[ERC] Tet Rally Liepāja 2023

[Andre Oliveira]

58 entries: https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries/79920-tet-rally-liepaja-2023/

[PLuto]

ERC field entry list - here in PDF (https://app-cdn.sportity.com/96e51294-2866-4c78-be3c-c92990561c37/f9276477-8b2a-42a2-a00b-3626209cdc6c_Tet%20Rally%20Liep%C4%81ja%202023%20_ %20Entry%20List%20_%20v20230608.pdf)

national field entry list with additional 10 drivers - here in PDF (https://app-cdn.sportity.com/e06e3289-10bd-4cd9-9bca-d9336e79ad5d/eff32774-9ce3-4eba-92d1-c6a58de66485_LRC%20_%20Tet%20Rally%20Liepa%CC%84ja %202023%20_%20Entry%20List%20_%20v20230608.pdf)

[Jarek Z]

Despite being the main favourite for the win Martins Sesks keeps himself in a "radio silence" mode before the rally. Wise guy:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2023/erc-take-five-with-martins-sesks/

[AndersX]

This year is different; First 54 km are almost new to everyone; i think part of it was used in LRCh many years ago. Also stages around Kuldiga have been used in the past, but in different configuration. Even Talsi mix stage - interesting solution for spectators. So far, nice job done by organizers. Expect most of these stages in WRC24 event.

[sindroms]

SS 1/2 could be decider in this rally. I did a spectator recce and I have to say - one of the best stage in Latvia. Some parts have been used in LRC 6-7 years ago and some well known names in rally have a quiet bad memories from it. Katsuta, Ketomaa they've had crashes there (in opposite direction tough).
Drivers must be able to find the right pace and rhythm right from the start and keep it all stage long. Otherwise it will be very difficult to recover lost time in remaining stages.

Stages are very, very dry and dusty so bigger start gaps are expected. Weather forecasts says some rain is coming in Saturday afternoon tough.

[Jarek Z]

SS 1/2 could be decider in this rally. I did a spectator recce and I have to say - one of the best stage in Latvia. Some parts have been used in LRC 6-7 years ago and some well known names in rally have a quiet bad memories from it. Katsuta, Ketomaa they've had crashes there (in opposite direction tough).

Do you mean this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW9j49W4-k0

[sindroms]

Do you mean this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW9j49W4-k0

Yes that was it.

[RS]

I only just noticed but Llarena is back in the old Fabia here. He prefers it, or logistical reasons?

[Jarek Z]

Nice stages, but very fast! Heikkila says that it will be a super-fast Grand Prix weekend:
https://twitter.com/FIAERC/status/1669325648475615232?cxt=HHwWgMCzvaa10aouAAAA

[RS]

QS live on Youtube now.

[Jarek Z]

Qualifying LIVE! ERC Tet Rally Liepāja 2023:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otjKZAduw5I

[lmmjvss]

Gotta admit.. its reliefing to watch ERC. Lots of cars, nice stages, tire war, nobody complaining... Love this! GoMads!

[AndersX]

I think those who (not drivers) complaining about speeds need to calm down: rally on gravel, high speed, sideway cars are the best spectacle for TV and on the sight. Those air-camera shoots are really cool - you feel the speed even at the screen of phone or TV.

[RS]

I only just noticed but Llarena is back in the old Fabia here. He prefers it, or logistical reasons?

https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2023/champion-llarena-explains-erc-car-switch/

Personally i'm convinced the peak performance of the new car is higher, but it does seem harder for even some quite experienced drivers to access it. On the other hand others adapted very quickly (Solberg, Sesks)

Ironically, looking at QS times at least it seeems Latvia should be the type of event that suits the new car the most.

[Kenneth]

When ERC returned to model where only some drivers choose starting position? Here only 17 out of 20 drivers choosed, and the 3 slowest are starting last. It makes no sense.

[meh]

First I was surprised to see clouds and some rain (can not see them in Estonia at the moment).

Sesks is there, but additionally to him only one Latvian driver in the start list and this one with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. I hope Sesks makes rally more popular in Latvia.

Linnamäe choosed to be 1st on the road, which in the beginning seemed weird choice, but it completely makes sense to watch how much dust is hanging around between trees. Loosing grip, winning visibiliy.

