2010 Rally Turkey logo in wall mural. Photo from RallyOfTurkey.org .
The 2010 Rally Turkey, based in Istanbul, Turkey for the first time, is now under way. It's the fourth stop in the FIA 2010 World Rally Championship Season, and it promises to be one of the best. The pre-rally shakedown took place yesterday, and Day 1 of the rally itself happened today. Day 2 comes up tomorrow, and the event ends on this Sunday (April 18, 2010) with Day 3.
If you haven't gotten around to all the preview articles yet, you'll find snippets with title links to several informative posts below (in chronological order). Also check out the two 2010 WRC Access All Area (Episode 2) video clips posted to YouTube by MrAntystenes.
As always, any WRC items not specifically dealing with this rally, or the main WRC class of competition, may be included in Junior's Eyes' regular 'Reading And Viewing List' blog entries.
Rally of Turkey entry list
Posted at WRC.com on April 9, 2010
Forty-three crews are gearing up to do battle on Rally of Turkey, round four of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Eleven World Rally Cars, led by the Citroen C4 of Sebastien Loeb, head the entry as Turkey returns to the WRC schedule for the first time since 2008...
Countdown to Rally of Turkey
Posted at WRC.com on April 9, 2010
With the dust still settling following an epic, if controversial Jordan Rally at the start of April, the World Rally Championship regulars are already preparing to resume their chase for the sport’s biggest prize on Rally of Turkey, which takes place from 15-18 April.
Based in the Pendik district of Istanbul, the rally features high-speed gravel stages in Turkey’s Asian countryside, plus an asphalt superspecial stage close to the banks of the Bosphorus River in Kadikoy.
While Turkey has been a mainstay of the WRC since 2003, this year’s event features a brand-new route and location and represents unchartered territory for the leading drivers and teams. Previously based on mountainous and punishing roads above the Mediterranean resort of Kemer, the event has relocated 700 kilometres north to Istanbul following a one-year absence from the WRC under the calendar rotation system.
Hirvonen focussed on Turkey fight back
Posted at WRC.com on April 12, 2010
Factory Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen hopes his winning record on new rounds of the World Rally Championship will help him make up ground on title rival Sebastien Loeb on this week's Rally of Turkey.
Hirvonen's 2010 title bid got off to an excellent start with victory in Sweden, but the Finn lost out to his Citroen rival on round two in Mexico, and failed to collect any drivers' points at all after crashing on the most recent round in Jordan...
Solberg boosted by pre-Turkey test
Posted at WRC.com on April 12, 2010
Petter Solberg says a pre-event test has given him the confidence to go on a “big attack” on Rally of Turkey.
The 2003 world champion, currently fourth in the WRC drivers’ standings, covered 117 kilometres during a test in Turkey last Saturday (10 April) at the wheel of the same Petter Solberg World Rally Team-run Citroen C4 he will use on round four of the World Rally Championship this week...
Citroen and Loeb out to score a hat trick
Posted at WRC.com on April 12, 2010
World Championship leader Sebastien Loeb is gunning for his third consecutive rally victory this season on the upcoming round in Turkey, even though he is guaranteed to be leading the series whatever the result on Sunday.
Wins on the two previous rounds in Mexico and Jordan have given the six-time world champion a 25-point lead over Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala, his closest rival, and a 31-point advantage over his 2009 title rival Mikko Hirvonen...
Q&A with Sebastien Loeb
Posted at WRC.com on April 12, 2010
The 2010 season’s got off to a good start for you with a second place and then two victories. You’ve already built up a good lead...
That makes me smile as some said that my second place in Sweden showed a drop in motivation on my part! Just so as there’s no misunderstanding, I have no intention of stopping the clock at fifty-six victories. What’s interesting is that the 2010 season doesn’t boil down to a duel between Mikko Hirvonen and me. There’s also Jari-Matti Latvala, who now seems able to combine speed and consistency, as well as Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier. They’re all able to fight at the front and that includes Dani too. For the moment that plays in my favour but it could also make my job more difficult.”...
Rally of Turkey - FIA Preview
Posted at RallyOfTurkey.org on April 13, 2010
This year’s Rally of Turkey is the sixth in the event’s WRC history and for the first time will take place on two different continents. Rally Headquarters, the Service Park and special stages are all based in Asia, while the ceremonial start will take place across the Bosphorus on the European side of the country in Ayasofya. The start will be attended by Minister of State for Youth and Sports, Mr. Faruk Nafiz Ozak and Minister of State, Mr. Hayati Yazici.
While these stages have been used before in other championships, as this is the first time the WRC event has been based in Istanbul all the stages will be new to the WRC crews. The gravel roads are fast, wide and smooth, and one of Istanbul’s most modern developments - Kadiköy - will host the super special stage on Friday evening...
