Azores Airlines Rallye [ERC, PRT, ERCJ]

[Iraquiano]

On-board of Botka on SS16 - Tronqueira 2, where he came from 6th to 4th overall.
Tronqueira is the mythical stage for the locals, it's a very twisty and tricky stage and year after year it takes drivers out of race. Kopecky crashed when leading the rally, Kevin Abbring and Bernardo Sousa almost did the same on live TV 2 years ago, and I could go on for a while...

https://youtu.be/RFCHtedDVks

[Jarek Z]

I think its good to have a local driver win... nice for the local people and organisers who deserve some reward for their efforts.

The biggest reward for the organizers is that they stay in the ERC for another 3 years :)
https://www.fiaerc.com/azores-airlines-rallye-set-for-three-more-exciting-erc-years/

[Jarek Z]

It was the first 1-2-3 for Ford Fiesta in the ERC:
https://www.fiaerc.com/fiesta-festival-in-the-erc-in-the-azores/

[Rally Power]

I think its good to have a local driver win... nice for the local people and organisers who deserve some reward for their efforts.

It’s not only nice to local people or organisers but it’s also important for the series. In current ERC status, with no manus officially involved, having local guys fighting for victory and strong local fields to complete entry lists it’s a positive input. Breen, Moura, Loix and many others are more than welcome to give an extra excitement to ERC events.

Actually it’d be great to see Eurosport taking an Italian and a French (if FFSA brings R5 to top) event on next year calendar, in order to have top local drivers fighting alongside ERC usual contenders on their home rally.

[Jarek Z]

It’s not only nice to local people or organisers but it’s also important for the series. In current ERC status, with no manus officially involved, having local guys fighting for victory and strong local fields to complete entry lists it’s a positive input. Breen, Moura, Loix and many others are more than welcome to give an extra excitement to ERC events.

I agree completely! But... do you know why Jose Pedro Fontes never uses this opportunity to win his first ERC rally? ;)

[Jarek Z]

Beautiful video summary from Kajto's team:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0rsJBx9DAQ

[Jarek Z]

I know he is a bad driver, but the video is good. Here's a summary of Tomasz Kasperczyk's performance in Azores Rallye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzPiueGHqiA

[Iraquiano]

Full onboard of Lukyanuk at Sete Cidades. Amazing pace!
https://youtu.be/667by1wk1Ds

A slight off-road at 16:39

And to those who speak russian or a similar language, what the hell happened at 7:40 ???

[N.O.T]

And to those who speak russian or a similar language, what the hell happened at 7:40 ???

i know what Cyka means... if that helps.

[PLuto]

Full onboard of Lukyanuk at Sete Cidades. Amazing pace!
https://youtu.be/667by1wk1Ds

A slight off-road at 16:39

And to those who speak russian or a similar language, what the hell happened at 7:40 ???

Alexandre Ramos, Carlos Martins, Gil Antunes, Joao Correia, Luís Mota, Paulo Babo, Ricardo Teodósio and Diogo Salvi completely destroyed first part of stage...

[stefanvv]

And to those who speak russian or a similar language, what the hell happened at 7:40 ???

The car is too slow for his taste, that is.

[Luis Pacheco]

Alexandre Ramos, Carlos Martins, Gil Antunes, Joao Correia, Luís Mota, Paulo Babo, Ricardo Teodósio and Diogo Salvi completely destroyed first part of stage...

Race director said on TV that the first part of the stage will be done again next year.

Now I would love to see the onboard from "Graminhais 2" !

[stefanvv]

Full onboard of Lukyanuk at Sete Cidades. Amazing pace!
https://youtu.be/667by1wk1Ds

Such onboards make me wonder why we loose our time with wrc?!?

[N.O.T]

Such onboards make me wonder why we loose our time with wrc?!?

nobody forces you to do so.

[Mirek]

Race director said on TV that the first part of the stage will be done again next year.

Now I would love to see the onboard from "Graminhais 2" !

The stage is gret however the first part is useless. I find hard to understand why it is used at all.

[stefanvv]

nobody forces you to do so.

True, and I don't feel obligated to. Just wondering for the whole bunch of fans. That it is devaluated I already know long ago.

[PLuto]

Race director said on TV that the first part of the stage will be done again next year.

I hope for it. And I am trying to do maximum for it ;)

[Luis Pacheco]

The stage is gret however the first part is useless. I find hard to understand why it is used at all.

This section (but in reverse) was first implemented in the route of the rally in the late 80´s and at the time the drivers from the mainland threatened not to compete if the special was not canceled. In the end all of them did the stage but some years ago the race director of that time confessed that he did not sleep and only rested when the last competitor has reached the end of the stage. We can see him at 10m10s in the stage :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaxxuJQCC9w

[RS]

Full onboard of Lukyanuk at Sete Cidades. Amazing pace!
https://youtu.be/667by1wk1Ds

A slight off-road at 16:39

And to those who speak russian or a similar language, what the hell happened at 7:40 ???

I think the word for that stage, and especially with that driver is "relentless"

Great stuff!

[RS]

Such onboards make me wonder why we loose our time with wrc?!?

Certainly when I've seen official footage from WRC2 recently it looks a bit slow. I'm not for one moment saying those drivers are slower, but I think maybe because the rallies are so long and people tend to hit problems and the gaps become so big they just end up cruising a lot of the time.

Either that or the WRC TV people deliberately choose footage which makes the WRC2 cars look very slow compared to the WRCs.

[PLuto]

Certainly when I've seen official footage from WRC2 recently it looks a bit slow. I'm not for one moment saying those drivers are slower, but I think maybe because the rallies are so long and people tend to hit problems and the gaps become so big they just end up cruising a lot of the time.

Either that or the WRC TV people deliberately choose footage which makes the WRC2 cars look very slow compared to the WRCs.

Of course R5 cars are slower than WRC. By time and also to watch. Also, dont forget that in WRC there are very long sections without service, so you must try to bring your car to the next service in one piece...