WRC SWEDEN: BLOCK AND GELSOMINO SLIDE INTO THE START OF THE 2011 SEASON
Sub-zero temperatures and pounding snow greeted Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino at the start of shakedown for WRC Sweden. The change in weather and 4-6 inches of fresh snow brought with it a much different road condition than the two had tested on earlier this week at the Anttila Driving Resort.
"While the road was quite soft and slippy, it was good to get in some miles on a different type of surface," says Block. "My first time really ever on studs was only last week, so I still have a lot to learn and the inconsistent conditions today are good for me to discover and explore the levels of traction with studs before the actual rally."
Block and Gelsomino have raced on the snow before in the Rally America Championship, but they have never raced on proper, studded snow tires as the use of them is banned in the U.S. series.
Later in the evening on SS1, Block lined up side-by-side with fellow Ford driver Jari-Mati Latvala to kick off the first stage of the 2011 World Rally Championship, which also marks the first race of the all new Ford Fiesta RS WRC for all of the nine Ford drivers. Into the first turn, Block and Latvala were neck and neck, but the Finn took the lead, as Block played it conservative at the Karlstad trotting course turned winter wonderland Super Special.
“My main goal is to finish this rally,” says Block. “So I plan to play this entire event very safe. I came into Sweden knowing it was going to be my toughest race of the year. I just don’t have the confidence on snow that I do on gravel and tarmac, especially on studs, which are totally new to me. Last thing I wanted to do in the Super Special was make a dumb mistake that would cost me the rally.”
Block and Gelsomino return to the snow covered ice Friday morning to tackle the first real stages of 2011. Follow the team throughout all of Rally Sweden, here and on Twitter and Facebook.
Credit: Monster World Rally Team (www.monsterworldrallyteam.com)
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