Sainz crash ends title hopes
Carlos Sainz's dream of a third World Rally Championship title were shattered this morning (Friday) when he crashed out of Wales Rally GB two kilometres into the third stage of the event
Sainz went off on a fifth gear left hander, and was unable to return to the road. But he blames the problems he suffered earlier in the morning, when his in-car camera caught fire, for losing his concentration.
"What happened in the stage was because I wasn't concentrating," said Sainz. "I just didn't hear what Marc [Martin, his co-driver] said. It was a long, long left-hander, that was maybe fifth or sixth and tightened to third. I didn't try to brake or anything, I just went straight on and off the road."
Speaking of his earlier problems, Sainz said: "When I left parc ferme, the car's camera caught fire. I had to stop on the road section to put it out. Then, when I connected the anti-lag just before the start of the first stage, again there was smoke and a fire. I cut a few wires, but as I was putting my helmet back on, Marc was telling me we had to go, because the clock was already running. I was not happy, and we argued, because I just wasn't ready."
Marcus Gronholm has also hit trouble in his Peugeot in the 28km test and lost over 10 minutes as he limped through the majority of the stage. Ford's Mikko Hirvonen went out when he crashed on SS3, the Finn almost rolling his Focus.
After SS3, Sebastien Loeb leads for Citroen by 3.8secs from WRC title rival Petter Solberg (Subaru). Ford's Markko Martin continues to hold third, despite overheating concerns with his Ford, ahead of old stagers Tommi Makinen (Subaru) and Colin McRae (Citroen).
Ford's Francois Duval is already over a minute down on the WRC title protagonists in sixth position.
Neuville: Everything must be “on point” for Ypres WRC victory repeat
Rally Belgium favourite Thierry Neuville admits everything will need to be “on point” to be competitive when the World Rally Championship heads to his home event in Ypres this weekend.
WRC Rally Belgium: Everything you need to know
The World Rally Championship heads to the asphalt roads of Ypres Rally Belgium this weekend, with Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera facing a slim prospect of wrapping up the title.
Third-generation McRae eyeing Junior WRC graduation for 2023
Third generation driver Max McRae is working hard towards stepping up to the Junior class of the World Rally Championship next season, following a test in a JWRC car.
Ex-F1 racer Kovalainen plans Japan WRC entry, eyes European outings
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen is pressing ahead with preparations for a one-off WRC outing in Japan in November and plans to contest more events in Europe in the near-future.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause