News

Australia next as Ogier takes WRC fight to Loeb

A convincing win by Frenchman Sebastien Ogier has fuelled a fascinating fight for the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship at Rally Australia which starts on Thursday 8 September.

Ogier, driving for the factory Citroen Total World Rally Team, won the ADAC Rallye Deutschland recently and moved from third place to second in pursuit of the points leader, his teammate and seven-time champion Sebastien Loeb.

Loeb and Ogier head the international entry list, alongside Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team rivals Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala, both from Finland. Loeb is currently leading the WRC drivers’ standings from Hirvonen, who won Rally Australia in 2009.

The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) and 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg (Norway) have lodged privateer Citroen entries.

Ford will be hoping its strong line-up is enough to break a seven-round winning streak for the Citroen DS3 WRC car. Lining up for the Blue Oval side in Ford Fiesta RS WRCs are Henning Solberg (Norway), Matthew Wilson (UK), Ken Block (USA), Khalid al Qassimi (United Arab Emirates), Evgeny Novikov (Russia) and Peter van Merksteijn (Holland).

BMW-owned Mini, a new WRC entrant in 2011, is represented by Brazilian privateer Daniel Oliveira.

Kiwi stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard feature in the Production World Rally Championship field, where they are poised to create history if they win the PWRC title in Australia.

Going into Rally Australia on the New South Wales' Coffs Coast on 8-11 September, Loeb and Ogier each have claimed four wins from the first nine rounds and the championship battle is wide open.

Loeb has a 25-point margin, years more experience and a point to prove in Australia after having forfeited victory in 2009 due to an illegal part on his car.

But Ogier, 27 and new to the team this year, has proved he can be equally fast and will give the master no respite from the pressure over the 369km Rally Australia course on unfamiliar shire and forestry roads.

Ogier’s victory in Germany was his first on a tarmac surface instead of gravel. The German rally is renowned as one of the most difficult on the 13-country WRC calendar, as it challenges drivers with bumpy, narrow tracks through vineyards, flowing public roads beside the River Mosel and obstacle-strewn tank training tracks in a military area.

In the manufacturers’ championship, Citroen is now 89 points clear of Ford. With 78 victories, it has also moved ahead of the Blue Oval on the list of all-time WRC event winners.

With the 31 WRC and PWRC competitors, Rally Australia has secured 101 entrants with its companion events makign the total entry list the biggest for an Australian championship rally in recent years.

Round four of the Bosch Australian Rally Championship has attracted 43 cars from around the country and the Coffs Coast Classic Rally will start 27 cars.

Rally Australia’s sporting chief, Clerk of the Course Dr Michelle Gatton, said the huge number of cars heading for the Coffs Coast promised a feast of world-class motorsport for spectators.

“This is really something to look forward to. The absolute best rally drivers from overseas and Australia will be here in just 20 days and the action will be unforgettable,” Dr Gatton said. “Our own target was to achieve 100 entries and we have done that even after a couple of late withdrawals. It is an excellent result that should encourage a big crowd of spectators."

Spectating opportunities include the nightly Super Special Stage at The Jetty precinct in Coffs Harbour and dedicated locations on the daytime gravel Special Stages.

Rally Australia Chairman Ben Rainsford welcomed the big Australian contingent heading for the Coffs Coast.

“The Australian rally community has stepped up to play a big part in this event,” Mr Rainsford said.

“Not only are the teams demonstrating the healthy state of the sport in this county, they are also taking the opportunity to participate in a world-standard rally event on their own doorstep and to enjoy the privilege of competing alongside the world’s best drivers from the WRC.”

Seven Australian teams are in the final WRC field. The top-seeded Australian is WRC Academy regular Brendan Reeves, from Wedderburn, Victoria.

Nathan Quinn from Coffs Harbour and Leigh Gotch from Evans Plans, NSW, have won wildcard entries to the Production Car World Rally Championship division, which will field entries from 11 other international crews.

Rally Australia will cover around 369 kms of competition in 26 Special Stages between Thursday night and Sunday afternoon.

Following a rally show and official start from 4.30pm on Thursday, big crowds are expected at the Super Special Stage in Coffs Harbour’s beachside Jetty precinct on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and on the daytime rural Special Stages.