53. RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada 2017
5. 10. – 8. 10. 2017, Salou • Real Automóvil Club Cataluña • asphalt - gravel 312.02 km • total distance including road sections - 1297.62 km • Other years
Info
SS19
"It's been an exceptional weekend," Kris says. "It's not about how many times you get knocked down - it's more about how many times you get back up. And I've had to do that a few times in my career, let me tell you. We always knew this car was terrific on asphalt. This result goes to show that. It gives all of us in the team a huge confidence boost."
"We did a great job this weekend - even though it hasn't always been easy. After an amazing Friday we struggled a bit more on Saturday morning on asphalt then found a good rhythm. We have taken some good points and a bonus too on the Power Stage. All good."
"We did the maximum we could over the past two days. It's nice to be back on Tarmac and the feeling is good. Great points for the team too. Almost the perfect weekend."
"Very close to the best drive of my career," he says. "It's good to see I can fight with these guys. It has been a big pleasure."
"It's been a really good weekend. My last rally was Finland and I had good speed there too. We were leading here on Friday, and since then I have learned a lot about this car on Tarmac. Now I can't wait to get to Great Britain."
"We tried to push but it was very difficult with the hydraulic problem. We finish having gained good experience."
"Definitely looking forward to putting this one behind me..." he says. "A tough, tough weekend. Now we move on. I'm looking forward to Great Britain. It will be a relief to get there."
"It's an awesome feeling for me to win on Tarmac. It's my first win on this surface and a special feeling."
"It's good but still I'm disappointed. The Stewards made a wrong decision, we lost more than a minute in the dust and we got nothing back. But that's life. Our pace on Tarmac was great."
"Fantastic. The car is improving, we are improving and I'm pleased to see the progress."
"I was on the limit here, the balance of the car is good. I enjoyed a lot during during the weekend, we take many positives but we paid a heavy price for one mistake. I'm disappointed for the spectators, the team and myself. Sorry."
"I think we can take a lot of positives. The pace on gravel was good. Okay, I need more time on Tarmac but I feel have progressed in the last two days. We have a job in front of us but I'm so pleased we have these three rallies before the new season starts."
SS18
"All okay. We are pushing, we are fighting against Nordgren and Tempestini behind - I don't want to lose my podium position now."
"The stage was nice. I was careful not to overheat the tyres."
"The intercom is okay now, but the broken windscreen is affecting my confidence. Some adjustments in the car have made it calmer but still a lot of understeer."
"I saved the tyres a bit for the Power Stage. Plenty of positives to take from this rally but unfortunately one big negative..."
"I'm really happy. With this gap, just to be able to drive is nice. I'm not interested in fighting for points on the Power Stage."
"Nothing special."
"A couple extra points [on the Power Stage] would be nice but I will not go for the full risk."
"It was okay. Not it is very important to finish. Just bring them back."
"I tried to keep it steady and smooth. We go like this now."
"I drove with my eyes. Also I have a problem with the diff, and the hydraulic shift, I have to use the manual gear change."
"Still enjoying, still learning. It's a shame it's the final day."
"A difficult and frustrating event when you want to be fighting at the front."
"A long delay at the start, then a spin and a stall at the roundabout."
SS17
"When you get a feeling this good and the car is working so well it's easy, simple and I enjoyed it. I just forget everything and enjoy it."
"If I want to keep second place, and ahead of my team-mate, I have to keep the rhythm. I've said before, third would be okay but second is better."
"Still some stages to go, but very important to bring both cars to the finish and score the points."
"I know I cannot catch the guys ahead and there is a big gap behind - let's just keep it steady like this."
"I feel more and more comfortable in the car - like l am controlling it, and it is not controlling me."
"This stage is much better in daylight but we have a small issue with the car - a small hydraulic problem perhaps."
"It's all about getting to the end for us now. The two guys going out today have moved us into decent position. It's about being smart now, and thinking about our road position for Great Britain."
"Unfortunately I stalled on the start line but I'm really starting to enjoy these stages."
