2005 Cyprus Rally *** Spoilers ***
2005 Cyprus Rally, Round 6 of 16, May 12 - 15 2005
In this issue:
- Rally Preview
- Event Statistics
- Event Timetable
- Championship Standings
__________________________________________________________________
Cyprus Rally Preview
One week after the conclusion of Rally Italia Sardinia, the 2005 FIA World
Rally Championship returns to the Mediterranean for round six of the
16-event series, the Cyprus Rally. Beginning on Thursday 12 May with a
ceremonial start in the host town of Limassol, the gruelling three-day event
will be the first of a trio of hot, gravel rallies scheduled for May and
June.
As the slowest, hottest and roughest event of the year, the Cyprus Rally is
an endurance test for cars, tyres and drivers alike. Based largely on
rock-strewn tracks high in the Troodos Mountains, the event's stages are
among the narrowest and twistiest in the Championship. Rocky hairpin bends,
thick dust and rutted roads combine to make driving conditions difficult,
while scorching temperatures of more than 30°C test drivers' stamina and
physical fitness.
The twisty conditions mean cars are expected to record average speeds of
just 66kph, barely half those recorded on smooth gravel events like Rally
Finland. Low speeds mean reduced airflow to cool the engine and
transmission, while suspension and tyres will take a hammering on the rocky
roads.
The special stages are identical to 2004, with much of the competitive
distance based in the Troodos Mountains, north of the rally base in
Limassol. All the action is centred around a new service park at the Palais
des Sports on the northern edge of the city. After a ceremonial start in
Limassol at 20.30 on Thursday, each of the three legs comprises two
identical loops of three stages. The opening leg is the longest, covering a
compact route in the very north of the Troodos, close to the Turkish border.
The middle day is based further south, close to Mt Olympus and west towards
the resort of Paphos. The final leg is the shortest, covering tests
north-east of Limassol in the hilly and forested Machairas area. Drivers
face 326.68km in a route of 1063.92km.
Citroen
Hopping from one island to another, Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena, François
Duval/Stéphane Prévot and their respective Xsara WRCs travel to the
legendary birthplace of Aphrodite for Round 6 of the FIA World Rally
Championship. A week before Rally Italia Sardinia, Citroën travelled to
Greece for a four-day test aimed not only at preparing for Cyprus, but also
for the Acropolis Rally and Turkey. With Sébastien Loeb and François Duval
taking turns at the wheel, the programme focused on fine-tuning the car's
basic rough rally set-up as well as testing the latest rubber from Michelin
which enabled the drivers to finalise their respective quotas of 65 tyres.
In 2003, Sébastien Loeb, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz demonstrated the Xsara
WRC's remarkable reliability by finishing in close formation in 3rd, 4th and
5th positions. Last year saw the cars of Seb and Carlos combine reliability
and performance and the French squad hopes that this will once again be the
case this time round.
Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: "In Cyprus, being first on the road isn't
easy. It can even be a big handicap on Friday's opening loop. The stages are
the same as 2004 and I hope they don't cut up too much. Last year we had the
impression that they were just as we had left them after two runs in 2003!
As I have said before, the fact that I will serve as 'road sweeper' on the
Friday implies that I am leading the championship. For that reason, I would
be happy to start every event first on the road…"
Francois Duval / Stephane Prevot: "A podium would be nice! In Sardinia, I
made a costly mistake when I turned in a little late on a crest and stupidly
lost points. I have got to stay on the road and finish. Given how
competitive our car is at the moment, I should be able to keep up with the
top three. And with a little luck, I could finish on the podium…"
Subaru
Subaru will take two cars to Cyprus. The two crews of Petter Solberg / Phil
Mills and Chris Atkinson / Glenn Macneall will be driving the latest
evolution of the Subaru Impreza, the WRC2005. This will be the fourth time
Petter Solberg has contested the event. As a driver who relishes technical
and twisty gravel stages, Petter is hoping for a repeat of the form that
helped him win the event by more than four minutes in 2003. In the second
Subaru, Australian Chris Atkinson has not contested the event before. The
Subaru rookie will be aiming to gain experience of the rally's difficult
stages, while demonstrating a good pace in his Impreza.
Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: "I'm going to go to Cyprus with a different
approach; of course we're going to try to win, but we know how difficult it
is to do that these days. I'm going to start calm, see where the level is
and then go for maximum attack on Saturday. From what I've heard, I think
the rally is going to be very rough this year, it depends on how much
they've worked on the roads. It's always a hard rally, very rough and bumpy
with lots of loose rocks, but it's a rally that I like. We completed a tyre
test this week, there was some improvement, but we'll have to wait and see
how it works on the rally. You never know properly before you are fighting
against the other guys."
