Bleacher Report - Articles by Sanjay Kumar

WRC Tribute: Ford Escort RS Cosworth

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:48:51 -0400

The failed Ford Sierra was replaced by a car with good looks and a radical rear wing that was driven by some of the greatest in the world.

After the 1991 World Rally Championship season, the Ford World Rally Team had had enough of its Sierra RS Cosworth Group A car which had countless mechanical problems and could not keep pace with its competitors. They opted to replace it with the all-new Escort RS Cosworth.

Dawning a shorter body and a rear wing similar to that on the late Sierra RS rally car, the Escort RS received praise for its ability to achieve speed and post quickest times. The 1994 season opener, the Rally Monte Carlo was to be the first show of the Escorts promise as Frenchman Francois Delecour took the car to its first victory. Rally greats such as Tommi Makinen, Juha Kankkunen, Ari Vatanen, Miki Biasion and Carlos Sainz were among those that drove the Escort and some to the eight victories the Escort RS had in Group A competition.

The 1997 World Rally Championship season brought about the introduction of the World Rally Car, a heavily modified new car that technically stood out from that of typical Group A cars. While Ford Europe was developing a WRC-spec car, the Escort RS and operations switched over to Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport, and under the team scored two more victories.

The Escort RS made its final appearance at the 1998 Rally Great Britain where two cars finished on the podium under the expert driving of rally greats Ari Vatanen and Juha Kankkunen. The Escort RS was replaced by the Focus WRC for the 1999 season.

Although not considered one of the great rally cars, it is considered by many as one of the best looking and showed extreme promise had it not been for mechanical shortfall. Nonetheless, with eight victories, the Escort RS was a strong car and played a significant role in the mid-1990s rally world.

The Escort RS continues to be used in regional series around the world to this day.

Rally Portugal Entry List

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:20:03 -0400

The entry list for the Rally Portugal is fairly extensive, with 74 entries in the race. Making headlines is the one-off return of Marcus Gronholm to the WRC from his retirement. He will be participating in a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRC run by Prodrive, the company that ran the Subaru World Rally Team.

Also making news is the return of the Adapta World Rally Team. Adapta, which lent Prodrive Gronholm's car (his livery is different), will be led again by Mads Ostberg who will be piloting a similar 2008 Subaru Impreza WRC.

The Merksteijn Motorsports team returns as well, with two cars, a 2006 Ford Focus WRC and a 2007 Ford Focus WRC driven by father and son Peter and Peter Jr Merksteijn.This makes the WRC-class 18 cars strong providing a larger field than the three previous events this year.

Rally Portugal – Entry List:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M
2. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M
3. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC M
4. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC M
5. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC MT
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC MT
7. Evgeny Novikov Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC MT
8. Conrad Rautenbach Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC MT
9. Federico Villagra Munchi's Ford Focus WRC MT

11. Petter Solberg PS WRT Citroen Xsara WRC A8
12. Sebastien Ogier Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC A8
14. Khalid Al Qassimi BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC A8
15. Marcus Gronholm Prodrive Subaru Impreza WRC2008 A8
16. Mads Ostberg Adapta Subaru Impreza WRC2008 A8
17. Peter van Merksteijn Jr Ford Focus RS WRC 06 A8
18. Peter van Merksteijn Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8

132. Bernard Sousa FIAT Abarth Grande Punto S2000 P
134. Gianluca Linari Subaru Impreza STi P
136. Eder Valdez Subaru Impreza P
137. Frederic Sauvan Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
138. Gabor Mayer Subaru Impreza P
139. Thomas Prive Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
140. Andis Neiksans Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
144. Jaromir Tarabus FIAT Abarth Grande Punto S2000 P
145. Patrik Flodin Subaru Impreza N14 P
146. Patrik Sandell Skoda Fabia S2000 P
147. Armindo Araujo Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
148. Gaurav Singh Gill Subaru Impreza N14 P
149. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
150. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza N14 P
159. Bruno Magalhaes Peugeot 207 S2000 P
160. Ricardo Moura Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P

61. Nikos Thomas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
62. Jon Williams Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
63. Jarkko Nikara Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
64. Martin Semerad Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
65. Mark Tapper Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4

32. Michal Kosciuszko Suzuki Swift S1600 J
33. Simone Bertolotti Suzuki Swift S1600 J
34. Luca Griotti Renault Clio J
35. Yoann Bonato Suzuki Swift J
36. Hans Weijs Citroen C2 S1600 J
37. Kevin Abbring Renault Clio RS J
39. Alessandro Bettega Renault Clio J

66. Rene Kuipers Ford Focus RS WRC 06 A8
67. Dennis Kuipers Ford Focus RS WRC 06 A8
68. Adruzilo Lopes Subaru Impreza N4
69. Andreas Mikkelsen Subaru Impreza N4
70. Vitor Pascoal Peugeot 207 S2000 N4
71. Fernando Peres Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
72. Pedro Meireles Subaru Impreza WRX N4
73. Ott Tanak Subaru Impreza WRX N4
74. Ricardo Teodosio Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
76. Hermann Gassner Jr Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
76. Barroso Pereira Subaru Impreza WRX N4
77. Francisco Barros Leite SEAT Leon FR TDi A8
78. Luis Cardoso Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII N4
79. Pedro Rodrigues Subaru Impreza WRX N4
80. Luca Hoelbing Subaru Impreza ST N4
81. Xavier Villepreux Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
82. Rui Breda Lousado Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII N4
83. Paulo Freire Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII MR N4
84. Manuel Coutinho Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI N4
85. Josef Petak Citroen C2 S1600 A6
86. Michael Honda Citroen C2 S1600 A6
87. Joao Fernando Ramos Renault Clio RS N3
88. Manuel Inacio Renault Clio R3

89. Patrick Anglade Ford Fiesta ST N3
90. Craig Breen Ford Fiesta ST N3
91. Denis Grodetskiy Ford Fiesta ST N3
92. Majed Al Shami Ford Fiesta ST N3
93. Bader Al Jabri Ford Fiesta ST N3
94. Ahmed Al Mansoori Ford Fiesta ST N3

95. Tom Cave Ford Fiesta ST N3

M - denotes Manufacturer entry.
MT - denotes Manufacturer Team entry.
P - denotes Production Car WRC entry.
J – denotes JWRC entry

Acura On Pole at Sebring

Sanjay Kumar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:32:48 -0400

Acura shocked the field when it qualified on the pole position for this weekend's American Le Mans Series 12 Hours of Sebring race...

The de Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a LMP1 proved lightning quick as IRL driver Scott Dixon beat out the mighty diesel-powered Audi and Peugeot prototype cars to start first in tomorrow's race.

“I did hope that we would be up there in the top three or four but we have had such a mixed time in testing this week that it was really hard to predict anything,” said Dixon in an interview afterwards.

“It's been a really crazy week and although I have been here four or five days I have only really completed about 18 laps. You don't really get much of a chance to 'read' the car.

“Earlier in the week the track seemed nicer to drive but as the week went on I was really finding a lot of understeer in turns 15 and 16; you had to take it very easily around there you really can't throw the car around.

