Barum - IRC news before SS10

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By Franck Drui

2 September 2012 - 08:22
Barum - IRC news before SS10

Aigner to start first as Zlin prepares for thrilling climax

Andreas Aigner will run first on the road on the final day of Barum Czech Rally Zlín with organisers reversing the leading positions ahead of the climax of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge round.

Aigner, from Austria, will lead the field over Sunday’s six closing stages, two of which will be shown live on Eurosport and free-to-air Czech TV. After nine stages, Aigner is ninth overall and heads the IRC Production Cup division in his Stohl Racing Subaru Impreza R4 STI.

Bidding to make it three IRC Production Cup wins from four starts, Aigner said: “We try to stay on road and keep the lead in the production class and make good points. If you finish first or second in production it doesn’t matter – it’s important to finish.”

Jaromír Tarabus will start second in his Kresta Racing ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000, two minutes behind Aigner, with Karl Kruuda next up for JM Racing. Robert Barrable is fourth on the road with Vaclav Pech – who is not eligible for IRC points due the ineligibility of his car for the series – running behind.

Third-placed Andreas Mikkelsen goes eighth with Jan Kopecký, who is second overall, ninth and event leader Juho Hänninen 10th.

Sunday’s action consists of six stages and begins with the 21.40-kilometre Halenkovice test at 08:57hrs local time. The finish is scheduled for 14:30hrs in Zlín. Both runs of the famous Maják stage will be shown live on Eurosport and free-to-air Czech TV from 10:00hrs-11:00hrs CET and 13:00hrs-14:00hrs CET.

Racer Kostka on a high in Zlin

Tomáš Kostka, who impressed throughout the opening day of Barum Czech Rally Zlín, can look forward to a meal of grilled piglet when the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier finishes on Sunday.

Kostka, currently fourth overall in his privateer ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000, won the U Johana award for the highest jump on the Slušovice stage, which was broadcast live on Eurosport and free-to-air Czech TV.

The award – a meal of grilled piglet – is pledged by the restaurant of the same name and goes to the driver who leaps the highest on the artificial jump on Slušovice, which is back on the Zlín itinerary for the first time in five years this season. Kostka’s jump measured 13 metres. Grilled piglet is a Czech delicacy.

Meanwhile, Kostka – a renowned circuit racer and rallysprint exponent – admitted his performance in Zlín so far had exceeded his expectations. “I was thinking position eight would be fine for us but position four after all these hard stages is really incredible for us,” he said. “But I am still driving to keep the car on the road and not taking any risks.”

Experience will boost Gonon’s Zlin speed, says boss

Florian Gonon’s team boss Vincent Ducher says the Swiss driver’s lack of experience of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín stages has masked his true pace behind the wheel of his Saintéloc Racing Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Gonon, who is co-driven by fellow Swiss Sandra Arlettaz, is 20th overall after nine stages, admitted to struggling for confidence on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.

“He’s not confident with his pacenotes, particularly when the road is slippery,” said Ducher. “He’s happy with the car, the tyres and the set-up but it proves you need experience on this rally to do well. I hope he can show more speed tomorrow.”

Mikkelsen not giving up on Zlin IRC victory

Andreas Mikkelsen insists he hasn’t given up hope of claiming his first victory on asphalt in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge despite slipping almost 30s adrift of Barum Czech Rally Zlín leader Juho Hänninen.

The ŠKODA UK Motorsport pilot, IRC champion in 2011, once again showed an impressive turn of pace in his Fabia Super 2000, winning three stages during the course of the day alongside co-driver Ola Fløene. However, he struggled on both runs of the 19.18-kilometre Tesák test, dropping a combined 33.4s to Hänninen in the process.

“The performance has been good and Ola and I feel happy with the job that we’ve done, but there is this one stage I’ve struggled with,” said the 23-year-old from Norway. “We tried a new set-up on our Fabia S2000 today and it works really well when the road is twisty and narrow, but when it’s fast and the car is leaning at high speed it’s not so good. If you take that stage away we’d be leading the rally.

“We will make some changes to the car and go out tomorrow on a different set-up. There are six really fast and long stages tomorrow, so everything is possible.”

Ace Consani on course for title gain in IRC 2WD Cup

Robert Consani’s bid to close the gap to IRC 2WD Cup points leader Harry Hunt is on course following a strong showing by the rising French talent on Barum Czech Rally Zlín today.

The Renault Mégane RS driver has led the hugely competitive category from Friday’s opening stage and holds an advantage of more than 20s starting the final day, despite completing stage seven with no working rear shock absorbers.

Hunt elected not to include the visit to Czech Republic on his schedule for 2012. He currently leads the standings by 26 points, with Consani, who is co-driven by Nicolas Klinger, in line to slash that advantage to a solitary point if he stays out in front on day two.

Meanwhile, Czech youngster Jan Černý is second having collected six stage wins in the category during the course of day one but there was frustration for Honda Civic Type R driver Martin Kangur who crashed out on stage four having suffered a puncture on the previous test.

Josef Peták, who is third overnight in his Renault Clio R3, said the event had been the toughest in recent memory due to the inclement weather and slippery nature of the all-asphalt stages.

Lubomír Minařík’s Clio began to loose oil from stage seven onwards. He ran low revs and topped up on oil between stages in order to reach the overnight halt in fifth, once place ahead of IRC 2WD Cup returnee Menya Krózser.

Wiegand praises mechanics following first crash

Sepp Wiegand has praised his ŠKODA Auto Deutschland mechanics, describing them as the “best in the world” following his crash on stage seven of Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

Wiegand, one of the emerging stars of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, slid backwards into a tree on stage seven of the all-asphalt event and inflicted substantial damage to the rear of his Fabia Super 2000 in the process.

“My mechanics fixed it so thank you very much to them, they are the best in the world,” said the 21-year-old German promise. “It was my first accident in my life and I was so surprised because it was on a straight, I brake but the car spin like it was on ice. We went backwards into the forest and I was a passenger with no chance to reach. We were in a ditch so we were lucky to continue.”

Wiegand is 11th at the end of Saturday’s stages having also lost time with a puncture earlier in the rally.

Team thrilled as Nikara demonstrates talent in Subaru

IRC Production Cup ace Jarkko Nikara’s stunning speed on Barum Czech Rally Zlín today has confirmed the Finn’s ability behind the wheel of his Subaru Impreza R4 STI.

That’s according to Gabriele Favero, the boss of the Motoring Club organisation, which is helping to run Nikara on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge round in conjunction with Tommi Mäkinen Racing.

Nikara set a succession of staggering stage times on the rain-hit opening day in Zlín in his near-standard Impreza with his third fastest time outright on stage five the standout moment. However, his charge ended when he crashed out nearing the end of stage seven.

The highly-respected Favero, who has worked with a number of rising Finnish drivers in the past, said: “This shows he’s a talent, which was also the case in San Marino where he won the Production Cup. We are disappointed his race is over but we are very happy with his performance, especially for the first time on this special Tarmac.”

Despite being saddled with a 60-second time penalty following delays leaving morning service while a faulty gearbox was changed, Nikara shone by closing to within 10 seconds of IRC Production Cup leader Andreas Aigner before his accident.

“It was probably a pacenote or something like that but it was near the end of the stage,” said Favero. “Some oil started to come out and started to burn but the most important thing is that the crew is okay. It had been a very special day with an incredible time by Jarkko. Unfortunately we have finished the rally early but this is motorsport.”

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