Tet Rally Liepāja 2022
ERC #5 • ERC Open #5 • ERC3 #5 • ERC4 #5 • ERC4 Junior #3 • Latvia #2 • Clio Trophy by Toksport WRT #3 • Latvia Junior #2
1. 7. – 3. 7. 2022, Talsi • RA EVENTS • gravel 181.28 km • total distance including road sections - 869.78 km • Other years • Other years
Latvian Rally Championship counted only on Leg 1
Info
SS12
"We are happy that we finished this difficult rally. These stages are really tricky and it's not easy to do no mistakes. Unfortunately our qualifying was not the best and from then on it was difficult for us to keep the rhythm we needed to stay at the front."
"This is just pure joy! It's so incredible. I had this opportunity thanks to Team MRF Tyres and Sports Racing Technologies and it was such a fantastic weekend. I think it's my best rally yet."
"Llarena was quite fast! That's a bit annoying. I was pushing but the stage was quite rough."
"For sure, we tried our best here. I did a really good stage. We are really happy with our performance. We know Poland and Latvia would be difficult for us, so to get a podium I am really happy."
"I think we need to be happy. It's quite an okay weekend for us and for sure, we need to improve something to get more speed on these kinds of roads. We are here and that is the most important."
"I am very satisfied because before this event I thought it would just be a learning weekend. After qualifying, I saw our pace, and now with fifth place it's even better. I know I am doing a lot of schoolboy mistakes, but it's good."
"We've certainly taken a big bite of the apple for the challenge we've got ahead. We're a very small team, but we're all on the same page. We've got a week now until Estonia and if we can take another step there it will be good. Apart from a scratched front guard, mission accomplished."
"I loved it - every single stage of this rally - I am completely amazed!"
"I did not push a lot, but I made no mistakes. It's very easy to puncture here but the car and tyres were perfect. I learned a lot in the battle with Battistolli."
"We went off two times on this one! I have some trouble with the gearbox - can you hear it? Everything is okay. It was a real pleasure to be here."
"I tried - maybe too sideways in some places! I think it's not possible to fight with the other guys because the lines are not clean. We are disappointed for what happened to us - we didn't deserve it - but it's like this. For sure, we want to continue in Rome, but I still have a lot of things to close before arriving there."
"We were not satisfied with the confidence before, and we were able to improve a bit and try some different things this afternoon. Generally I am satisfied with the rally - we have done a fantastic job. We are not driving for the championship, so everything is fine."
"I am very happy. I think this was an important victory for the team, for me and for the championship. I am going to continue to keep working hard."
"I think the last stage was good for me. Not many mistakes - all good."
SS11
"Actually this wasn't particularly clean from me. I had a few mistakes, but okay. Everything is absolutely perfect and we are just focusing on our driving. It's a pure joy."
"I think we need to keep third place. Honestly I tried, but I am not able to be on the same speed. I am from the south of Europe - I am not used to driving in these conditions!"
"I am really enjoying at the moment. The feeling is good and we are having a lot of fun on the stages. Smiling Tom is back!"
"I am trying to focus on driving. This is really nice - the grip is really high and it's like in Finland."
"For sure, [4th] will be nice, but Gregor is doing a really hard push and it will not be easy."
"It was quite difficult. Really slippery everywhere and I was braking too early. We are here and we will try to improve."
"It's not getting better. We are really enjoying the stages - that's the most important. Afterwards we need to check what is going wrong and why there is not so much improvement."
"I am definitely enjoying the car a lot more today than yesterday. The feeling is better, so it gives us a pretty good base. At the start of yesterday we were lost, but we're starting to get a bit more direction now."
"I am feeling much better now. The stage is nice, actually. I really love this last section and now we have much better grip, so I was enjoying it."
"Good, but it's difficult to manage the situation with the slippery road. The feeling is okay and I am very happy because everything is working very well."
"It was really good. We took a lot of pleasure on this one as well. I think something is broken - we have to check."
"I was planning on enjoying this stage and doing the whole rally without thinking about anything. I enjoyed this one and I plan to enjoy the Power Stage."
"It will be difficult (for getting points on Power Stage). We are second on the road, so it's impossible. We are cleaning the road and we have no chance to fight for anything."
"It's a really nice stage. Nice to drive - we enjoyed. Now we will concentrate on the last stage."
SS10
"We are gambling a little bit with something new on the car and the feeling was quite okay. It's a compromise between balance and grip."
"For sure, we need to finish the rally. I tried to push, but it's difficult. I don't know - we are not on the pace today."