[Lead]

It seems that tactic worked pretty well for Linnamae.

[Lead]

Dust issues for all of the drivers, but still Sesks managed to take 16sec out of Ostberg in 2nd place. Insane.

[RS]

Ss2 cancelled? :(

[meh]

Ss2 cancelled? :(

SS2 is the same stage as SS1, (probbably) cancelled due the dust issues. You can trust your pace-notes and go blindly into corners, but if someone is stopped there, it will be disaster. So it makes sense to cancel it but is it different for other stages, I don't know. In some other regions in Latvia there is rain (and Latvia is not that big), so there is hope for improvements. And it must be proper rain to improve the dust issue.

[Lead]

Ss2 cancelled? :(

Thats a real shame. They could increase the starting gaps, if the dust is the main issue?

[RS]

Thats a real shame. They could increase the starting gaps, if the dust is the main issue?

I suppose that would throw out the whole day's schedule.

[Jarek Z]

Couldn't they predict the dust problem before the rally?

[RS]

Couldn't they predict the dust problem before the rally?

Just watching SS1, very strong words from most of the drivers against these conditions. They need a solution!

[Jarek Z]

Interesting... 3 Japanese/Finnish crews leading ERC4 after SS1 :)
https://rally-base.com/2023/tet-rally-liepaja-2023/?ssId=7643&cupId=334&ssGroupId=1

[Jarek Z]

Sesks is there, but additionally to him only one Latvian driver in the start list and this one with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. I hope Sesks makes rally more popular in Latvia.

I have just had a look at the full results of SS1 and you are right. I cannot find any other Latvian drivers there. Is Latvian rallying in such a bad state? That's sad!

[Lead]

Couldn't they predict the dust problem before the rally?

I dont know what is the last deadline to change day schedule but there were weather forecast already at the beginning of month predicting very dry conditions in the region. So I believe this could have been avoided or the organizers hoped for last chance rain.

[EstWRC]

Nice time by Virves. He has to start show himself finally

[meh]

Nice time by Virves. He has to start show himself finally

It's nice for sure but Latvia is pretty similar to Estonia from roads and surface point of view, this is his place to show.

[EstWRC]

Lol zero car in the ditch

[Jarek Z]

https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2023/champion-llarena-explains-erc-car-switch/

Personally i'm convinced the peak performance of the new car is higher, but it does seem harder for even some quite experienced drivers to access it. On the other hand others adapted very quickly (Solberg, Sesks)

So far Llarena isn't much faster than in Poland. Only 9th overall after 5 stages...

[RS]

So far Llarena isn't much faster than in Poland. Only 9th overall after 5 stages...

He's had some better stages too but maybe his problem is tougher competition this year rather than the car.

[RS]

And for the first time Sesks doesn't win a stage, SS6 not a proper stage tho.

[EstWRC]

Jasper Vaher excluded for car weight. Wtf

[RS]

Jasper Vaher excluded for car weight. Wtf

31kg!

[Negaiss]

Couldn't they predict the dust problem before the rally?

No. I was at the SS1. Everyone knew about dry weather at least week ahead, but that was not the problem. Problem was zero wind and heavy humid air - dust just was not moving at all. On fields it was kind of OK and dust still moved a bit in 2 minutes but in forest, which was most of the stage, dust just did not move - not sideways and not upwards. 3 or ever 4 minute gaps would have not solved the problem. I was sad too, but cancelation was good call, otherwise someone who had spun on the stage even could have been killed. There was parts in forest, where you could not see more than 5 meters in front of you. Zero wind was not predicted on weather forecasts.

[Negaiss]

Thats a real shame. They could increase the starting gaps, if the dust is the main issue?

No. 3, 4 or maybe even 5 minutes would not have saved the stage - dust just did not move at all in forest parts.

[Steve Boyd]

I don't know about Latvia, but in the UK event routes and schedules have to be fixed months in advance on public roads. Even on private roads you can't make changes after the recce period and some events here have the recce the weekend before the event for local drivers as well as a day or two before for the visiting drivers.

[Mise]

These two stages of today are just spectacular.