Chris Atkinson/Glen Macneall: "Italy was good preparation for Cyprus I
think. In Cyprus, we're expecting slightly higher temperatures and slower
conditions, which will mean less airflow and higher in-car temperatures. We
hope to avoid a repeat of the small incidents we had in Sardinia but
continue with the same speeds. It's going to be very rough and I've heard
that the stages haven't been repaired from last year, so they're likely to
become rutted straight away. With average speeds below 60kph on some stages,
it's important to quickly get into a good driving rhythm and avoid losing a
lot of time through the long stages. I've been watching video footage of
last year's route to familiarise myself with the conditions and am looking
to gain as much experience as possible."
Ford
Ford aims to create history on the Cyprus Rally (12 - 15 May) by extending
its remarkable points scoring record in the FIA World Rally Championship to
50 consecutive events. Since the championship was officially launched in
1973, there have been 410 world rallies and no other manufacturer has
composed a run of successive points scores that exceeds 35 events. The
record-breaking sequence began on the Monte Carlo Rally in 2002. BP-Ford
World Rally Team drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen and team-mates
Roman Kresta and Jan Možný carried the run to 49 when both scored
points in Italy earlier this month. All 49 points finishes have been scored
by the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. Gardemeister and Kresta are the two
drivers with the task of taking Ford to its half century. The Cyprus Rally,
round six of the championship, is the first of three consecutive hot
weather, rough road events in the eastern Mediterranean. The Focus RS has
built an awesome reputation on events where rocky gravel tracks and high
temperatures require a crucial blend of strength, reliability and speed to
be successful. It has won in Cyprus twice in the rally's five years in the
championship.
Toni Gardemeister/Jakke Honkanen: "Cyprus is twisty, slow and rough and it's
not one of my favourite events. It's important to drive straight and avoid
breaking the car because there are many stones on the road that can inflict
heavy damage. It's difficult to keep a smooth rhythm because the speeds are
so low and there is always the temptation to push harder. The roads are
quite flowing but if a driver pushes too hard then the car slides off line,
it loses momentum and risks picking up punctures. "Cyprus is hard on tyres.
The roads are abrasive and there is so much acceleration out of corners that
there is always the danger of excessive wheelspin. It's necessary to look
after the tyres to ensure they are still working to the maximum towards the
end of a group of stages. It's also important for an engine to have good
torque to make the most from the constant acceleration," added
Gardemeister.
Roman Kresta/Jan Mozny: "I have in-car video footage from that year and some
of the stages are exactly the same as this year. Before I go out there I
will watch the video and get my mind focused on the type of roads that we
will experience," he said. "The roads are rough and twisty and in places
they are similar to the kind of stages we have just driven in Sardinia. It
will be important to keep a smooth line because there are plenty of stones
on the edge of the road. A good car for Cyprus needs good throttle
response, good torque, good suspension and good tyres. The roads are hard
on tyres but I think Michelin proved on the toughest stages in Sardinia that
it has the rubber which will be good for Cyprus. It's a tough rally for
drivers as well because the high temperatures mean it's hot in the car and
the low speeds provide little air flow through the cockpit. "The Focus is
also well-suited to this kind of rally. It's easy to drive on the slower
sections and you don't need an aggressive style, so there is not the risk of
pushing too hard and losing the line and time," he added.
Peugeot
Less than a fortnight after Sardinia, it will be the turn of another
Mediterranean island – Cyprus – to host a round of the World Rally
Championship. Peugeot, who won this event in 2002, will be out to
consolidate its lead in the Manufacturers' points table, while the 307 WRC
drivers Marcus Grönholm and Markko Märtin will be looking to hit the ground
running. Marcus Grönholm has finished this event on one occasion when he won
it outright in 2002. The two-times World Champion prefers high-speed rallies
such as New Zealand and Finland, but he has shown that he understands the
secret of being quick in Cyprus. After the frustration of being eliminated
from the battle for top spot in Sardinia, he will be more determined than
ever to return from this year's visit to the Troodos Mountains with a top
result under his belt. Markko Märtin is another driver who prefers fast,
flowing corners to rough, twisty going. However, his 2nd place in Limassol
in 2004 showed that he too has the ability to adapt to all types of terrain.
The patience and consistency that have been his strong points since the
beginning of the season promise once again to be valuable assets in the
three events to come.
Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: Apologies, not available.
Markko Martin/Michael Park: Apologies, not available.
