Countdown to Rally of Turkey

With the dust still settling following an epic, if controversial Jordan Rally at the start of April, the World Rally Championship regulars are already preparing to resume their chase for the sport’s biggest prize on Rally of Turkey, which takes place from 15-18 April.

Based in the Pendik district of Istanbul, the rally features high-speed gravel stages in Turkey’s Asian countryside, plus an asphalt superspecial stage close to the banks of the Bosphorus River in Kadikoy.

While Turkey has been a mainstay of the WRC since 2003, this year’s event features a brand-new route and location and represents unchartered territory for the leading drivers and teams. Previously based on mountainous and punishing roads above the Mediterranean resort of Kemer, the event has relocated 700 kilometres north to Istanbul following a one-year absence from the WRC under the calendar rotation system.

Turkey’s largest city and cultural and commercial epicentre will host the ceremonial start in Sultanahmet Square close to the spectacular Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia on Thursday evening, which crews will reach by taking a ferry crossing over the Bosphorous. Service is located in Pendik, a short distance from Istanbul Park, venue of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Although the 23 stages included on the event’s itinerary are new to the WRC, the stages have been used on rounds of the European Rally Championship and Intercontinental Rally Challenge in the past. They are characterised by their wide, fast and smooth nature, with sections of Tarmac thrown in for good measure.

In the past, Turkey’s WRC round was frequently subjected to changeable weather conditions, ranging from bright sunshine to torrential rain and even thick fog. The rally’s move north is expected to lead to more consistent weather, although chunks of the route, particularly the stages run in forest areas, have been savaged by a tough winter, which had made some sections impassable as recently as last month.

With ambient temperatures failing to exceed 15 degrees Centigrade in recent weeks, the surface on many of the stages is likely to remain slightly damp following heavy winter rain meaning the use of road position tactics will not be as evident as it was in Jordan.

Who’s going to win?

Sebastien Loeb, the six-time world champion, heads the drivers’ standings after three events. With back-to-back wins in Mexico and Jordan under this belt, the Citroen C4 ace will be vying for victory number three. However, Turkey brings bitter-sweet memories for the 36-year-old.

He won in 2004 and repeated his victory the following year before jetting off to take part in pre-qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race. But he was absent in 2006 after breaking his shoulder falling off his mountain bike during training. In 2008, he could manage no better than third after being forced to run first on the road for much of the event when Ford used tactics to ensure a one-two finish for Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala.

Loeb has suggested that his victory last time out in Jordan has removed a degree of pressure. His lead over Ford’s Latvala stands at 25 points, which is the same amount awarded for a victory under the new-for-2010 scoring system. It means that if things go awry for Loeb in Turkey he still can’t be overhauled at the top of the drivers’ table.

Prior to the start in Jordan, Dani Sordo admitted to being under pressure to achieve a good result following his disappointing start to the season, which culminated in a crash in Mexico. Fourth place in the Middle East might not have been the podium he craved although he was still relieved to go the distance.

Hirvonen knows he must score well in Turkey in order to get his world championship challenge back on track following his crash in Jordan. He won in Turkey on the WRC’s last visit to the country in 2008 and needs a similar result this year to not only get back on terms with Loeb but also move back ahead of team-mate Latvala, who is six points ahead in the championship reckoning.

Henning Solberg landed his first podium finish in Turkey after steering his Peugeot 307 to third place back in 2006. The Norwegian is now armed with a semi-works Ford Focus and keen to improve upon his seventh place in the WRC drivers’ standings. His younger brother Petter, who drives a Citroen C4 for his eponymous team, will be chasing his third consecutive podium finish of the year.

Sebastien Ogier, who partners ex-Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen in the Citroen Junior Team, will also be in contention for a top-three result in his C4 WRC after a frustrating final day in Jordan when he was instructed to check in early for a stage to clear the road for team leader Loeb. The resulting time penalty restricted him to sixth overall behind Britain’s Matthew Wilson.

Turkey marks the return of Ken Block in his Monster World Rally Team Ford Focus. The American, who has achieved widespread fame through his Gymkhana stunt driving videos, still has much to learn as he adapts to the rigours of driving a World Rally Car.

Rally of Turkey will forever be remembered for being Colin McRae’s last world championship outing before his untimely death in a helicopter accident less than 12 months later. The legendary Scot was deputising for the injured Sebastien Loeb but retired on the final day when his Citroen Xsara suffered alternator failure.

Tyres

All 43 crews scheduled to take part on Rally of Turkey will use Pirelli’s Scorpion gravel tyre, which is available in a hard compound only. Among those crews in action in Turkey will be the five Pirelli Star Drivers, who begin their six-event WRC campaign in a fleet of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Xs, their reward for their respective performances in FIA regional rally championships last season.