“I thought the Audis were handling the track better but I think the heat this afternoon helped us and the more laps we did the quicker the car. I am not used to that!”

Scott Dixon will be the third driver in the car along with ALMS drivers Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud.

Behind the de Ferran Acura is the Audi R15 of McNish/Capello/Kristensen. Acura's second ARX-02a, run by Patron Highcroft Racing qualified sixth, with Acura's LMP2 car run by Lowe's Fernandez Racing right behind in seventh.

The 12 Hours of Sebring will commence this weekend, so check your local listings for possible coverage. Below are the qualifying times for the field for tomorrow's race:

1. de Ferran/Pagenaud, Dixon de Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a 1min 45.278secs LMP1

2. Capello/Kristensen/McNish Audi Sport North America Audi R15 TDi 1min 45.360secs LMP1

3. Lamy/Minassian/Klien Peugeot Sport Peugeot 908 HDi 1min 45.462secs LMP1

4. Luhr/Werner/Rockenfeller Audi Sport North America Audi R15 TDi 1min 45.551secs LMP1

5. Sarrazin/Montagny/Bourdais Peugeot Sport Peugeot 908 HDi 1min 45.559secs LMP1

6. Brabham/Franchitti/Sharp Patron Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a 1min 46.504secs LMP1

7. Fernandez/Diaz Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01B 1min 49.686secs LMP2

8. Dyson/Smith/Lally Dyson Racing Porsche RS Spyder 1min 51.534secs LMP2

9. Field/Field/Ducote Intersport Racing Lola B06/10-AER 1min 52.323secs LMP1

10. McMurry/Willman/Burgess Autocon Motorsports Lola B06/10-AER 1min 51.598secs LMP1

11. Leitzinger/Franchitti/Devlin Dyson Racing Lola B09/86-Mazda 1min 51.840secs LMP2

12. Gavin/Beretta/Fassler Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R 1min 57.882secs GT1

13. O'Connell/Magnussen/Garcia Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R 1min 58.203secs GT1

14. Henzler/Werner/Lietz Farnbacher Loles Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2min 03.051secs GT2

15. Bergmeister/Long/Lieb Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2min 03.433secs GT2

16. Companc/Bruni/Russo Advanced Eng/Pecom Ferrari 430 2min 03.487secs GT2

17. Salo/Melo/Kaffer Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 2min 03.829secs GT2

18. Robertson/Robertson/Murry Robertson Racing Doran Ford GT Mk7 2min 04.333secs GT2

19. Muller/Milner Rahal Letterman Racing BMW E92 M3 2min 03.514secs GT2

20. Farnbacher/James Panoz Team PTG Panoz Esperante 2min 04.437secs GT2

21. Hand/Auberlen Rahal Letterman Racing BMW E92 M3 2min 04.566secs GT2

22. Feinberg/Hall/Holt Primetime Race Group Dodge Viper 2min 05.619secs GT2

23. Cocker/Drayson/Bell Drayson-Barwell Aston Martin Vantage /B> 2min 05.692secs GT2

24. Pastorelli/Stuck/Stuck VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2min 05.805secs GT2

25. Gigliotti/Curran/Molo LG Motorsports Corvette C6 2min 06.678secs GT2

26. Krohn/Jonsson/van de Poele Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 2min 08.386secs GT2

27. Law/Neiman/van Overbeek Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2min 10.912secs GT2

28. Westbrook/Basseng/David VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR no time GT2

Should Ford Sign Solberg?

Sanjay Kumar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:18:01 -0400

Petter Solberg shocked the field when he edged out Citroen's Dani Sordo to finish on the podium at the Rally Cyprus this past weekend...

His performance in a 2006 Citroen Xsara WRC bested the Citroen factory driver who is piloting a new Citroen C4 WRC. Solberg's performance showed two things, that the Subaru Imprezas he had been driving since 2005 were uncompetitive, and that he can pose a threat to Citroen's domination of the WRC.

So what should happen now? Dani Sordo has been less than spectacular at Citroen, not providing enough points for Citroen to have a steady grasp of the Manufacturer's Championship while ace Sebastien Loeb continues to win every event.

He is entering his third full year on the squad and has been underperforming. Should Citroen release Sordo and sign Petter to the second C4 WRC?

A second option, bear with me, is to release Matthew Wilson of the Ford Stobart team to provide Solberg with a factory-backed drive to compete against the Citroen's.

This may help Ford to once again claim the Manufacturer's championship from Citroen which won it last year and perhaps win some rallies. Wilson, who won his first WRC stage during the Cyprus Rally has been in the WRC for more than 50 events prior to winning his first stage.

A move to Ford will provide a financially steady effort for Solberg and a car that can compete with the Citroen's at every event (not that the Xsara can't).

It is unlikely that either of these options are exercised, but Petter Solberg has shown that he still has what it takes to win and should be given that opportunity. The WRC has entered a tough phase and it needs someone like Solberg to challenge both Loeb and Hirvonen and once again make the WRC even semi-exciting.

WRC Tribute: Lancia Stratos

Sanjay Kumar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:08:09 -0400

This is the first in a series of articles called WRC Tribute to provide information about the WRC whether it is cars, drivers, events, brands, or eras.

The Lancia Stratos is first because of the impact it had on rally racing.

In the early 1970s, Lancia proposed entering rally racing with a car built uniquely for that purpose.

Prior to the Stratos, existing cars were modified for sport use but no car had been designed purely for competition. The Stratos would forever change the rally racing world.

Designed by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini and first revealed as the Stratos Zero concept car in 1970. The car was low to the ground and wide, resembling supercars such as today's Lamborghini LP640 and Ferrari F430. The 1971 Stratos HF prototype would serve as the production model and featured three different engines: Lancia's Fulva and Beta 4-cylinder engines and a Ferrari V6 borrowed from the Dino sportscar. Lancia opted for the Ferrari V6 for both the street and rally cars.

To meet homologation requirements (certain number of street cars to be produced to qualify for rallying) for the World Rally Championship (WRC), Lancia had to produce 400 Stratos for consumers. In 1973 Lancia did fulfilled the requirement making them eligible to race the Stratos in the 1974 WRC season onwards.

The Stratos rally car used the mid-mounted Ferrari V6 engine that was in the consumer model, but was modified from 190 bhp to 280. Although Ferrari replaced the Dino's V6 in 1974, it provided Lancia with 500 engines which the Stratos rally cars would continue to use.

The Stratos won its first race at Lancia's (and Fiat's) home event the Rally Sanremo with driver Sandro Munari besting Fiat's Giulio Bisulli by eight seconds. Munari repeated his success at the next event in Canada. Teammate Jean-Claude Andruet won the Rally Tour de Corse (France), providing Lancia with a Manufacturer's Championship in the first season of competition in the WRC.

Lancia returned in 1975 to defend its title and did so with the addition of Swedish driver Bjorn Waldegaard. Munari won the first event of the season, once again beating out two Fiats for the victory.

