The 2015 Rallying Thread
Discussion
Coltel Communications Granite City Rally 2015 [HD]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3AQn3hg2JE&li...
Rallye de Wallonie 2015 [Full HD] by JM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3FrRkUsoXs&in...
Rallye De Lozère 2015 (HD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyjhHNsUCNc&li...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3AQn3hg2JE&li...
Rallye de Wallonie 2015 [Full HD] by JM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3FrRkUsoXs&in...
Rallye De Lozère 2015 (HD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyjhHNsUCNc&li...
Blayney said:
Just realised there's dixies historic on epynt ranges this weekend. May pay a visit weather depending.
Weather was s
t! I was stood out in it all day doing starts and finish.The fog was so heavy on the ranges that I couldn't see the cars until they had passed the flying finish boards
RyanTank said:
Blayney said:
Just realised there's dixies historic on epynt ranges this weekend. May pay a visit weather depending.
Weather was st! I was stood out in it all day doing starts and finish.The fog was so heavy on the ranges that I couldn't see the cars until they had passed the flying finish boards
Looking forward to my local round of the NZ championship this weekend. 
Ken Block has brought his Fiesta down for a crack (after being spectacular but not overly fast in a Grp.N Impreza here a few years ago), Hayden Paddon and Alister McRae will be giving the regular classic contenders a hurry up in borrowed BDA Escorts too.
Plus a few home-built weapons like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poyfCb60uWk
Ken Block has brought his Fiesta down for a crack (after being spectacular but not overly fast in a Grp.N Impreza here a few years ago), Hayden Paddon and Alister McRae will be giving the regular classic contenders a hurry up in borrowed BDA Escorts too.
Plus a few home-built weapons like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poyfCb60uWk
GravelBen said:
Looking forward to my local round of the NZ championship this weekend.
Ken Block has brought his Fiesta down for a crack (after being spectacular but not overly fast in a Grp.N Impreza here a few years ago), Hayden Paddon and Alister McRae will be giving the regular classic contenders a hurry up in borrowed BDA Escorts too.
Plus a few home-built weapons like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poyfCb60uWk
NZ's answer to the Andy Burton PugCosworth Ken Block has brought his Fiesta down for a crack (after being spectacular but not overly fast in a Grp.N Impreza here a few years ago), Hayden Paddon and Alister McRae will be giving the regular classic contenders a hurry up in borrowed BDA Escorts too.
Plus a few home-built weapons like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poyfCb60uWk
hope he doesnt bend it like last time he was our 
He did bend it again! Ripped a wheel off on SS1, fixed it for day two and the alternator packed up halfway through the day. Got to see it in action a couple of times in between though. Sounds amazing in person, easily the loudest car in the field - makes S2000 cars and angry NA rotaries seem a bit quiet.Hayden Paddon managed to snatch the overall win with the BDA as well as the classics, after most of the top modern cars had problems. First time a 2wd car has won an NZRC round since 1987, was a hell of a drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqx9cH_r9ig
Great weekend, now I just have a truckload of photos to deal with...
Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 10th May 08:33
M-sport testing the updated Fiesta WRC. Sounds raspier than before, with bangs on the gear shifts.
https://youtu.be/esuZ5HLcbYk
https://youtu.be/esuZ5HLcbYk
Allyc85 said:
M-sport testing the updated Fiesta WRC. Sounds raspier than before, with bangs on the gear shifts.
https://youtu.be/esuZ5HLcbYk
Sounds good! Cant wait to see it next week https://youtu.be/esuZ5HLcbYk
Portugal will be my first warm/dry gravel WRC event(I hope to god it stays dry, not because I dislike the rain, I'm Welsh so rain doesn't faze me
, but for the sake of my life/nuts as if it rains the Mrs and my brothers mrs & kids will have nothing to do while were out on the stages and a happy family they wont be!)Great pics in your PB account Ben
RyanTank said:
Great pics in your PB account Ben
Cheers Album from Saturday here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskbp73xk
Otago Rally 2015 - Day 1 by Ben, on Flickr
Otago Rally 2015 - Day 1 by Ben, on Flickr
Otago Rally 2015 - Day 1 by Ben, on FlickrStill working on Sundays but pretty happy with how they're coming along so far.
Top pics!
Video of the MC2 getting its rear suspension bent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4au_s60qBMg
Video of the MC2 getting its rear suspension bent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4au_s60qBMg
In-car vid here through one of the classic stages, the Kuri Bush rollercoaster:
https://www.facebook.com/MattSummerfieldRalliSport...
https://www.facebook.com/MattSummerfieldRalliSport...
Sezoensrally Bocholt 2015 - Best of by Rallymedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUMyi8YYSLw&li...
Plains Forest Rally 2015 - Steve Simpson / Patrick Walsh - Onboard SS6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TttHjroJ9Uo&in...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUMyi8YYSLw&li...
Plains Forest Rally 2015 - Steve Simpson / Patrick Walsh - Onboard SS6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TttHjroJ9Uo&in...
We'll its back to normality after returning from Portugal yesterday.
I'd like to say it was amazing and completely different from Rally GB that I'm more use to, but in short the organisation needs vast improvement.
There was little to no stage information other than the maps on-line. that didn't help in actually getting us to that location to begin with! At least for WRGB they provide GPS co ordinates for speccy parking and that, or at least have signs leading up to the areas. not just a road block or tiny white arrows with ZE Locations printed on.
