[ERC] Rallye Antibes Cote d'Azur 2009

[Jarek Z]

Rallye Antibes, 10th round of European Championship, will be held in Southern France on October 16-18. This year, in order to cut costs, it will be only a two-day event with stages on Saturday and Sunday plus a short super special on Friday evening.

Expected entries:
Basso - Fiat Punto S2000
Solowow - Peugeot 207 S2000
Fontana - Peugeot 207 S2000

Kajetan "Kajto" Kajetanowicz will also be there, but only to do the recce.

The entry list already closed, but I don't know when it will be published. It's a beautiful rally, but will the entry list be equally beautiful?

http://www.rally-erc.com/foto/antibes.jpg

[Jarek Z]

Here is a quick video from 2008:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83zeyQfFOn4&feature=player_embedded#

[Mirek]

Several Czech drivers heading there as well. Also a large number of Citroëns expected because of very good prize money in Citroën Trophy there. I heard about more than 20 C2R2.

[Francis44]

France tarmac rallyes are always awesome!!!!

[Barreis]

:)

[Jarek Z]

]Several Czech drivers heading there as well. Also a large number of Citroëns expected because of very good prize money in Citroën Trophy there. I heard about more than 20 C2R2.

I also heard about large number of Citroens C2. Vieffecorse team will bring two Citroens C2 R2 Max - for Massimo Cesa (winner of C2 R2 Rally Cup in
Italy) and Francesco Montagna. Unfortunately no Elwis Chentre :(

[urabus-denoS2000]

Cesa is very fast ;)

[Jarek Z]

But will be he fast enough in the French Alps? For example in Poland every second driver says he is very fast... ;)

[Mirek]

That's true. Last weekend Polish C2 R2 driver Chmielewski was driving in our Rally Jeseniky. He is fast in Poland battling for Citroen Trophy victory but he wasn't fast in Jeseniky (that makes Habaj's performance earlier in the season even greater). and even better example is Tlustak. He is quite fast in Czech rallys but slow abroad (with only few exceptions).

[wwbroe]

Belgian young gun Thierry Neuville will do Antibes as well in Citroen C2R2Max. Let's see what he is capable off. ;)

[PLuto]

From Czech republic are entries:

Antonin Tlustak (C2 S1600)
Tomas Pletka (C2 R2)
Egon Smekal (Civic Type R)
Jan Cerny (Impreza STI)
Roman Odlozilik (Fabia S2000)

[Ondra WRC]

From Czech republic are entries:

Antonin Tlustak (C2 S1600)
Tomas Pletka (C2 R2)
Egon Smekal (Civic Type R)
Jan Cerny (Impreza STI)
Roman Odlozilik (Fabia S2000)

Fabia Odlozilik be his own or borrowed?

[PLuto]

He wont start with Fabia :)

[wwbroe]

He wont start with Fabia :)

Will he start with his usual Peugeot Pluto? Or will he not start at all? :(

[Karbonyl]

Peugeot I guess. Otherwise he would run in CZ at Rally Bohemia, but he isn't on that event's entrylist.

[PLuto]

Odlozilik wont start on Bohemia. There is a chance of his start in Antibes with Punto, but we will see later this week.

[Tom206wrc]

I wonder if Vouilloz and Sarrazin will be back...no news even in France :confused:

[Jarek Z]

Nico Vouilloz will not be in Antibes. It's confirmed by him personally.

[Mirek]

Entry list: http://www.antibes-rallye.com/images/stories/2009/ERC/Pdf/engageserc09.pdf

Including Bouffier in C2R2 Max. May be a nice fight with Neuville :)

[Tom206wrc]

Not bad entrylist indeed :cool:

What a Citroën C2-R2 cup !!! :D

[noel157]

Not bad entrylist indeed :cool:

What a Citroën C2-R2 cup !!! :D

Excellent entry for the C2-R2 Cup. I wonder how the various regional C2 competitors will go. Could be difficult for a few of them, others may shine.

[Barreis]

Good entrylist..

[Tom206wrc]

Excellent entry for the C2-R2 Cup. I wonder how the various regional C2 competitors will go. Could be difficult for a few of them, others may shine.


I think the absolute favourite is Marc Amourette in his C2 S1600 ;)
But for the rest of podium it should be between Bryan Bouffier and Thierry Neuville...

I don't know most of the drivers(except a few french drivers like Pascal Mackerer, Eric Lafont, Xavier Quinsac, Matthieu Biasion,...)and there can be surprises though... :mark:

[Jarek Z]

]That's true. Last weekend Polish C2 R2 driver Chmielewski was driving in our Rally Jeseniky. He is fast in Poland battling for Citroen Trophy victory but he wasn't fast in Jeseniky.

Chmielewski is on the entry list for Antibes Rally so we will see what he is worth very soon. But to be honest, even if he finishes last, I will still respect him for having the balls to challenge such demanding rally as Antibes. Good luck!

[Tom206wrc]

Results of the Antibes rally will be on http://www.patricksoft.fr/ (start SS1 friday evening) :)

[Mirek]

Odlozilik, Tlustak and Rugeri won't start.

[Tom206wrc]

:(

[PLuto]

Results of the Antibes rally will be on http://www.patricksoft.fr/ (start SS1 friday evening) :)

And also on http://mmcr.vysledky-rally.cz/rallysport/2009/erc/antibes :)

[Tom206wrc]

Thanks Pluto, your link could be even better ;)

[PLuto]

Some pictures from recce: http://forum.autosport.cz/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=238&start=20#p28404

http://forum.autosport.cz/download/file.php?id=367&mode=view

[PLuto]

Some pictures from recce: http://forum.autosport.cz/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=238&start=20#p28404

[Barreis]

Great photos..

