Motorsport News

Guy finishes in points as Škoda wins IRC title

Friday 3rd September 2010

Škoda has won the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) manufacturers' title after a tremendous one-two-three finish on its home event, the Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

The rally also featured a solid performance by Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks, who achieved his aim of finishing in the points on his comeback rally. Guy had to work hard to keep his Fabia S2000 Facelift in check over the slippery Moravian-region asphalt stages, eventually bringing it home in seventh place.

It was by no means an easy return to the IRC for Guy after his injury-enforced three-month absence. A wild deer ran into his car on SS3, causing considerable side panel damage, a flash fire at a refuel engulfed the back of the car in flames and heavy rain showers made driving on slick tyres even more hazardous.

Most significantly, the car had a problem with the rear differential on all 17 stages. This made it difficult to keep in a straight line over the bumps, extremely nervous under braking and more like a front-wheel drive car in the corners.

With so many of his rivals crashing out in the difficult conditions, the fact that Guy was able to overcome such problems and climb back up the leaderboard from 12th position (after SS5) to score a solid points-scoring result on his comeback event was just reward for a very professional, measured and intelligent drive.

Co-driven by Phil Pugh, who celebrated his 40th birthday on day one of the rally, the 29-year old Darlington driver was quickly back into his stride and showed absolutely no signs of the back injury he sustained 12 weeks before – confirming that he is back to near full physical fitness.

It was a wonderful home rally for Škoda, who locked out the podium on an IRC event for the fourth time this season. Local hero and defending Barum Czech Rally Zlín winner Jan Kopecký led the event from the start, but crashed out four stages from the end. This handed the lead to Bryan Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000), until he was overtaken by Freddy Loix (Škoda Fabia S2000) on the penultimate stage.

In an another exciting IRC finale, Bouffier slid off the road and lost seven minutes on the last stage – giving Loix the victory and Škoda a one-two-three podium finish, with Juho Hänninen and Pavel Valoušek finishing second and third, and with it the IRC manufacturers' crown.

Guy said: "Seventh is not exactly the result we were aiming for, and the problems we encountered along the way were not what we wanted on our comeback event, but we've had just about everything thrown at us in the Czech Republic this weekend – including wildlife!

"It's been incredibly difficult the whole time, but we've kept going, the team has worked well and tried really hard, and having problems is one of those things. It's been good for mental strength to discipline ourselves and keep going forward when things weren't perfect.

"Unfortunately, with the rear differential problems we experienced throughout the event, we were just losing too much time, especially in the wet. We didn't have a lot of drive from the rear at all, so our Fabia S2000 was effectively a front-wheel drive car with a little bit of push from the rear. We struggled for traction out of the corners, we had understeer in the corners and in the braking zones the car was quite nervous. On the bumpy damp roads around Zlín, it was very difficult to keep the car in check. If it happened on a dry, smooth rally it wouldn't matter so much, but on this event the car was darting from left to right the whole time and it was a real handful.

"It's the first mechanical issue we've had with the car all season, so we have to be thankful for that, and in the dry here we had good pace. Without the rear diff problem I'm convinced we'd have been right on the pace and challenging for a place on the podium.

"Physically I'm fine; I feel great. It's been a physically demanding rally, but I've come through it with no aches and pains in my back and I'm very pleased. I didn't expect any to be honest, but it's nice to reach the end of my first rally after the injury I had and be proved right.

"I'd like to congratulate Freddy on another fantastic win, Škoda Motorsport on another incredible one-two-three result and Škoda on winning the IRC manufacturers' title. It's been a magnificent year for Škoda Motorsport, and it deserves all the success it is enjoying."

The next round of the IRC is the Sanremo Rally in Italy on 24-25 September.

Barum Czech Rally Zlín results (provisional top 10)

1. Freddy Loix/Fréderic Miclotte (Škoda Fabia S2000)… 2hr 31mins 31.0secs
2. Juho Hänninen/ Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+25.0secs
3. Pavel Valoušek/ Zdeněk Hrůza (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+1min 20.2secs
4. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+1min 57.6secs
5. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (Ford Fiesta S2000)…+2mins 33.9secs
6. Václav Pech/Petr Uhel (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)…+3min 07.4secs
7. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+3mins 41.1secs
8. Jaromír Tarabus/DanielTrunkát (Ford Fiesta S2000)…+ 5mins 18.0secs
9. Tomáš Kostka/Vít Houšť (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+6mins 13.1secs
10. Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+6mins 52.2secs

IRC points (Drivers') after round nine

1. Juho Hänninen…56pts
2. Jan Kopecký…47pts
3. Freddy Loix…30pts
4. Bruno Magalhăes…30pts
5. Kris Meeke…28pts
6. Guy Wilks…27pts

IRC points (Manufacturers') after round nine

1. Škoda…128pts
2. Peugeot…79pts
3. M-Sport…31pts
4. Ralliart…22pts
5. Subaru…11pts

 

Wilks’s wait ends as Barum Czech Rally signals IRC return

Thursday 26th August 2010

Škoda UK Motorsport has polished its Fabia S2000 Facelift rally car, driver Guy Wilks has a new crash helmet and co-driver Phil Pugh has dry-cleaned his overalls. It can only mean one thing. Yes, the team is returning to Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) competition this weekend on Škoda's home round of the series, the Barum Czech Rally Zlín (27-29 August).

Guy tested the car earlier this week in the Czech Republic and reports that all is back to normal inside the cockpit. He might not be as match fit as his rivals, but having been sitting on the sidelines for 12 weeks there will be no-one keener to get going when the flag drops on Friday night and 40,000 spectators line the streets of Zlín to watch the opening super-special stage.

The Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, has attracted a bumper 130-car entry, containing a record-breaking 28 Super S2000 cars – 11 of which are Fabia S2000s.

Last year's winner Jan Kopecký is hot favourite for a repeat victory. He'll be chased hard by three other Fabia S2000 drivers – IRC leader Juho Hänninen, Freddy Loix, winner of both previous asphalt rounds of the IRC, and our own Guy – all of whom are capable of lifting the trophy on Sunday night.