[EstWRC]

Really? Watched 3 stages yesterday and SS7 today which was utterly boring which just straights basically

I hope they will find more spectacular stages for WRC round next year

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I see Østberg isn't happy at all. And he cant blame the tyres as the leader is on MRFs too.


"I don't have any grip - I don't know what to do to be honest because we are really soft on the car, on the limit to be undriveable. We are at the limit - I just don't know what to do."

[skarderud]

I see Østberg isn't happy at all. And he cant blame the tyres as the leader is on MRFs too.


"I don't have any grip - I don't know what to do to be honest because we are really soft on the car, on the limit to be undriveable. We are at the limit - I just don't know what to do."Rossel had some similar problems with the C3 too.
Have they done some updates on diffs or something this season?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

[AndersX]

Really? Watched 3 stages yesterday and SS7 today which was utterly boring which just straights basically

I hope they will find more spectacular stages for WRC round next year

I think many would say the same for those wanabe finland artificial jumps built for rally est.😁

But in general, this is also right - those old, traditional rally roads in west lat had become too easy for todays cars. If you must make a chicane for Rally 2 car, then already wrong.

[meh]

I think many would say the same for those wanabe finland artificial jumps built for rally est.��

But in general, this is also right - those old, traditional rally roads in west lat had become too easy for todays cars. If you must make a chicane for Rally 2 car, then already wrong.

I was watching it more like "oh, nice, now just put Rally1 to it".

I hope they make notes on the dust issue for next year.

[Sulland]

Rossel had some similar problems with the C3 too.
Have they done some updates on diffs or something this season?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

Who took over development role from Mads a couple of seasons ago?
I remember Mads had a goal to meke the car as drivable for many driving styles, not sure if that line of philosophy is still the same.
French drivers born and bread on asfalt, tend to prioritize that, and you might loose out on gravel.

[skarderud]

Who took over development role from Mads a couple of seasons ago?
I remember Mads had a goal to meke the car as drivable for many driving styles, not sure if that line of philosophy is still the same.
French drivers born and bread on asfalt, tend to prioritize that, and you might loose out on gravel.Maybe, i don't know.

Seems the C3 has lost something on loose surface, it was quite ok some years ago.

Mads is probably one of the better development drivers on loose surface, why would Citroën put in a tarmacdriver to do the development on loose?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

[Sulland]

Brynindsen is a very good expert commentator!
Good and experienced current Rally2 experienced, and have been driving in both ERC and WRC for many years, and still looks like 19!

[meh]

Is Paddon stopped? No split time and based on maps he is not moving. No info from coverage.

edit: now there split time and he is moving. Just Maps issue.

[meh]

Brynindsen is a very good expert commentator!
Good and experienced current Rally2 experienced, and have been driving in both ERC and WRC for many years, and still looks like 19!

"WRC for many years" is a overstatement, but I agree with rest of it.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

BRC Champion Osian Pryce is really struggling. I wish he was running in the VW Polo he was used to and maybe get a better road position to show his true pace.

"I don't think anybody back home appreciates the level - back home you'd be clear ahead on any rally. I thought we were making progress but we're going backwards again, its a vicious circle."

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Maybe, i don't know.

Seems the C3 has lost something on loose surface, it was quite ok some years ago.

Mads is probably one of the better development drivers on loose surface, why would Citroën put in a tarmacdriver to do the development on loose?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

I wonder if Tom Kristensen had similar issues and was partly why he stopped...

[meh]

Driver and co-dirver ages, Top15 after SS9

Sesks 23 / Francis 44
Paddon 36 / Kennard 64
Østberg 35 / Barth 31
Virves 22 / Drew 39
McErlean 23 / Fulton 31
Franceschi 24 / Escartefigue 23
Heikkilä 31 / Vaaleri 26
Linnamäe 24 / Morgan 32
Llarena 28 / Fernández 37
Campedelli 36 / Canton 50
Mareš 31 / Bucha 51
Cais 23 / Bacigál 45
Pryce 30 / Prévot 54
Mabellini 23 / Lenzi 25
Battistolli 25 / Scattolin 46


Collecting those values, Tania Carton, co-driver for Campedelli, has birthday today and it is 50! Happy birthday! I think there are not too many ladies to spend their 50th birthday as co-driver :)

* Youngest driver: Virves 22
* Average driver age ~28

* Youngest co-driver: Escartefigue 23
* Average co-driver age ~40

* Youngest team (combined age): Franceschi 24 / Escartefigue 23 = 47
* Oldest team (combined age): Paddon 36 / Kennard 64 = 100

[skarderud]

I wonder if Tom Kristensen had similar issues and was partly why he stopped...Yes, i think so too, after what i read about it.

