Photo Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport It's blindingly fast, sculpted for the brave and extremely picturesque, meaning the WRC can only be heading for one place: Rally Poland.
After 6 rounds of the world's most demanding motorsport, the 2016 WRC season has seen five different winners in three different cars but has one clear championship leader in 2013, 14 and 15 Champion Sebastien Ogier. However, the new father has not won a round of the World Championship since February, so is eager to finally reach that top step of the podium once again, but will for what must feel like the hundredth time be sweeping the loose gravel off the stages for his ensuing competitors. His team mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen will be equally motivated to book end the first half of the season with a win. Latvala still has a decent road position and came close to victory last time out in Sardinia, while Mikkelsen will be desperate to become the 6th different winner of the season and win the rally he has finished second on for the past two years. Thierry Neuville and Hayden Paddon head the challenge for Hyundai, both on contrasting form. Neuville proved his doubters wrong and reminded everybody with what he could do with a controlled and impressive victory last time out in Sardinia, whilst Paddon, after winning Rally Argentina in sensational fashion, has retired from the last two events so needs a strong result. However, he loves fast, flowing stages so could be one to watch. Fellow Hyundai driver Dani Sordo has been a model of consistency in 2016 and subsequently finds himself second in the chmapionship after six rallies. He will be disadvantaged by his road position but hopeful to be a little closer to the pace of the front runners. M-Sport drivers Mads Ostberg and Eric Camilli are both hungry for success too, with Ostberg seemingly getting on top of the gearbox gremlins that have hampered him on the gravel rounds this year while Camilli is on the back of his most impressive WRC event to date in Sardinia where he took his first stage wins. DMACK's Ott Tanak will also be one to watch after finishing third on the Polish round of the championship in 2015, where he certainly had the pace to win. The Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team are back after missing Sardinia, and the Citroen DS3's will be driven by promising talents Stephane Lefebvre and Craig Breen. The rally gets underway this weekend, and is certain to be a thriller.
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Photo Credit: Hyundai Motorsport Round 6 of the 2016 World Rally Championship season on the Italian island of Sardinia was won by Hyundai Motorsport's Thierry Neuville, becoming the fifth driver in as many rallies to win a round of the WRC.
The Belgian was in dire need of a strong result after a string of disappointing rallies and results, and he delivered emphatically winning pretty much from start to finish after a rally long dual with Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala, claiming his first win on gravel in the World Rally Championship. Latvala, like Neuville, benefited from a lower starting position than many of his rivals and enjoyed a yo-yo battle with his Hyundai rival throughout Friday, but having to think of the manufactures championship unlike Neuville who was driving for the Hyundai N team, Latvala ultimately had to settle for second best. Sebastien Ogier was once again blighted by his road sweeping curse, with third realistically being the best result he could have taken from the weekend. However, the father to be once again still managed to increase his points lead as his nearest championship rivals all scored less than him. Dani Sordo yet again took fourth position for the fourth consecutive time in 2016, after what was a partially disappointing weekend for the Spaniard who never troubled the front runners for pace whilst his team mate grabbed his second WRC win. However, his great consistency has rewarded him with second in the championship after six rallies, but this could be a disadvantage for him when the WRC heads to Poland. Estonian Ott Tanak bounced back from his Portuguese disappointment to finish fifth overall and top Fiesta despite shredding a front left tyre earlier in the weekend. Eric Camilli continued to impress, with a third consecutive strong result in Sardinia with sixth place, setting top times including a maiden stage win on Sunday. Henning Solberg finished as the top privateer in seventh, while the WRC2 podium of Teemu Suninen, Jan Kopecky and Karl Kruuda completed the top 10. You may have noticed several of this year's championship's front runners have not yet been mentioned, and that's because they suffered calamities on the Mediterranean island. Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Ostberg were both in the thick of the battle in the first half of the rally, battling Sebastien Ogier for third place, with at one point just three seconds separating the trio. However neither Norwegian managed to make it through Saturday, with Mikkelsen clipping a rock he simply couldn't avoid and Ostberg brushing a gate on the inside of a right hander, damaging his car beyond repair even for Rally2. It was disappointing for both drivers, but for Ostberg in particular as he finally looked to be back on the pace. Hayden Paddon was reduced to tears in Sardinia, but they weren't tears of joy. After a mistake led to the Argentina winner's i20 going up in flames in Portugal, the team did a mammoth job to build Hayden a new car. However, Paddon misjudged a left hander on one of the small tarmac sections at the very end of one of Friday's tests, clouted the rear right of his Hyundai and rolled down a bank. The New Zealander has to bounce back in Poland. Kevin Abbring meanwhile suffered various car issues throughout the weekend, but when his 2015 spec Hyundai i20 WRC was in full working order, it was going quickly. Like Camilli, he too took his maiden WRC stage victory at the weekend, actually denying Camilli of his chance on Saturday before Eric finally got it done the following day. Abbring also secured an impressive second place on the event closing Power Stage. The WRC heads to Poland for round 7 of the championship at the end of June. Will we witness an unprecedented sixth different winner in six rallies? Photo Credit: Hyundai Motorsport The WRC's European season is in full swing, and after the roller coaster ride in the hills of Portugal the WRC heads to Italy and the isle of Sardinia for round 6 of the 2016 championship.
After a thrilling event in Portugal which saw differing fortunes for several of the WRC's major players, Sardinia looks set to be a classic, with the windy, narrow and technical gravel tracks adding more spice to the mixture. Sebastien Ogier has not won a world rally since February, which for him is something of an eternity. This means the Frenchman will be all guns blazing next weekend to try and defy his road position and take a fourth consecutive Sardinian win. However, across the VW garage there should be stiff competition. Jari-Matti Latvala has been dogged with bad luck this season, and will be hoping that finally his fortunes may change on the Italian gravel. If he is in the groove, he will be hard to stop as he starts 6th on the road. Volkswagen Motorsport II ace Andreas Mikkelsen is in buoyant mood as he talks up a title challenge to Ogier. He'll be looking to continue the fine form he showed on Saturday and Sunday in Portugal. Rivals Hyundai will also be looking for a strong Sardinia after claiming a double podium in 2015. Hayden Paddon returns to the scene of his maiden WRC podium 12 months ago, and will be after a strong rally after his car burnt out in the Portuguese undergrowth. The team have incredibly managed to build the Kiwi a new car for the rally after the old one was completely destroyed. Driving Hyundai #4 will once again be Dani Sordo, who has claimed 3 consecutive 4th place finishes on the last 3 rallies. He will be looking to go one, two or even three steps better when the rally kicks off next week. Like Latvala, Thierry Neuville has had a tough season after a strong opening round in Monte-Carlo. Dogged by a lot of mechanical gremlins and driver error in Mexico, Neuville sits almost 100 points behind championship leader Ogier after just 5 rallies, making a top result in Sardinia essential. The fourth and final Hyundai starting the event will belong to Kevin Abbring and Seb Marshall. Abbring will be looking to pick up his pace and avoid silly mistakes like he did in Portugal last time out. Flying the flag for the blue oval will once again be Mads Ostberg and Eric Camilli. Ostberg had a poor rally in Portgual suffering various issues, which came on the back of a lacklustre Argentina. Mads will be hopeful he and the team will change their fortunes and rediscover their pace. By contrast, team mate Eric Camilli has had a stellar couple of rallies. A maiden points finish in South America was bettered last time out with a fifth place finish in Portugal. Maintaining this form will be the goal for Camilli. Rally d'Italia Sardegna 2016 gets underway next week. Who do you think will win? |
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January 2018
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