I think he is just over-motivated to start the season well in Monte Carlo, a Rally has never been his friend. Probably needs to cool a bit and try to find the right balance of speed and consistency there.Quote:
Originally Posted by nafpaktos
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I think he is just over-motivated to start the season well in Monte Carlo, a Rally has never been his friend. Probably needs to cool a bit and try to find the right balance of speed and consistency there.Quote:
Originally Posted by nafpaktos
Maybe VW rally team needs to spend some budget to use all their 2014 not to have reduced one in 2015 :-P
Monte Carlo today !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5NRPKtIIAAJPQn.jpg:large
Pushing hard
VW en route to Monte Carlo 2015
BY TRAXX - 19/12/2014
The Volkswagen team today ended a week of preparation for testing at the Monte Carlo. Last Sunday, Andreas Mikkelsen served aboard the Polo R WRC version 2014 on a special day in the Alpes de Haute Provence. The Norwegian was unconvincing, the restraint on a narrow path that did not put in trust. The 2015 version of the Polo will be a very small exit that day. Monday is Sébastien Ogier who took the wheel of the Polo. This time, it is mostly about the version 2015 that the French will make his runs for 2 days. The first was rather on dry ground while the second was in moisture. On Monday, the man of the country went on the runs to travel more than 200km in the day. Julien Ingrassia, still recovering from his latest shoulder operation is Gilles De Turckheim copilotait that the world champion.
Wednesday, it was the turn of Jari-Matti Latvala on the same basis as Mikkelsen. In the first part of the morning, the runs were widely spaced, unconvincing passages, the long wait for the audience. Around noon, the first flakes began to fall. The ground was already fat, it becomes slippery. In early afternoon, the snow began to stand on the floor, large portions was covered with a thin layer of snow. Jarri-Matti Latvala continued by increasing the frequency of passages, the steering is sharp, despite the difficult conditions, we finally have the impression of seeing a quick car. Snowfall does not cease, the snow gradually begins to accumulate on the road. Since the beginning of the afternoon, the Finnish is snow tires (without nails) on ground more slippery, it is increasingly the attack. An early warning before us it comes out a little wide of a light rapid curve takes a long rope and too early before the plant puts a hand brake stroke to get out, good move! On the next run, the Polo will not get to our observation point, you hear the engine of the Polo cut just after impact. In a fast right after a left Latvala lost the rear of the car that licks the slope. He explains, still in the car after several meters across, seeing that he could not resolve the situation, he decided to aim for between 2 trees on the other side of the road. Polo cuts down a tree then stops on another ten meters in low-cons of the road. The crew is not affected, but the Polo well banged up. If riding tire was adapted settings was not. With an aggressive setup for a dry road, the Polo was very vivid. It is only 16h but the day ended on the stage. In terms of assistance, we will work until midnight on the last car it ready for the next day.
New day, new special: the snow is gone but the ground is very wet. Unlike the previous passages keep coming with an attack early in the day. The edge of the road, it's nice to see. In fast combos, you can see an agile car and very accurate. In a row by 5/6, the Polo comes in a prematurely after a string a bit wide output, a flick of the steering wheel and she finds herself immediately on track smoothly without drifting, without forcing. A little further, the pin is wider than the day before, it leaves the possibility of a wider operation which the Polo spring with a nice grip. While the soil is very fat, self manages to wrest free skate to raise. The passages keep coming up a new incident. From the first left after a rolling start the Polo is hitting the outside wall. The front right damper passes through the cup, the rear suspension strikes right also. Polo placed on the ground freezes in the middle of the road. No problem for the crew, but Jari-Matti Latvala is furious when he communicates with his team by radio. He later explained that he was not informed him that new tires were mounted on the car. The road before the test base not to heat the tires, cold and not lapped gums have propelled the Polo in the first wall. The rest of the day, he routinely perform a heating run before taking off full speed. But the lunch break was long: 4 hours of work on the car. Finland will then be only a few day passes before enchainer night.
Today is Andreas Mikkelsen who is back at the wheel of the Polo on the basis used by Ogier on his second day.
