Wrc Espana-Catalunya 2015

Ha, yeah, sorry, I'm going exploring for the first time too. The first day (Thursday) there's a short party-style stage in Barcelona centre, not great viewing I don't expect but an interesting atmosphere.

You can see multiple passes of the top cars on Thursday morning in the Shakedown practice stage. It's a very short stage but visibility is good and the top drivers pass through it multiple times.

Friday I'm trying to work out if it's possible to do two stages. If not, the most famous of them is Terra Alta, but I don't know a huge amount about it. The whole day is a gravel event, so make sure you have access to a shower at the end of the day as it will be dusty.

Saturday and Sunday are on tarmac. Again, not sure if it's possible to see multiple stages, but I'd recommend staying on one stage for the day as, in between the main field passes, there's a demonstration of historics which will sound amazing.

The last stage of Saturday is another short spectator stage, but it's supposedly a great way to round out that day, but it might be busy.

There's a great guide on the official event site which gives you directions to good spectator points on each stage.

Any other questions, give me a shout.

2 stages can be done morning and afternoon if you don't wander too far from your car on arrival at Terra Alta and only watch the WRC. on the 1st stage.

I think it's the best entry list for WRC2 this year....I am looking forward to see what Suarez can do with the 208T16

RK Ready for Spain...

https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...9f&oe=56D3247D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danon

rk ready for spain...

https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...9f&oe=56d3247d

---

nice!!!

Gary Boyd ‏@KiwiWRCfan

A special treat for #WRClive listeners
@Becsywecsy will be stage end reporter for SS1 of @RallyRACC while @voiceofrally mans the studio desk

I guess Block is completely done with WRC, but all the best contenders of WRC2 are there and that has potential to be a great fight.

Block always announces his motorsport programme at the start of each year so there should be no surprise he's not in Catalunya. With the strong re-emergence of rallycross that is where he has put most of his focus. He's only entered four rallies in each of the last two seasons.

Thanks Dodge

Interesting that Hayden uses different grading system in gravel and asphalt. Also great to see that Hayden takes the time to reply to messages:

Hayden Paddon ‏@HaydenPaddon 2h2 hours ago
Good day of recce @RallyRACC - even the recce car gets converted between surfaces! Stages looking amazing! 1/2
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRw6hMNWsAADnE5.jpg

Teemu / Rallirinki ‏@HartusvuoriWRC 1h1 hour ago
@HaydenPaddon @RallyRACC What's with the change of steering wheel? Do you use somewhat different pacenotes for tarmac/gravel? @JKCoDriver

Hayden Paddon ‏@HaydenPaddon 1h1 hour ago
@HartusvuoriWRC @RallyRACC @JKCoDriver yes we using a different grading system because of the different speeds. Is work in progress

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danon

RK Ready for Spain...

https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...9f&oe=56D3247D

---

Only to be crashed again..(I hope I'm wrong, seriously.)

Slight mishap from Bertelli!

https://youtu.be/I2iESw-ED6E

Interesting first couple of runs through shakedown...
Wonder what happened to Meeke?

http://i57.tinypic.com/2airfnn.jpg

Meeke's just come through again, so he's still at it.

It's pretty bad near the start of the stage, but it's the photographers as much as the spectators, way to close to the road on the inside of a couple of turns.

Bloody YouTube hasn't rotated my video has it.....?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CR57nohU...jpg&name=large

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by itix

Interesting first couple of runs through shakedown...
Wonder what happened to Meeke?

---

From rallye-sport.fr:

Quote:

---

Note that Kris Meeke has ensured the show by performing two rounds against a roundabout for other competitors ...

---

We have now Panizzi there;)

Video of Meeke entertaining the fans at the roundabout:
https://twitter.com/cicles7/status/6...824?lang=en-gb

Kubica close call
https://www.facebook.com/rallyemag/v...3748679104973/

Good start by Paddon, fastest on SD - looks like his new contract has inspired him !