SS16
broken right-rear driveshaft
"The rally is over for us. A suspension part was broken after an impact with a stone. We tried everything to fight back today, we had an unlucky weekend with some trouble yesterday and now it's finished for us. Obviously this wasn't our weekend. After yesterday we had no choice than to push hard and that is what we did - there are no regrets."
"We have to keep pushing if we are to progress to a World Rally Car. We are trying, the pace here on Tarmac has been good."
"A lot of things have happened today, wow. We are trying some new things this morning, some are better some are worse. I still need to figure the car out on Tarmac. We'll get there."
"I'm so sorry for Thierry and the team. Not a good moment for Hyundai. We have really bad luck."
"It's game over." Same problem as my colleagues yesterday. It's like this."
"My pace notes were not so good. We try to understand these Spanish roads."
"A few tricky places, but a clean stage after a period of difficulty, so I'm happy."
"It is even more important to finish the rally now. I could see in the stage the line of the tyres and the oil."
"There was some oil in the road in some tricky places. Not so nice,"
"I believe this time is not enough. I'm a bit worried about my tyres. I wanted to save them. Let's see what the other guys do."
"We're doing what we've got to do to get through."
"A really nice stage. When you are in the lines it's really enjoyable."
SS15
"We took off the light pods before the stage and forgot about the bonnet clips. Then in the stage the intercom stopped working."
"At the roundabout, I hand braked as normal, went for the power and there didn't seem to be anything there. I don't know why but I reckon I dropped four seconds. The time still seems okay."
"Yes, I guess its going to be like this to the end. I need to give it everything but I don't want to take full risks."
"It won't be difficult for him to be quicker than me here - in this stage we have no chance. Understeer, understeer, understeer. I can't go on the throttle. So frustrating. We are not competitive."
"Very tough with the gearbox, not enjoyable at all. I try my best. I'm going close to the limit - not over it. I don't see a chance to pass him."
WRC TV crew reports Mikkelsen is driving with the bonnet up.
"I'm losing time in the twisty sections - I can't do any miracles. Let's see."
He has gone off an collided with an armco barrier.
"A good stage. I stopped at the roundabout to have a look."
WRC+ live tracking shows his Toyota stopped at 11.7km
"I struggled a lot in here. Just couldn't get the front end to turn in."
"No cuts in the road. A good start. It's getting better - all about the mileage."
SS14
"Using this day to try some different things with the car. Not really on the attack."
"That's a terrible time. After yesterday's mistake the plan is to try and take some points on the Power Stage. We can't do any more than that."
"Beautiful. I love driving in the night time. The lights give you a sort of tunnel vision and in a car working well on Tarmac it's perfect."
"We knew it would be a tight day - I was a bit too hesitant in the dark,"
"I have no choice," he says. "I pushed very hard. I started understeering near the end but I have to catch Juho today at least. I have finished second in this championship twice before - so I have nothing to lose."
"It was okay, dark and I am tired. Looking forward to the daylight now." And what caused your frustration after SS13? "It was a mixture of things. I had an electrical problem, so I had no handbrake, and before the stage I was held up by spectators in the road before the check in. I was frustrated that the marshals did not do their job properly."
"Quite okay, no mistakes, all the time on the safe side - just not fast enough."
"It's too early for me. All okay though, I push a bit more, and I am trying a different driving style."
"Difficult to see in the dark but I hope it was okay."
"I broke the differential just before the start line so I am in rear-wheel drive only."
"Not so bad. The day looks very tight and we don't have all the tools we need but we try to do our best."
"Fine, no problem. Not the best run. We have tried a few things on the car which I'm not so keen on."
"Trying to get the feeling and warm my tyres."
SS13
"I'm happy this stage is done - it's a tricky one and I'm pleased to cross the finish line. Now I'm ready for a big push tomorrow," Ogier says. "It's close between Ott and me - I have to fight. Okay, third wouldn't be a bad result but second would be better."
"I really enjoyed this car on these stage so lets see what happens tomorrow."
