ProDrive continues with Minis in 2013

According to Richard Taylor from ProDrive the team will continue with Minis in selected rallies in 2013. So, it's time to start the rumour mill for potential mini pilots next year... presumably we could expect another appearance in WRC by Jarkko Nikara??!

Hänninen excited about Fiesta WRC

Finnish online media MTV3 reported about Juho Hänninen's test with WRC Fiesta (the article is in Finnish only). After a lengthy and very successful career at Skoda Juho is excited about stepping up to WRC and enjoying the potential of Fiesta.

Footage from Ostberg's Monte test reveal engine problems

Mads Ostberg has also been testing for Monte. Footage shows that M-Sport experienced slight engine failure problems during the day.

Hänninen testing a WRC Fiesta for Monte

Juho Hänninen is preparing for his M-Sport entry in Monte Carlo. Watch the video here.

Grönholm to test for VW

According to planetemarcus.com, former WRC champion Marcus Grönholm will support the VW Rally Team as a test driver next year. If we are lucky we might see him in full action in Rallye Finland ;)

Hänninen receives an award

As the winner of most IRC events, Juho Hänninen receives the Rally Challenge award. The significance of this award is pinpointed by the fact that this year he was able to beat the most successful rally driver of all times, Sebastien Loeb. Congratulations!

Top motorsport series are loosing champions - so what?

The Finnish newspaper and online media Turun Sanomat has posted a somewhat silly article today (available in Finnish only, sorry about that) about top motorsport series loosing their champions (refering to F1 and WRC in particular). According to the article the value of multiple champions is almost too high for these series if they are going to loose them. Presumably, Loeb will not be able to compete for the title in WRC next year due to his decision to race only some rallies during the season. The same is happening in F1 with champions such as Schumacher retiring for next year.

So, how sad is this really? If we are looking at the next year in WRC and WRC2 series these two will be extremely interesting for spectators and rally-enthusiasts since we are seeing new teams and new, young and extremely talented drivers entering the scene. Nothing can be taken for granted next year, and this makes the game far more interesting than what we have seen during the past years, when the biggest gamble was whether some of the rivals of Loeb will be able to challenge him or not.

The scene is changing and there's more room for future champions to show their talent.

Lappi to take Hänninen's seat at Skoda

Following the news about Juho Hänninen's switch to M-Sport and WRC, Skoda Motorsport has announced a deal with Esa-Pekka Lappi. After an incredible year of absolute dominance in a S2000 classified Ford in 2012, Lappi will take the next important step towards WRC in one of the most legendary and successful factory rally teams. Congratulations!

Hänninen contracts with M-Sport

Speculations about Juho Hänninen's position for next year have come to an end when the Finnish media released news about the M-Sport deal. This is a long-awaited dream and a huge opportunity to one of the most potential WRC champions Finland has ever "produced". Despite Loeb's decision to retire from full WRC participation, we can expect a thrilling year 2013 in WRC when new contracts are being signed and new players enter the game. So far Juho's contract includes 2 events starting from Monte Carlo, so this is the moment to show what this talent is about.

Kubica crashes at Rallye du Var

The final day off Rallye du Var ended in a tragedy for Robert Kubica who dominated the rally by a lead of over 5 minutes before crashing his Citroen C4 WRC. The car caught fire in the accident, but Robert himself and his co-driver were luckily able to stay uninjured. Over the last couple of years Kubica has been recovering from an almost fatal accident in F1. We hope to see less drama and more success for this amazingly fast talent from Poland.

Start list for Rallye du Var confirmed

Rallye du Var will be raced in France in the end of this week. This very popular and highly demanding rally is an interesting mix of old WRC A classified cars, S2000 cars and other less powerful setups which are under the existing classification. On top of the cream is a few Porsches in the GT classification – the same types we saw earlier this year in Rallye Sierra Morena in Spain. The start list includes some interesting names. Top drivers to be watched include Freddy Loix of Belgium (driving an A classified Peugeot 307), Graig Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000) and Robert Kubica (Citroen C4), the former F1 driver who just made it back to rallying by winning Rally di Como in Italy. In R3 the driver to be watched is Sebastien Chardonnet (Citroen DS3) – a young rising star from France.

Rally Catalunya a runner-up success

Last week's Rally Catalunya was a definite success for the runner-up drivers in WRC. Jarkko Nikara's first experience in a WRC car (Prodrive Mini) resulted in an amazing 5th place overall. Hitting the top5 and being able to finish under such demanding conditions reflects Nikara's absolute talent he's already become famous for in the PWRC and Finnish national series. There's much more we can expect from this young driver.

Another WRC entry was seen from Hans Weijs Jr who was very fast throughout the rally, but was finally not able to make it to the checkered flag. Hopefully Hans can be more consistent in the upcoming events, so that can se more great performances from this young Dutch talent.

As Loeb's career as a fully committed WRC driver is coming to an end, we can expect better performances from the potential runner-ups Tänak and Östberg, who both had really impressive moments in Rally Catalunya, Östberg leading the rally over the first day.