"I was thinking that I will push hard, be we didn't manage to do it on this stage. It was good, but on the junctions I was too afraid and braking early."
"It's not perfect, definitely. I am surprised the car flew so high [on the jump] - looks like we need to be a bit more careful."
"It was nice. The beginning was really slippery with a lot of loose gravel. I am making too many schoolboy mistakes."
"A big moment! I felt quite confident, so we tried. At least we had fun and there is no damage to the car, so it's all good."
"Good for him (for Paddon)! It was a good stage for us and we are having to clean the road. We had a lot of pleasure on this one - it's very fun to drive."
"Not a good feeling with the road. It's difficult, and I lost a lot of time in the braking points for the chicanes. I need to improve for the Power Stage."
"I had some medical issues. I was actually thinking about not continuing the rally, but it more or less sorted itself out. I am feeling fine now, and the stage was also nice, so I will try to enjoy the rest of the rally."
"It's very loose in here. For sure, it's getting fast with every car. We're making some definite improvements with how I am feeling with the car - there are lots of good things happening this weekend."
Off road after jump
"I could drive better. My braking points were not too strong, so I have to improve and get on the pace with everything."
"I am going really slowly to try and keep the tyres for the second pass. We are checking the pace notes and everything to have a push. I am not so confident but we will try it."
"It's not easy. After yesterday, we were supposed to be fourth or fifth on the road. Now we are the first! This stage was really slippery with a lot of cleaning."
SS9
Puncture
Puncture
Puncture
Puncture
Puncture
Puncture -> Crew changed it on stage
"It was okay. We tried to push and be focused because Mikko is pushing hard. Okay - three more stages to go."
"Sorry to not smile this time! Nothing happened - just a puncture."
"I was not expecting these ruts and the rocks in these sections. Let's enjoy a safe rally."
"The grip is much better, but in the last junction we went wide and I don't know why I did it."
"It was quite nice. The ruts were not so deep and I tried to push a lot. I hope the time is good compared to the guys behind."
"Just gave one of the posts a little tickle! I've already damaged this side of the car this weekend, so no problem."
"We had some little issues with the intercom and wrong tyre decision, but we are enjoying and it will be better this afternoon."
"It was much better grip than on the first loop. A really beautiful one. We took care in some parts where it was slippery this morning."
"In the middle of the stage in one corner, I thought I had a puncture because there wasn't a good feeling with the steering wheel. But it's okay - the tyres are very good."
"Luckily it was a slow puncture and we felt it 11km from the end. We didn't lose much time."
"It was good. I enjoyed it so much and I didn't have any problems."
"A nice stage this time. I expected a bit more grip, but it was not like this. I felt like we were cleaning the lines a bit, but I enjoyed it."
SS8
"There was some big rocks on the braking spots, so I had to change the line. The road has been wet, so it's a bit damp in some places. It's alright, we can live with it."
"For sure, they are enjoyable stages today. I like this surface and let's continue like this."
"I am struggling with more things in this one than in the previous one."
"Very good - it's incredible. Very fast and no mistakes so it was perfect!"
"Obviously, starting so high is quite tricky. We are just glad to be here and I am enjoying."
"I am just trying to enjoy. These stages are very beautiful, so we are very proud to be here."
"It's not so easy because you start and when you are a bit ready to go, it's already finished! There are some really difficult sections, but we really enjoyed this one."
SS7
"Even for me as a local, when there are new jumps, I don't know how to drive them! We just went flat-out and it's like this - everything is fine. I actually expected the road to be harder, but okay, we can drive like this."
Puncture - crew changed it on stage
"It's a little bit damp on the surface, but I had a better flow and confidence. I am satisfied so far."
"It seems ot be a nice time! I tried to push. I could have been a bit faster in the brakings - many times I was too early and not brave enough."
Rolled
"It's not bad. For sure, it's quite tricky but I think everything is okay."
"It's quite tricky. In the fast section the grip is not so high, and it's so hard to find the braking points. We will try to improve."
"It's just a little issue. Nothing to worry about..."
"I made a mistake in a braking point before a junction. It's no problem."
"We changed a few things last night - the guys did an awesome job. The car is definitely better in some places but worse in other places. That's the nature of what we're doing at the moment."
Missed braking point
Stopped
"It was a bit slippery in some parts, but the grip was quite good. I think everything was okay with these tyres, so it's better than yesterday."
"I am enjoying the stages. We have a few little things to correct in the pace notes, and unfortunately we are starting high on the road. It will be a little bit tough."