Waldegaard pulled off a stunning victory in the next round winning his home event over countryman Stig Blomqvist. Waldegaard went on to win the Rally Sanremo and third driver Bernard Darniche won the Tour de Course by half a second to provide the Stratos' fourth win of the season. This was more than enough for a second consecutive Manufacturer's Championship, once again over parent company Fiat.

The Italian-squad showed they meant business when at the Rally Monte Carlo Rally it was an all-Lancia podium with Munari, Waldegaard, and Darniche finishing on the podium together for the first time. Munari went on to win the third event of the season, the Rally Portugal.

The Lancia crew did it once more in Finland at the 1000 Lakes Rally when Waldegaard won, Munari finished second, and Italian Raffaele Pinto finished third. The next event, the French Tour de Corse saw Munari and Darniche finishing one-two, making it Lancia's third consecutive Tour de Corse victory. Lancia's performance was utter dominance as they claimed their third consecutive Manufacturer's title.

Munari won the Monte Carlo in 1977 making it three consecutive victories for Lancia at the event. However due to conflict with parent company Fiat who wanted to have a more successful program and win the Manufacturer's Championship (which they did), Lancia did not compete to its fullest extent and only finished on the podium twice during the rest of the season.

Munari however, still edged out former teammates Waldegaard and Darniche for the FIA Cup for Drivers (now the WRC Driver's Championship).

Lancia did not see success in 1978 'til late in the season, when Markku Alen won the Rally Sanremo providing the Italian-make with their first victory since the Monte Carlo Rally in 1977.

Tony Carello would go on to win the Spanish Rally. The two victories, however, would not be enough to place in the top five in the Manufacturer's standings and once again marked a disappointing season for Lancia and the Stratos.

The Stratos continued to win in 1979, despite being an aging machine. Darniche returned to the wheel of a Stratos and won the first event of the season, the Rally Monte Carlo. The Stratos won again in Rally Sanremo with Antonio Fassina driving and in Darniche again in France. The three victories was enough for third place in the Manufacturer's standings—however, they were all privateer victories, as Lancia's factory team was not as successful.

The Stratos finished once on the podium in 1980 and won its last event at the 1981 Tour de Corse with Bernard Darniche once again piloting it to success.

The sleek and very "alien" Stratos (aptly named) had a profound impact on rallying. Not only was it extremely successful, but the rear-wheel drive supercar displayed the success a brand had when it built a car for rallying purposes. Since then, manufacturers have either created cars for rallying (such as the Audi Quattro or Subaru Impreza) or heavily modified cars (Peugeot 307), following in Lancia's steps.

The Stratos is by some still considered one of the finest designed rally cars to this day, and not many can disagree that it is one of the best rally cars of all time.

Bernie Ecclestone Forces USF1 To Change Name

Sanjay Kumar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:28:13 -0500

North Carolina-based USF1 expected bumps in the road, but Formula One head honcho Bernie Ecclestone provided a surprise of another sort.

Claiming to own the rights to the title "F1," Ecclestone has forced USF1, a newcomer to the Formula One scene, to change its name to USGPE (United States Grand Prix Engineering) if they want to compete in the series as early as next year.

While this may seem like the latest in the Bernie Ecclestone fiasco, it does come as a surprise.

Williams, Renault, Toyota, and Force India all have the term F1 in their team names without objection. In fact, Ecclestone's company, Formula One Licensing was not granted a trademark over "F1" but rather FIA Formula One World Championship in 2007, thus freeing the term "F1" for public use.

This is not the first instance of Ecclestone doing such a thing however. He has informed Force India that their "FI" logo resembles the "F1" logo and must be changed.

No response from either USF1 or Force India has been made public regarding Ecclestone's demands.

Munchi's Ford Team Returns to WRC

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:26:14 -0500

The Munchi's Ford World Rally Team has confirmed that it will enter the 2009 World Rally Championship (WRC) season as a manufacturer team.

The team opted to return to the WRC after the FIA stated it would allow one-car teams to qualify as a manufacturer team if the car competed in at least eight events. Munchi's will begin their season effort in Cyprus, the next event on the WRC calendar.

Argentinian Rally Champion Federico Villagra will return to the WRC after contesting 10 events last year with co-driver Jorge Perez Companc and will participate in all eight events Munchi's has scheduled.

Munchi's leaves the possibility of a second car participating in select events open, but has said it will be on a round-to-round basis, if at all. The Argentine team joins Citroen and Ford (and their secondary teams) as the manufacturers competing in the WRC this season.

Gigawave To Drive Nissan GT-Rs in FIA GT

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:16:03 -0500

Gigawave Motorsports finalized a deal with Nissan's motorsport division NISMO to field the first GT-R GT-class race cars in the FIA GT Championship.

The car is still under development and will contest four events in 2009 as test events in preparation for the 2010 season.

Towards the end of the year NISMO will begin selling GT-R GTs to privateer teams and is currently weighing a factory-backed effort.

The GT-R GT meets 2010 GT-class regulations and as such can be used in other series such as the American Le Mans Series and Europe's Le Mans Series.

The GT-R GT is based off of the Nissan GT-R "supercar" currently on sale. Gigawave Motorsports runs Aston Martin's FIA GT program and will be participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their future with Aston Martin is unknown.

Ralf Schumacher Returns to DTM for 2009

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:48:47 -0500

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher (and brother of F1-great Michael) will be returning to the DTM to drive for Mercedes-Benz once again.

The German used a 2007-spec car during the 2008 season, and a new contract with Mercedes-Benz will provide him with an all-new 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse DTM car to compete this year.

For weeks prior to the announcement, it was speculated that Schumacher was going to retire rather than re-sign.

He will be piloting the Trilux C-Klasse and will attempt to be more productive than last year. In 2008, his best finish was seventh place and he finished 14th in the driver standings.

Jed Lowrie Should Be The Red Sox's Full-Time Shortstop

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:03:42 -0500

Since the departure of Nomar Garciaparra from Boston in 2004, the Sox have had a few shortstops, but none who compared up to 'Nomah.' This being said the shortstop position has seen a few different faces including Edgar Renteria. One player who is returning to the squad is Julio Lugo.

The former Tampa Bay player split the 2008 season with rookie Jed Lowrie, who ought to assume the role of full-time shortstop. In 2008, Lugo had a fielding percentage of 0.945 playing in 82 games. Lowrie played in 81 games during the season and had an average fielding percentage of approximately 0.971.

Lugo had 16 errors while Lowrie only had two. Offensively, Lugo disappointed with a respectable batting average of 0.268 with one home run and 22 runs batted in. Lowrie batted 0.258 with two home runs and 46 runs batted in.

Although quick, Lugo is outperformed by Lowrie who has proven to be extremely capable playing in multiple positions. Lugo has not been a solid performer and is a source of angst to many fans.

The Red Sox have said that Lugo and Lowrie will be competing for the role during Spring Training, but it is apparent to everyone who ought to fill that role.

Lowrie is entering his sophomore season and with descent batting numbers and excellent fielding skills will be an important player in the Sox's attempt to win the AL East and the World Series in 2009.