Fans not able to travel to the Czech Republic will be able to watch the best of the action on Eurosport, which will broadcast at these times ( Central European Time – please check TV listings for British Eurosport times):

Saturday 28 August

15:00hrs-15:30hrs LIVE from stop point SS6 (Eurosport)

19:00hrs-19:30hrs LIVE from parc ferme (Eurosport 2)

21:00hrs-21:30hrs day one highlights (Eurosport)

Sunday 29 August

08:30hrs-09:00hrs day one highlights repeated (Eurosport)

12:30hrs-13:00hrs LIVE from service park (Eurosport 2)

22:00hrs-22:30hrs day two highlights (Eurosport)

24:45hrs-25:15hrs day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)

Monday 30 August

08:30hrs-09:00hrs day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)

Tuesday 31 August

15:30hrs-16:00hrs Rally review (Eurosport)

Thursday 2 September

13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)

Saturday 4 September

09:45hrs-10:15hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)

Barum Czech Rally Zlín leading entries:

1. Juho Hänninen/ Mikko Markkula…Škoda Fabia S2000

2. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle…Peugeot 207 S2000

3. Vaclav Pech Jr/Petr Uhel…Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX

4. Corrado Fontana/Nicolas Arena…Peugeot 207 S2000

5. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý…Škoda Fabia S2000

6. Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri…Peugeot 207 S2000

7. Freddy Loix/ Fréderic Miclotte…Škoda Fabia S2000

8. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene…Ford Fiesta S2000

9. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh…Škoda Fabia S2000

10. Pavel Valousek Jr/Zdenek Hruza…Škoda Fabia S2000

Current IRC points standings:

Drivers’

1. Juho Hänninen…54pts

2. Jan Kopecký…47pts

3. Bruno Magalh?es…30pts

4. Guy Wilks…25pts

5. Kris Meeke…23pts

6. Freddy Loix…20pts

Manufacturers'

1. Škoda…116pts

2. Peugeot…79pts

3. M-Sport…26pts

4. Ralliart…19pts

5. Subaru…11pts

 

Guy Wilks to drive at Castle Combe Rallyday

Wednesday 25th August 2010

Guy Wilks promises to entertain the expected 10,000-strong crowd with a spectacular driving display in the Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 Facelift at the Castle Combe Rallyday on Saturday 18 September.

Regular co-driver Phil Pugh will surrender the hot seat for the day, because Škoda UK Motorsport will be donating passenger rides with Guy to three extremely good causes – the Richard Burns Foundation, Colin McRae Vision and Save The Children.

Guy said: "Rallyday at Castle Combe is a really good event with a fantastic atmosphere. Although Castle Combe is a race circuit, it's a great opportunity to put on a show for the large crowd of spectators – especially as there are so many of them!"

Rallyday, the UK's premier rally car show, gives visitors the chance to see a wide range of rally cars and stars in an open and spectator-friendly environment. It combines live action on the track with static displays in the paddock, and has something to offer everyone from rally enthusiasts to families..

The on-track action includes professional driving demonstrations, track sessions, rally car rides, circuit parades and a feature rally car stage. Off-track there is a host of displays, where visitors have a close look at some of the world's most iconic rally.

Škoda UK will display a range of road cars the main paddock area, featuring the exciting new Fabia vRS, Octavia vRS (Guy's car of choice on the road), a Superb Estate and the Yeti, Auto Express Car of the Year 2010. Fans will also be able to get up close and personal with the Škoda Fabia S2000 – the car that leads the IRC series.

Further details on Rallyday, including ticket information, can be found at www.rallyday.com

 

Škoda scores 1-2-3 hat-trick in Madeira

Monday 9th August 2010

Škoda Motorsport scored its third 1-2-3 finish of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) on the Rali Vinho Madeira over the weekend. Freddy Loix, Jan Kopecký and Juho Hänninen locked out the podium in their Fabia S2000 cars. The maximum points haul means Škoda extends its lead to 37 points in the manufacturers' table.

Following an early battle with Luca Rossetti, Loix moved into a lead on stage seven that he would never relinquish. To underline his dominance he was fastest on 14 of the rally's 21 all-asphalt stages, despite nursing an injured left shoulder, which he sustained falling off his motorbike two weeks before.

Loix was also awarded the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy for the most spectacular driver.

"It's been a good, clean drive from the start," said Freddy. "I had a perfect feeling with the car and there was never a problem."

Kopecký and Hänninen were delighted with their results, particularly as it was the first time that both of them had contested the event. Hänninen continues to lead the IRC drivers' standings and is just seven points ahead of second-placed Kopecký with four rounds remaining.

Absent Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks remains fourth and is the top British driver in the series. Guy will return to competition at the Barum Rally in the Czech Republic at the end of this month.

Rali Vinho Madeira – provisional results (top six)

1. Freddy Loix/ Fréderic Miclotte (Škoda Fabia S2000)…3:08.14.3s
2. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+37.8
3. Juho Hänninen /Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+2.25.8
4. Miguel Nunes/Victor Calado (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+2.42.7
5. Vitor Sa/Nuno Rodrigues (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+3.13.7
6. Filipe Freitas/Daniel Figueiroa (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)…+9.03.2

IRC points (Drivers’) after round eight

1. Juho Hänninen…54pts
2. Jan Kopecký…47pts
3. Bruno Magalh?es…30pts
4. Guy Wilks…25pts
5. Kris Meeke…23pts
6. Freddy Loix…20pts

IRC points (Manufacturers') after round eight

1. Škoda…116pts
2. Peugeot…79pts
3. M-Sport…26pts
4. Ralliart…19pts
5. Subaru…11pts

 

vRS gets Fabia-lous review in Auto Express

Tuesday 27th July 2010

The Fabia vRS and Super 2000 went head-to-head in a series of scorching track laps in a six-page spread for last week's Auto Express. The pumped-up vRS gave as good as it got with a "punchy performance" and earned itself a Fabia-lous review.

Auto Express hailed the vRS for its "rock-solid build quality" and "efficient engine and twin-clutch box which provide an attractive balance between fun and everyday usability."

On the test track, the vRS completed the sprint from 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds which means "real-world overtaking ability is excellent" and "the slick transmission adds to its grown-up persona."

Auto Express described the vRS as "great value" and gave it four stars in the 'costs' category as well as the 'green' category. They said: "with its efficient small-capacity engine and DSG gearbox, the vRS returns strong 32.6mpg economy and puts out 148g/km of CO2. That's impressive for a 178bhp hot hatch."

"It rides well and the engine is smooth and punchy. Slick-shifting DSG box adds to the appeal."

Auto Express also took the chance to review the new Fabia Super 2000 Facelift and our high performance mean-machine lived up to its Super name round the track. Auto Express described the ride as "breathtaking" and said that, through corners, the S2000 "really blows your mind."

The Super 2000 was commended for both looking and acting the part, earning a full five stars for 'styling' and 'driving'. Auto Express were impressed with its "bulging bodywork and long-travel gravel suspension" and how it delivers "incredible agility, grip, steering responses and power."

The Super 2000 will be back in action for Škoda Motorsport UK at the Barum Rally in the Czech Republic on 27 August with Guy Wilks behind the wheel.