Mitsubishi
Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen will once again be leading the team
assault on this rough and demanding event, while Gilles and Hervé Panizzi
return to competitive action for the first time since Rally México in early
March. "Gigi" Galli and Guido D’Amore will also be on the island with the
team, gaining important knowledge by undertaking the recce. Harri Rovanperä
and Risto Pietiläinen have contested the event on four occasions and the
pair has a good finishing record. They did not compete when the event first
appeared in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2000 and were
forced out with broken suspension the following year, but in 2002 they
narrowly missed out on a podium position, finishing fourth. In 2003 however,
they mounted the podium in second, demonstrating their ability to conquer
the conditions. Team-mates Gilles and Hervé Panizzi have fared less well in
Cyprus, three retirements from four outings underlining the grueling nature
of this event. The French rallying brothers are however looking forward to
getting back behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05.
Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietiläinen: "Cyprus has very twisty mountain roads
and it’s a very rough, bumpy and difficult rally", commented Harri. "For
sure we can see that our current set-up for rough events is working well,
having set some good times in Sardinia, and I am quite confident the small
changes we will make for Cyprus will work well; we had a long test a few
weeks ago and our work focused on this event. We know the car is strong and
hopefully we can perform in the same way as Sardinia. It’s not one of my
favorite events; it’s so hot, twisty and rough - a Mitsubishi Pajero is more
suited to this event than a rally car!"
Gilles Panizzi/Hervé Panizzi: "For sure this is maybe not my best event for
results, as we have had many punctures and engine problems in previous
years", said Gilles "I cannot say it is one of my favorites, because it is
really rough and hard on the car, tires and driver. But the team seems to be
making good progress at the moment, especially after seeing the performance
in Sardinia. Our last test was also good so I am happy about the job at the
moment. Since the team got back from Italy I have spent a few days in Rugby,
learning some things around the car and about how to change certain
components; this work could prove very important ahead of an event like
Cyprus where nearly everyone experiences problems".
Skoda
The Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team travels a short distance to holiday
island at the eastern end of the Mediterranean for the sixth round of the
World Rally Championship. The Cyprus Rally (May 12-15) will see the Fabia
WRC 05 driven by Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha and Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula.
The recent Sardinia event showed that the Fabia WRC 05 is well suited to the
kind of rough and rocky roads that it will face in Cyprus. The weather could
play a significant part in the eventual result of the rally as, while Cyprus
typically enjoys very hot and sunny conditions for the rally, few
competitors will forget the treacherous roads they faced when the 2002 event
was run amid heavy rainstorms. The Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team missed
last year’s rally and so this will be the debut on the island for the Fabia
WRC where its predecessor, the Octavia WRC, made its final appearance in
2003.
Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula: "Like Sardinia this is a technical event where
you have to be a little bit smart and clever. If you try to go flat out you
will have problems."
Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha: "Cyprus is famous for its tight and twisty stages
that are renowned for being tough on both car and driver. It’s always a
difficult rally but it is a lovely place to be if it’s sunny although the
weather in the mountains can sometimes be very different from what it is on
the coast."
__________________________________________________________________
Event Statistics
- The Cyprus Rally was called in to replace the Rally of China in the 2000
WRC calendar. The 34th running of the event is therefore the 6th as a WRC
qualifier.
- Cyprus has been on local summer time (GMT+3) since March 27th. It is
therefore necessary to subtract one hour from the times listed below to
obtain continental European time (GMT+2).
- The Cyprus Rally is based in Lemesos (Limassol), the island's main port
and second biggest town. Its stages twist across the slopes of the Troodos
Mountains.
- The total length of the 2005 event is 1,063.92 km, including 326.68 km
divided into 18 stages (9 different).
- This year's format of two loops of three stages each day is identical to
that of 2004 and the same stages figure on the programme in the same order.
- Recce is scheduled for Tuesday May 10th (14:30 until 19:00) and Wednesday
May 11th (07:00 until 16:00).
- The shakedown stage is near Palodeia, 6 km from the event's single
service park.
- The new service park is located by the brand new sports complex in the
northern outskirts of Lemesos where the Rally HQ and press office will also
be based.
- The start ceremony (Thursday May 12th, 20:30) and finish ceremony (Sunday
May 15th, 15:17) will, as in previous years, take place on the seafront in
Lemesos.
- Tyres: two types of pattern are authorised. On May 4th, the teams
communicated the 65 barcode references corresponding to their drivers'
individual choices. In the course of the rally, drivers may use 40 tyres
from their quota.