Wilson Looks to Finish in the Points In Norway

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:21:55 -0500

Matthew Wilson, son of M-Sport owner and Abu Dhabi Ford World Rally Team Malcolm Wilson, is set to once again finish in the points in the upcoming Rally Norway.

The Stobart V-K driver said in an interview after Monday's recce “We started well in Ireland and now the emphasis for me is to continue to collect driver points and build upon our consistent performances.”

I realize I went on a diatribe a short while ago about Wilson, so I'm sorry to those that consider him a good talent because here I go again only because he receives the media attention he does.

This is Wilson's fourth full season in the WRC, and being only 22-years of age, that is quite the accomplishment. Here's the thing though...he's already participated in 50 WRC events with less than spectacular results.

Technically, although Wilson's car adores Stobart livery, the car is owned and run by M-Sport, his father's company. Wilson Sr. has laid out a five-year plan for Matthew to develop and become a WRC champion-caliber driver. So far, his best result in 50 WRC events is a pair of fourth-place finishes.

Of the 50 events he has participated in, this future "champion" has only won ONE stage, that being in Argentina in 2006, his first full year.

In Ireland earlier this year, Henning Solberg and Urmo Aava were elected for points, and due to the high number of retirements and/or crashes, Wilson bested Aava to take seventh place (Aava crashed out). Don't look too much into his seventh place finish, 13th place belonged to a car that retired from the event.

It is obvious with Wilson's progression that the five year plan is too short to build him into champion material. In fact if M-Sport did not own the car he drives, what are the chances that he would have a seat at all?

I wish Matthew best of luck, I really do, but it's time to not think about consistent finishes anymore, the five year plan is not working out and you have to impress. You have to justify to us the fans as to why some should keep faith in you. You are lucky Matthew, you have a guaranteed ride no matter what...so do something productive with it. In sports (and in life), there's a saying "Go Big or Go Home." It's time Matthew.

Why Should We Believe A-Rod?

Sanjay Kumar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:41:34 -0500

Alex Rodriguez confessed that between 2001 and 2003 he took testosterone and anabolic steroids, one being Primobolan for which he tested positive for. But should we take his word that he only "roided" those three years of his career?

In an era plagued with players using now-banned substances, A-Rod became known as a true hitter and was often compared to Ken Griffey Jr. for his talent. Now, with the Sports Illustrated article outing A-Rod, his career will forever be marred and doubt cast on not just those three years he said he took steroids.

In 2001, A-Rod hit 52 home runs, had 135 RBIs, and had a slugging percentage of .622. The next year he bested those phenomenal numbers by hitting 57 home runs, batting in 142 runs, and a slugging percentage of .623. 2003, the last year A-Rod says he used steroids he hit 47 homers, had 118 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .600.

As a New York Yankee A-Rod continued to put up extremely strong numbers, and in 2007, he hit 54 home runs, batted in 156 runs, and had a slugging percentage of .645. Albeit three home runs, it was the best year of his career. Granted that the MLB had instituted its no-doping policy back in 2004, it has been shown annually that players are still getting around it whether it be by using HGH or other anabolic substances that are not showing up on the drug screens.

There's only been one year in which A-Rod played the full season and hit less than 30 home runs, 1997, a year which all of his stats were down compared to past and future years. Other than that A-Rod has been spectacular and since he's admitted that he didn't know what he was taking, was he taking it all along?

In an interview with Katie Couric, A-Rod flat out says he has never used steroids, but in a recent interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons A-Rod said "I wasn't even being truthful with myself. How am I going to be truthful with Katie or CBS?" (ESPN.com) Further into the interview, A-Rod tells Peter Gammons that he has not said one word to Scott Boras since the Sports Illustrated article came to light...really?

Congress has announced this morning that they intend to subpoena Rodriguez to discuss his use of steroids.

If he hasn't been truthful in the past, why should we believe him now? Although Barry Bonds has officially never failed a drug test, his career has been ruined and an asterisk has been placed by his accolades.

Should A-Rod receive the same treatment?

Petter Solberg to Discuss Future with Oreca

Sanjay Kumar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:01:16 -0500

2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg will be meeting with Courage-Oreca boss Hugues de Chaunac after the Rally Norway to discuss a possible future driving the Courage LC70E in the Le Mans Series.

Earlier this year Solberg and Yvan Muller tested the LC70E in France. The Courage-Oreca team has confirmed the drivers of their No. 11 car but no drivers have been announced for the No. 10 car. That being said the team's 24 Hours of Le Mans lineups have not been confirmed, with Solberg's name being in the mix.

“Now we just have to see what will happen," said Solberg in an interview with Crash.net. "We have a meeting with them after Rally Norway but I have to focus on Rally Norway before that.”

2010 FIA Regulations Released!

Sanjay Kumar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:49:40 -0500

The FIA has just announced the new regulations for which World Rally Championship (WRC) cars must abide by for the 2010 season onwards.

On the eve of the Rally Norway and in light of their efforts to create a "greener" event, the FIA has developed the following specifications for the 2010 WRC cars for which drivers such as Sebastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen will have to pilot:

No car may produce more than 200bhp. By limiting the peak power produced, higher efficiency may be achieved.
All WRC-class cars will have a speed governor of 45 miles per hour in an effort to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide output from the vehicle.
All WRC-class cars must have an engine no larger than 1200cc and no smaller than 1000cc.
No car may have a revolution cycle that exceeds 2000rpm. Keeping revs low will allow power without putting too much duress on the engine.
All cars must be fitted with 4-speed automatic transmissions with rev limiters. This measure will ensure that drivers do not push their car to the "maximum" and keeping the car as fuel efficient as possible.
In an effort to reduce the overall weight of the car, all-wheel drive will be banned and only front-wheel drive will be permitted.
To increase the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and reduce the environmental impact on the earth, all WRC-class vehicles must have a design similar to the Toyota Prius or upcoming Honda Insight hybrid line of vehicles.
Drivers can weigh no more than 130lbs. Those currently above the allowed limit will automatically be placed into a local Jenny Craig weight-loss program.
Co-drivers can weigh no more than 120lbs. This weight difference allows the fire extinguisher and first-aid kits to be placed beside the co-driver.
Drivers will be required to log how much carbon dioxide is emitted by their car during each special stage. At the end of the day, the team will calculate their carbon footprint and purchase credits from the United Nations.

The following are changes to the layout of the WRC rally race event:

To reduce harm to the environment, no event may take place outside the limits of a nearby city. Hereby all forest (and related stages) have been deemed unusable.
Each event will consist of no more than 20 special stages run through a town or city limits.
No WRC event may utilize any terrain other than asphalt. This eliminates all surfaces other than tarmac.

In collaboration with the World Rally Council, the FIA's regulations will take effect on January 1, 2010.

Is Petter Solberg's Future with Proton?

Sanjay Kumar — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:15:32 -0500

For the 2010 World Rally Championship (WRC) season, the top-tier cars will be receiving a heavy overhaul that is based around current Super 2000 car regulations.