"Let's see what is possible tomorrow but I will do my best and I will fight hard." And how was this stage? "These kinds of stages are not meant for these cars - not very enjoyable."
"I am continuing to push to catch Juho. I won't give up. I'm going to fight for this title." He ends the day 19.2sec adrift of Hanninen.
"A really good day - I'm happy. It's a shame about yesterday - otherwise we would be fighting with the guys ahead. I haven't give up on a podium."
"I stalled on the stage and took a long time to restart. About eight seconds I think. Now I look forward to tomorrow."
"Now the set-up is really good. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow now. This stage was very tricky - hard to judge the grip."
"I stalled twice for some reason and I just couldn't get it going again," he explains. "A really difficult day, but is is what it is."
"We drove with our heads and enjoyed some sections. It was difficult, with so many cuts. The car is progressing in the right direction."
SS12
"The second loop has been better than the first. We have kept out of trouble and have a better feeling in the car. Hopefully tomorrow we continue in the same way."
"It's been a good day. This morning we were able to catch everyone on the hop and this afternoon was all about not doing anything stupid. There's one tricky super special to go tonight - and I didn't cover myself in glory on the Super Special in Germany! We have to keep concentrated."
Another update from Hyundai: 'Mikkelsen stopped on SS12 with a broken steering - same place as Sordo.
"It's not over, even if I think we deserved better than this. What can we do?"
"I have to be happy. A great morning and okay, maybe the Fords have found something extra in the afternoon. Altogether a great day. I will push tomorrow - that's clear."
Believes he hit an object in a ditch - the same thing he believes Sordo hit. Mads reports his steering now feels "weird".
"We made some changes in service and the car is feeling better."
WRC+ live tracking shows second placed Dani's Hyundai stopped at 7.5km. Word from Hyundai: 'Sordo stopped on SS12 with a broken steering.'
"It's been a really difficult day. It's difficult to find motivation to push when you are half a second off the pace. It's very hard."
SS11
"That's a lot of seconds but gradually I think it is getting better and better - I just need more time in the car. All cars are different and this is completely the opposite to the snappy handling of the Citroën."
"Finally, an okay time. We have changed the car set-up many times and now it seems okay. The plan now? We have to keep pushing."
"A nice rhythm. A little bit more clean that the previous stage. When the car is working I am in good form - no problem."
"It was okay, faster and faster. I found the limit a bit in here. It's getting to the point where I need to work on the details now."
"It was okay, the car is behaving itself better. It felt comfortable so I was able to go at a good speed. Okay, we lost a lot of time for technical reasons but we keep going - everything is possible."
"The time is not so bad. I tried to do my best and the car was okay. It's very easy to make a mistake here."
"Okay, that's good."
"Quite okay. A few mistakes. A few times too slow over the crests. I thought I could improve after the first run. It seems I couldn't. I need to work on my pace notes for next year."
"Good at the start but after some kilometres my brake pads lost their grip."
"The balance is okay, but I can't lean on the tyres. It is what it is."
"There is pollution all over the road in the cuts now. 80 per cent of every corner."
SS10
"Now the temperature is increasing I feel I have more understeer, it's not nice. I tried to drive on the limit. I know how to drive on Tarmac, I don't want to change too much."
"I tried to push but I'm not so happy. I struggled with understeer. It's hard to push harder. That's how it is."
"Really happy. A good run. Quite a lot of pollution. It's a long time since I've been in this position, just trying to manage it." And the time loss in the second half? "Overly cautious in the dirty corners."
"I'm still discovering this car, it's fantastic and I enjoy it. Okay, a bit of a disappointment to lose time, but eight seconds to the faster driver is incredible."
"No, the car feels okay," he says. "I still struggled a bit with understeer and we can make a few changes but it's difficult to make a difference in these conditions. We have to be clever."
"I tried to do my best, a little bit of understeer. I tried to do a perfect stage and enjoyed a lot."
"Nothing special. No problems, just trying not to overheat the tyres, perhaps I could have pushed them more. I'm happy though."