Nikara's first day @ WRC

Jarkko Nikara's first WRC experience in RACC Rally Spain is turning to be a success. Despite a puncture which resulted in 6 minutes of time loss on the first day, he was able to push fastest times among the Mini WRC drivers and to make a very satisfying overall performance.

Another chase for Mikkelsen

The hard conditions and rough roads of Cyprus have taken their toll from a number of top drivers in Rally Cyprus. The "golden boy" of VAG, Andreas Mikkelsen, who had trouble at the very start of the rally, has been flying through the stages of yesterday afternoon and the morning today, but is still nearly a minute behind of Nasser Al-Attiyah who has been controlling the rally since Mikkelsen's troubles on the starting stages. In PWRC, Jarkko Nikara suffered a puncture and fell down to 2nd place after Toshihiro Arai. The time gap between these too drivers is too long to be closed during the remaining stages, so we can expect that the competition for PWRC gold has frozen.

There's still hope for Mikkelsen but the gap of 49 seconds will be tough to close. Mikkelsen is among the fastest rising drivers in the circuit, but his performances could have been more consistent throughout the season. Still, it's amazing to see how much buzz there's been around this young Norwegian in media speculations. The fact is that, he has to improve his levels of consistency to be able to keep up with the competition with his Finnish and French rivals who will be chasing the seats in WRC for the coming seasons.

Footage from Bonnefis' test with a Peugeot 207 S2000

The French rising rally star Germain Bonnefis tested an S2000 classified Peugeot 207 last week. Brilliant footage from the test session is available here. Rally Talent is hoping that this young talent will get an opportunity to race in 2013 with a competitive setup against the international top drivers.

Flash start for Nikara in Rally Cyprus

Boosted by WRC tests with ProDive Mini earlier this week, Jarkko Nikara has taken a flying start for Rally Cyprus. Despite the significant power-disadvantage (driving a Subaru Impreza R4) to the other top drivers in this IRC series rally event, Nikara was 2nd overall after the two first stages.

irc-results.com follows the event LIVE.

Nikara's story @ wrc.com

Jarkko Nikara has shown a great deal of talent by making his way up towards his first opportunity to race in WRC next week in Rally Spain. He has also shown that to be able to pursue a great career in sports, an awful amount of personal commitment is required. The recent report by WRC.com tells the different story of Nikara's journey towards the top.

Jarkko Nikara's first WRC test with ProDrive Mini

Video from the first taster is available here. I wonder what's "...so unusual for a Finnish rally driver." (hear mechanics chatting)

Brilliant in-car footage from 4:00.

Awesome Rally scenes

Look at these awesome photos and graphics from Rally Sierra Morena in Spain last weekend!

Rally Sardegna a prelude for 2013

I think that last week's WRC event in Italy is very well mirroring what next year will be like in WRC and who will be the key players for podium finishes. Mikko Hirvonen will be very tough to beat and will be the hottest candidate for next WRC champion. His development over the last year or two has been very impressive. Many things have changed for better since his move to Citroen – most importantly, he seems to be able to perform quite well in all conditions and all surfaces now, a valuable lesson learned from his legendary team-mate... The runners up - Novikov and Tänak showed all great talent in Italy. Mads Östberg's pace was outstanding towards the end of the rally after the trouble he had earlier. His ability to push fastest times after the incident and with mind free'ed from pressure is somehow similar to what Latvala has showed at times. The young Norwegian still has plenty of time to build his confidence and gain more experience. So, hopefully that will enable him to keep up the speed with improved levels of consistency in the future.

The event also showed how much potential S2000 cars have when conditions are right, when Ogier took the first ever stage win for S2000 classified cars. When the former IRC and ERC series will merge in 2013 we can expect even more competition among WRC2 drivers than within the WRC series where there will be less teams and less drivers.

Ogier takes the first ever WRC stage win for S2000

Ogier showed great talent in Rally Sardegna by taking the first ever stage win in WRC with an S2000 car. The challenging conditions and tyre wear played a significant role in the game, but this still shows the great talent and potential Ogier has. More can be expected from him next year in a WRC Polo R...

Hänninen's plan for 2013 open

According to Autosport, the leading IRC/ERC team Skoda is also planning to cut its contributions as a factory team for next year. This is another disappointing news, particularly after such a successful year Skoda's had in 2012. This decision may leave Juho Hänninen without a factory deal for next year which is a big shame. Juho's been the most consistent driver in IRC/ERC series over the last few years and in my opinion has showed greater talent than most of the existing WRC team drivers. Thumbs up that a new opportunity opens soon!

Latvala's 2nd chance with VW a matter of self-confidence

Latvala's deal with VW for 2013 was finally confirmed. After the many disappointments and inconsistent performances throughout the year, there were many doubts around this issue. Latvala is probably the fastest driver in the circuit but this is not enough with the levels of consistence he has showed. Honestly, the biggest pain for Latvala seems to be in between his ears - he's got the bad habit of constantly over-analyzing his own performance and explaining errors stage after stage. This doesn't build better self-confidence. Another issue he must be able to manage with better in the future, if he wants to pursue a great career with VW, is the tactics. The choice to clean the road in Rally Sardegna seems like another desperate approach to gain advantage to competitors by risky tactics – not by driving. We have seen similar "gambler moves" in the past from Latvala. Is it his lack of trust on his ability to perform that is pushing him to decisions like this?

New VW Polo R WRC in action

Some eye-candy delivered to you by Carlos Sainz & the new VW Polo R WRC.

2 WRC factory teams retire

Ford announced today that it will not continue in WRC as a factory team. M-Sport which just recently announced that it will also get involved in the European rally series for 2013 is expected to continue running Fords in the WRC. The team setups in WRC are under significant change since Mini just last week announced that it will also discontinue its factory team. It seems that for 2013 the international rally series are probably more diverse than ever before with a number of pro teams running the cars from a number of car manufacturers, many of them making their entry to rally.

Basso has set the tune for San Remo

Giandomenico Basso (in a Ford Fiesta) has taken a strong lead in Rally San Remo after the retrieval of some of his strongest opponents (including former IRC champion Juho Hänninen's amazing crash) from the rally. Basso seems to have adapted to his new car very well and is currently dominating the rally with half a minute lead to Jan Kopecky of Skoda in the 2nd place. As expected the Italians are very well presented in the classification holding 4 positions within the overall top5.

Nikara for WRC entry with Mini in Catalunya

While Mini has announced that it is going to retire from the WRC series in the end of this year, it is giving a once in a lifetime opportunity to Jarkko Nikara for WRC entry at Rally Catalunya. Jarkko is an extremely talented young driver from Finland, and after a very successful season this year, he has definitely earned this award and opportunity to compete side by side with Dani Sordo in a factory WRC team. Congratulations!

Follow San Remo LIVE

The battle for San Remo 2012 is on. Bestofrallylive.com provides with live results.

Hirvonen's challenge for 2013

Year 2013 will probably be the greatest opportunity for Mikko Hirvonen to battle for WRC victory. He will become the no1 driver for Citroen which has been able to provide the strongest setup for drivers year after year. After the Ford years and now driving for Citroen, Mikko seems to have found new kind of confidence and spirit for driving. Having followed his career for a number of years it seems evident to me that Mikko's performance is somehow dependent on how much competition there is within the team he is in. Loeb was able to push Mikko to the limits of his skills and to find an extreme level of consistency in his driving which is increasingly important in the fight for WRC points. The big question for 2013 is whether Citroen will be able to find another driver who can challenge Mikko enough. Dani Sordo is said to join Citroen next year, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Dani has plenty of experience and has had many successful performances in a Mini this year which make him a good candidate for Citroen. The two drivers would complement each other quite well, because Mikko is known for his ability to drive fast on gravel and Dani does the same on tarmac. A perfect match?

San Remo speculations

Rallye San Remo will launch this Friday and the competition for podium will (again) be very tough – probably the toughest off the year 2012. The top shots of IRC – Juho Hänninen & Jan Kopecky will be challenged by the local Italian aces (such as Giandomenico Basso) who know the roads very well and can find the perfect setup for all conditions on San Remo's narrow roads. 

Kimi's reaction time

This goes slightly off-topic, but definitely worth posting... Kimi Räikkönen's amazing reaction time
Kimi is performing incredibly after his lengthy break in F1 and showing what great talent is about. Thumbs extended for a victorious end of the season ;)

Sebastiens of the future

When we look back to the history of rally, Finland and France seem to be the only nations which can year after year raise new talents to the top. A range of incredibly talented drivers from these two nations are currently competing for seats in a WRC car for the coming seasons. While Loeb is said to slowly retire from the sport, another 2 Sebastiens are on "reserve" for France in the WRC. Sebastien Ogier will be VW's first choice for WRC entry. Another young and extremely fast pilot Sebastien Chardonnet did an impressive performance on his WRC entry at last week's Rally de France, placing 10th overall in a Citroen DS3 WRC. "Seb the 3rd" has been supported for some time by Loeb's co-driver Daniel Elena, so his starting point for the fight for a full WRC deal could not be much better. Keep an eye on this young talent – another Seb making an impressive journey in WRC.

Loeb takes his 9th World title

Loeb took his amazing 9th World title today by winning Rally de France – Alsace. Congratulations! Sportsillustrated reports...

Neuville showing great talent in rain

Thierry Neuville has shown extreme talent during the final day of Rally de France – Alsace by winning 3 of the morning stages. The young Belgian from Citroen's Junior Team seems to be able to adapt to rainy conditions very well. We've seen a number of great performances from Neuville this year – both on gravel and on tarmac – and he has improved his driving as the season advances.

Another great win for Lappi in Sweden

Esapekka Lappi and his co-driver Janne Ferm added another victory to their amazing rally year of 2012 by winning the final event "Kolsvarundan" of Sweden's national rally series. Lappi was driving an EVENRally Team sponsored Skoda Fabia S2000 in the event.

Plan for 2013

The plan for 2013 is ready. In 2013 the IRC & ERC series will be replaced by WRC2 which assumably improves the status and image of the sport.

Rally Talent blog opened!

The Rally Talent blog was established to promote and support exceptionally talented young rally drivers on their journey to the top. More coming up very soon!