- Leg 1 (Friday May 13th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 373.44 km, including 121.78 km
divided into two loops of three stages. Rally starts from the Lemesos
service park at 08:30. SS1 (Lagoudera-Spilia, 38.32 km), SS2
(Kourdali-Asinou, 15 km), SS3 (Asinou-Agios Theodoros, 7.57 km). Regroup,
Lemesos (12:39, 20 minutes). Service A (12:59, 30 minutes). SS4
(Lagoudera-Spilia 2), SS5 (Kourdali-Asinou 2), SS6 (Asinou-Agios Theodoros
2). Service B (flexi-service, 17:38, 45 minutes). Cars enter parc ferme in
Lemesos before 21:00.
- Leg 2 (Saturday May 14th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 371.22 km, including 109.56
km divided into two loops of three stages. Start from Lemesos at
07:45.Service C (07:45, 10 minutes). SS7 (Platres-Saittas, 11.12 km), SS8
(Foini-Koilina, 30.33 km), SS9 (Galatareia-Pentalia, 13.33 km). Regroup,
Lemesos (12:09, 20 minutes). Service D (12:29, 30 minutes). SS10
(Platres-Saittas 2), SS11 (Foini-Koilina 2), SS12 (Galatareia-Pentalia 2).
Service E (flexi-service, 17:13, 45 minutes). Cars enter parc ferme in
Lemesos before 20:15.
- Leg 3 (Sunday May 15th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 319.26 km, including 95.34 km
divided into two loops of three stages. Starts from Lemesos at 06:00.
Service F (06:00, 10 minutes). SS13 (Vavatsinia-Mandra Kambiou, 25.24 km),
SS14 (Machairas-Agio Vavatsinias, 12.94 km), SS15 (Kellaki-Foinikaria, 9.49
km). Regroup, Lemesos (09:54, 20 minutes). Service G (10:14, 30 minutes).
SS16 (Vavatsinia-Mandra Kambiou 2), SS17 (Machairas-Agio Vavatsinias 2),
SS18 (Kellaki-Foinikaria 2). Service H (14:31, 20 minutes). Rally finish in
Lemesos from 15:17.
__________________________________________________________________
Event Timetable
Thursday 12 May: Ceremonial Start
Start Limassol Promenade 20.30
Friday 13 May: Leg 1 Limassol - Limassol
Start Limassol 08.30
SS1 Lagoudera - Spilia 38.32km 09.38
SS2 Kourdali - Asinou 15.00km 10.46
SS3 Asinou - Agios Theodoros 7.57km 11.24
Serv A Limassol (30 mins) 12.59
SS4 Lagoudera - Spilia 38.32km 14.37
SS5 Kourdali - Asinou 15.00km 15.45
SS6 Asinou - Agios Theodoros 7.57km 16.23
Serv B Limassol (flexi 45 mins) 17.38
Finish Limassol 18.23
Total 121.78km
Saturday 14 May: Leg 2 Limassol - Limassol
Serv C Limassol (10 mins) 07.45
SS7 Platres - Saittas 11.12km 08.48
SS8 Foini - Koilinia 30.33km 09.31
SS9 Galatareia - Pentalia 13.33km 10.29
Serv D Limassol (30 mins) 12.29
SS10 Platres - Saittas 11.12km 13.52
SS11 Foini - Koilinia 30.33km 14.35
SS12 Galatareia - Pentalia 13.33km 15.33
Serv E Limassol (flexi 45 mins) 17.13
Finish Limassol 17.58
Total 109.56km
Sunday 15 May: Leg 3 Limassol - Limassol
Serv F Limassol (10 mins) 06.00
SS13 Vavatsinia - Mandra Kambiou 25.24km 07.18
SS14 Machairas - Agioi Vavatsinias 12.94km 08.16
SS15 Kellaki - Foinikaria 9.49km 09.04
Serv G Limassol (30 mins) 10.14
SS16 Vavatsinia - Mandra Kambiou 25.24km 11.52
SS17 Machairas - Agioi Vavatsinias 12.94km 12.50
SS18 Kellaki - Foinikaria 9.49km 13.38
Serv H Limassol (20 mins) 14.31
Finish Limassol Promenade 15.17
Total 95.34km
Rally Total 326.68km
__________________________________________________________________
Championship Standings:
Drivers:
1 Sébastien Loeb 35
2 Petter Solberg 34
3 Markko Märtin 28
4 Marcus Grönholm 26
5 Toni Gardemeister 24
6 Harri Rovanperä 11
7 Gilles Panizzi 7
8 Francios Duval 5
Manufacturers:
1 Peugeot 54
2 Citröen 42
3 Subaru 36
4 Ford 33
5 Mitsubishi 24
6 Skoda 5
2005 Cyprus Rally, Round 6 of 16, May 12 - 15 2005
In this issue:
- Rally Preview
- Event Statistics
- Event Timetable
- Championship Standings
__________________________________________________________________
Cyprus Rally Preview
One week after the conclusion of Rally Italia Sardinia, the 2005 FIA World
Rally Championship returns to the Mediterranean for round six of the
16-event series, the Cyprus Rally. Beginning on Thursday 12 May with a
ceremonial start in the host town of Limassol, the gruelling three-day event
will be the first of a trio of hot, gravel rallies scheduled for May and
June.