"Quite difficult. It was not meant to drive on Tarmac. A challenge for me, I have to try and live with it."
"I tried to push in a couple of places. It was not so bad."
"Near the end we had to avoid a rock on the road, but no drama. Otherwise a lot of gravel on the road."
"A better feeling for sure. The guys made some changes in service, which have helped, but it's more or less the same story."
"A lot more loose gravel on the surface compared to this morning. I had to back off in some places."
The Estonian's Fiesta gets a new gearbox in service. Unfortunately, it's in gravel spec and he'll be driving on asphalt. "That means we won’t have the right diff set-up for this afternoon so it will be a bit more difficult, but hopefully we can keep up the pace.”
SS9
"Very good. We have achieved both WRC 3 and Junior titles and we are very happy for that. We have worked so hard this year so I'm very happy. Now we are ready for the step up to an R5 car."
"My recovery started yesterday afternoon - it's like a miracle,"
"I'll push as good as I can. We try to show our performance on Tarmac."
"A nice morning. Our car is a bit too stiff, we expected different grip. In this one I had a spin and lost a little time."
"The morning loop has been good for use, but now I must be careful about Kopecky behind."
"It's been a big learning curve this morning. I hoped for more pace but I need to know the car more on Tarmac to go fast. I'm in the process of learning."
"We targeted a push on the first stage and it's been a really good morning. This stage was new, and there was quite a lot of pollution pulled out so we took it carefully."
"I made many set-up changes before the previous stage. This one was not perfect - some transmission issue maybe."
"I'm enjoying the car. Okay, I need some more time on Tarmac but it feels good."
"We lost hydraulic pressure at end of the stage before. Then the car would not start and I had to drive quickly to the start of SS9. I spun on the road section and hit the rear."
"Yes, but we are not where we wanted to be. I wanted to be faster and we need to improve in the afternoon. The balance of car in the first stage was not fantastic. On the second pass we will be faster."
"I'm feeling very comfortable. It's a pleasure to drive. Very enjoyable and these stage times are coming quite easy."
"I made changes to the differential. It's going better and better."
"The balance of the car doesn't feel terrible. We're just struggling for overall grip. We knew it would be difficult. It's difficult to made progress during the season."
SS8
"An okay stage, very nice to drive. Kopecky is keeping the pressure on."
"I tried the best I could, but this type of stage is all about fine turning and knowing the car. I'm learning. I need more time in the car."
"Just not quite on the pace. The car is not so bad. I don't know, I probably need to push more."
"A good stage, more of a racing stage. The car feels phenomenal - I'm going to try and enjoy it. Now we have to concentrate on managing the lead."
"We made many changes in between and the feeling was much better. Still some bits to improve but the balance is much better now."
"Better. The first one was really difficult. I don't have much experience of this car on Tarmac. It's incredible but I need to build my experience."
"I did the same from the beginning but the time is not so good."
"It feels better but still not what I want. The car feels okay but my pace notes were too slow and I was not committed enough. We need to improve."
"I'm trying to fight Tempestini for the podium. It's a good fight."
"I cannot be happy with that. I expected the roads would be clean and the car was set up stiff. Instead the stage was dirty so we need to make it softer and higher."
"A better rhythm than the first one. I really enjoyed it."
"It was okay. Better than the last one I think. The car was okay but I lose eight seconds and a position to Lappi, so it's not good enough."
"Okay, no mistakes, no drama. Everything is fine."
"It felt a bit better than the first one. We have to concentrate on doing the best job we can and learn as much as possible."
"A new stage, so a few changes to the pace notes. All dry."
SS7
"I struggled to get a good feeling. Some rain in the middle. A lot of understeer - that was a limiter for me."
"Obviously too slow. Not a super feeling, a bit of rain at the beginning, a bit of understeer. Not perfect, but okay, we will try harder on the next one."
"It felt good we had no asphalt test and I thought the car was perhaps a bit too soft. I had the the wipers on full as one point, but then in the forest we were protected a bit."
"I'm not so happy with the car. It's not behaving like it should do, it's not turning. We need to try and improve."
"I went off immediately, after just a few hundred metres. I lost a lot of time and my confidence too."
"I'm understeering like hell. In every corner. It's undriveable."
"Okay. Not completely happy but an okay start. I have a compromise set-up."
"I know we have a car on Tarmac. I tried to push but I'm unhappy with my driving."
Car missing its rear-left window. Which is a surprise to Lappi. "Really? It must have been loose. Otherwise no moments, a bit on the safe side, so easy to improve."
"At the beginning of the stage it's raining like hell, but only for 3km. My drive was okay, a little understeer, like I expected, but okay. Seeing Hanninen's time, we need to improve."
"The feeling from a driving point of view was not so bad, but we struggled in the second half - the car was understeering whenever I leaned on it. Difficult."
"A little bit cautious because it was a damp at the start and the car was sliding."
SS6
puncture
"A good day for us. No problems. These long stages are very nice. A long day though, hard to manage the car around the big stones."
"We lost the power steering in the last stage. I think I need to go to the gym because it's hard to drive like this."
"It was much better this time because we got a five minute gap to Serderidis ahead and I didn't need to stop on the stage because of the dust."
"The car is full of dust, I struggled to see, and the heater is stuck on. It's like 100 degrees in here. When it's like this I cannot say focused. Stupid things are destroying our rally for the moment."
"Better. You have to do these stages many times before you understand them."
"A much better run this time on the hard tyres. Okay, I'm a bit frustrated about the mistake in the hairpin earlier but I'm in a good position overnight, so I'm happy."
"I thought I had a puncture, or perhaps a broken damper, I think something happened with the suspension. Still, we managed and we are here. I'm happy with my day, getting used to the car and fighting back at the top."
"Not so good in the morning. A bit too careful in the rough sections, I could have pushed more."
"At least we have brakes now but the suspension is not good enough - it's too nervous."
"I can't take anything from this. It was so, so difficult - even before the first split."
"I tried my best but it's very, very difficult. Not a lot of traction."
"This afternoon has been difficult. I felt some impact in this stage and lost the brakes in the Tarmac section. A tricky second loop today."
"It was not easy on the Tarmac and I have two spares as well," he says. "Also I was changing my diff settings in the stage and I got a bit confused with the diff map."
"Let's see how the times look at the end, but whatever happens I can be happy with my day. I expected to lose more today from my position first on the road. My competitors today were Ott and Thierry and I'm happy with what I have done."
retire for today
SS5
"It is better now for sure, there is still some dust coming in but I can see clearly now. We are just trying to go as quick as possible. It's a close fight and I did a few mistakes in there. It's easy to go over the limit."
"Really? That's better. The grip was good but it's easy to destroy your tyres."
"Improving and improving stage by stage. I know I will like this car - it can only get better from here."
"Too many mistakes, the grip is okay but the brakes are not. I think it will be impossible for me to manage them in Terra Alta."
"Now is the time to focus on the driving. No more changes. We just carry on like this."
"A little better, but the tyres are still moving around at the end. Probably a bit too hot than we'd hoped for. It is what it is. We just have to get through the day."
"That's good. A better feeling that this morning, more grip, better balance in the car. I'm happy."
"The first three corners didn't go that well. That's where I lost the time. It took a while to get the rhythm back."
"It's difficult to find a good feeling with the car this afternoon. It's just not working when it's good grip."
"I tried to push hard but with a second spare wheel its not so easy and the rear moves around a lot. But now I have two new tyres for the long stage and hopefully I can catch up some more time."
"All okay for us - we have to go."
SS4
"I spun right at the end of the last stage. I caught a lip on the asphalt and had to stop and reverse to get going again. I lost five or six seconds. Otherwise I I feel good. It feels a bit like Mexico here - the roads are not dissimilar."
"I'm a bit happier, but maybe this was too much for the tyres already. I have to have a look."
"Everything is quite okay. We made a few changes in service. We might try a few more things before Terra Alta."
"For sure there is a grippy line, and the feeling wasn't too bad, but the time is terrible. I expected to be closer."