"We are enjoying - let's say it like that. We need to prepare everything for the Power Stage."
"It's a beautiful day, and a beautiful stage also. We are really happy to be driving this car in this championship! Unfortunately, our start position yesterday was not perfect, but we are still keeping a good rhythm and enjoying the rally."
"It was okay, but I am cleaning the road. The grip is not so good, but the stages are really nice. In some places it's damp."
SS6
Retired after SS5 due technical issues
Technical after finishing of stage
Mechanical
Mechanical
Accident
Puncture
"It was definitely the wrong tyre choice. It's okay! We did two stages on the soft compound in completely dry conditions, but that's life."
"It was a good day. Of course, there are a lot of difference between the other guys because of our road position in the first stages. I feel very confident with the car and the tyres."
"For us, it was not raining a lot. There was a bit of water on the screen and we enjoyed this stage."
SS5
Lost time due starting heavy rain on front of him
"For sure, the wide section is much cleaner, but in the narrow areas there are more ruts now."
"We expected rain on this one. I put soft tyres on the car and it was a bit too difficult for them."
"At the end, there is quite deep ruts, but we had a clean run. At the moment, the grip is quite good."
"Good. I pushed a lot, but it's difficult to manage the tyres because there are a lot of big rocks and ruts and I don't want to get a puncture."
"It's not raining, so we have good grip. We lost time - I pushed so hard, but the result is not so good for me."
"I didn't feel so good with the car - I was a bit too careful, I think. Let's see the weather in the last stage."
"Not so bad - there isn't much cleaning anymore. I feel more confident than this morning, and we are trying to find our pace and a proper rhythm."
"We went out at the start of the stage - I braked too late. We lost about 10 seconds, but that's it."
"I didn't get any rain. We have to use the grip - we didn't have this on the first pass - so we are trying to understand how fast we can go."
Missed a corner - had to reverse
SS4
Driving without front window
Accident
"This stage was quite good. We had good pace notes and I was confident in what I was doing. I really like these stages and I am really enjoying it."
"We're pretty limited in what we can do today. We've just got to keep getting miles, keep driving the car and get used to the little things it does and doesn't do. We know there's a lot more speed to come, but we've got to keep it reasonably steady."
"Better than the first pass, for sure. We had the wrong tyre choice - we are expecting rain, so we had a soft tyre for these conditions."
"There's a clean line now, and we did some set-up changes which are definitely better. There is still more work to do, but we don't want to take any risks."
"I am just working with myself. I was a little bit too cautious, I think, but it's okay. We are just going to enjoy and drive."
"We made some changes in service and I feel a little bit better. The time is good - we can maybe improve a little, but not too much."
"I don't want to go over the limit. We are being smart and doing the best job we can. I think it was an okay run, but the other guys are coming fast."
"Not so bad. We are waiting for the rain this afternoon - maybe on the next one, I don't know!"
"Not so good. At the beginning I hit a rock in the ruts and the next few kilometres I was being careful, thinking I had a puncture."
"I pushed! I had one or two big moments in the braking points. If you are a little bit outside of the clean line it's very dangerous."
"We had a moment! We went into the grass, but it's okay."
"It was very different to the first pass. It's much more clean and the feeling with the car is totally different."
"Much better. I was 1.5sec per km faster than in the first pass, and that's a lot. It's a pity we have to deal with this all day, but the roads are nice to drive."
"Difficult to know how the road is, because now it's clean and so different from the morning. We are learning and the time is good."
"For me, it's much easier. We can see some lines now, but the slower cars' lines are interrupting a little bit and I had a few moments there. Otherwise it's all good."
SS3
Off the road moment
Spin
Rolled
2x spun
Off road
SS2
Puncture
"It's difficult, especially on the first pass. I don't have the feeling to brake in the correct point. It's hard for me."
"It's not bad. I made some mistakes which cost a little bit of time, but I think it's okay."
SS1
"It's quite a good stage. This is our first time here and we were quite fast now, but we had an oil temperature light showing. I don't know what will happen now."
"A short one, but really fast! We are fourth on the road and it's not the best position, but we will try to enjoy today and be as fast as we can. Let's see if we can keep a good pace."
"After some small issues yesterday, we had to pick this starting position. It's much more slippery than I expected and it will be a long day for us."
"Very difficult! The feeling is good, but the ground is so hard to drive. Let's see what happens in the afternoon - it should be better."
"Of course, it's 100 per cent more difficult than Poland. There is so much loose gravel and the car is just moving around. It's impossible to get any good lines."
Reversing in one corner after missed braking point