Co-driver switch for Villagra in Turkey
Posted at WRC.com on April 13, 2010
Argentinean Federico Villagra hopes a switch of co-drivers on this week's Rally of Turkey won't harm his chances of achieving a third consecutive points finish.
The Munchi's Ford team driver and his co-driver Jorge Pérez Companc took their Ford Focus RS WRC to seventh place in the Jordan Rally - repeating the result they scored on the opening round of their 2010 campaign in Mexico...
Mixed-surface stage could decide Rally of Turkey
Posted at WRC.com on April 13, 2010
The first stage of day two of Rally of Turkey on Saturday (April 16) could prove decisive to the outcome of the gravel event, round four of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Measuring a total of 18.17 kilometres, the Gocbeyli stage includes approximately 13 kilometres of asphalt roads, after which crews then have to cover a further 54.74 kilometres on gravel before they can return to the service park in Pendik to complete a full tyre change...
Rally of Turkey on wrc.com
Posted at WRC.com on April 14, 2010
Mexico, Jordan and now Turkey; the World Rally Championship's gravel odyssey continues this week with a brand new Istanbul-based event and more LIVE and FREE coverage here on wrc.com.
The rally gets underway on Thursday 15 April with a ceremonial start in Sultanahmet Square close to the spectacular Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia. From then on the action moves back across the Bosphorus River to the Pendik district of Istanbul, and a series of high-speed gravel stages in Turkey’s Asian countryside plus an asphalt Superspecial stage in Kadikoy.
As usual we'll be updating wrc.com LIVE throughout the event from our base in the heart of the Service Park. Via live stage and split times, news stories, video clips and our live rally radio, we’ll stream as much of Rally of Turkey to your computer as we possibly can - and all completely FREE of charge...
We’re going after the leaders in Turkey, says Ogier
Posted at WRC.com on April 14, 2010
French rising star Sebastien Ogier says the brand new Rally of Turkey represents his best chance so far this year of challenging the established drivers for a top result.
The Citroen Junior Team driver has consistently challenged the frontrunners since the start of the season. He narrowly missed out on a second place in Rally Mexico, and was on course for the runner-up position again on the most recent round in Jordan until team orders dropped him to sixth...
Raikkonen will savour Turkey stages, says co-driver
Posted at WRC.com on April 14, 2010
Kimi Raikkonen’s co-driver, Kaj Lindstrom, believes the high-speed and wide nature of the Rally of Turkey stages will suit the ex-Formula One world champion.
Raikkonen is seeking his second-consecutive points finish on the Istanbul event after landing his maiden top 10 finish on the Jordan Rally earlier this month in his Citroen Junior Team Citroen C4 World Rally Car...
2010 WRC Access All Areas Video Clips
Posted to YouTube by MrAntystenes
April 14, 2010
Part 5: 1st 2010 Rally Turkey Preview, Interview With Jari-Matti Latvala
Part 7: News, 2nd 2010 Rally Turkey Preview
Block feeling confident despite cold Turkey
Posted at WRC.com on April 15, 2010
Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block says that he’s feeling confident heading into the Rally of Turkey - despite the fact that the last time he sat in a World Rally Car was on the final stage of Rally Mexico last month.
Since then, the American has been busy with various commitments in the United States, meaning that he has not had time to test his Ford Focus RS WRC...
Citroen duo quickest in Turkey Shakedown
Posted at WRC.com on April 15, 2010
Defending World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb was the fastest driver at the pre-event shakedown for Rally of Turkey earlier today, with his Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo his closest rival.
The four-hour test took place on a 4.75km stage in Kadilli, 28km east of the main Service Park in Pendik. Weather conditions were dry and sunny throughout with a temperature peaking at 17 degrees Celsius...
Pre-event Press Conference
Posted at RallyOfTurkey.org on April 15, 2010
Present:
Mikko Hirvonen, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Kimi Raikkonen, Citroen Junior Team
Dani Sordo, Citroen Total World Rally Team
Matthew Wilson, Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team
Aaron Burkart, FIA Junior World Rally Championship
Thierry Neuville, FIA Junior World Rally Championship
Welcome to the pre-event FIA press conference.
Q:
Mikko, Rally Turkey has featured on the calendar since 2003 but now we move to a new base near Istanbul, what are your first impressions of the stages?
MH:
For sure, it is completely different. The stages are a lot faster, some are basically straight ? and they are quite rough in places as well. The organisers fixed the roads with abrasive gravel, so it will be tough on the cars....
1 comment:
Sultanahmet is so lovely.
and i like istanbul.
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