The
2010 WRC Rally Bulgaria, based in
Borovets, Bulgaria (near
Sofia), took place on the weekend of Thursday - July 8 through Sunday - July 11, 2010.
French Citroën driver
Sébastien Loeb earned yet another win at the rally.
The following title links, along with a small portion of each post, are from
WRC.com. Skimming over the items below should serve as a fairly good review of the main WRC category of the event. Click on each of the links to read the full entries, and get all the interesting details.
Petter fastest in Rally Bulgaria ShakedownPosted at
WRC.com on July 8, 2010
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg got his partnership with new co-driver Chris Patterson off to a perfect start earlier today by setting the fastest time at the pre-event shakedown for Rally Bulgaria.
The four hour test - a prelude to this weekend's rally - took place on a 2.65km asphalt road from Momin Prohod to Gorna Vassiitsa Village, 9km from the main Service Park in Dolna Banya...
Patterson could guide me to the podium, says SolbergPosted at
WRC.com on July 8, 2010
Petter Solberg is targeting a podium finish on this week’s Rally Bulgaria - despite admitting his new co-driver Chris Patterson couldn’t have had a more difficult event to make his debut.
Solberg reported a positive two-day test ahead of the seventh round of this year’s World Rally Championship, which starts in Borovets on Friday, and then set the fastest time at this morning’s shakedown stage. Patterson replaces Phil Mills, Solberg’s former co-driver...
Rally Bulgaria stage guides - FridayPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
After Thursday evening's ceremonial start in Samokov, the opening days' competition is based south-east of the Dolna Banya Service Park, around the Batak and Belmeken Lakes.
After leaving the Service Park from 0900hrs, crews will tackle a loop of just two stages before returning to Dolna Banya for a 30-minute service...
SS1: Loeb leads after the opening stage in BulgariaPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Defending World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb moved into an early lead of Rally Bulgaria this morning after setting the fastest time on the opening stage.
The Citroen C4 WRC driver declared himself happy with his car and his driving after completing the 31.77km Batak Lake SS1 - the longest stage of the rally...
SS2: Loeb quickest again, Ogier up to secondPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Frenchman Sebastien Loeb was the fastest man through stage two in Bulgaria, extending his rally lead to 16 seconds after the opening 59 kilometres of the rally...
Midday wrap: Loeb on top on Rally BulgariaPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Sebastien Loeb has made the perfect start to Rally Bulgaria by going fastest on the opening two stages of the World Rally Championship event...
SS3: Junction overshoot costs Ogier second placePosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Citroen Junior Team driver Sebastien Ogier dropped from second to seventh place on the third stage of Rally Bulgaria after missing a junction and getting his C4 WRC stuck for one minute...
SS4: Kimi Raikkonen crashes outPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Citroen Junior Team driver Kimi Raikkonen made a dramatic exit from the opening day of Rally Bulgaria, crashing his C4 World Rally Car out of fourth place on Friday's final stage...
WRC Friday wrap: Loeb enjoys the perfect dayPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Sebastien Loeb and his Citroen C4 WRC didn’t miss a beat through the first four stages of the inaugural World Rally Championship round in Bulgaria.
The Frenchman, who has won the last 15 pure asphalt rounds of the WRC, was peerless for every one of the opening day’s 118 competitive kilometres...
Team manager Q&APosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
1 - Questions to Olivier Quesnel, team director, Citroen Total World Rally Team:
It's been a great day for Citroen out there. You must be pleased?"I'm really pleased but on tarmac Seb has never been beaten since 2005...
WRC Rally Bulgaria 2010 - End Of Day One Podcast - FridayPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
Listen to the latest news from Rally Bulgaria.
Rally Bulgaria stage guides - SaturdayPosted at
WRC.com on July 9, 2010
The second day of competition on Rally Bulgaria is the longest of the event and is based in the same region as day one; around the Batak and Belmeken Lakes south-east of the Dolna Banya Service Park.
After leaving the Service Park from 0700hrs, crews will tackle a loop of three asphalt stages before returning to Dolna Banya for a 30-minute midday service...
SS5: Citroens shine in the wetPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
After a fine and dry opening day on Rally Bulgaria, day two got underway with an unpredictable mix of localised rain, dense fog and cool temperatures in the Rila Mountains where today's stages are based...
Ford team boss rues 'disastrous' tyre decisionPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson says the decision to send his drivers out on hard compound tyres this morning has ruined any chance they had of catching the leaders on Rally Bulgaria...
SS6: Sordo pips Loeb to stage winPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Dani Sordo ended Sebastien's perfect stage winning record in Bulgaria on SS6, completing the 18km Peshtera test 3.5 seconds faster than his Citroen team-mate - who now holds an overall lead of 30 seconds...
SS7 cancelled on safety groundsPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
...The last of Saturday morning's loop of stages - the 24km Lyubnitsa SS7 - has been cancelled on safety grounds because of large numbers of spectators trying to gain late access to the end of the stage...
Midday wrap: Loeb extends leadPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Sebastien Loeb turned in another perfect performance through Saturday morning’s stages - although the Rally Bulgaria leader was beaten for the first time since the start of the event as his Citroen Total team-mate Dani Sordo collected fastest time in SS6...
SS8: Petter makes a dash for secondPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Petter Solberg was the fastest driver through SS8 - the repeated 27km Sestrimo - to slash the time difference between himself and second placed Dani Sordo from 26.8sec to 13.1sec.
The Norwegian said he was 'back in the fight' after finding something wrong with his Citroen at the midday service...
SS9: Solberg edges closerPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg continued his stage winning form on SS9, narrowing the gap on Dani Sordo's second place to less than 10 seconds.
With no sign yet this afternoon of the forecast rain, Solberg's choice of hard compound tyres proved once again to be the best option for the bone dry asphalt...
SS10: Solberg fastest on Saturday's final stagePosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Petter Solberg sealed a successful afternoon in Bulgaria on SS10 with a third consecutive stage victory and the promise of an exciting battle with Dani Sordo for second place on Sunday...
WRC Saturday wrap: Loeb leads, but Solberg fastestPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Sebastien Loeb continues to lead Rally Bulgaria at the end of the second day, but all eyes were on another Citroen C4 WRC this afternoon as Norwegian Petter Solberg dominated the timesheets to win each of the three stages.
The Citroen Total World Rally Team had been warned of potential storms on the stages this afternoon and rather than risk being caught out on an unsuitable hard compound Pirelli tyre, the French squad elected to send Loeb out on soft rubber. In the end, the rain didn’t arrive...
WRC Rally Bulgaria 2010 - End Of Day Two Podcast - SaturdayPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Listen to the podcast from day two of Rally Bulgaria.
Rally Bulgaria stage guides - SundayPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Sunday is the shortest day of the rally and features just 94km of stages in the Rila Mountains north-east of the service park at Dolna Banya.
After leaving the overnight Parc Ferme from 0800hrs, crews will tackle a loop of two asphalt stages before a 30-minute midday service...
It’s game-on in the fight for second, says Petter's team bossPosted at
WRC.com on July 10, 2010
Petter Solberg's team manager Ken Rees has predicted an all-out attack from his driver on Sunday's opening two stages as he makes a final effort to wrestle second place from Dani Sordo...
SS11: Solberg fastest on Sunday's openerPosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Citroen privateer Petter Solberg was the fastest driver through Sunday's opening test in Rally Bulgaria, narrowing the gap on second-placed Dani Sordo to just 3.8 seconds with three stages of the rally to go.
Sordo was Solberg's closest rival through the 29.53km Muhovo test, with another Citroen C4 WRC driver, Sebastien Ogier, rounding off the top three times...
SS12: Stage win gives Sordo the upper handPosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
The fight for second place in Bulgaria swung back in Dani Sordo's favour on SS12, when a stage win for the Spaniard meant he extended his lead over Petter Solberg to more than six seconds...
Sordo holds firm in battle for second placePosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Dani Sordo might be keeping Petter Solberg at bay in their battle for second place on Rally Bulgaria but the Spaniard concedes he doesn’t know how he’ll ever manage to beat world champion Sebastien Loeb on asphalt.
Loeb, the rally leader after 12 stages to the tune of 33.4 seconds, hasn’t lost a pure Tarmac rally at his last 16 attempts and has shown no sign of letting that sequence come to an end with two stages of the Borovets-based event left to run...
SS13: Leaders clear the penultimate hurdlePosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
There were no upsets for the leading drivers on the penultimate stage of Rally Bulgaria, with overall leader Loeb taking a 29.4 second cushion into the final stage and the battle for second still raging between Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg...
BREAKING NEWS: Sebastien Loeb wins Rally Bulgaria!Posted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Citroen C4 WRC driver Sebastien Loeb sealed victory on Rally Bulgaria today, round seven of the 2010 World Rally Championship, to extend his lead in the FIA Drivers' standings and head a record breaking formation finish for the French manufacturer.
Loeb, the defending and six-time World Champion, led the rally from beginning to end and finished 29.5sec ahead of his team-mate Dani Sordo who was second in another C4 WRC...
Loeb and Citroen stretch the gap in BulgariaPosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Sebastien Loeb’s championship lead is now up to 51 points over Sebastien Ogier, after the six-time World Champion cruised to victory with what he called “a Sunday drive” on the final day of Rally Bulgaria.
Citroen now has a 47-point lead over Ford in the manufacturers’ standings with six rounds remaining...
Rally Bulgaria podium winners Q&APosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Questions to Sebastien Loeb:
It’s the first asphalt rally of the season and you have led from start to finish - a great start to the second half of the season!"Yes, it was nearly a perfect rally for me. We made a great start on the first day and we were able to make a difference...
WRC Rally Bulgaria 2010 - End Of Day Three Podcast - SundayPosted at
WRC.com on July 11, 2010
Listen to the round-up of day three from Bulgaria.
07 Rally Bulgaria 2010Highlights posted at
WRCNorthAmerica YouTube channel July 12, 2010