 

Wilks to make IRC return on Barum Czech Rally Zlín

Friday 9th July 2010

Guy Wilks will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 on the Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which takes place in the Czech Republic on 27-29 August.

The 29-year old Darlington driver has been out of competition since he and co-driver Phil Pugh crashed out of the Rally d'Italia-Sardegna at the beginning of June. Guy is recovering well from the two fractured vertebrae he sustained in that accident, and is focused on getting himself fully fit for Škoda Motorsport’s home round of the series.

Guy will test a Fabia S2000 Facelift (pictured below) for the first time in the Czech Republic before the event, which will enable him to become familiar with the wider front track configuration and to get himself back up to full rally speed.

The Barum Czech Rally Zlín celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010. Held around the Moravian town of Zlín, the event has been a round of the European Rally Championship since 1983 and the IRC since 2007. Last year, 265,000 spectators lined the stages to watch local heroes Jan Kopecký and Petr Starý win the event in their Škoda Motorsport Fabia S2000.

Guy said: “I’m delighted that we’re going to return to the IRC on the Barum Rally, because it gives me a definitive date to aim for and to make sure I’m 100 per cent fit before I get back into the Fabia S2000. We’ll also be able to have a good test before the rally, which is important because I haven’t as yet driven the Fabia S2000 Facelift, and there are a few new things to get used to.

“It won’t take me long to get up to full speed again, but after missing three rallies mid-season I have to be realistic. I did the Barum Rally recce last year, so I have an idea of what the roads are like. Jan Kopecký will be very quick in Barum, as will Juho Hänninen, Kris Meeke and several other drivers, so we’ll be going there aiming for a podium finish. We were on the pace and finished on the podium in Gran Canarias, which was an asphalt rally I’d never done before, so I’d be happy with a similar result in the Czech Republic.

“My recovery is coming on very well. Since Sardinia I’ve been relaxing and swimming, and I’ve been able to do some PR work at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and at the Fabia vRS launch – all of which have been good, because I get bored very easily. I’m going to start physiotherapy very soon to strengthen my back and then I’ll be able to start training properly again.”

 

Loix ready for Goodwood after Ypres Rally victory

Thursday 1st July 2010

Freddy Loix prepared for this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the best possible way by winning the Geko Ypres Rally (24-26 June), in the Škoda Fabia S2000 Facelift – giving the car its first win on his competition debut.

Jan Kopecký made it a great weekend for Škoda Motorsport by finishing second in his Fabia S2000 Facelift. What’s more, Desktop went along to sample the rally atmosphere – click the video right to find out more.

It’s the third time in six rallies that Škoda has finished first and second in an Intercontinental Rally Challenge event this year to score maximum manufacturers’ championship points. In doing so, it increased its lead in the manufacturers’ standings to 43 points.

Škoda drivers remain first, second and third in the IRC drivers’ table. Juho Hänninen continues to lead, despite sliding off the road and getting stuck in a deep ditch on SS4 – his first IRC retirement for over a year (since Rally Azores in May 2009). Kopecký is just three points behind Hänninen in second, while Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks remains third, despite missing last weekend’s event as he continues to recover from injuries sustained on Rally d'Italia-Sardegna.

Loix never put a foot wrong in Ypres, as he and co-driver Fréderic Miclotte set the fastest time on nine of the 19 special stages. In front of tens of thousands of rally fans, many of them British, the local hero was a popular winner. After two long and hot days of competition, battled out over the fast asphalt roads of West Flanders, Loix came home 21.4 seconds ahead of Kopecký, who had also enjoyed an excellent performance with six stage wins.

Freddy will be back in action this weekend, when he drives a Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 Facelift rally car at Goodwood.

After the rally, Freddy said: “I’m really happy. This is a great return to the IRC. I’d like to thank Škoda Belgium, my sponsors and special thanks go to Škoda Motorsport for a perfectly prepared car.

“I’m now really looking forward to Goodwood this weekend. I’ve never been before, but other drivers have told me that it’s a fantastic event and to go there on the back of my sixth win in Ypres will be very special for me.”

Meanwhile, Guy is recovering well and thrilled at the progress of the team. He told Desktop: “Ypres was a fantastic performance for the new Škoda Fabia S2000 Facelift rally car and a great weekend all round for the Škoda Motorsport team. Juho was very unlucky to get stuck where there wasn’t enough spectators to help him get his car out of a ditch, but Freddy and Jan did a great job to finish first and second and strengthen Škoda’s position at the top of the manufacturers’ championship.

“Personally, I’m doing well and getting better and better every day, and I’m looking forward to coming to Goodwood this weekend.”

Geko Ypres Rally– provisional results (top six)

1. Freddy Loix/Fréderic Miclotte (Škoda Fabia S2000)…2:35.36.9
2. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+21.4
3. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Klinger (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+2.05.5
4. Bernd Casier/Francis Caesemaeker (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+4.01.6
5. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (Ford Fiesta S2000)…+5.20.9
6. Bruno Magalh?es/Carlos Magalh?es (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+6.06.2

IRC points (drivers’) after round six

1. Juho Hänninen…42pts
2. Jan Kopecký…39pts
3. Guy Wilks…25pts
4. Bruno Magalh?es…20pts
5. Kris Meeke…15pts
6. Thierry Neuville…11pts 

IRC points (manufacturers’) after round six

1. Škoda…98pts
2. Peugeot…55pts
3. M-Sport…21pts
4. Subaru…10pts
5. Ralliart…8pts

 

Loix joins Wilks at Škoda UK for Goodwood Festival

Monday 21th June 2010

Freddy Loix will make his Goodwood Festival of Speed debut next month (2-4 July), driving the Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 on the Forest Rally Stage. Guy Wilks will also be at the event, making his first public appearance since his accident on the Rally d'Italia-Sardegna.

Freddy is one of Belgium’s top professional rally drivers, with a career spanning 25 years and a long and distinguished history of competing in the FIA World Rally Championship. It will be an all-too-rare chance for British rally fans to see the 39-year-old driver in action.

His last appearance in the UK was on the 2003 Wales Rally GB, where he finished sixth overall having replaced an unwell Richard Burns in the works Peugeot team. Somewhat fittingly, the Richard Burns Foundation is the official charity of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the Škoda UK Motorsport team will be working with the RBF to help raise funds during the three day event.

Freddy will arrive in the UK just days after driving an official Škoda Motorsport Fabia S2000 Facelift car on round six of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Ypres Rally – an event he has won five times in the past.

Freddy said: “I am very happy to come to Goodwood and drive for Škoda UK Motorsport. I have never been to the event before, but other rally drivers have told me what a fantastic experience it is and I’ve always wanted to do it. I really didn’t have to think twice before accepting the invitation.”

Guy is making a speedy recovery after breaking two vertebrae in an accident on the Rally d'Italia-Sardegna two weeks ago. He has undergone treatment in an oxygen chamber, has begun training in a swimming pool and is already able to drive his road-going Škoda Octavia. A further x-ray this week revealed that the fractures are healing extremely well.

Getting back behind the wheel of the Fabia S2000 has been a great goal for me to aim at, and every step of my recovery has been focused on doing that,” said Guy. “The fractures are healing very well and I’m already back driving my road car. I want to be 100 per cent fit for my next rally – that’s the only reason we’re missing Ypres – and I hope to be back rallying very soon.”

The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, where the Earl and Countess of March open their home to what is described as the largest motoring garden party in the world. The celebration of motorsport and the automotive industry attracts many of the biggest stars of today and yesteryear, driving a glittering array of modern and historic cars and motorcycles. Tickets are available from the Goodwood website.

 

Wilks heads to oxygen chamber to speed up recovery

Tuesday 15th June 2010

Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks is spending time in an oxygen chamber to help speed up his recovery, after suffering two fractured vertebrae in an accident on Rally d'Italia-Sardegna.

Early medical assessments indicate that the fractures will heal quickly and that Guy will be able to start a special training programme very soon. Having arrived back in the UK on Monday night (7 June), Guy spoke to an Ipswich-based bone specialist, who gave a positive estimate of recovery time.

After returning to his home in County Durham, Guy has been taking treatments in an oxygen chamber at the Multiple Sclerosis Society Therapy Centre in Middlesbrough, which is a facility where other sportsmen and women have received similar recovery-boosting treatment. Co-driver Phil Pugh was uninjured in the accident, and has returned home to the Welsh seaside town Tywyn, in Gwynedd.

Škoda UK Motorsport has decided not to compete in the Geko Ypres Rally (24-26 June) and will continue to monitor Guy’s progress closely before deciding on its next IRC event. The IRC structure of counting drivers’ seven best scores from 12 rallies towards the title allows Škoda UK Motorsport to miss the Belgium event without much consequence.

Guy is currently lying third in the drivers’ standings having four points-scoring results from five starts – two seconds (Brazil and Argentina), one third (Gran Canarias) and a sixth-place finish (Monte Carlo). The Ypres Rally marks the halfway point in the series, with six rallies remaining thereafter.

Guy said: “I’m feeling better every day and I’m able to walk around with a brace on to support my back. The doctors in Italy were very good, but I certainly wanted to get a second opinion from a specialist at home, someone I either knew or could talk to without the language barrier, and my doctor said that in terms of breaking your back, my situation is not so bad.

“I’m going to an oxygen chamber to accelerate my recovery, as this will help speed up the growth of the bone and heal the fracture quicker. My doctor has also given me a training programme for the swimming pool and some floor exercises which will strengthen my back, and I’m not far away from taking the brace off completely.

“I’m massively disappointed not to be going to Ypres, because it’s such a fantastic event. I hope to have another chance at contesting it in the future. The priority for me right now is to get back to full fitness, so I can score more podiums and rally wins in the years ahead.”

Škoda UK Motorsport and Guy wish to thank the doctors and staff at the Multiple Sclerosis Society Therapy Centre in Middlesbrough for their help.

 

Wilks third in IRC despite crashing out

Monday 7th June 2010

Guy Wilks is flying home from Sardinia today in third place in the IRC, despite spending most of the Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in hospital after fracturing two vertebrae in an accident on the opening stage.

Guy’s misfortune aside, it was a good rally for Škoda Motorsport, with Juho Hänninen and Jan Kopecký finishing first and third in Sardinia. The three Fabia S2000 drivers continue to hold the top three positions in the drivers’ standings, and Škoda maintains its lead in the manufacturers’ championship.

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna was an extremely difficult event, with half of the top 10 seeds failing to reach the finish. In addition to Guy, leading retirements included Sébastien Ogier (Peugeot 207 S2000 – engine), Kris Meeke and Franz Wittmann (Peugeot 207 S2000 – accidents) and Andreas Mikkelsen (Ford Fiesta S2000 – accident).

Guy is flying home today as scheduled, on a direct charter flight from Olbia to Luton. He will then see a back specialist to assess his condition, before deciding what his next IRC event for Škoda UK Motorsport will be.

Co-driver Phil Pugh also flies home today. He was uninjured in the accident and has been keeping Guy company in hospital for the last two days. Indeed, every member of the Škoda UK Motorsport paid a personal visit to give Guy their best wishes.

The fact that Guy and Phil escaped from the high-speed accident, in which their Fabia S2000 left the road on a sixth-gear left hand corner and collided with large rocks, is a testimony to the strength of the Škoda and a tribute to the engineering excellence at Škoda Motorsport.

Guy said: “I’d like to thank the doctors and nurses at San Martino Hospital for taking such good care of me, and for all the good will messages I’ve received. I’m in good spirits, and looking forward to getting home, seeing a specialist and planning our next rally.

“Congratulations to Juho and Jan and the entire Škoda Motorsport team on another fantastic rally result. Rally d'Italia-Sardegna is a tough event, and together we have demonstrated both the speed and strength of the Fabia S2000.”

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna – provisional results (top six)

1. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…2:31.28.6
2. Paolo Andreucci/Anna Andreussi (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+35.6
3. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+ 38.25
4. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Klinger (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+5.58.6
5. Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+9.55.8
6. Teemu Arminen/Tuomo Nikkola (GpN Subaru Impreze)…+10.12.3

IRC points (Drivers’) after round five

1. Juho Hänninen…42pts
2. Jan Kopecký…31pts
3. Guy Wilks…25pts
4. Bruno Magalhaes…17pts
5. Kris Meeke…15pts
6. Mikko Hirvonen…10pts

IRC points (Manufacturers’) after round five

1. Škoda…80pts
2. Peugeot…46pts
3. M-Sport…15pts

 

Wilks targets more IRC points for koda UK in Sardinia

Friday 28th May 2010

Having finished the last three rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on the podium, Guy Wilks is hoping to continue his excellent run of success when he contests round five of the series, Rally d'Italia-Sardegna (4-6 June), in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000.

Škoda tops the manufacturers’ table

Thanks to great performances in Brazil (second), Argentina (second) and Gran Canarias (third), and a 100 per cent finishing record in his Fabia S2000, Guy is tied for second with Jan Kopecký in the drivers’ table, and has helped Škoda establish a healthy 31 point lead in the manufacturers’ standings.

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna is a notoriously fast and difficult event, yet Guy is confident he can produce another good result on what is expected to be the most competitive IRC rally of the year so far.

Guy has previous form in Sardinia

Guy has contested Rally d'Italia-Sardegna three times before, as part of his FIA Junior World Rally Championship programmes. He finished 2nd in class in 2004 and was leading the J-WRC category by over two minutes when a split oil cooler stopped him in 2006, while mechanical problems forced him to finish under Superally rules in 2005. Although he knows the style of the Sardinian stages well, much of this year’s route is new; the stages to the south have never run before and new sections have been added to the traditional stages in the north.

New Fabia S2000 for Rally d'Italia-Sardegna

This will be the first time Guy and his co-drive Phil Pugh have contested Rally d'Italia-Sardegna in a powerful four-wheel drive car. And Guy will be driving a different Fabia S2000 to the one he’s rallied in so far this season. Having left the team’s workshop on 10 February to compete in Argentina, Brazil and Gran Canarias, Guy’s rally car finally returned to base on 17 May. Although Škoda UK Motorsport could have fully rebuilt it in time, the team has elected to run Guy in a ‘fresher’ Fabia S2000 – the same car that Jan Kopecký drove in two rounds of the 2010 Italian Rally Championship (Rally 1000 Miglia and Rally Adriatico) in fact. The car will be prepared to Guy’s specific requirements and will be put through its paces in a 50km pre-event test in Sardinia on Monday (31 May).

Star-studded line up

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna looks set to be the most exciting IRC event of the season so far, having attracted a star-studded international entry, including:

• The top three drivers in the series - Juho Hänninen (Finland), Guy and Kopecký (Czech Rep) - who’ll all drive Škoda Fabia S2000s
• Sébastien Ogier (France), four-time Italian rally champion Paolo Andreucci, Kris Meeke (UK), Bruno Magalhães (Portugal) and one of rallying’s top female drivers Burcu Cetinkaya (Turkey) will all drive Peugeot 207 S2000s
• Double Junior World Rally Champion P-G Andersson (Sweden), who will drive a Gp N Mitsubishi
• Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) and Giuseppe Dettori, who lead a large group of Sardinian drivers, and will race in M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000s.

“You have to use your head to keep yourself in the game”

“Rally d'Italia-Sardegna has been a good event for us before in terms of pace, although we’ve also had a bit of bad luck with mechanical problems,” says Guy. “The event can be quite tough on the car. You have to be very precise where you position the car on the road because there can be some large rocks just off the line. The roads really are carved around the landscape and rocks protrude out of the road where you least expect them – and where you don’t want them. So you have to be mindful of that and take care.

“The stages are very narrow in places, but fast and sometimes quite rough. It’s not a rally where you can go blasting around carefree and try and set fastest stage time after fastest stage time, because you won’t get away with it. You have to use your head to make sure you keep yourself in the game by steering clear of punctures and maintaining car reliability.

“The opening 28 kilometre stage will be very interesting. You have to get out of bed early and go for it on an opening stage like that; you can’t sit back and relax, because you can lose so much time on such a long stage and spend the rest of the event trying to fight back. You can’t afford to do that on a round of the IRC, because the competition is intense.

“I’m quite comfortable with what we’ve achieved in the previous rounds of the IRC. We’ve remained in our comfort zone and not really stuck our neck out, but now is the time to start doing so if we want to win a rally. We need to push that little extra bit to start winning rallies and maintain our challenge in the series.

“We’ve got some bankers in the form of three podiums and we’d like to think that come the time we’re looking at our best seven results to count, our sixth place finish in Monte Carlo will be a dropped score. We have three good scores in our back pocket thanks to our podiums in Brazil, Argentina and Gran Canarias, so it’s a great position to build from.”

Home event for Zanchi and his team

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna is the home event for Škoda UK Motorsport team manager Pierfrancesco Zanchi and his Oleggio Castello-based squad. He has done the event once as a driver (lying second in Gp N to Gigi Galli in 2004 before breaking the steering rack) and three times (2006-08) as a team principal – so knows the event extremely well.

There is one change to the Škoda UK Motorsport team line-up in Sardinia. Chief mechanic David Pelliccoili made a commitment to work at the Le Mans 24 Hour race before the IRC programme was confirmed, so he’ll be replaced by Marco Raele, who worked on Guy’s Fabia S2000 on Rallye Monte Carlo.

 “Rally d'Italia-Sardegna is a special event for everyone involved in this project and we really want to do well,” says Pierfrancesco Zanchi. “We have a good history of competing on the island, and while many of the stages are new to us all, we have a very good feeling. It is going to be a tough event and faster this year than before, but we have prepared very well and hope to fight for another place on the podium.”

The action starts on Friday

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna begins on Friday 4 June with a ceremonial start in Cagliari at 8pm. Saturday’s opening leg, which features six stages – including two runs over Monte Grighine which, at 17.8 miles, is the longest of the rally – takes the rally north, via service in Simaxis (near Oristano, halfway up the west coast) to the overnight halt in Olbia, in the north-east of the Italian island. It’s a long day, with crews on the move from 6.10am until 9pm.

The second and final day of action takes place on Sunday 6 June, with a further three stages run twice; including the 16.13-mile Coiluna test. A sting in the tail comes in the form of the final three stages, totalling 25.73 miles, which are run without service. The rally finishes in Porto Cervo, near Olbia, at 7pm, after 12 stages and 135.9 miles (218.7kms) of competition.

Support the Škoda UK Motorsport team

Eurosport will broadcast live coverage from the two longest stages of the event, plus a recorded review of the rally, on:

Saturday 5 June

08:30-09:45am: stage two: Monte Grighine 1 (live)

12:00-13:00pm: stage four: Monte Grighine 2 (live)

Sunday 6 June

08:30-09:45am: stage eight: Coiluna 1 (live)

 

Guy Wilks set for Italian job

Monday 7th May 2010

Guy Wilks will be aiming for his fourth straight Intercontinental Rally Challenge podium finish next month, when he drives his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 in the next round of the series, Rally d'Italia-Sardegna.

Two out of the four rallies contested so far this season – Rally Brazil and Rally Islas Canarias – have been new adventures for Guy, yet he has finished on the podium in both, as well as in Argentina. He lies second in the drivers’ standings, tied on points with Jan Kopecký. Series leader Juho Hänninen makes it a Škoda 1-2-3 at the top of the drivers’ table.Škoda also leads the IRC manufacturers’ standings.

Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh will be back on more familiar territory next time out, as they have contested Rally d'Italia-Sardegna twice before.

Rally d'Italia-Sardegna will start in Cagliari, in the south of the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia, on 4 June, and finish in Olbia, on the north coast, on 6 June. Thirteen stages totalling around 155 miles will take place on the spectacular gravel roads in between.

 

Podium hat-trick for Wilks as Škoda repeats 1-2-3

Saturday 1st May 2010

Guy Wilks and co-driver Phil Pugh scored a sensational third consecutive podium finish in the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge after coming home third on the Rally Islas Canarias 'Trofeo El Corte Ingles', which finished in Las Palmas today.

Guy was driving the same Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 in which he’d finished second on Rally Brazil nd Rally Argentina. Having been shipped to Gran Canarias directly from South America, only a limited amount of time was available to change the car from gravel to asphalt specification – performed by the team’s skilled mechanics in the service bays of a Škoda retailer in Las Palmas.

On his first full asphalt rally in the Fabia S2000, the 29-year old Darlington driver set top-five stage times throughout the high-speed, two-day, 15-special stage event to stay second in the drivers’ standings.

It was also another fantastic event for Škoda, which scored its second consecutive one-two-three IRC finish. Having achieved its first international rally podium lock-out on Rally Argentina, the Czech brand did it again in Gran Canarias. This time, the three top Fabia S2000 drivers came home in a different order, with Jan Kopecký finishing 9.1 seconds ahead of Škoda Motorsport team-mate Juho Hänninen, and Guy a further 27.3 seconds behind. The result extends Škoda’s lead in the IRC manufacturers’ table to 31 points.

Third was just reward for a fantastic Škoda UK Motorsport effort, as the team had to overcome the disadvantage of not being able to test on the Spanish holiday island before the event began. The stages presented a great challenge, as the wide, twisty mountain roads were incredibly fast – with several tests completed at an average speed of around 60mph.

Car set-up was vital to give the Fabia S2000 the necessary high-speed grip levels required on the many long corners and to help preserve tyres. Although Guy experimented with different suspension settings throughout the event, he drove a faultless rally – pushing hard when the car was at its best on day two and driving intelligently when the mechanical grip was not so good in the middle section of day one.

Having completed day one in third place, Guy kept the pressure on Kopecký and Hänninen by pushing hard over the final day’s six stages. Guy made sure he was best-placed to benefit from any potential mishaps ahead, and despite a furious pace until the very end, the three Škoda drivers reached the finish in Las Palmas in the same 1-2-3 order they’d started the final day.

Guy said: “Three IRC podiums in a row for Škoda UK Motorsport and the second consecutive all-Škoda podium is a great achievement, and we are all very happy.

“It hasn’t been an easy event for us. We lost a chunk of time on day one trying things out on the car and we were a lot closer to the pace on day two. With Jan and Juho ahead, and only an all-Škoda podium to lose, there wasn’t a good enough reason to throw caution to the wind and really push on the final day, but we were happy to finish at the pace we did.

“It’s been a hectic start to the season, with this rally added to the schedule and the rally car coming straight here from South America. Preparation time has been limited, so we couldn’t test in Gran Canaria before the event. Sometimes you have to dig really deep, work hard and fight for every second – and this has been one of those rallies.

“We’ve got a little bit of a breather now before our next rally in Sardinia, so we aim to make the most of that time to prepare well for the next round of the IRC. I know that I and the Fabia can gel a little bit better and better results can come. I know we can push for the rally win, absolutely, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”

The next round of the IRC is the Rally d'Italia Sardegna (4-6 June).

Rally Islas Canarias 'Trofeo El Corte Ingles' – provisional results (top six)

1. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…2:12.27.4
2. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+9.1
3. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+36.4
4. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+1:05.5
5. Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+1:17.8
6. Alberto Hevia/Alberto Iglesias (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+2:25.0

IRC points (Drivers’) after round four

1. Juho Hänninen…32pts
2. Guy Wilks…25pts
3. Jan Kopecký…25pts
4. Kris Meeke…15pts
5. Bruno Magalhaes…13pts
6. Mikko Hirvonen…10pts

IRC points (Manufacturers’) after round four

1. Škoda…64pts
2. Peugeot…33pts
3. M-Sport…15pts

 

Guy Wilks at Rally Monte Carlo

Monday 26th April 2010

In the first of our exclusive videos, Škoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks takes you through footage from Rally Monte Carlo.

It was Guy's and co-driver Phil Pugh's first rally for Škoda since victory in last year's Rally Scotland, and the duo were keen to get off to a solid start for the team in its first full season of competition in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

 

Cue Wilks - rally driver turns commentator

Friday 23rd April 2010

Guy Wilks showed that he’s just as competent behind the microphone as he is behind a steering wheel, when he swapped his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 for a recording studio.

Guy travelled to Teddington Studios in south-west London – made famous for producing programmes like Men Behaving Badly, Pop Idol, Trisha and Harry Hill’s TV Burp – to relive some recent happy rally memories.

The very best of Škoda UK Motorsport’s action footage from each round of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge is to be edited into three-minute fast and furious reviews, with Guy providing the commentary.

And with fantastic in-car views, helicopter tracking shots and on-the-ground camera work, each video presentation displays the Škoda Fabia S2000 in all its high-speed rally glory.

The first three rounds of the series – Rally Monte Carlo, Rally Brazil and Rally Argentina – are in final production now and Škoda UK retailers will be able to see them here first, before they go on general distribution via skodaukmotorsport.com, guywilks.com, YouTube and other web and social networking sites. 

“I hope the videos give viewers an interesting insight into each rally we do,” says Guy. “I certainly don’t know of any other rally drivers that do voiceovers or teams that produce videos in this format, so it’s unique to Škoda UK Motorsport and I hope you all enjoy watching them.”

 

Wilks wins race against volcanic ash

Wednesday 21st April 2010

Guy Wilks’s lightning-fast, rally driver’s decision-making kept him one step ahead of his fellow travellers last week. The Škoda UK Motorsport star mastered the chaos on his journey back from Italy while the Icelandic volcano ash cloud rapidly engulfed European air space.

Having successfully completed a day and a half’s asphalt testing near San Donato, in the mountains above Sanremo, Guy made the journey by car to Nice airport at lunchtime on Thursday (15 April).

Faced with 500 people clearly going nowhere at the easyJet check-in, the quick-thinking Fabia S2000 driver joined a queue of eight people wanting to fly internally to Paris. Upon arrival at Orly airport, Guy took a train to Gare du Nord, where he bought one of the last remaining Eurostar tickets.

But that’s not the end of the story. Having arrived at St Pancras later than scheduled, Guy had just 18 minutes to battle his way through the crowds, get to King’s Cross train station, buy a ticket and get on the last loco to Durham that night. Luckily, Guy lived up to his reputation as one of Britain’s fastest rally drivers and made the train.

It took Guy just over 10 hours to complete the 1,151 mile journey – thanks to a car from Italy to France, an internal French flight, three trains and a lot of running. But he finally arrived at Durham rail station just after midnight.

“When I arrived at Nice airport, I could see that the situation was only going to get worse and the best thing to do was head north as soon as possible,” said Guy. “The other easyJet passengers didn’t look like they were going anywhere, so I got on a flight to Paris.

“An hour after landing in Orly I was in the Gare du Nord train station wondering how to buy a ticket for the Eurostar train I was looking at. The place was jam-packed with passengers, but I got one of the last tickets, ran to the train and was on it for only a few minutes before it left the station.

“Getting from St Pancras to King’s Cross to catch the last train to Durham was the biggest rush, as I had to sprint all the way. I eventually got into Durham at five minutes past midnight – but I was pleased to be home. I could easily still be in Nice airport now!”

The dashing around Europe might not be over, however. Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh are scheduled to fly to Gran Canarias on Saturday (24 April) for Round 4 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Normally, it would be a relatively straightforward Newcastle-Gatwick-Las Palmas airport skip and hop, but alternative measures are being considered – including a train to Madrid and, if Spain becomes ash-locked, a 40-hour ferry trip from Cadiz.

 

Škoda UK Motorsport to contest Rally Islas Canarias

Tuesday 30th March 2010

Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh will contest the Rally Islas Canarias 'Trofeo El Corte Ingles' (28 April-1 May) in their Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000.

The Spanish rally has been added to Škoda UK Motorsport’s programme after the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) promoter, Eurosport Events, announced that Rally Islas Canarias will replace Rally Principe de Asturias (which was scheduled to take place between 9-11 September) in the calendar.

The newly-introduced Las Palmas-based event takes place a lot earlier in the year and slots in as round four of the series – meaning that rally cars and equipment are being shipped from Argentina directly to the Canary Isles.

Rally Islas Canarias contains 15 all-asphalt stages totalling 137.76 miles. Competition takes place on Friday 30 April (leg one) and Saturday 1 May (leg two), with the service park located at the Santa Catalina Park.

Guy Wilks said: “Gran Canaria wasn’t in anyone’s IRC plans a few weeks ago, and I’m pleased Škoda UK Motorsport has acted so quickly and made plans to contest the event. I’ve never done the rally, but the challenge of contesting a new event is always exciting. We’re going there to try and score the maximum number of points we can and maintain our challenge in the IRC. We expect the leading IRC drivers to be there and also some very fast locals, so I’m sure the competition will be very tough.”

Pierfrancesco Zanchi, Škoda UK Motorsport’s team manager, said: “When Rally Islas Canarias was announced as the fourth round of the series, we felt it important for us to contest it as it will enable us to try and maintain our strong championship position and stay in the game.”

The revised 2010 IRC schedule is:

1. Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo…19-23 January
2. Rally Internacional de Curitiba…4-6 March
3. Rally Argentina…19-21 March
4. Rally Islas Canarias…28 April-1 May
5. Rally d'Italia Sardegna…4-6 June
6. Geko Ypres Rally…24-26 June
7. Sata Rally Açores…15-17 July
8. Rali Vinho Madeira…5-7 August
9. Barum Czech Rally Zlín…27-29 August
10. Rallye Sanremo…23-25 September
11. RAC MSA Rally of Scotland…15-17 October
12. FxPro Cyprus Rally…4-6 November

 

Wilks second in Rally Argentina

Monday 22nd March 2010

Guy Wilks achieved an excellent second place in Rally Argentina over the weekend, behind fellow Škoda driver Juho Hänninen. It was a great weekend for Škoda, with Jan Kopecký finishing third to give the Czech manufacturer three drivers on the podium for the first time ever in an international rally.

The result extends Škoda’s lead at the top of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge manufacturers’ points table to 22 points. Guy stays second in the drivers’ series, just five points behind Hänninen.

Having finished second in Brazil, Guy and the Škoda UK Motorsport team have had a very successful trip to South America and return home having scored 16 points. Guy said: “We’ve had a fantastic two rallies in South America and the Škoda UK Motorsport team has done a magnificent job. 

“Juho has driven very well in Argentina, and I would like to congratulate him and everyone at Škoda Motorsport for a fantastic rally result. Juho and I both scored sixteen points each in Brazil and Argentina, so I can’t be disappointed by finishing second in both, even though we would have seriously loved to have won one of the events.

“We had a push on the opening stage this morning, but a rock pushed the piston in a brake calliper back and for the last four or five kilometres we had brake knock off and a long pedal. It cleared itself at the end of the stage, but it cost us a handful of seconds, and instead of taking time off Juho as we’d hoped, we dropped two seconds.

“We maintained a controlled fast and safe pace after that to make sure we got the Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 to the finish. The car has run faultlessly again, and I’m looking forward to fine tuning the set-up and challenging for victory on our next event.”

Round 4 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is the Rally Islas Canarias 'Trofeo El Corte Ingles' (28 April-1 May).

Rally Argentina – provisional results (top six)

1. Juho Hänninen/ Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…2:30.38.1

2. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+51.0

3. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+2.20.1

4. Gabriel Pozzo/Luis Stillo (Subaru Impreza)…+5.03.9

5. Federico Villagra/Jorge Companc (Ford Fiesta S2000)…+5.14.2

6. Bruno Magalh?es/Carlos Magalh?es (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+6.11.0

 

IRC points (drivers’ standings) after round two

1. Juho Hänninen…24pts

2. Guy Wilks…19pts

3. Jan Kopecký…15pts

4. Mikko Hirvonen…10pts

5. Kris Meeke…10pts

6. Bruno Magalh?es…9pts

 

IRC points (manufacturers’ standings) after round three

1. Škoda…46pts

2. Peugeot…24pts

3. M-Sport…14pts

 

Škoda UK Motorsport team head to Argentina

Tuesday 16th March 2010

The Škoda UK Motorsport team has arrived in Villa Carlos Paz, host town for this weekend’s Rally Argentina – round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

While the team’s Fabia S2000 made the 1,200-mile journey overland from Curitiba to Villa Carlos Paz, Škoda UK Motorsport personnel did the same journey by air, via Rio de Janeiro, Iguacu and Buenos Aires.

The 12-strong rally squad made the passage from Brazil to Argentina at the spectacular Iguacu Falls, during a team-building week between the South American IRC rounds.

The Iguacu system consists of 275 falls along 1.6 miles of the Iguacu River. Some of the falls are up to 269 ft high, including the aptly-named Devil's Throat, which marks the border between Brazil and Argentina.

After viewing the falls from land, the Škoda UK Motorsport team took to the rapids for some adrenalin-filled white water rafting. However, in a rowing display that would have stunned Sir Steve Redgrave, the entire team spent the majority of the three-mile paddle in the Iguacu River.

“It’s been a great team-building week, and white water rafting was the pinnacle for

strengthening team spirit,” said Guy. “We’ve used the time between events productively. Phil and I have done a lot of fitness training, Škoda UK Motorsport is much stronger as a team because we’ve got to know each other very well and we’ve enjoyed some great sight-seeing tours.  

“We’re all very focused on why we’re here though, so it’s not a holiday. We’ve spent more time than normal analysing our performance in Brazil and preparing for Rally Argentina. We’re all looking forward to this weekend’s rally. The recce schedule is very tough and the rally will be hard – but after our week together in South America, we are very well prepared.”

 

Guy and Phil train in Rio

Friday 12th March 2010

Other IRC teams may have gone in separate directions in the week between rallies, but the Škoda UK Motorsport team has stayed together for a week of training and team-building.

Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh, along with the rest of team, are in South America between Rally Brazil and the forthcoming Rally Argentina (March 19-21) to train for the next round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

As well as allowing them to spend time building team spirit, this has saved the squad two unnecessary 12-hour trans-Atlantic flights, and some money.

Having finished second in their Fabia Super 2000 in Brazil, Guy and Phil are aiming for victory in Argentina – and they need to be in peak physical condition for the 150 stage miles in the spectacular Cordobese Sierras.

While their rally car is transported overland from Curitiba to Villa Carlos Paz, Guy and Phil have spent the last few days in Rio de Janeiro, where they have undergone intense gym workouts and daily 10km runs along the famous Copacabana Beach.

There has been time for Guy, Phil and the team – technicians, engineers and management – to explore Rio, with trips to Corcovado to see the famous statue of Jesus, a cable car ride to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain (made famous by the 1979 James Bond movie, Moonraker) and a drive along Ipanema.

“Our trip to South America is all asbout scoring as many IRC points in two rallies as possible, and we are very focused on doing that,” says Guy. “We had a good result in Brazil and now Phil and I are doing everything we can to get ourselves ready to challenge for victory in Argentina.

“I can’t wait to get to Villa Carlos Paz, but in the meantime we’re using what free time we have to get ourselves into the best possible shape.

“It’s been really nice to visit Rio de Janeiro. The sights in Copacabana are ertainly different to what I normally see when I’m out running in County Durham!”

Look out for more updates from the team as they prepare for Rally Argentina. Follow Guy and Phil’s progress on Twitter www.twitter.com/Guy.Wilks

 

Wilks makes a splash on Rally Brazil debut

Monday 8th March 2010

Guy Wilks finished a fantastic second in Brazil’s Rally International de Curitiba in his Škoda UK Motorsport Fabia S2000, taking him to second in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) standings after two rounds.

On his first rally in Brazil, Guy drove brilliantly to hold second place throughout the challenging two-day event. Having only seen the stages during a mandatory 60 km/h recce, Guy’s first attempt at the fast and flowing stages saw average speeds of over 130 km/h. Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh went on to better their times when the stages were repeated.

It was a great event for Škoda, with all three Fabia S2000s finishing in the top four. Juho Hänninen finished over a minute behind Guy in third, while Jan Kopecký was fourth. The excellent result helped Škoda to increase its lead in the IRC manufacturers’ standings, while Hänninen leads the drivers, just three points ahead of Guy.

A violent overnight thunderstorm made leg two’s stages very wet – so wet that a swollen river forced the cancellation of two stages. A deep river crossing was Guy’s only problem of the day. On his first attempt (SS10) he took it slowly in first gear, but water still got into the engine, leaving him running on three cylinders for a mile. When the stage was repeated in the afternoon (SS13) he took the crossing much faster, only for the force of the water to tear off part of the rear bumper and cause water to jet into the cockpit.

Guy kept leader Kris Meeke in his sights during the second day of the rally, driving fast enough to be able to pounce on any misfortune or mistake ahead, while keeping the following drivers behind. Guy did this expertly, judging his drive to second place perfectly.

Guy said: “I’m really pleased to finish second and score eight points for Škoda UK on our first visit to Brazil. The team has done a great job and the Fabia S2000 has performed faultlessly throughout the event.

“Congratulations to [rally winner] Kris Meeke – he’s driven a good event. The only difference was that he’s rallied here before, and we had to get acclimatised to attacking these stages at rally speed for the first time.

“I’ve really enjoyed Rally Brazil. The overnight rain made the conditions very tricky and the stages were the fastest I’ve driven since Rally Finland in 2007. It’s been a tough event, but we’ve been very strong throughout and finished with a great result.”

Škoda UK Motorsport will remain in South America for a week of training and team building before preparing for the next round of the IRC, Rally Argentina, which begins on 19 March in Villa Carlos Paz.

Rally International de Curitiba results (top six)

1. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000)…1:42:45.4
2. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+46.7
3. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+1:20.20
4. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+1:49.3
5. Bruno Magalh?es/Carlos Magalh?es (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+2:16.2
6. Eduardo Scheer/Geferson  Pavinatto (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)…+14:00.4

IRC points (drivers’) after two rounds

1. Juho Hänninen…14
2. Guy Wilks…11
3. Mikko Hirvonen…10
4. Kris Meeke…10
5. Jan Kopecký…9
6. Nicolas Vouilloz…6

IRC points (manufacturers’) after two rounds

1.Škoda…28
3. Peugeot…21
4. M-Sport…10

 

Guy leads the Škoda charge in Brazil

Friday 5th March 2010

Guy Wilks is the leading Škoda Fabia S2000 driver after the opening four stages of the Rally International de Curitiba - his first rally in Brazil.

This leaves the Škoda UK Motorsport driver in second place overall, just 23.1 seconds behind last year’s rally winner Kris Meeke.

Jan Kopecký is 19.2 seconds behind Guy, and his Škoda Motorsport team-mate Juho Hänninen is fifth, after losing time on the opening stage with a puncture.

Conditions have been difficult on the gravel stages, with heavy overnight rain making the surface extremely slippery

.“We’re very happy with the start we’ve made on our first rally in Brazil,” said Guy.“ The Fabia S2000 is running well and we made a good tyre choice. Some drivers put full cuts in their tyres and some put no extra cuts at all, but we chose a middle ground of half cuts and it seemed to work very well.”

Leg one of the rally continues on Friday, while leg two takes place on Saturday.

You can catch highlights of the action on Eurosport.

Top six after four stages

1. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000)…29:56.1
2. Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+23.1
3. Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+42.3
4. Bruno Magalh?es/Carlos Magalh?es  (Peugeot 207 S2000)…+1:20.9
5. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (Škoda Fabia S2000)…+1:36.8
6. Daniel Rolim Oliveira/Denis Giraudet(Peugeot 207 S2000)…+3:37.3