Currently, there are many manufacturers that run S2000 cars in either the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, IRC, or national rally championships. Some include Peugeot, Volkswagen, Fiat, Toyota, and Proton.

Malaysia-based Proton is currently competing in the IRC with Naill McShea, who impressed at the Rally Monte Carlo last month.

Proton has expressed interest in signing Petter Solberg for the 2010 season, in which Proton may either remain in the IRC or also run in the WRC.

In an interview with Crash.net Radio, MEM World Rally Team boss Chris Mellors said, “Petter is obviously looking at next year and what is available for Super 2000 and Super 2000 plus. We would very much like to have him in the car, and we are exploring all possibilities."

Mellors later went on to say, “There are a number of drivers out there that are looking for rides, and it would be great to be able to do something with him. We will see how that progresses.”

Signing with Proton may be in the best interest for Petter. Currently, he has enough capital to run a team and has stated that he may be able to even run 11 events this year.

There is no certainty to that just yet and based on how the market for drivers is as of now, an offer would be more than what Petter could hope for.

If an actual offer is extended from Proton-backed MEM, Solberg should seriously consider it. With the WRC adopting S2000-based cars, more manufacturers may enter the fray, but a ride is not guaranteed.

Such interest in him should not just be flattering, but considered as a serious option.

Niall McShea showed before crashing out of Monte Carlo that the Proton is competitive, so Petter should not shrug it off.

Rossi: No Rally Racing Just Yet

Sanjay Kumar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:41:16 -0500

There's been a lot of talk about Valentino Rossi leaving MotoGP to get into a rally car and compete in the World Rally Championship (WRC). Rossi has admitted on numerous occasions that he loves rally racing, but in a recent interview during the Fiat Yamaha's online launch, has said "...it's not a close future."

He started off by saying, “I have always loved rally, ever since I was little. It is one of my great passions and it is great to do one when I have the time and the chance."

“I always enjoy [rallying] a lot and probably, when I have given up the bikes and when I have the chance to improve and I have more time, I will do more. But because I still want to race with the bike for a few more years!”

The six-time MotoGP champion first raced in the WRC in 2002 at the Wales Rally GB. Last year he competed with the Stobart Ford M2 team at the Rally GB and made an amazing run to finish 12th.

He and Kimi Raikkonen have expressed interest in entering the WRC after finishing their current careers.

Citroen's Junior Team Impressing in Ireland

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:30:13 -0500

Amidst heavy rains and flooding, the Citroen Junior M2 team is showing that it will not only be there to compete with the Stobart Ford M2 team, but the primary manufacturer teams as well. For the event Citroen Junior hired former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson and 2009 Rally Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier and they are not disappointing.

Atkinson and Ogier are fifth and sixth at the end of the second days competition respectively. Atkinson is only 4.7 seconds behind fourth place Henning Solberg. Ogier, however, is being threatened by Matthew Wilson who is 37.9 seconds behind.

It could be argued that Rally Ireland has a weak field of only two manufacturers and limited entrants and that there have been two big retirements in Jari-Matti Latvala and Urmo Aava, but the Citroen Junior team means business.

Their talented list of drivers including Atkinson, Ogier, and Conrad Rautenbach and Citroen's excellent reliability will not doubt pose a threat on the entire field.

Atkinson is currently only signed up for the Rally Ireland, but if he can keep a top five finish or take fourth place, he will likely participate more frequently in the 2009 season.

Matthew Wilson: A Waste of Space

Sanjay Kumar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:46:17 -0500

Matthew Wilson, son of M-Sport Director Malcolm Wilson, will be celebrating his 50th WRC rally and his fourth full season, just as he's turning 22 years old.

To some, he has great potential and is still young enough that he can churn out great results later in his career.

On the eve of his 50th rally, his best finish came last year when he placed fifth at the Rally Jordan last year.

The Stobart driver is in a competitive package and with the withdrawal of Subaru and Suzuki, drivers more talented were left without drives while he continues to rack up a low, but steady, amount of points.

I contend that Wilson is a waste of space because of what I mentioned above, there are more talented drivers that are without drives, while he continues to participate in the WRC.

Granted, his father owns the M-Sport outfit and runs the factory Ford team, but is that reason enough to have a seat? Are millions being spent so that he can just participate because of his father?

Toni Gardemeister and Petter Solberg do not have drives, and if the Stobart team really wanted to contend, despite being an M2 team, they could have signed one of them.

Being that the sport is hurting and in need of not only sponsors but more competition to bolster audiences, Wilson's seat should have been given up to someone that can really push for the points.

This is not arguing that Wilson cannot achieve a points finish, he did so six times last year, but in an ever-so-depleted field, there has to be drivers to challenge the top two (Loeb and Hirvonen), and it is scarce.

On that note, however, with even less competition, Wilson could do fairly well.

Aston Martin To Race in LMP1 at 24 Hours Of Le Mans

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:47:10 -0500

Aston Martin has officially announced it will be competing for the overall victory at Le Mans by entering the Prototype 1 (P1) class.

The British exotic car manufacturer, owned by Prodrive which also operates its racing division, will enter in hopes of winning arguably the most prestigious endurance race. The team won in 1959 with the help of Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori.

The LMP1 car will use the 2008 Charouz Racing System Lola and will be powered by a modified version of the V-12 engine that powers the DBR9 GT1-class race car. The car will adorn the sponsorship of Gulf Oil with a paint scheme reminiscent of the Gulf Oil Ford GTs from the 1960s.

Charouz Racing drivers Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge, and Stefan Mücke who won the GT1 class at Le Mans the past two years in an Aston Martin DBR9 will be the drivers of the first LMP1 car. Harold Primat has been signed to drive the second car with the other drivers yet to be announced.

The Aston Martin cars will be competing with the Audi R15 TDIs and Peugeot 908s, both diesel heavyweights that the British marque will have to work hard and intelligently to beat at Le Sarthe this summer.

ALMS: GT1 Will Remain For 2009

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:33:43 -0500

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) has confirmed that it will continue its GT-1 class of race cars for the 2009 season.

Corvette Racing, the only remaining participant in the GT1 class will be moving to the GT2 class after the 24 Hours of Le Mans which it will perform in GT1. Aston Martin used to race in the GT1 class, but have withdrawn their factory effort from ALMS albeit a small amount of assistance to a GT2 Aston Martin V8 Vantage that currently participates.

Corvette Racing's move is in preparation for the 2010 regulations which creates a new GT class that is more based off GT2 than GT1.

ALMS has stated that while there are no current GT1 competitors other than the Corvette Racing cars (who are only participating in three events prior to Le Mans), the class will remain open to teams for the entire season.

IRC: Monte Carlo Update: SS14

Sanjay Kumar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:58:38 -0500

The 77th running of the Rally Monte Carlo, now an official Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) event, nears the end, and it has been exciting!