I'll admit it wasn't all the Organisers fault, the group of us should have tried harder to get specific location info before we went, but we expected more I guess from Portugal Organisers.
Stages wise they were good, when you eventually got there! we went to SS4 Viana Do Castelo on the friday, and after about an hour and a quarter walk up the mountain we got to the hairpin spectator area, which was already lined 10 deep 2hrs before the first car was due! We decided against staying there as visibility was poor, so moved further up the stage and found the spot in the vid to follow, between the "Zona Espectaculo" Hairpin and the Jump just after it. The jump was just as rammed and treeline just after it meant you could only see the cars lift off.
Saturday stages were pretty much the same story, we tried moving away from the crowded sections but they are way more strict out there for letting you out of the pens, most are manned by armed police! so if they say don't go, then you don't.
We sat out our stage for about 1.5hrs trying to get different viewpoints but we were either too far away to see anything decent, or when we got close to a gravel to tarmac switch hairpin, we were above the roadline and couldn't see anything as the fencing was keeping us from the edge. The best viewing angles were of the cars drifting down towards the hairpin but you were so far away from the stage you couldn't get any decent pics, so we moved again and stuffed ourselves between the police wagon and some trees, typically parked in the best viewing location of the hairpin.
We planned to go to Fafe on Sunday, but when we were getting everything sorted the night before my brother got a txt from a Portuguese colleague who was heading to the stage too but camping overnight. He said he'd parked his car at least a 2hr walk from the stage, and as he hadn't reached the spectator point after his hour Cycle scout out he wouldn't recommend we joined him, especially as this was how it was for people overnighting it! So we heeded his advice after much debate. A shame really as I was really looking forward to Fafe.
So Sunday was spent again down the Service Park, which was held in a Exhibition Centre like the NEC. This had restrictions like the stages and if you hadn't bought the "all access pass" you were penned in. a shame really as some of the best action was with the smaller teams and the DMACK Drivers.
Overall I enjoyed the trip, even if it doesn't sound like it from above, and got to meet Ari Vatanen!
Would I go back, probably, but armed with what I know now at least I wont make the same mistake again.
We've mentioned Spain or Germany next year, so see how that pans out.
Sadly I didn't bring any luck to Elfyn, but he was great in meeting my young niece and nephew, even coming out to sign the Welsh flag we took. Had a brief chat with Meeke while he was doing autographs and he says the cars evolution isn't fully ready yet. but wouldn't give away where its best suited too.
Anyway here's the footage I managed to get - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rLAuR3TAsM
I'd like to say it was amazing and completely different from Rally GB that I'm more use to, but in short the organisation needs vast improvement.
There was little to no stage information other than the maps on-line. that didn't help in actually getting us to that location to begin with! At least for WRGB they provide GPS co ordinates for speccy parking and that, or at least have signs leading up to the areas. not just a road block or tiny white arrows with ZE Locations printed on.
I'll admit it wasn't all the Organisers fault, the group of us should have tried harder to get specific location info before we went, but we expected more I guess from Portugal Organisers.
Stages wise they were good, when you eventually got there! we went to SS4 Viana Do Castelo on the friday, and after about an hour and a quarter walk up the mountain we got to the hairpin spectator area, which was already lined 10 deep 2hrs before the first car was due! We decided against staying there as visibility was poor, so moved further up the stage and found the spot in the vid to follow, between the "Zona Espectaculo" Hairpin and the Jump just after it. The jump was just as rammed and treeline just after it meant you could only see the cars lift off.
Saturday stages were pretty much the same story, we tried moving away from the crowded sections but they are way more strict out there for letting you out of the pens, most are manned by armed police! so if they say don't go, then you don't.
We sat out our stage for about 1.5hrs trying to get different viewpoints but we were either too far away to see anything decent, or when we got close to a gravel to tarmac switch hairpin, we were above the roadline and couldn't see anything as the fencing was keeping us from the edge. The best viewing angles were of the cars drifting down towards the hairpin but you were so far away from the stage you couldn't get any decent pics, so we moved again and stuffed ourselves between the police wagon and some trees, typically parked in the best viewing location of the hairpin.
We planned to go to Fafe on Sunday, but when we were getting everything sorted the night before my brother got a txt from a Portuguese colleague who was heading to the stage too but camping overnight. He said he'd parked his car at least a 2hr walk from the stage, and as he hadn't reached the spectator point after his hour Cycle scout out he wouldn't recommend we joined him, especially as this was how it was for people overnighting it! So we heeded his advice after much debate. A shame really as I was really looking forward to Fafe.
So Sunday was spent again down the Service Park, which was held in a Exhibition Centre like the NEC. This had restrictions like the stages and if you hadn't bought the "all access pass" you were penned in. a shame really as some of the best action was with the smaller teams and the DMACK Drivers.
Overall I enjoyed the trip, even if it doesn't sound like it from above, and got to meet Ari Vatanen!
Would I go back, probably, but armed with what I know now at least I wont make the same mistake again.
We've mentioned Spain or Germany next year, so see how that pans out.
Sadly I didn't bring any luck to Elfyn, but he was great in meeting my young niece and nephew, even coming out to sign the Welsh flag we took. Had a brief chat with Meeke while he was doing autographs and he says the cars evolution isn't fully ready yet. but wouldn't give away where its best suited too.
Anyway here's the footage I managed to get - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rLAuR3TAsM
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff