It’s sand, sea and… hard work for WRC stars

During the summer break

By Franck Drui

5 July 2011 - 18:18
It's sand, sea and… hard work (...)

Ever wanted to know where the stars of the World Rally Championship go on holiday?

While some drivers will be putting their feet up, Wrc.com can reveal it’s not all about trips to the seaside and days by the pool - there’s hard work to be done too.

“I am testing for Finland and Germany and then I’m doing a demonstration with a Citroen C4 WRC at a kart track in France,” says seven-time champion and current title leader Sebastien Loeb. “But then I’ve got a few days at home and then I’m on holidays on a boat with friends.”

His team-mate Sebastien Ogier faces an even more arduous schedule: he’s due in Moscow next week for a road show event and then has a three-day session booked with his personal trainer.

In between time spent at his family’s summerhouse in Finland, Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala will be attending the Ford Enthusiasts’ Day in the United Kingdom and doing a television with WRC TV. Meanwhile, co-driver Miikka Anttila will be enjoying time with his young son Masi and has promised to teach him how to swim as well as a trip to the zoo in Helsinki.

A holiday will be the last thing on Ken Block’s mind. The Monster World Rally Team star spent last weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event in the United Kingdom demonstrating his Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Next up is a trip to Austria for the first stop in his Gymkhana World Tour. The American will then start filming Gymkhana FOUR before his World Tour resumes in Los Angeles prior to the X Games event in the city in late July.

There will be no holiday either for MINI WRC Team’s Dani Sordo although that’s more through choice than necessity.

“I’m not doing that many rallies this season so I don’t need to have a holiday,” he says. “Also, I like relaxing in nice places and the best for that is my home in Spain, which I love being at.”

Kris Meeke, who partners Sordo at MINI, is planning a slightly more adventurous time when he heads to the Alps this week for some intensive bike riding. “I’ll have my mate, bike, iPhone and a pair of sunglasses for company,” says the Briton, who turned 32 last Saturday.

Armindo Araujo, who also drivers a MINI John Cooper Works WRC, is heading to Turkey for a week’s holiday before spending some days in the north of Portugal near to his home with family and friends.

Brazil World Rally Team’s Daniel Oliveira is back in his homeland for a short summer break and will celebrate his 26th birthday with his family next Tuesday as well as enjoying various traditional celebrations including the Midsummer Feast of St John and a carnival in Amargosa.

FERM Power Tools World Rally Team star Dennis Kuipers is spending a few days on his jet ski at a lake in northern Italy but won’t be able to take his mind off competition for too long due to his participation on the non-championship Rally Estonia later this month aboard a Super 2000 specification Ford Fiesta.

There will be no time for relaxation for Super 2000 World Rally Championship ace Eyvind Brynildsen.

“To be able to do rally I have to work in the holidays so I will be in my truck,” says the Norwegian. “But I hope I can have one week’s holiday in lovely Norway. We’ve got high mountains, deep rivers and wide valleys. I’ll bring my football with me so I don’t get bored and to keep fit and a telephone so I can answer the WRC manufacturer who wants to sign me up.”

Hayden Paddon, the current leader of the Production Car World Rally Championship also faces a summer of toil in his native New Zealand where it’s actually winter. He is contesting the Asia Pacific championship-counting Rally of Whangarei in the next couple of weeks. Not only is he preparing his own Subaru Impreza WRX for the event, he’s also readying an old Mitsubishi Lancer for WRC Academy regular Brendan Reeves to use.

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