Former Subaru World Rally driver and current Peugeot Le Mans ace Stephane Sarrazin has won both Special Stage (SS) 13 and SS14 as former WRC participant continues to lead by over one minute over second place. Former WRC driver Freddy Loix is second, with Sarrazin third, and former WRC driver Jan Kopecky in fourth. Anton Alen, son of rally great Markku Alen, is current in sixth place driving a Fiat Abarth Punto S2000. In the past few stages, former WRC driver Toni Gardemeister and Colin McRae protege Kris Meeke have both retired from the event.

Although it seems like Ogier has already won the event, there is still time and who knows...anything can happen on the slippery and extremely challenging stages of Monte Carlo.

After SS14, the top 10 of the current leaderboard is (not with times, just rank):

1. Sebastien Ogier (Peugeot 207 S2000)

2. Freddy Loix (Peugeot 207 S2000)

3. Stephane Sarrazin (Team Peugeot 207 S2000)

4. Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia S2000)

5. Giandomenico Basso (Abarth Punto S2000)

6. Anton Alen (Abarth Punto S2000)

7. Frederick Romeyer (Fiat Punto S2000)

8. Olivier Burri (Abarth Punto S2000)

9. Luca Betti (Renault Clio)

10. Patrik Artru (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)

A History of the Top 10 All-Time WRC Drivers

Sanjay Kumar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:16:54 -0500

Although rally racing's roots travel back to the turn of the 20th century, it was the conglomeration of many events and series to create the World Rally Championship in 1973 that had a profound impact on the sport. Throughout the decades there have been a great deal of talented drivers who have honed their skills to either win rallies and/or championships. Winning a driver's title is not the defining character of being one of the best. As we all know in racing and anything else, everyone deals with luck, but it is those drivers that utilize their skill above and beyond what luck may provide that are able to be called great. As with any 'Top 10' list there will be drivers that some may feel should have been on the list. There were many great drivers, it's just that there can only be ten, but please provide useful feedback, thanks!

Begin Slideshow

2009 24 Hours of Daytona

Sanjay Kumar — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:35:47 -0500

The 2009 24 Hours of Daytona will no doubt be an exciting one, but the biggest question is: Can Chip Ganassi's team four-peat?

The race, which begins on Saturday, will be one of the most competitive in recent history, with new teams and many driver changes.

Chip Ganassi's No. 1 Telmex Lexus Riley Daytona Prototype (DP) will once again be spearheaded by three-time 24 Hour champ Scott Pruett, paired with season partner Memo Rojas, and Juan Pablo Montoya.

The three won an exciting race last year and hope to repeat. For Chip Ganassi, if they won, it would be four consecutive wins for the No. 1 car.

There are plenty of teams that are hungry to fight them till the very end, including the No. 2 Telmex Lexus Riley DP, which features defending Indy Racing League (IRL) champ Scott Dixon, former Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, and IRL driver Alex Lloyd.

NASCAR team owner Richard Childress will be fielding a DP car featuring racing legend Andy Wallace, NASCAR driver Casey Mears, and IRL spectacle Danica Patrick.

NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger joins Michael Shank Racing to pilot a Ford Riley DP car. Shank's second car, with Colin Braun and Oswaldo Negri, can surely finish in the top 10 if they don't have mechanical problems.

Pedro Lamy and Max Angelelli return to Suntrust Racing to help Wayne Taylor try to win a second 24 Hours of Daytona. Angelelli, an accomplished driver, has plenty of talent, and with the proper machinery, can challenge Ganassi's squad to the very end.

The Brumos Porsche squad has former Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice and racing legend Hurley Haywood, as well as Joao Barbosa and Darren Law. They have suffered problems in years past, but are hungry for a win, now armed with a competitive car.

The GAINSCO No. 99 car is a perennial contender, with Alex Gurney heading the team. They have been a constant menace to the No. 1 Ganassi car and will prove a worthy adversary throughout the race.

The newest and most threatening entry is that of the Penske Porsche team. Leaving the American Le Mans Series temporarily, former ALMS drivers Timo Bernard, Ryan Briscoe, and Romain Dumas will bring a quality drive at a lightning pace.

They are the team to look out for. Not only are they new, but knowing the tradition of Roger Penske, they also already have a top-notch vehicle and well-oiled team.

The Grand Touring (GT) class will be just as much, if not more exciting, than the DP class. Farnbacher Loles Racing will be field five Porsche 997 GT3s with Dominik Farnbacher spearheading the No. 86 GT3.

TRG will also field five Porsche GT3s with Jorg Bergmeister, Andy Lally, and Patrick Long competing in the same vehicle for the class victory. The three drivers are extremely talented and have a great deal of experience amongst them to pull off a class victory.

Koni Challenge competitor and Ford factory-backed outfit Blackforest Motorsports will field a Ford Mustang with NASCAR and Trans-Am driver Boris Said adding valuable experience and brilliant driving.

There is no doubt that this endurance race is always one of the most entertaining to watch, but this year sets out to be one of the most exciting as well.

For US residents, the 24 Hours of Daytona can be viewed on SPEEDTV beginning Saturday, Jan. 24. Check your cable listings for times.

ALMS: Dyson Tests New Mazda LMP2 Car

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 23:13:50 -0500

Chris Dyson took his first drive in the new Mazda-powered Lola B09/86 LMP2 car during Winter Testing at Sebring International Raceway with nothing but praise.

In an interview afterwards, the driver said he "[feels] really confident. Lola has done a really good job with the car, and aerodynamically it's probably the best I've driven."

The B09/86 made a short debut at Petit Le Mans back in November of 2008 until an early crash put the at the time B-K Motorsports run car out of the race.

The coupe marks a stark contrast to the previous Mazda Lola B07 LMP2 car and with improved mechanics, hopes to be a title challenger in the LMP2 class in the American Le Mans Series for 2009.

Dyson, who manages the Dyson Racing team, completed a deal on Dec. 11 taking the reigns of the Mazda factory-supported team from B-K Motorsports.

Petter Solberg to Join Dancing With The Stars!

Sanjay Kumar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:19:52 -0500

With Subaru's withdrawal from the World Rally Championship (WRC), the 2003 champion makes an interesting venue switch.

According to sources close to Solberg, the Finnish rally star has decided to join ABC's hit show Dancing With The Stars.

Apparently tired of having to search for an opportunity within the world of rally racing, Solberg aims to gain fame in America by pushing aside his driving skills for dancing skills.

He is not the first professional driver to enter the competition as Indy Racing League driver Helio Castroneves participated, and was rather successful, last year.

The show enters its new season March 9th on ABC.

Can Eurosport's IRC TV Coverage Bring Rally Back to the US?

Sanjay Kumar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:53:12 -0500

After SPEEDTV dropped the World Rally Championship (and numerous other forms of racing in fact) due to the high cost of licensing and broadcasting the material and low amount of viewers in 2006, there's been a great sadness among American rally fans. Can that change soon though?

It's true that there are many mediums in which fans can get access to WRC content without having to watch it on SPEEDTV, but there is something about having coverage there on the schedule. Instead, the News Corporation-owned channel's love for NASCAR is apparent in the enormous amount of coverage it receives.

