IRC Ypres Rally preview : The challenges

A mainstay of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge since the series’ inception in 2007, the Geko Ypres Rally is one of the highlights of the IRC season. Based in the historic market town of Ypres in northwest Belgium, the event’s central location and compact route makes it a must for competitors and fans alike.

At first glance the asphalt stages appear tame by comparison to the rock-lined Tarmac tests on the previous IRC round in Ukraine. But appearances can be deceptive. Despite consisting mainly of long, narrow and flat straights and 90-degree junctions through areas of open farmland, the competitive route is littered with hazards waiting to catch out the unwary driver.

Drainage ditches and telegraph pylons pepper the roads, which can become notoriously slippery due to mud and gravel being dragged onto the surface by drivers taking ‘cuts’ through corners. With changeable weather conditions and stages run at night adding to the challenge, not to mention a condensed timetable, the Ypres Rally tests crews and their teams to the limit.

The proliferation of long straights and tight corners put the onus firmly on driver commitment and accurate pacenotes. With top speeds of up to 180kph being recorded, drivers have to judge their braking points to perfection to maximise the amount of speed they carry into and out of corners, meaning it’s not just the competitor with the most powerful engine and strongest brakes that wins.

While drivers such as Luca Rossetti and Kris Meeke won on their Ypres Rally debuts in 2007 and 2009 respectively, local knowledge is considered essential, particularly knowing where to cut the tight corners and when to play safe by taking a more conventional line to avoid punctures. Belgian hero Freddy Loix is testament to that theory with a record six wins to his name.

But Ypres – or Ieper to Flemish speakers – is more than just a rally. The town, which was painstakingly rebuilt after it suffered heavy damage and loss of life during World War I, becomes the event’s epicentre for the duration of the rally with the central service park, the Ieper Rally Center, dominating the famous Grote Markt and filling the surrounding streets. With thousands of spectators flocking to the town to watch the numerous service halts and start and finish ceremonies, the atmosphere is electric, particularly when darkness falls.

The rally itself is condensed into a 30-hour period with the action getting underway late on Friday afternoon and concluding on Saturday night. Friday’s itinerary features three repeated stages north and southwest of Ypres, separated by service in the town. The route includes the new Dikkebus-Westouter stage, which is a merger of the two tests. The first car is due to reach the overnight halt just before 22:30hrs.

Action resumes on Saturday morning with two stages based around the town of Poperinge to the west of Ypres. In total there are five repeated stages plus two standalone tests on day two, including the Lille-Eurometropole stage, which straddles the French border. With the final stage not getting underway until 21:56hrs, it won’t be until the early hours of Sunday morning when all crews have completed the finishing formalities.

All drivers competing in Ypres will be in contention for the prestigious Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy, which is awarded on all rounds of the IRC to the driver whose performance best embodies the spirit of the rally legend.