58 entries: https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries...-liepaja-2023/
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ERC field entry list - here in PDF
national field entry list with additional 10 drivers - here in PDF
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/...martins-sesks/
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.
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.
Do you mean this?Quote:
Originally Posted by sindroms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW9j49W4-k0
Yes that was it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
I only just noticed but Llarena is back in the old Fabia here. He prefers it, or logistical reasons?
Nice stages, but very fast! Heikkila says that it will be a super-fast Grand Prix weekend:
https://twitter.com/FIAERC/status/16...Czvaa10aouAAAA
QS live on Youtube now.
Qualifying LIVE! ERC Tet Rally Liepāja 2023:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otjKZAduw5I
Gotta admit.. its reliefing to watch ERC. Lots of cars, nice stages, tire war, nobody complaining... Love this! GoMads!
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.
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/...rc-car-switch/Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
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.
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.
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.
It seems that tactic worked pretty well for Linnamae.
Dust issues for all of the drivers, but still Sesks managed to take 16sec out of Ostberg in 2nd place. Insane.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Thats a real shame. They could increase the starting gaps, if the dust is the main issue?Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
I suppose that would throw out the whole day's schedule.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lead
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!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Interesting... 3 Japanese/Finnish crews leading ERC4 after SS1 :)
https://rally-base.com/2023/tet-rall...34&ssGroupId=1
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!Quote:
Originally Posted by meh
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Lol zero car in the ditch
So far Llarena isn't much faster than in Poland. Only 9th overall after 5 stages...Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
He's had some better stages too but maybe his problem is tougher competition this year rather than the car.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
And for the first time Sesks doesn't win a stage, SS6 not a proper stage tho.
Jasper Vaher excluded for car weight. Wtf
31kg!Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
No. 3, 4 or maybe even 5 minutes would not have saved the stage - dust just did not move at all in forest parts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lead
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.
These two stages of today are just spectacular.
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