Eurosport's coverage of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) since 2007 has been very creative in that they provide live coverage of the events. Rather than taping the material, editing it, then shipping it off to channels around the globe, the European television giant has cameras and crew ready on site to provide the material in the raw, so-to-speak.

For 2009, Eurosport will be covering the IRC more than it ever has before, with the inaugural event, the newly-added Monte Carlo Rally, getting more than six hours of live coverage!

The main thing that would allow rallying to come back to US television is the cost of licensing and showing the coverage. The World Rally Championship (WRC) was too expensive to broadcast because David Richards'-owned ISC charged too much.

This high cost forced channels like SPEEDTV to reevaluate their investment into the WRC and eventually they opted to drop it.

Eurosport offers a significantly cheaper package than ISC. With the IRC garnering much support and the WRC on the decline, watching exciting rally racing on the television may be possible.

It will be up to rally fans all around the country to band together, either sign a petition or write to the channel about picking up IRC coverage. It is possible!

Leader Sainz Crashes Out Of Dakar

Sanjay Kumar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:16:56 -0500

Race leader and former two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz crashed his Volkswagen Touareg on the 12th stage of the 2009 Dakar dashing his hopes of winning the race after rendering his vehicle unusable.

Sainz won six of the first ten stages to pull ahead of second place driver Mark Miller by more than a half hour. Co-driver Michel Perin reportedly injured his shoulder and is being treated at a nearby facility.

Mark Miller has inherited the lead as a result of the crash.

Will 2009 Be Yet Another Sebastien Loeb Year?

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:06:44 -0500

Since claiming his first driver’s title in 2004, Sebastien Loeb has been an unstoppable force in the World Rally Championship. With 47 wins (21 more than a distant second-place Carlos Sainz), Loeb enters only his seventh full season in the WRC.

Amidst economic turmoil, Subaru and Suzuki have exited the series, one a long-time supporter and the other a rookie entry that resembled Skoda’s operation. With this, Citroen Total showed its commitment to the sport by creating a secondary team, known as a Manufacturer 2 team, which includes former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson.

Even with Atkinson continued participation in the WRC, true competitors to Loeb remain absent. While 2008 saw Mikko Hirvonen compete at his best pace yet, but still it was no match for the speed and consistency that the Citroen driver displays day in and day out.

Ford’s surprise driver was Jan-Laki Attvala, who presented a challenge to Hirvonen as well as Loeb…for the first half of the season. Despite sub-par performance by Citroen number two Dani Sordo, Citroen claimed another manufacturer’s championship due to the Ford driver’s inconsistencies.

So what are we to expect for 2009? Not much different. With fewer drivers in the series, and veterans such as 2003 Champion Petter Solberg and Toni Gardemeister without drives, it is time for the rookies and sophomores to shine. Will they against Seb?

Probably not. Rookie driver Urmo Aava showed plenty of potential and from a voter poll on wrc.com was the most surprising driver of 2008. The Ford M2 driver is hopeful of obtaining podium finishes, but now in the spotlight, his performance is yet to be determined.

With Citroen again presenting the best package, car and driver, it will be hard for Seb not to get a sixth consecutive driver’s title. Ford will be striving to produce a competitive package, and with Mikko Hirvonen, it is very possible…if he consistently finishes rallies.

Citroen-hired driver Chris Atkinson now has the reputation Francois Duval had while at Ford and Citroen for either finishing on the podium or wrecking the car. Unlike Colin McRae, both Atkinson and Duval crash the car far more than they do finish in the points.

It will be up to Mikko Hirvonen to spearhead an attack against the Citroen machine as he has been trying to do since 2007. Back in 2005, I predicted that Hirvonen would be crowned World Champion at the end of the 2008 season.

Until the final three events, it seemed still very likely. Of course then Loeb kicked into gear and took away that pipe dream. Hirvonen has the competitive material and can be a worthy adversary to Loeb in 2009 pending that he is treated as the number one driver, and drives as such.

He has to reduce the amount of mistakes he makes and try to prevent as many mishaps as possible. It is true that he suffered inadvertently towards the end of the season with flat tires that prevented him from holding his place and thus losing out on contending for the championship. Perhaps there ought to be debate about the tires being developed by Pirelli.

I am a firm believer that there ought to be multiple tire providers, the way it was prior to 2007. BF Goodrich presented the best tires possible and they allowed Loeb to narrowly escape with the championship in 2006. Now with Pirelli producing sub-par products, everyone suffers, but why should they?

I am also very much angered by David Richards, the WRC Council, and the FIA on how they utilized their “cost-management” techniques in slashing certain key rallies from the 2009 calendar. The 2009 season enters the first 12-round season since the 1970s, with Monte Carlo, Sweden, and France having been axed.

This is the first time since the establishment of the WRC that these three events are not being run in the WRC, a travesty indeed. The 2009 calendar marks a new era for the WRC, which could in my opinion also mark the downfall of the WRC. This is not just due to the fact that key events were taken off of the calendar, but it shows that the WRC is truly suffering.

This is not something that came about in 2007 when the economic crisis began, but rather years in the making. The WRC has been adding and removing various rallies to test markets, but thus far besides Rally Norway, no new rallies have proved as successful as certain rallies that have been or are being removed.

With ratings the lowest they have been, attendance the lowest it has been, and popularity of the WRC unknown, it is no wonder the WRC ought to be making changes. But are they the right ones? Many will say yes, many will say no, and nobody can know for certain until years from now. What is true though is that the WRC is on a decline never witnessed before and is in need of respiration. Will the 2009 calendar season provide it? Probably not.

With Seb likely to be crowned champion once again, Citroen and Ford possibly battling it out, and a lack of known drivers to pull crowds in, not to mention the calendar being so fudged up, it will be interesting to see the direction the WRC will turn. And 2009 will be the pivotal year for the series, as the FIA will see whether or not the WRC is a viable entity based on the radical changes and competitive scenario.

Will the series get axed? No, but it may allow even more room for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) to gain popularity and soon replace the WRC as the WRC replaced the International Championship for Manufacturers in 1973.

Will the IRC be the New WRC?

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:00:18 -0500

This article written in partnership with Bleacher Report writer Stephen Spackman.

The WRC became an official series in 1973 with the merger of many prominent rallies and the International Championship for Manufacturers (IMC). The early years featured excellent cars such as the Ferrari-powered Lancia Stratos and the Alpine 110 and exciting rallies. Audi revolutionized the face of rally racing with the introduction of the Audi Quattro in 1980 and in 1982 the Group B era officially began.

Group B allowed manufacturers to experiment with technology without much restriction at all, but it came to an end in 1986 with the deaths of two Lancia drivers, three on-lookers and the injuries of many drivers and fans alike. The Group B era however, marked the true blossoming of the WRC with incredibly large crowds and great amounts of money being spent by manufacturers for development.

Group A took prominence after the 1986 season, and ran till 1997 when the WRC-car specifications came into effect. Between 1986 and 1997 Group A provided exciting racing with some of the biggest names in rally racing. Lancia dominated the manufacturer’s arena with six championships using the Delta Integrale.