"More grip and traction this time."
"This is the way we want to go! We made changes during service and we realized we did something wrong in the morning. The grip wasn't all that great."
"Very difficult at the moment. Quite a good line, but either side it is very deep [gravel]."
"I had to learn the car on the hard tyres but I tried to push hard and to manage."
"I tried hard but it's difficult with these lines. I'm surprised to be up on the split."
SS3
"This was a difficult one! First Arai was crashed, his car - and a tree - in the middle of the road. The crew are okay and we managed to pass. Then we lost some brakes - my mistake - otherwise okay."
"We have a problem with the gearbox."
"I'm not happy because we ask for a few minutes more [between us and Serderidis] because of the dust. We caught him and we lost a lot of time. It should not be like this."
stopped
"It's ridiculous! I can't see & co-driver struggling to speak [bc of dust in the car] It's difficult to breath"
"This one is very, very difficult. It's only my second time here. Difficult to push."
"I was haemorrhaging time in the Tarmac section."
"A clean stage. I made some differential changes before the stage and it's better now. I start to feel more and more at home."
"No brakes. When we hit the Tarmac section they went - and that was it."
"A nice stage but difficult to keep a rhythm and keep it in the line. The rear started to slide everywhere. Not so easy."
"I nicked something on the inside of a corner near the end. Must have been a stone or something. It didn't cost us a lot of time. Before that I was lacking traction."
"It was okay but in the middle I though the car started to feel a bit strange. It seems okay now."
"I felt I could push in here but when you look at Ogier's pace maybe mine wasn't the best tyre choice."
"A tricky one. At the beginning it was okay, but on the Tarmac section we had a tyre alarm. I thought we had a puncture. It was disturbing and I lost my rhythm."
"Not the greatest choice. I lost them about 10km into the stage. I tried to do everything but there was nothing we could do. A few wide moments but we survived and we can continue to push."
"I really struggled through the end of the stage. Let's see how the time compares, maybe on the soft tyres the guys behind will struggle as well."
SS2
stopped
"I'm angry because we just start the rally and the car is FULL of dust. There must be a big hole because there is so much dust inside the car. I could have been faster - it's typical that something like this happens."
"A lot better on this stage than the first. Good confidence in my pace notes."
"I'm enjoying my driving this morning. The tyres choice is okay I think but not as much cleaning as I expected."
"Overall I'm happy with how things are going so far. I'm trying to push, but not too much while I learn the car. I try to be on it a bit..."
"A much better stage. I'm here to learn."
"I pushed like hell. I don't want to be at the back. If I want to get the best from these tyres I have to push. I was nervous at the beginning, now I start to relax."
"I struggles with the gear changes. I did some mistakes and I'm not happy with my driving. My mistake - I was shifting too early."
"No so many issues. You can see the cleaning coming out but it's still extremely slippery. It's okay, I have a good feeling with the car."
"I saw some lines where Seb went very wide but no drama I think. I did a good stage, the gap is quite okay. Now we have to pick the right tyres for the next stage."
SS1
damaged the suspension
stopped
stopped
stopped
"It was quite a good stage but we have so much dust in the car I can barely see through the windscreen."
"I have no confidence with the grip. I need to build my confidence."
"Not clean at all. Loose everywhere. I'm just bedding myself in."
"I need to build my experience on these roads. I was expecting much more. Generally it was very messy."
"For sure there is a line but its really, really narrow and not wide enough to use. Really tricky conditions."
"It's still very slippery out there, no clean line yet, a lot of very different lines. Scope to go harder I think."
"The hard tyre is too hard. We don't have traction and grip,"
"We are on full hard tyres - that's the difference to the guys ahead on this stage. I was sure we would lose time here - no worries. It will be better for me on Terra Alta."
"There is no real line in the road so far. For the moment the car is handling nice - a good feeling for now."
"I was in a different mood at the beginning, then I got into a good rhythm and it was better."
"Okay, I'm happy with my drive. Not a bad stage for us. Clean."