The 2011 World Rally Championship resumes in Portugal later this week for the second gravel event of the season.
This is a summary of how the main contenders have prepared and what some of the leading drivers have had to say in the build-up to round two of the year.
Petter Solberg World Rally Team
The Petter Solberg World Rally Team registered for manufacturers’ championship points in time for Rally Guanajuato Mexico, where the squad’s owner/driver Petter Solberg took five stage wins and would have challenged for victory had it not been for an electrical glitch slowing his Citroen DS3 WRC. The Norwegian tested in Portugal last Sunday at the wheel of the same car he will use on this week’s rally.
Petter Solberg: “I really enjoy the stages in Portugal. They are fast and technical which suits me well. We have just completed one test day in Portugal and now [have] a lot of data that will help us decide for the best set up for this rally. We learned in Mexico that we have the speed, so I’m confident about a good result in Portugal.”
Ice 1 Racing
Kimi Raikkonen has prepared for his second appearance in the world championship this season with a successful test in France last week. The Finn covered approximately 150 kilometres and team boss Benoit Nogier is optimistic that Raikkonen can build on his run to eighth overall on Rally Sweden in February due to his fondness for Citroen’s DS3 WRC and its more responsive handling.
Kimi Raikkonen: “We made a good start to the championship in Sweden and were closer to the leaders than last year. But we’re still learning. Since then we’ve taken part in a test to get to grips with the car on gravel. It feels good and I can’t wait to be at the start in Portugal.”
Team Abu Dhabi
Sole Team Abu Dhabi representative Khalid Al Qassimi is back on world championship duty in Portugal after electing not to include the trip to Mexico on his schedule of events at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta RS WRC. It’s no surprise that the Middle East driver says he is more at home in the warmer temperatures of the Algarve than he was on the freezing snow-coated stages of Sweden back in February. Al Qassimi sampled his Fiesta on gravel for the first time in Portugal on Monday.
Khalid Al Qassimi: “It’s great to be back after missing Rally Mexico. The season opener in Sweden proved highly challenging but I managed to pick up a point, which is encouraging moving into Portugal. The historic Portuguese event is full of heritage and one of my favourite rallies on the calendar. I feel more accustomed to the conditions with the warm climate and gravel tracks that I’ve grown up with in Abu Dhabi. Hopefully I can build on these past experiences to produce another points-winning effort.”
Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team
The squad’s Federico Villagra was due to begin his Vodafone Rally de Portugal bid on the back of contesting the opening round of the Argentine championship near Buenos Aires last weekend in a Super 2000-based Ford Fiesta. Although, the event was cancelled, Villagra was in Portugal in late February to try his Fiesta RS WRC for the first time, meaning he has relevant experience to call on.
Federico Villagra: “We had a test in Portugal in February so the road conditions on the stages should be similar to what we experienced on the test. In Mexico we experimented a lot with different ride heights and set-ups, so it was very useful to return for the final two days of the rally after our retirement on day one to learn as much as we could. The Fiesta RS WRC has got a really good chassis and it’s very responsive.”
Monster World Rally Team
The American team will be hoping the electrical problems that hampered star driver Ken Block’s Ford Fiesta RS WRC in Mexico will be a thing of the past in the Algarve. Certainly, there was no reoccurrence of the problem when Block tested in Portugal on Monday. The Gymkhana legend covered approximately 100 kilometres during the test at a site located 40 kilometres north of Tavira where he was able to sample two alternative stage layouts, one designed for high-speed running and one incorporating more twists and turns. Conditions were dry and sunny and Block concentrated on gaining more experience of his Fiesta rather than trying out alternative set-ups.
FERM Power Tools World Rally Team
Following his roll on Rally Guanajuato Mexico, FERM driver Dennis Kuipers returns to action in a rebuilt Ford Fiesta RS WRC, which features a new roll cage. He tested the car at a venue east of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal service park on Monday afternoon, the first time he had sampled the Fiesta on gravel, and reported feeling very comfortable in the car. Kuipers and Miclotte both have prior experience of competing in Portugal and finished 19th overall in a Fiesta Super 2000 last season.
Dennis Kuipers: “This is the first rally this year which I know fairly well. Using the pace notes of last year as starting point, we can focus on the details when exploring the area.”
Brazil World Rally Team
The Prodrive-run Brazil World Rally Team will begin its planned 11-event world championship programme in Portugal. The Algarve round is one of two it will tackle with a Super 2000-speicifcation MINI John Cooper Works before it switches to the World Rally Car equivalent in time for Rally d’Italia Sardegna in May. Oliveira will be counting on the knowledge of his Portuguese co-driver Carlos Magalhaes.
Daniel Oliveira: “It’s a new car and new stages and my first focus will be to keep a clean mind, with no punctures and no damage. I want to learn step by step and go more faster stage by stage. But for now I have to learn. I’m very excited but I know it will be very difficult. Portugal is not an easy race so I plan to learn and get the experience before I think about competing at a top level.”
Van Merksteijn Motorsport
The Dutch squad, which is run in partnership with Citroen Racing Technologies in France, makes its debut as a WRC Team in Portugal where lead driver Peter van Merksteijn Jr will be eligible to chase manufacturers’ championship points for the first time. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, heavy rain decimated the venue Citroen had earmarked for his pre-event test last week and the session had to be cancelled, leaving van Merksteijn Jr to rely on the knowledge he gained when he sampled his new car for the first time earlier this month as he prepares for his first start of 2011.
Peter van Merksteijn Jr: “I was able to get used to the car in a two-day test. We ran through a wide range of set-ups. The DS3 WRC is a bit like a kart as it reacts immediately to the slightest input from the driver. The car really made a big impression on me as did the team, which is very professional. I’m really looking forward to tackling my first rally of the season.”
Team Quinta do Lorde
The Portuguese-backed outfit is not eligible for manufacturers’ championship points but driver Bernardo Sousa will be a contender for a top 10 finish on a one-off outing in Ford’s RS WRC, which he was due to drive for the first time during a test in Portugal on Monday. The 28-year-old will be linking up with new co-driver Antonio Costa for the first time in Portugal ahead of their Super 2000 World Rally Championship campaign in a Fiesta S2000, which starts on the Jordan Rally in April.
Bernardo Sousa: “I don’t have much experience of this car or the tyres but I have done the rally some times before. It’s not an easy event with crests and blind corners but it is very well organised and I am really excited about the stage in Lisbon. A finish would be like a win for me.”
Credit: World Rally Championship (www.wrc.com)
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