Drivers such as Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae, and Tommi Makinen came to the forefront in exciting rallies. The WRC-car era continued much in the same way as Group A, but in 2004 it began to take a different turn. In 2003 an exciting season saw Petter Solberg bring Subaru its third driver’s title in less than 10 years. Citroen Total was three cars strong, with former WRC-Champions Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae, and JWRC-Champion Sebastien Loeb. Loeb lost out to Solberg by only one point.

He was determined to not allow that to happen again. From 2004 onwards, Loeb has won five consecutive championships, smashing the records set by Finns Tommi Makinen and Juha Kankkunen with a dominance never seen before.

The economic situation currently affecting the entire world, as well as waning TV audiences, spectators, and sponsors is ushering a WRC not seen before. David Richards, owner of ISC as well as Prodrive (which runs the Subaru World Rally Team), has been accused of being responsible for TV audiences significantly lower than could be had. In the United States, the WRC used to be broadcast via SPEEDTV, but due to poor time slots and the high cost of using the video from ISC, SPEEDTV opted to not carry WRC content.

In Europe WRC content continues to be available on television, but is not garnering high-enough ratings. Ratings have gone down in markets such as Great Britain and Scandinavia due to the dominance of Sebastien Loeb and Citroen with little competition from other manufacturers.

The 2009 season marks a new era in the World Rally Championship even though many may not think so. With the surprise withdrawal of the Subaru and Suzuki World Rally Teams, there are only two official manufacturer teams, the first time there have ever been this few manufacturers in the WRC.

Officially, there are six teams: Citroen Total World Rally Team, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team (M2), Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team (Privateer), Citroen Junior Team (M2), and the Adapta World Rally Team (Privateer).

The format of the 2009 Championship has also been drastically altered compared to previous years. There will only be 12 rallies run in an effort to minimize cost, the fewest rallies since 1996. Removed from the WRC calendar are staples to rally racing, the Monte Carlo, Sweden, and France rallies, which have been a part of the WRC calendar since the creation of the WRC back in 1973.

Also dropped are favorites such as Germany and New Zealand. However, Portugal and Australia rallies have returned to the calendar despite poor attendance and ratings in prior years. The 2009 Championship will begin in Ireland, and span Europe, South America, and Australia, with no rallies being run in North America or Asia. The season will begin at the end of January and end unusually early at the end of October.

With two official manufacturers, and 12 events, the WRC is showing that it is in trouble. With ratings going down every season, there is a dire need to revamp the WRC, but instead the FIA has decided to limit the scope of the WRC in favor of niche markets, a move that had previously never been done.

The Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) is a rallying series organized by the FIA aiming to "give new opportunities to young or amateur rally drivers competing in recognized regional and international rallies, while offering organizers an innovative TV format concept, created by Eurosport." This series focuses on Group N and Group A spec cars up to 2000cc (including Super 2000, R2 and R3))

The series began in 2007, and will soon be celebrating its third year in existence. Since its inception, it has attracted a lot of attention not just from the public, but a huge interest from car manufacturers such as Fiat, Skoda, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Peugeot. This is due to the amount of rallies that are run per season and also it’s a big factor of cost cutting, but still retaining the spirit of rally and it’s going back to the "good ol' days" of the rally scene.

You will also find that Skoda, Mitsubishi and Peugeot are makes that used to run in the WRC, which now has hit an all time low with the likes of Subaru and Suzuki halting their WRC campaign due to ever increasing cost and lack of coverage etc. The WRC now has only Ford and Citroen, compared to the IRC which has Skoda, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, VW, Peugeot, and MG.

With the WRC adopting new rules for the 2010 season onwards, more manufacturers are interested in S2000-spec cars which the IRC already features.

The 2009 IRC calendar features 12 rounds continuing the tried and trusted formula of combining well-known classic rallies with new events in emerging markets. Next year, there is a roughly 50-50 mix of asphalt and gravel rallies, as well as five exciting new events joining the existing line-up. The changes reflect the increasing prominence of the IRC in world motorsport, following yet another successful and highly-competitive season this year.

The 2009 series will start with the world famous Monte Carlo Rally in January: the oldest and most prestigious event in the history of the sport which shall be airing a mammoth 6 hours of live coverage on Eurosport, which the WRC has never been able to do on any rally at any event of its kind.

Other events joining the IRC calendar this year for the first time include the all-new Rally of Curitiba in Brazil, the Sata Rally Acores in Portugal, the Rally Japan and finally the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland in the United Kingdom.

Geraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events, commented: “The IRC has taken a number of major steps forward throughout 2008, with the levels of competition and ground-breaking live television coverage underlining the spectacular rise in the profile of the series. For 2009, the IRC is embarking on its most ambitious season yet.

The year begins with the legendary Monte Carlo Rally—which is an emblematic event on the world sporting calendar – but we visit the South American continent for the first time, making the IRC a truly global series that is accessible to everyone.”

With the popularity of the WRC on the decline, the IRC posts not only a very real alternative, but an entertaining one. For more information on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge visit www.rally-irc.com

2009 IRC PROVISIONAL CALENDAR:
• 21-24 January Monaco Monte Carlo Rally (a)
• 05-07 March Brazil Rally Internacional de Curitiba (g)
• 03-04 April Kenya (TBC) (*) Safari Rally (g)
• 07-09 May Portugal Sata Rally Acores (a)
• 18-20 June Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally (a)
• 09-11 July Russia. Rally Russia (g)
• 30 July-01 August Madeira Rali Vinho Madeira (a)
• 21-23 August Czech Republic Barum Rally Zlin (a)
• 10-12 September Spain Rally Principe de Asturias (a)
• 24-26 September Italy Rally Sanremo (a)
• 22-24 October Japan (**) Rally Japan (g)
• 19-21 November United Kingdom RAC MSA Rally of Scotland (g)
(*) To be confirmed
(**) Dates to be confirmed

Is Rally Racing in Kimi Raikkonen's Future?

Sanjay Kumar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:48:24 -0500

Does Kimi Raikkonen's participation in the upcoming Arctic Lapland Rally hint at what the 2007 Formula 1 Champion may be doing after his F1 career?

The 2008 F1 season was rocky for Kimi Raikkonen; he not only struggled to win but also had a crisis regarding his future.

During the summer months, there were many rumors that Raikkonen was going to up and leave his current career for either something he was passionate about, or leave racing altogether.

While many speculated as to his future, Ford M-Sport director Malcolm Wilson even offered Raikkonen a testing session in the Ford Focus WRC car.

In June 2008, Bleacher Report Analyst James Walker wrote an article regarding a possible future for Raikkonen in rally racing.

Raikkonen has admitted that he still has not competed seriously in a rally, but in an interview with Fox Sports stated, "at some time, I want to try rallying. That interests me."

Now with Raikkonen entering into his first rally, with countryman Mikka Hakkinen, a future in rallying may be very real.

With his deal with Ferrari ending after the 2009 season, Kimi's admitted lack of interest in the series may compound to a switch into the World Rally Championship (WRC) or up-and-coming Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).