a class winner on the world championship, suddenly a world champion. Yes I guess in literal terms they might be. In actual publicity terms, the vast majority of motorsport fans would not have a single CLUE who won the P-WRC last year or the J-WRC for that matter...however most motorsport fans will know Kris Meeke won the IRC....why...because Peugeot are far from struggling to market that one, they have web, TV, Radio and a variety of other mediums all promoting the victory... where do you get the struggling part?

3: You comment that the WRC is 'more popular than it has ever been' is frankly laughable.... there is not a single former or current WRC driver or Co-Driver that would make that lunatic claim. In fact there are many views evident in various places that anyone other than ISC/North One stooges, knows the championship is more than on it's knee's.... its collapsing and suddenly is now resorting to try and lure fans that find Ken Blocks multiple runs around an airfield to the WRC....many of which will simply not understand why this driving god in their eyes cannot match it with the works guys.... Ken is a very nice fella, but in all his interviews he is the first to admit he is wayyyyyy of the pace currently of the WRC front runners and unfortunately the US audience likes winners...otherwise they turn off.

4: What do you mean by supporting S2000? To me, building a car is supporting the formula or registering for manufacturer points, either or. The firms that have currently built S2000 cars are Ford (presuming you consider M-Sport Ford otherwise even Ford are not in the WRC), Skoda, Peugeot, Subaru, Mitsubishi (the last two pulled OUT of WRC if you remember) Abarth, Volkswagen, with satellite teams building cars on behalf and WITH APPROVAL of MG, Proton, Toyota, Opel and Honda which is actually TWELVE S2000 category machines available to run in an S2000 championship... as to your comments about Ford....Do you honestly think Malcolm had the budget himself to build the S2000 car???You clearly have not seen the press releases and comments from Ford's marketing department hailing the use by Ken Block of the Fiesta in the US Rally Championship....;)

So in short....much of your opinion....is actually factually incorrect when it comes to manufacturer support for S2000, as every manufacturer has to approve any homologation of an S2000 car and that in itself...is support, even if they are not putting cash into the operation themselves or actually building the car....

and just for clarity sake.... in the WRC....
The 'Ford' team is actually M-sport with some funding from Ford.
The 'Citroen' team is actually Kronos with some funding from PSA.
The 'Mini' team is actually Prodrive with some funding from BMW...

Which is absolutely no different to many of the S2000 teams , many of which have had some funding toward their programmes. So actually no manufacturers currently build any WRC cars either.... not since Suzuki and Toyota left the WRC as TTE was actually a fully funded division of Toyota. Even Ralliart in Rugby was an off-shoot for Mitsubishi.. So your claims of 'manufacturer' support are a little off and in fact one could argue that actually there are MORE 'manufacturers' currently building S2000 machines, namely Skoda and Abarth which are currently the only true 'in-house' manufacturers.

RB blue makes him look younger. Ferrari red made him look like an old uncle.

Fantastic pictures. Kimi looks great in Red Bull Blue. I have to go back to Brazil 2007 to see him smile that wide in front of the camera. He seems to be driving well as well.

Cheers for the links

Im slowly becoming a Kimi fan now he is 100% into rallying but i have never really watched it on tv to be honest. They used to have a few stages in wales so i used to go with my dad to watch and remember it being good. Anyway, my question is:

1. Can I watch it in the uk?
2. What channel?
3. Is there a website where this info is on? (im being lazy if im honest ) But i would like to watch, even go if its in England/Wales this year....

Thanks guys

Only highlights packages from the day's action, so... somewhat yes.



Motors TV has the rights now all over Europe from what I know.



http://www.wrc.com

Thanks for the quick reply and sorry for being so lazy about digging info out on my own.

Just looked and i have got motors tv! chan 545 on virgin

Trying to work out where the events are now on wrc, thanks. Only really need the highlights to be honest, dont wanna spend the whole day watching every car lol

Ty again. Kimi going to rallying surely will pull in more viewers...
Last thing I thought i would be doing this year would of been shouting "Come on Kimi!!!!" But Im sure I will be!

EDIT: To try and help others

In the UK its also on:
United Kingdom


Dave
www.dave.uktv.co.uk

S4C
www.s4c.co.uk

Wrc website is good but its a pain in the bum to find info other than news on!

Only in the beginning, than you get used to it ;)

For quick link to Live timing click on the image to the left saying Live Stage Times. And then you can choose to see split times, timetable, etc. from the menu bar immediately on top of the results.

Thanks for the pic. links

I feel honoured that you've made up everything i've underlined just to try and proove me wrong

Er made up everything? How so? nothing you have written above disproves anything I have written?

Again we will do it by numbers its easier than cut and pasting:

1: Where did I say Citroen is building their next car on the C3? I simply stated you cannot buy a 1600cc Turbo version of one currently..and therefore there is no engine "relevant to their product" as you claimed...

2: What you said was... "as i'm sure you've noticed almost all car manufacturers are now moving towards smaller (ie 1600cc) turbocharged engines." I was simply highlighting that this actually is not the case.. I actually 'KNOW' where this push came from and it is not 100% the FIA.

3: If you read properly...I already stated a P-WRC is literally a world champion in their class, but who knows who they are?

4: As regards the fact that anyone you know that isnt interested in rallying,does not know what the IRC is.....whats your point here? Do you want me to round up a bunch of non-motorsport fans to ask them who Nico Rosberg is? or Nick Heidfeld.... ? Your statement makes no sense. The fact is....amongst 'motorsport fans' everyone knows what the IRC is...

5: With regards the views about the WRC.... go do your homework. There are numerous quotes from key people not currently involved in the championship that state how bad things have become. Why do you think Jean Todt has appointed Juha to try and help? You may not agree with that....but it is not just MY pesonal view as you claim...

6: Again...as you failed to read properly... I am well aware the Mitsu's and Impreza's are group N...but they happen to run in the same 'N4' category as the S2000 cars AND in case you missed it...Subaru registered for manufacturers points on the IRC....so can you tell me why they dont have relevance?

7: Manfacturer approval.... this is a good one. You claim the MG, Proton, Opel and Honda S2000 cars were built (you changed my text here to) 'WITHOUT APPROVAL'.... again...which fantasy league did you get that piece of information from? I know the guys who created the MG S2000 and funded it, as well as having spoken to the MEM guys about the Proton... I know for a fact that the manufacturers have ALL given their approvals for the cars to be built. and YES there are currently 12 repeat TWELVE cars that you could go out and buy today to run in S2000, so you think I have made that up how???

8: You have underlined some other points later...but I suspect you then did your homework to understand that those points are actully factually correct. Like for example... Kronos do in fact build the Citroen C4 works rally cars..again...if you can prove an manufacturer currently in the WRC that builds it own cars from the factory... I would be interested to see it. All WRC teams have a 'preparation' company that builds their cars for them...

So....the next time you accuse someone of making something up, I strongly suggest you go and do your homework first.

What on earth is that supposed to mean? SWRC, PWRC and JWRC are actual FIA World Championship titles awarded for drivers and co-drivers.


Well, that's a British point of view, derivative of Peugeot marketing with a British champion in UK. From Finnish point of view (for example), Meeke belongs to the same category of oblivion with Araujo and Prokop for a casual motorsports fan.


Curiously enough, Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo only featured FOUR different S2000 cars (Škoda Fabia, Ford Fiesta - main purpose of which is the new WRC formula, Peugeot 207 & FIAT Grande Punto - 1 private car that was clearly inferior to the others) and 2 different group N cars, unable to challenge S2000s.

Thanks Intelligentsia! the 2nd image is going to be my desktop image from now on!

Kimi is the man.