VW seems clearly to be the most advanced team for next year. His 2015 self running for months, after the development phase, the team was able to move to the finest setting for the first round of next season. On the model with the livery (Version 2015), we could see appear some aero modifications: small patches on the front bumper and wheel arches and a new rear spoiler. It loses its vertical fins (retrieved by the Citroën fin seen in tests in Portugal !!) and down a little less on the sides. In addition to these external aspects, like all others, Polo offers changing relationship with a pallet. The team putting priority on reliability, FX Demaison was first asked to design a single system by abandoning the "manual" leverage used until this year. So he put pressure on his technical team to achieve a seamless system because without backup. Then finally, the lever remains present in aid of the pallet system. To position ballast in context, the team working on the weight of the different components. The new regulation has eased the engine. The box is more compact. Work has also been done on the transmission.
FX Demaison: "The car is the same, the model is the same, the frame is the same, the shell is the same and the arch is the same, except the harness ties for comfort reasons of crew. Small details change. The regulation allows us to have a slightly lighter engine. The transmission is optimized because, in this area too, the constraints have been liberalized. The gearbox will be better suited to our car, more compact, but not lighter since the minimum weight is observed. »
http://www.worldrallyisfree.com/2014...te-carlo-2015/
Andreas Mikkelsen photos here
http://www.ewrc.cz/images/2014/photo...a_img_8926.jpg
Jari-Matti Latvala photos here
http://www.ewrc.cz/images/2014/photo...a_img_0024.jpg
Lorenzo Bertelli photos here
http://www.ewrc.cz/images/2014/photo...a_img_0333.jpg
We are on your second day of testing for Monte Carlo, what impressions of these tests?
It was not the best beginning for these tests Monte Carlo, we're out on the first day, but we managed to repair for the second day. The conditions were good the first day because it was dry then it became very difficult. I am very satisfied because we could try different kinds of tires on snow. It was very interesting, we 170kms. On the second day, the road is wider with more constant conditions: wet. More generally, I am very satisfied with the behavior of the car, she very very good driver and the reactions are good. It is generally very good, there are some details to improve.
This is not the first time that the new car is used in trials, but this is the first meeting to prepare a rally outside development. Is it faster?
We are now focused on the new car, there is more work on the old. The goal is that it is faster, but for the moment I can not give figures. When working on a new car is to be faster. It's December in the Alps, it's more to get a general idea and then back before the rally for finer adjustments.
The steering wheel gearshift is not a novelty in the WRC, you've used on the Focus, is that it changes the way of driving?
I have used this system so come back is nice. I have no problem with that, for me it was more difficult with the mechanical lever. In some situations, a brake, this may be better to use the lever. But I really have no problem using this automatic system that works really well.
Is it interesting to have both hands on the wheel?
Yes, it's easier. For example, if it is on asphalt, having a chord, if changing a ratio and that it is the part on a slippery, it is found to react with one hand. Now, you keep both hands on the wheel, if we get on a slippery area, it is best to correct.
What is the best development of this new car?
For me, I think this is the shift driving. Report really is changing very fast. (Tchoou tchoouuu tchouu tchouu!) It's really fast. The new car is very good on asphalt. I feel like in a circuit car.
Do you think you can beat Sebastien Ogier at the Monte-Carlo?
This is his home rally and there will also Sébastien Loeb. Both are hard to beat. I finished 5th in 2014, if I finished in the top three, I'll be really happy with this season.
What is your goal for next year? Title of course?
It's starting to make a point that I am in the rally so it's really what I want: to win the championship!
To win the championship, you have to beat Sebastien Ogier ...
Yes, you have to fight it and have a good season. It is 2 times world champion, it is very hard to beat, I think he wants 3rd title. It will be very hard, but that's why I'm here: we work and we fight.
Do you think these two outputs when testing is a kind of pressure before the time in your battle with Ogier?
No, no .... I know my limits now!
Are you sure?
Yes I Do!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzuyUVkXM0M
http://www.worldrallyisfree.com/2014...te-carlo-2015/