As the slowest, hottest and roughest event of the year, the Cyprus Rally is
an endurance test for cars, tyres and drivers alike. Based largely on
rock-strewn tracks high in the Troodos Mountains, the event's stages are
among the narrowest and twistiest in the Championship. Rocky hairpin bends,
thick dust and rutted roads combine to make driving conditions difficult,
while scorching temperatures of more than 30°C test drivers' stamina and
physical fitness.
The twisty conditions mean cars are expected to record average speeds of
just 66kph, barely half those recorded on smooth gravel events like Rally
Finland. Low speeds mean reduced airflow to cool the engine and
transmission, while suspension and tyres will take a hammering on the rocky
roads.
The special stages are identical to 2004, with much of the competitive
distance based in the Troodos Mountains, north of the rally base in
Limassol. All the action is centred around a new service park at the Palais
des Sports on the northern edge of the city. After a ceremonial start in
Limassol at 20.30 on Thursday, each of the three legs comprises two
identical loops of three stages. The opening leg is the longest, covering a
compact route in the very north of the Troodos, close to the Turkish border.
The middle day is based further south, close to Mt Olympus and west towards
the resort of Paphos. The final leg is the shortest, covering tests
north-east of Limassol in the hilly and forested Machairas area. Drivers
face 326.68km in a route of 1063.92km.
Citroen
Hopping from one island to another, Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena, François
Duval/Stéphane Prévot and their respective Xsara WRCs travel to the
legendary birthplace of Aphrodite for Round 6 of the FIA World Rally
Championship. A week before Rally Italia Sardinia, Citroën travelled to
Greece for a four-day test aimed not only at preparing for Cyprus, but also
for the Acropolis Rally and Turkey. With Sébastien Loeb and François Duval
taking turns at the wheel, the programme focused on fine-tuning the car's
basic rough rally set-up as well as testing the latest rubber from Michelin
which enabled the drivers to finalise their respective quotas of 65 tyres.
In 2003, Sébastien Loeb, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz demonstrated the Xsara
WRC's remarkable reliability by finishing in close formation in 3rd, 4th and
5th positions. Last year saw the cars of Seb and Carlos combine reliability
and performance and the French squad hopes that this will once again be the
case this time round.
Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena: "In Cyprus, being first on the road isn't
easy. It can even be a big handicap on Friday's opening loop. The stages are
the same as 2004 and I hope they don't cut up too much. Last year we had the
impression that they were just as we had left them after two runs in 2003!
As I have said before, the fact that I will serve as 'road sweeper' on the
Friday implies that I am leading the championship. For that reason, I would
be happy to start every event first on the road…"
Francois Duval / Stephane Prevot: "A podium would be nice! In Sardinia, I
made a costly mistake when I turned in a little late on a crest and stupidly
lost points. I have got to stay on the road and finish. Given how
competitive our car is at the moment, I should be able to keep up with the
top three. And with a little luck, I could finish on the podium…"
Subaru
Subaru will take two cars to Cyprus. The two crews of Petter Solberg / Phil
Mills and Chris Atkinson / Glenn Macneall will be driving the latest
evolution of the Subaru Impreza, the WRC2005. This will be the fourth time
Petter Solberg has contested the event. As a driver who relishes technical
and twisty gravel stages, Petter is hoping for a repeat of the form that
helped him win the event by more than four minutes in 2003. In the second
Subaru, Australian Chris Atkinson has not contested the event before. The
Subaru rookie will be aiming to gain experience of the rally's difficult
stages, while demonstrating a good pace in his Impreza.
Petter Solberg / Phil Mills: "I'm going to go to Cyprus with a different
approach; of course we're going to try to win, but we know how difficult it
is to do that these days. I'm going to start calm, see where the level is
and then go for maximum attack on Saturday. From what I've heard, I think
the rally is going to be very rough this year, it depends on how much
they've worked on the roads. It's always a hard rally, very rough and bumpy
with lots of loose rocks, but it's a rally that I like. We completed a tyre
test this week, there was some improvement, but we'll have to wait and see
how it works on the rally. You never know properly before you are fighting
against the other guys."