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

[meh]

Virves lost 1 place due the misfire in the engine. 5th overall is still good, but the end emotion does not smell good from the rally for some time.

[meh]

Epic job by Sesks again. Congrats!

He makes spectating a bit boring... :) I hope he will give nice battle for Paddon for the rest of the season, otherwise it's too boring "managing" for the title as Paddon has really smart season so far - 2nd place is worst place out of 4 rallies.

Till next time.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Sesks has shown great pace on the super-fast gravel events, but not elsewhere.

Sadly I dont see him being able to challenge Paddon for the ERC Title.

[AndersX]

Sesks has shown great pace on the super-fast gravel events, but not elsewhere.

Sadly I dont see him being able to challenge Paddon for the ERC Title.

He was fast also in Por, till puncture ruined it all. In Canaries he was driving not beeing well, plus seems MRF have much better gravel tires than tarmac.

Lets see what Swe brings - very complicate event for less experienced drivers.

But in general, i think Sesks has demonstrated that even young guys can have very matured and cool head in combo with staggering speed. Isn't it what makes it as a good foundation for good carrier?

[Jarek Z]

I agree! Congratulations to Martins Sesks! It is his third win in ERC, if I remember correctly. His "radio silence" mode worked very well! :)

[meh]

Jasper Vaher excluded for car weight. Wtf


31kg!

Pure car weight was in the limit, but with crew on board, it was 31kg under the limit.
(source: https://ralli.ee/uskumatu-lugu-liepaja-erc-rallil-kindel-klassi-liider-olnud-jaspar-vaher-diskvalifitseeriti-voistluselt/)

The crew, 16 years young man and 25 years young lady, need to gain some weight now... or pick some extra weight to car

https://www.ewrc-results.com/entryinfo/79920-tet-rally-liepaja-2023/3738264/

Sad mistake, ruined opportunity to deliver some nice result.

[PLuto]

When ERC returned to model where only some drivers choose starting position? Here only 17 out of 20 drivers choosed, and the 3 slowest are starting last. It makes no sense.

It is new rule since last year. And it is helfpul for everybody. It was never that all drivers were choosing starting positions. Before it was usually top 15, which was not working everywhere as some drivers were using tactics and slowing down/retiring in QS to start as late as possible. So with this new rule, this tactics is not helpful anymore.

[PLuto]

I dont know what is the last deadline to change day schedule but there were weather forecast already at the beginning of month predicting very dry conditions in the region. So I believe this could have been avoided or the organizers hoped for last chance rain.

I think problem with SS 1/2 was not with very dry conditions, but that rainy weather. It completely changed the situation as there were no wind and all the dust was kept on the road. So also two minute gaps were not helping so much. And cancellation of SS 2? Personally I think the biggest problem was two minute gaps for all competitors in SS 1. So the starting field was much longer than expected and there should be problem to start with SS 2 in time.

[PLuto]

Interesting... 3 Japanese/Finnish crews leading ERC4 after SS1 :)
https://rally-base.com/2023/tet-rally-liepaja-2023/?ssId=7643&cupId=334&ssGroupId=1

One important notice - comparing to juniors, these japanese/finish crews dont need to use serial fuel from petrol station and are not limited by tyres (juniors must use Hankook and max 8 hard and 6 soft tyres ; ERC4 crews can use any 12 tyres of any brand), so not easy to compare.

[PLuto]

He's had some better stages too but maybe his problem is tougher competition this year rather than the car.

I think it is not only about car and tougher competition, but also about his self-confidence. He is going worse than himself year ago.

[faateris]

Tet Rally Liepāja 2023 in pictures - http://janisasaris.com/jaunumi

JA