Round: 11

Categories:
WRC, J-WRC

Based:
Salou

Surface:
Asphalt

Most recent winner:
Sebastien Loeb (2008)

Rally website:
http://www.rallyracc.com

There has been significant change for Spain's round of the WRC in recent years. First the move from the Costa Brava to the Costa Daurada on the other side of Barcelona in 2005, and then a calendar move back to autumn in 2007.
The event's nature hasn't changed much, however, with the wide, sweeping asphalt roads providing the fastest sealed-surface stages of the season. Racing driving techniques can pay dividends on the fast asphalt stages as drivers aim for smooth lines through the turns to maximise their speed.
The event is based in the PortAventura theme park, in the town of Salou in the Tarragona region. It's extremely popular with spectators - especially the Spanish who were weaned on years of success for double champion and 26-times rally winner Carlos Sainz.

Shakedown times:
1. LOEB. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:36.4
2. OGIER. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:37.4
3. SORDO. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:37.9
4. P. SOLBERG. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:38.0
5. HIRVONEN. Ford Focus RS WRC 09. 2:38.9
6. LATVALA. Ford Focus RS WRC 09. 2:39.2
7. NOVIKOV. Citroen C4 WRC. 2:39.6
8. VILLAGRA. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:39.7
9. WILSON. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:39.8
10. H.SOLBERG. Ford Focus RS WRC 08. 2:41.3

Overall Timings End of Day One...
After SS6 El Montmell 2
1. Daniel SORDO 1:10:45.3
2. Sébastien LOEB 1:10:46.9 +1.6 +1.6
3. Mikko HIRVONEN 1:11:19.5 +32.6 +34.2
4. Petter SOLBERG 1:11:45.0 +25.5 +59.7
5. Sebastien OGIER 1:12:08.2 +23.2 +1:22.9
6. Jari-Matti LATVALA 1:12:22.0 +13.8 +1:36.7
7. Evgeny NOVIKOV 1:13:56.3 +1:34.3 +3:11.0
8. Matthew WILSON 1:14:14.1 +17.8 +3:28.8
9. Federico VILLAGRA 1:14:37.2 +23.1 +3:51.9
10. Henning SOLBERG 1:14:44.0 +6.8 +3:58.7

Loeb and Sordo doing what was expected. But I must say Iam disappointed with mikko. You cant be a world champ contender with such a gaping weakness on any particular surface. Latvala is extremely poor on tarmac and mikko is just about holding solberg back. Unless luck favours him (which has been the case more often than not this season), he is not giving an impression that he can beat the best.

Is it purely cos of the lack of driving skills or does it have something to do with the car? That C4 is a rocket!
in 2001 Richard Burns won the WRC title by winning just one rally

Loeb wins Rally de Espana!

Pos Driver Time
1 Sébastien LOEB 22:14.7
2 Daniel SORDO 22:26.7
3 Mikko HIRVONEN 23:08.8
4 Petter SOLBERG 23:27.1
5 Sebastien OGIER 23:56.3
6 Jari-Matti LATVALA 25:04.5
7 Matthew WILSON 29:30.2
8 Federico VILLAGRA 30:42.8
9 Henning SOLBERG 31:22.3
10 Dany SNOBECK 33:11.0

Team orders?

After 11 rounds

1  CITROEN TOTAL WORLD RALLY TEAM - 151
2  BP FORD ABU DHABI WORLD RALLY TEAM - 130
3  STOBART VK M-SPORT FORD RALLY TEAM - 73
4  CITROEN JUNIOR RALLY TEAM - 42
5  MUNCHI'S FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM - 23

2009 Drivers' championship standings

1  M. HIRVONEN 
2  S. LOEB 
3  D. SORDO 
4  J-M LATVALA 
5  P. SOLBERG 
6  H. SOLBERG 
7  M. WILSON 
8  S. OGIER 
9  F. VILLAGRA 
10  C. RAUTENBACH

So has Mikko wrapped it up?

2009 Drivers' championship standings
1. M. HIRVONEN 84
2. S. LOEB 83
3. D. SORDO 58
4. J-M LATVALA 39
5. P. SOLBERG 30
6. H. SOLBERG 29
7. M. WILSON 25
8. S. OGIER 24
9. F. VILLAGRA 16
10. C. RAUTENBACH 8

nope, one more event to go, gb!

GO Loeb!!!

GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Loeb still has it in him, but its gonna be a tough battle.

If peter can also pull a podium then mikko has very less chances.

Mikko will be competitive in GB. What's critical will be the starting order at GB. Remember last year Loeb faked a jump start so that he didnt have to sweep on the second day.