Italian Rally News

[nafpaktos]

Ehm... ask Gronholm or Kankkunen about Ypres rally There are very difficult asphalt events outside WRC where WRC regulars often failed in the past.

Details please!

[Mirek]

If I'm not mistaken both Grönholm and Kankkunen crashed on the very first stage of Ypres. Duval did the same in 2009 and Sarrazin didn't get much farther

[nafpaktos]

As factory drivers?(gronholm,kankkunen)

[Mirek]

Hups, now I realized that with Grönholm it was not Ypres but another Belgian rally - Bianchi (in Wallonie). he was there as privateer in 1998. Kankkunen in Ypres was as factory driver in 1995 I think.

[Jarek Z]

Kankkunen in Ypres was as factory driver in 1995 I think.

I think it was in 1995 or 1996. Kankkunen came with the factory Toyota Celica GT-Four in Castrol colours. There was big hype about it, it was a big event, but... he went off into a ditch on the very first stage I saw it on TV only, maybe Belgian friends will tell you more details...

[HaCo]

I think it was in 1995 or 1996. Kankkunen came with the factory Toyota Celica GT-Four in Castrol colours. There was big hype about it, it was a big event, but... he went off into a ditch on the very first stage I saw it on TV only, maybe Belgian friends will tell you more details...

It was in 1995, the same year of the fatal accident. I was on the first stage and never saw KKK if I recall correctly.
Here he is: http://youtu.be/hWmt9KNwNYE?t=30s

[HaCo]

Hups, now I realized that with Grönholm it was not Ypres but another Belgian rally - Bianchi (in Wallonie). he was there as privateer in 1998. Kankkunen in Ypres was as factory driver in 1995 I think.

Yep, big off by Gronholm in Bianchi 1998:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tSRwPcdp9Y

[HaCo]

It was in 1995, the same year of the fatal accident. I was on the first stage and never saw KKK if I recall correctly.
Here he is: http://youtu.be/hWmt9KNwNYE?t=30s

Crash of KKK was even filmed: http://youtu.be/hWmt9KNwNYE?t=7m12s

[Filip]

One more factory driver who was caught out by demanding stages of Ypres was Scandola in 2006. :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4Ea4XIBbU

At least he saved his helmet

[Jarek Z]

One more factory driver who was caught out by demanding stages of Ypres was Scandola in 2006. :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4Ea4XIBbU

At least he saved his helmet

Yes, it's the famous "submarine accident"