Chris Atkinson/Glen Macneall: "Italy was good preparation for Cyprus I
think. In Cyprus, we're expecting slightly higher temperatures and slower
conditions, which will mean less airflow and higher in-car temperatures. We
hope to avoid a repeat of the small incidents we had in Sardinia but
continue with the same speeds. It's going to be very rough and I've heard
that the stages haven't been repaired from last year, so they're likely to
become rutted straight away. With average speeds below 60kph on some stages,
it's important to quickly get into a good driving rhythm and avoid losing a
lot of time through the long stages. I've been watching video footage of
last year's route to familiarise myself with the conditions and am looking
to gain as much experience as possible."
Ford
Ford aims to create history on the Cyprus Rally (12 - 15 May) by extending
its remarkable points scoring record in the FIA World Rally Championship to
50 consecutive events. Since the championship was officially launched in
1973, there have been 410 world rallies and no other manufacturer has
composed a run of successive points scores that exceeds 35 events. The
record-breaking sequence began on the Monte Carlo Rally in 2002. BP-Ford
World Rally Team drivers Toni Gardemeister and Jakke Honkanen and team-mates
Roman Kresta and Jan Možný carried the run to 49 when both scored
points in Italy earlier this month. All 49 points finishes have been scored
by the Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. Gardemeister and Kresta are the two
drivers with the task of taking Ford to its half century. The Cyprus Rally,
round six of the championship, is the first of three consecutive hot
weather, rough road events in the eastern Mediterranean. The Focus RS has
built an awesome reputation on events where rocky gravel tracks and high
temperatures require a crucial blend of strength, reliability and speed to
be successful. It has won in Cyprus twice in the rally's five years in the
championship.
Toni Gardemeister/Jakke Honkanen: "Cyprus is twisty, slow and rough and it's
not one of my favourite events. It's important to drive straight and avoid
breaking the car because there are many stones on the road that can inflict
heavy damage. It's difficult to keep a smooth rhythm because the speeds are
so low and there is always the temptation to push harder. The roads are
quite flowing but if a driver pushes too hard then the car slides off line,
it loses momentum and risks picking up punctures. "Cyprus is hard on tyres.
The roads are abrasive and there is so much acceleration out of corners that
there is always the danger of excessive wheelspin. It's necessary to look
after the tyres to ensure they are still working to the maximum towards the
end of a group of stages. It's also important for an engine to have good
torque to make the most from the constant acceleration," added
Gardemeister.
Roman Kresta/Jan Mozny: "I have in-car video footage from that year and some
of the stages are exactly the same as this year. Before I go out there I
will watch the video and get my mind focused on the type of roads that we
will experience," he said. "The roads are rough and twisty and in places
they are similar to the kind of stages we have just driven in Sardinia. It
will be important to keep a smooth line because there are plenty of stones
on the edge of the road. A good car for Cyprus needs good throttle
response, good torque, good suspension and good tyres. The roads are hard
on tyres but I think Michelin proved on the toughest stages in Sardinia that
it has the rubber which will be good for Cyprus. It's a tough rally for
drivers as well because the high temperatures mean it's hot in the car and
the low speeds provide little air flow through the cockpit. "The Focus is
also well-suited to this kind of rally. It's easy to drive on the slower
sections and you don't need an aggressive style, so there is not the risk of
pushing too hard and losing the line and time," he added.
Peugeot
Less than a fortnight after Sardinia, it will be the turn of another
Mediterranean island – Cyprus – to host a round of the World Rally
Championship. Peugeot, who won this event in 2002, will be out to
consolidate its lead in the Manufacturers' points table, while the 307 WRC
drivers Marcus Grönholm and Markko Märtin will be looking to hit the ground
running. Marcus Grönholm has finished this event on one occasion when he won
it outright in 2002. The two-times World Champion prefers high-speed rallies
such as New Zealand and Finland, but he has shown that he understands the
secret of being quick in Cyprus. After the frustration of being eliminated
from the battle for top spot in Sardinia, he will be more determined than
ever to return from this year's visit to the Troodos Mountains with a top
result under his belt. Markko Märtin is another driver who prefers fast,
flowing corners to rough, twisty going. However, his 2nd place in Limassol
in 2004 showed that he too has the ability to adapt to all types of terrain.
The patience and consistency that have been his strong points since the
beginning of the season promise once again to be valuable assets in the
three events to come.
Marcus Gronhölm / Timo Rautiainen: Apologies, not available.
Markko Martin/Michael Park: Apologies, not available.
