2012 World Rally Championship

[nijeat]

These are onboards of Lotus Exige R-GT with FIA's GT rally rules which made its debut at Belgium's Geko Ypres rally of IRC and ERC last week on 21~23 june, although as a course car.

Legendary British sports car marque Lotus will make its debut as a course car at Belgium’s Geko Ypres rally on the 21-23 June. Portuguese driver Bernardo Sousa, who is set to race the Lotus Exige R-GT later this year, will drive this official car ahead of its entry in the FIA European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

As part of the continuous development programme of the Exige R-GT, which has undergone tests in Italy, comes its first participation, albeit as a course car, in a rally event. The Geko Ypres Rally, which takes place in the town of Ypres in West Flanders, will be the fans first opportunity to see the car up close and running, and with the team of Bernardo Sousa and Corrado Mancini on board.

The Lotus International Team will be present in full at Ypres. The race will be the first official event for the team, and represents a useful opportunity to bed itself in.

-quoted from rally-erc.com

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[Oscar Hardwick]

Lotus... got to love a Lotus

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

Another tragedy happened yesterday during 39. Rally Bohemia. Co-driver of world-known Martin Semerád didn't survive horrible crash in high speed. The car was totally destroyed. It's unbelievable that Martin left the car with only broken clavicle - he is staying in the hospital.

The event was canceled. Before Semerád - Ceplecha crashed, Mads Ostberg, Juho Hanninen, Roman Kresta, Václav Kopáček and more didn't finish the first 3 stages.

In memory of Bohuslav Ceplecha

 

[Chronus]

.

RIP

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

During night stage at Rallye Citta di Lucca in Tuscany died racing crew of Peugeot 207 S2000 n.7 after crashing into a wall. The car then fell in a hole and had caught on fire. Both driver and co-driver didn't get out in time.

The race was immediately stopped.

R.I.P. Claudio Catelani and Daniela Bertoneri

This year it has no ending What a sad year for rallye.

 

[Tom]

What a sad year for all kinds of motorsports.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

During night stage at Rallye Citta di Lucca in Tuscany died racing crew of Peugeot 207 S2000 n.7 after crashing into a wall. The car then fell in a hole and had caught on fire. Both driver and co-driver didn't get out in time.

The race was immediately stopped.

R.I.P. Claudio Catelani and Daniela Bertoneri

This year it has no ending What a sad year for rallye.

Ye, sadly closing on the 13 deaths in rally in 2009

 

[Paul M Jones]

A sad year for rallying.

 

[Chronus]

.
R.I.P.

Very sad two years for motorsports...

 

[nijeat]

Very sad news always....
This year alone so far 8 people have already left in rally just that I know of.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Very sad
My condolences.

 

[tjc]

Terrible news...

R.I.P guys.

 

[Shawdad]

That is Terrible news...

 

[Harry Platt]

Ouninpohja has finnally (intentional spelling error) returned to Rally Finland. All 33 km will be run as the last two stages of the rally, the latter run being the power stage. How awesome is that. The fastest stage in the world and the fastest man get power stage bonus points. Could this be the true test to find out who is the fastest behind the wheel of a rally car? Will be interesting to see if the new age cars are as fast the big old 2L machines at the very limit.

http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/32940.aspx

 

[Tony Gentile]

I like the comment at 8:48
Peter asks WHAT (at that speed wow)
Cool video
Thanks for posting
Go Subbie

 

[Senad Subasic]

"Gets faster now."

Ah, the good old days

 

[Harry Platt]

Hirvonen set a new record for the stage. 15:17.3 over Petter's old record of 15:18.4.

 

[silverbackmedia]

The 4 times World Rally champion, Juha Kankkunen, will be joining with his former co-driver, Nicky Grist to compete in this weekends Neath Valley Stages, in South Wales., organised by the Three Counties Car Club in association with Mark Solloway of Historic RallySport Ltd, The last time the pair competed together was in the 2010 inaugural Rally Portugal Revival, which they won. Juha and Nicky will be competing in one of Mark Solloway’s Historic Rally Sport Ford Escort MKII BDG.

Fans and competitors will also get the opportunity to get up close on the day at the rally HQ, where Juha will be available for signing of his autobiography 'My Road', which is a fascinating insight into this amazing man and his incredible career in the WRC and beyond.

 

[silverbackmedia]

Juha Kankkunen will be revealing his latest book at this years Neath Valley Stages. Further to the fantastic news that Juha Kankkunen and Nicky Grist will be doing this years rally the pair will be signing the latest copies of Juha’s book ‘Juha Kankkunen My Road’.

“Reading 'My Road' was such a trip down memory lane for me. My time with Juha is always very special and we certainly had some great laughs along the way. It is a book for anyone who loves rally, and will give them a great insight into a time of rallying that we do not see today.” reflects Nicky Grist

If your not able to attend but still want a personally signed copy or have a dedicated message from Juha, order your copy through http://www.nickygrist.com and then email news@nickygrist.com with your order number, message and postal address.

Spectator information at Neath Valley Stages : http://www.threecountiescarclub.co.uk/neath-valley-stages-2012/spectator-information/

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Red Bull is set to be announced as the new promoter of the World Rally Championship, AUTOSPORT understands.

The FIA, the sport's ruling body, opened a tender to find a new promoter for the WRC in February after the previous promoter, North One Sport, had its contract terminated when its parent company CSI went into administration.

Red Bull Media House was one of three candidates that had been shortlisted by the FIA for the role. The other two were a South African partnership and Eurosport.

The WRC manufacturers, teams and stakeholders were told about the deal during Rally Finland earlier this month.

Citroen boss Yves Matton, whose team is sponsored by Red Bull, believes the move will be good for the sport.

"I think [Red Bull] Media House promoting the championship would be a good thing, but it would be different from Red Bull, which is the team sponsor," said Matton.

"When they do something, they do it properly and they don't just want to make a good name with the promotion. If they choose to invest in the World Rally Championship then it's because they want to make a proper job, otherwise they would not even attempt to do it."