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CR6TSBPWwAAtnzx.jpg

Tanak also back setting a good time..

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CR6Lma4WIAA9c9b.jpg:large

Shakedown surface seems to me very different to usual Spanish gravel. Is it wet? Or in a different location that is not representative of the rally?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noel157

Video of Meeke entertaining the fans at the roundabout:
https://twitter.com/cicles7/status/6...824?lang=en-gb

---

Bit surprised Meeke didn't do even one normal run through SD just to check his true pace compared to the others.

Maybe he couldn't resist having some fun and pleasing the fans..

Shakedown is in Salou, quite close to service. The gravel stages are around an hout away from Salou

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Nexus 5 met Tapatalk

Watch out for Tänak tomorrow

Bertelli's moment on SK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJz-B...ature=youtu.be

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

Bit surprised Meeke didn't do even one normal run through SD just to check his true pace compared to the others.

Maybe he couldn't resist having some fun and pleasing the fans..

---

From wrc.com
Kris Meeke was 15sec off the pace in Citroën’s DS 3 as he focused on scrubbing tyres ahead of tonight’s asphalt street stage in Barcelona.

Ahhhh, clever thinking

Good SD videos

https://youtu.be/LHkkfSAq1Js

https://youtu.be/2ZoLL0Ptd34

RK on it ...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CR6kfLjWwAACf59.jpg:large

Surprising Giordano did so well in 4WD machinery! Almost matched Lvebvefebreve (or however you spell it) in WRC machinery which really isn't impressive by him at all. I thought for a long while that people was giving him a hard time but I am starting to doubt him also... could it be the influence of Prevot maybe? Ever since he came into the picture, Levefebrevebve is going slower? Maybe Prevot is tired of riding alongside Duval types (ie. win it or bin it types) and is therefor keeping his mental hand on the mental handbrake throughout the stages?

EDIT: never mind me, I'm mixing up Quentin Gilbert and Quentin Giordano again.

http://i61.tinypic.com/51pwmf.png

More photos from shakedown in Spain HERE: http://www.rally-mania.cz/photogallery.php?id=1403

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AL14

Shakedown surface seems to me very different to usual Spanish gravel. Is it wet? Or in a different location that is not representative of the rally?

---

Shakedown in same location as last year

https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...41&oe=56BC15D7
https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...38&oe=568FF64E

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3132502&type=3

https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...b9&oe=56CF9066
https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e9&oe=568B2A21
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9654614&type=3

https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c5&oe=56C16A6F
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9998830&type=3


https://youtu.be/l9HEZaUfZq8


http://www.rally-mania.cz/photogallery.php?id=1403

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by itix

Surprising Giordano did so well in 4WD machinery! Almost matched Lvebvefebreve (or however you spell it) in WRC machinery which really isn't impressive by him at all. I thought for a long while that people was giving him a hard time but I am starting to doubt him also... could it be the influence of Prevot maybe? Ever since he came into the picture, Levefebrevebve is going slower? Maybe Prevot is tired of riding alongside Duval types (ie. win it or bin it types) and is therefor keeping his mental hand on the mental handbrake throughout the stages?

EDIT: never mind me, I'm mixing up Quentin Gilbert and Quentin Giordano again.

---

from Lefebre's facebook page "Shakedown is over. We were the only ones with hard tyres. It wasn't the more performing choice (13th) but we had a nice feeling !
See you tonight for the first stage..."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

https://youtu.be/LHkkfSAq1Js

https://youtu.be/2ZoLL0Ptd34

---

Love watching these fan videos.. real rallying and pure sound. :)

So much better than the SSS that will be shown on TV and no annoying commentator !

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CR7qZ4bWwAAYZsQ.jpg:large

Borl video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjfckpE3mIs

How come drivers were scrubbing their tyres before the short tarmac SSS, dont they have to use the same tyres tomorrow on the gravel ?