Mitsubishi
Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen will once again be leading the team
assault on this rough and demanding event, while Gilles and Hervé Panizzi
return to competitive action for the first time since Rally México in early
March. "Gigi" Galli and Guido D’Amore will also be on the island with the
team, gaining important knowledge by undertaking the recce. Harri Rovanperä
and Risto Pietiläinen have contested the event on four occasions and the
pair has a good finishing record. They did not compete when the event first
appeared in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2000 and were
forced out with broken suspension the following year, but in 2002 they
narrowly missed out on a podium position, finishing fourth. In 2003 however,
they mounted the podium in second, demonstrating their ability to conquer
the conditions. Team-mates Gilles and Hervé Panizzi have fared less well in
Cyprus, three retirements from four outings underlining the grueling nature
of this event. The French rallying brothers are however looking forward to
getting back behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05.
Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietiläinen: "Cyprus has very twisty mountain roads
and it’s a very rough, bumpy and difficult rally", commented Harri. "For
sure we can see that our current set-up for rough events is working well,
having set some good times in Sardinia, and I am quite confident the small
changes we will make for Cyprus will work well; we had a long test a few
weeks ago and our work focused on this event. We know the car is strong and
hopefully we can perform in the same way as Sardinia. It’s not one of my
favorite events; it’s so hot, twisty and rough - a Mitsubishi Pajero is more
suited to this event than a rally car!"
Gilles Panizzi/Hervé Panizzi: "For sure this is maybe not my best event for
results, as we have had many punctures and engine problems in previous
years", said Gilles "I cannot say it is one of my favorites, because it is
really rough and hard on the car, tires and driver. But the team seems to be
making good progress at the moment, especially after seeing the performance
in Sardinia. Our last test was also good so I am happy about the job at the
moment. Since the team got back from Italy I have spent a few days in Rugby,
learning some things around the car and about how to change certain
components; this work could prove very important ahead of an event like
Cyprus where nearly everyone experiences problems".
Skoda
The Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team travels a short distance to holiday
island at the eastern end of the Mediterranean for the sixth round of the
World Rally Championship. The Cyprus Rally (May 12-15) will see the Fabia
WRC 05 driven by Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha and Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula.
The recent Sardinia event showed that the Fabia WRC 05 is well suited to the
kind of rough and rocky roads that it will face in Cyprus. The weather could
play a significant part in the eventual result of the rally as, while Cyprus
typically enjoys very hot and sunny conditions for the rally, few
competitors will forget the treacherous roads they faced when the 2002 event
was run amid heavy rainstorms. The Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team missed
last year’s rally and so this will be the debut on the island for the Fabia
WRC where its predecessor, the Octavia WRC, made its final appearance in
2003.
Janne Tuohino/Mikko Markkula: "Like Sardinia this is a technical event where
you have to be a little bit smart and clever. If you try to go flat out you
will have problems."
Armin Schwarz/Klaus Wicha: "Cyprus is famous for its tight and twisty stages
that are renowned for being tough on both car and driver. It’s always a
difficult rally but it is a lovely place to be if it’s sunny although the
weather in the mountains can sometimes be very different from what it is on
the coast."
__________________________________________________________________
Event Statistics
- The Cyprus Rally was called in to replace the Rally of China in the 2000
WRC calendar. The 34th running of the event is therefore the 6th as a WRC
qualifier.
- Cyprus has been on local summer time (GMT+3) since March 27th. It is
therefore necessary to subtract one hour from the times listed below to
obtain continental European time (GMT+2).
- The Cyprus Rally is based in Lemesos (Limassol), the island's main port
and second biggest town. Its stages twist across the slopes of the Troodos
Mountains.
- The total length of the 2005 event is 1,063.92 km, including 326.68 km
divided into 18 stages (9 different).
- This year's format of two loops of three stages each day is identical to
that of 2004 and the same stages figure on the programme in the same order.
- Recce is scheduled for Tuesday May 10th (14:30 until 19:00) and Wednesday
May 11th (07:00 until 16:00).
- The shakedown stage is near Palodeia, 6 km from the event's single
service park.
- The new service park is located by the brand new sports complex in the
northern outskirts of Lemesos where the Rally HQ and press office will also
be based.
- The start ceremony (Thursday May 12th, 20:30) and finish ceremony (Sunday
May 15th, 15:17) will, as in previous years, take place on the seafront in
Lemesos.
- Tyres: two types of pattern are authorised. On May 4th, the teams
communicated the 65 barcode references corresponding to their drivers'
individual choices. In the course of the rally, drivers may use 40 tyres
from their quota.
- Leg 1 (Friday May 13th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 373.44 km, including 121.78 km
divided into two loops of three stages. Rally starts from the Lemesos
service park at 08:30. SS1 (Lagoudera-Spilia, 38.32 km), SS2
(Kourdali-Asinou, 15 km), SS3 (Asinou-Agios Theodoros, 7.57 km). Regroup,
Lemesos (12:39, 20 minutes). Service A (12:59, 30 minutes). SS4
(Lagoudera-Spilia 2), SS5 (Kourdali-Asinou 2), SS6 (Asinou-Agios Theodoros
2). Service B (flexi-service, 17:38, 45 minutes). Cars enter parc ferme in
Lemesos before 21:00.
- Leg 2 (Saturday May 14th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 371.22 km, including 109.56
km divided into two loops of three stages. Start from Lemesos at
07:45.Service C (07:45, 10 minutes). SS7 (Platres-Saittas, 11.12 km), SS8
(Foini-Koilina, 30.33 km), SS9 (Galatareia-Pentalia, 13.33 km). Regroup,
Lemesos (12:09, 20 minutes). Service D (12:29, 30 minutes). SS10
(Platres-Saittas 2), SS11 (Foini-Koilina 2), SS12 (Galatareia-Pentalia 2).
Service E (flexi-service, 17:13, 45 minutes). Cars enter parc ferme in
Lemesos before 20:15.
- Leg 3 (Sunday May 15th, Lemesos-Lemesos): 319.26 km, including 95.34 km
divided into two loops of three stages. Starts from Lemesos at 06:00.
Service F (06:00, 10 minutes). SS13 (Vavatsinia-Mandra Kambiou, 25.24 km),
SS14 (Machairas-Agio Vavatsinias, 12.94 km), SS15 (Kellaki-Foinikaria, 9.49
km). Regroup, Lemesos (09:54, 20 minutes). Service G (10:14, 30 minutes).
SS16 (Vavatsinia-Mandra Kambiou 2), SS17 (Machairas-Agio Vavatsinias 2),
SS18 (Kellaki-Foinikaria 2). Service H (14:31, 20 minutes). Rally finish in
Lemesos from 15:17.
__________________________________________________________________
Event Timetable
Thursday 12 May: Ceremonial Start
Start Limassol Promenade 20.30
Friday 13 May: Leg 1 Limassol - Limassol
Start Limassol 08.30
SS1 Lagoudera - Spilia 38.32km 09.38
SS2 Kourdali - Asinou 15.00km 10.46
SS3 Asinou - Agios Theodoros 7.57km 11.24
Serv A Limassol (30 mins) 12.59
SS4 Lagoudera - Spilia 38.32km 14.37
SS5 Kourdali - Asinou 15.00km 15.45
SS6 Asinou - Agios Theodoros 7.57km 16.23
Serv B Limassol (flexi 45 mins) 17.38
Finish Limassol 18.23
Total 121.78km
Saturday 14 May: Leg 2 Limassol - Limassol
Serv C Limassol (10 mins) 07.45
SS7 Platres - Saittas 11.12km 08.48
SS8 Foini - Koilinia 30.33km 09.31
SS9 Galatareia - Pentalia 13.33km 10.29
Serv D Limassol (30 mins) 12.29
SS10 Platres - Saittas 11.12km 13.52
SS11 Foini - Koilinia 30.33km 14.35
SS12 Galatareia - Pentalia 13.33km 15.33
Serv E Limassol (flexi 45 mins) 17.13
Finish Limassol 17.58
Total 109.56km
Sunday 15 May: Leg 3 Limassol - Limassol
Serv F Limassol (10 mins) 06.00
SS13 Vavatsinia - Mandra Kambiou 25.24km 07.18
SS14 Machairas - Agioi Vavatsinias 12.94km 08.16
SS15 Kellaki - Foinikaria 9.49km 09.04
Serv G Limassol (30 mins) 10.14
SS16 Vavatsinia - Mandra Kambiou 25.24km 11.52
SS17 Machairas - Agioi Vavatsinias 12.94km 12.50
SS18 Kellaki - Foinikaria 9.49km 13.38
Serv H Limassol (20 mins) 14.31
Finish Limassol Promenade 15.17
Total 95.34km
Rally Total 326.68km
__________________________________________________________________
Championship Standings:
Drivers:
1 Sébastien Loeb 35
2 Petter Solberg 34
3 Markko Märtin 28
4 Marcus Grönholm 26
5 Toni Gardemeister 24
6 Harri Rovanperä 11
7 Gilles Panizzi 7
8 Francios Duval 5
Manufacturers:
1 Peugeot 54
2 Citröen 42
3 Subaru 36
4 Ford 33
5 Mitsubishi 24
6 Skoda 5
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