[Tom206wrc]

Nice roads ;)

Good weather also it seems...opposite to Bohemia rally roads :rolleyes:

[Tom206wrc]

Official start list for this evening SSS(8.40pm gmt+1)has been published ;)

[PLuto]

Official start list for this evening SSS(8.40pm gmt+1)has been published ;)

Where?

[PLuto]

I have found it :)

[Jarek Z]

Great photos guys! I love those stages! :up:

http://www.rally-erc.com/foto/fr_ruggeri08.jpg

[Tom206wrc]

But Ruggeri is forfait :confused:

[Wim_Impreza]

That is a photo of last year, Tom.

[Jarek Z]

Yes, it's a photo from last year, but isn't it a beautiful livery? ;)

[Wim_Impreza]

Of course that is a beautiful livery. ;)

Go Thierry Neuville :)

[Jarek Z]

Not a bad result for Neuville. In his little C2 he will probably end up in top ten on this first stage!

[Tom206wrc]

Basso ahead of Fontana, Solowow, Betti, Maurin and Neuville... :)

[wwbroe]

Basso ahead of Fontana, Solowow, Betti, Maurin and Neuville... :)

I think you are wrong Tom, Solowow is loosing quite a lot of time on this first stage, wich is only short SSS. He is way down in overall standings, what happened? Great time for Neuville, but let's wait to see what he can do on the "real" stages, because he doesn't have any experience on those type of roads. ;)

[Tom206wrc]

Was wrong time for Solowow...has been corrected(on Patricksoft) ;)

[Tom206wrc]

Disappointing time by Solowow on the long SS2...he lost 42s to Basso, even Betti and Fontana did quite better :mark:

[Tom206wrc]

Fantastic time of Neuville in SS2 :eek:

But Bouffier hasn't his time yet... ;)

[Tom206wrc]

Wow Bouffier even a better time than Amourette(who runs an S1600) :eek: :eek:

[Tom206wrc]

Betti already out in SS3 :confused:



Edit: no, he lost 4'41" :(

[Jarek Z]

Disappointing time by Solowow on the long SS2...he lost 42s to Basso

But quite a good time from Solowow on SS3 - only 7 seconds slower than Basso.
Jan Cerny lost brakes (and 6 minutes) in his Subaru on SS3.

[Wim_Impreza]

Neuville only 3 seconds slower than Bouffier in SS3. :)

[Wim_Impreza]

Betti already out in SS3 :confused:



Edit: no, he lost 4'41" :(

He retired after SS3.

[Jarek Z]

After day one:
1. Giandomenico Basso/Mitia Dotta (I) Fiat Punto Abarth S2000 1:28.06,5
2. Corrado Fontana/Carlo Cassina (I) Peugeot 207 S2000 +1.50,5
3. Michał Sołowow/Maciek Baran (PL) Peugeot 207 S2000 +1.57,2
4. Julien Maurin/Gilles Thimonier (F) Skoda Fabia S2000 +3.53,3
5. Marc Amourette/Gwenola Marie (F) Citroen C2 S1600 +4.51,2 (1. A6)
6. Bryan Bouffier/Matthieu Baumel (F) Citroen C2 R2 Max +5.26,4 (2. A6)
7. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B) Citroen C2 R2 Max +6.11,1 (3. A6)
8. Massimo Cesa/Angelo Canova (I) Citroen C2 R2 Max +6.54,6 (4. A6)
9. Luc Echaravil/Thierry Salva (F) Renault Clio S1600 +7.26,9 (5. A6)
10. Frederic Papavero/Frederic Hoffmann (F) Renault Clio R3 +7.29,5 (1. A7)

[Jarek Z]

Betti is doing very good stage times today. But what happened to Fontana on SS10? Is he out of the rally?
http://mmcr.vysledky-rally.cz/rallysport/2009/erc/antibes/10all.php

[Jarek Z]

Photos from the service park:
http://www.rally-erc.com/photo.php?page=1&cont=116

[Mirek]

Do You know why Bouffier is out?

[Fly]

]Do You know why Bouffier is out?
It says on http://www.patricksoft.fr: "went off. Crew ok."

[Mirek]

Thank You, I can see that Fontana also went off.

Jan Černý is still just cruising without front brakes. As far as I know they don't have new caliper to change.

I'm very happy for Egon Smékal, who is currently 18th overal and leading N3 class by 5 minues despite some small problems with shock absorber :)

[wwbroe]

What happened with Amourette, i don't see him in standings anymore. :confused: Neuville is now first Citroen and fourth overall. :eek:

[Mirek]

Amourette crashed on SS12 :(

[wwbroe]

]Amourette crashed on SS12 :(

Ok, thank you Mirek, great result for Neuville. :)

[Mirek]

Egon Smékal is 16th overal and 1st in N3 class by more than 6 minutes. Great performance for him! :)

[Jarek Z]

Basso won the rally, but because of Fontana's bad luck, he still can't be sure of his second ERC title. Everything will be decided in Switzerland.

Pity for Betti, Fontana and Amourette. They were all driving very well, but didn't manage to finish this tricky event.

[Wim_Impreza]

Congratulations to Basso, Neuville and Smékal. Very happy with the result of this rally.

[Jarek Z]

ERC standings after Antibes:
1. Basso 103,
2. Sołowow 89,
3. Fontana 78,
4. Donchev 43,
5. Betti 34

[Jafry]

Photos from Antibes HERE (http://www.rally-mania.cz/photogallery.php?id=600&fseason=2009) ;)