Rally Sweden 2013

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Yes, I assume you were one of the 3 English speaking guys? You were the one who had that crazy photo of Novikov? Unfortunately I just missed that moment... That photo should be linked on the topic here. ;)

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Hello Tom,

That is correct we were the 3 English speaking guys, I was at the last corner while the other guys were a couple of corners back. I arrived at the bend to see Hanninen go round, he was flying. Then I went over to the inside of the corner and the next car round was Novikov! WOW, it was the craziest thing I had seen all rally, and I got very lucky with the photo.

I will post it up on here once I have uploaded the photos from my camera - still haven't had time yet.
My friend has started to add some of his photos to our Facebook page
facebook.com/gritpicsrally

What a truly amazing event, breathtaking!

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Originally Posted by danon

Loeb uses Jedi mind tricks to Neuville -> Rally Sweden 2013

Great vid... :D

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Haha, I mostly watch the WRC guys, they make the sport look so easy, well most of them do anyway. In this video you can see how truly difficult rally can be.

Here's one hour of footage. You can watch all the cars, including historics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8eGP...layer_embedded

Finally got together my video from rally Sweden 2013. Had some problems with camera batteries on 2nd day, but still I think some great footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujKp2K_GZKY

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Originally Posted by Kielder

Being 4th or being 1st...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...67844564_n.jpg

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I just whish the rules would make the cars such that Latvala style would be faster. Not because I'd like him to win, but because it would make rallying so much more fun and exiting to watch again

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Originally Posted by COD

I just whish the rules would make the cars such that Latvala style would be faster. Not because I'd like him to win, but because it would make rallying so much more fun and exiting to watch again

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I would rather say that the driving style, or timing, of the driver is what you see on those two pics. Of course as mentioned above it´s also a matter of settings of car. Rumours says that JML had Ogiers settings at the end of the rally.

Maybe we don´t even have the key of which driver is fastest in that particular corner... It´s hard to tell from a picture though.

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Originally Posted by Fly_Half

Forgot to say in my original post, we were a bit surprised at being asked to pay 50 SEK to park at every stage when we'd already paid 500 SEK for a Rally Pass! Ridiculous if you ask me.

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Pretty common practice actually. Just the "parking price" differs.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

I would rather say that the driving style, or timing, of the driver is what you see on those two pics. Of course as mentioned above it´s also a matter of settings of car. Rumours says that JML had Ogiers settings at the end of the rally.

Maybe we don´t even have the key of which driver is fastest in that particular corner... It´s hard to tell from a picture though.

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I have to disagree somewhat. It was unneccesary to introduce big wings for current WRC's. With S2000 size wings. Being sideways would affect downforce less. And they should limit suspension travel, that would bring more sideways action and slow cars on corners thus making the sport safer.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

I would rather say that the driving style, or timing, of the driver is what you see on those two pics. Of course as mentioned above it´s also a matter of settings of car. Rumours says that JML had Ogiers settings at the end of the rally.

Maybe we don´t even have the key of which driver is fastest in that particular corner... It´s hard to tell from a picture though.

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I was on that particular place from those photos. The fastest in that corner was Hirvonen, but he was too wide and was in the snowbank with the back, then the front went to the snowbank, and he lost a little bit of time there. And Latvala was defenetely faster than Ogier... But after that corner they had to brake for a hairpin immediately. In the exit of the hairpin JML was too much inside the hairpin and lost a lot of traction because he was too much in the snow. In that place it was not needed to push it to the maximum in the fast right corner, because they had to brake immediately after it for the hairpin (Ogier, Loeb and Ostberg took it easy). Rallying is not just about pushing it to the limit everywhere, it's also about being smart and seeing where you can gain a bit of time without risking too much and where to lift because you can not win anything. That's probably the main difference between Loeb, Ogier, Ostberg (I think he is driving smart too), and Latvala and Hirvonen, to give an example. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OzKBD7cHp9w

Very interesting method :)

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

I was on that particular place from those photos. The fastest in that corner was Hirvonen, but he was too wide and was in the snowbank with the back, then the front went to the snowbank, and he lost a little bit of time there. And Latvala was defenetely faster than Ogier... But after that corner they had to brake for a hairpin immediately. In the exit of the hairpin JML was too much inside the hairpin and lost a lot of traction because he was too much in the snow. In that place it was not needed to push it to the maximum in the fast right corner, because they had to brake immediately after it for the hairpin (Ogier, Loeb and Ostberg took it easy). Rallying is not just about pushing it to the limit everywhere, it's also about being smart and seeing where you can gain a bit of time without risking too much and where to lift because you can not win anything. That's probably the main difference between Loeb, Ogier, Ostberg (I think he is driving smart too), and Latvala and Hirvonen, to give an example. :)

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definetely you can t have conclusions in one corner without knowing the sequence before and after the corner.

On this corner you see totally different approach between Ogier & Latvala, on other corners I've seen them exactly the same approach. Latvala spent this Rally trying to find his best setup, last day he really used Ogier's settings 1-1 and felt like he has to change his driving style to achieve better results with the Polo.

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Originally Posted by stefanvv

On this corner you see totally different approach between Ogier & Latvala, on other corners I've seen them exactly the same approach. Latvala spent this Rally trying to find his best setup, last day he really used Ogier's settings 1-1 and felt like he has to change his driving style to achieve better results with the Polo.

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Its interesting because I always thought Latvala was a similar diver to Ogier but it would seem not if Latvala has to change his style, I would be interested to know who sets the car up more for the corner (Latvala?), and who drivers around it more (Ogier?) im guessing

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Originally Posted by dimviii

definetely you can t have conclusions in one corner without knowing the sequence before and after the corner.

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Yes, Dimitrios, you and Tom understand what I meant above, even though the comment itself (being 1st or 4th) was kind of relevant for the rally, you never can tell out of a picture who´s fastest at that point...

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Yes, Dimitrios, you and Tom understand what I meant above, even though the comment itself (being 1st or 4th) was kind of relevant for the rally, you never can tell out of a picture who´s fastest at that point...

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You're right, though the picture sums up what we saw in the streaming and the highlights during the whole weekend. Times don't lie.

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Originally Posted by COD

I just whish the rules would make the cars such that Latvala style would be faster. Not because I'd like him to win, but because it would make rallying so much more fun and exiting to watch again

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Although Tom already explained situation on the photo I would continue the discussion. Current S2000 based WRC cars are (at least for me) driven much more sideways than the last 2.0 cars with active center diff (for me the last exception was the S12B). Remember when the 1.6T came to Sweden two years a go how even some guys here on forum commented that it's a joke to have the cars driven almost back forward through corners and that it looked like they were RC cars? :) With the ongoing development it slightly changed but still I am sure that current cars without active center diff are sideways more than previous 2.0 cars. Of course I don't speak about old cars like Octavia which You must have driven sideways to make them turn :)

By the way Ogier is one of the most spectacular drivers in fast sections so I don't see any worrying development there ;)

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Yes, Dimitrios, you and Tom understand what I meant above, even though the comment itself (being 1st or 4th) was kind of relevant for the rally, you never can tell out of a picture who´s fastest at that point...

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While watching the rally I was convinced that Latvala was quicker than Oiger at almost every location we watched at. However I think it is easy to confuse spectacular driving with speed with the modern cars. Although Latvala looked so much faster he was slower than the smooth controlled style of Oiger during the rally.

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Originally Posted by GritPics

While watching the rally I was convinced that Latvala was quicker than Oiger at almost every location we watched at. However I think it is easy to confuse spectacular driving with speed with the modern cars. Although Latvala looked so much faster he was slower than the smooth controlled style of Oiger during the rally.

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I had similar impressions, though while on stage it's impossible to say how one driver is faster than another unless you see over a long view. Especially on Saturday and Sunday, and in places over crests/jumps, Ogier looked like he was just taking it easy, not pushing it compared to his team mate- and then you see the stage time and he was "always" fastest. I think if one of the top cars would have notable louder sound than others, it'd feel faster than others, even if it makes no sense. The show effects just fool you while in forest

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

I was on that particular place from those photos. The fastest in that corner was Hirvonen, but he was too wide and was in the snowbank with the back, then the front went to the snowbank, and he lost a little bit of time there. And Latvala was defenetely faster than Ogier... But after that corner they had to brake for a hairpin immediately. In the exit of the hairpin JML was too much inside the hairpin and lost a lot of traction because he was too much in the snow. In that place it was not needed to push it to the maximum in the fast right corner, because they had to brake immediately after it for the hairpin (Ogier, Loeb and Ostberg took it easy). Rallying is not just about pushing it to the limit everywhere, it's also about being smart and seeing where you can gain a bit of time without risking too much and where to lift because you can not win anything. That's probably the main difference between Loeb, Ogier, Ostberg (I think he is driving smart too), and Latvala and Hirvonen, to give an example. :)

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There was talk on Rally Radio of the snow banks being softer this year than usual.

Just wondering how much this affected Latvala & Hirvonen as it sounds perhaps they tried to rely too much on snow banks in the conditions. The Ogier clean style paid off big time. Not making any excuses, Ogier drove a perfect rally. I think though some of the reason Latvala & Hirvonen put in disappointing performance on a rally we might expect them to do well on, may have been snow bank conditions not suiting the more aggressive Finnish approach to Sweden. It shows though they should have adjusted, Ostberg seemed to be able to so I agree it comes down to driving smart rather than just relying on techniques that worked in the past.

I noticed too both Loeb & Ogier had moments in the banks which they powered through. I'm not sure if the banks had not been particularly soft they would have got away with it. Usually it would have meant being well and truly stuck or stopping to clear radiators.

Not withstanding though there is some point where trying to drive faster makes for slower times! Loeb & Ogier are the masters of finding the spot where perfect almost relaxed driving results in fastest times. JML doesn't seem to quite understand the concept and when Hirvonen applies it, he goes so slow not to matter much anymore! Spectating I always thought Ken Block looked faster than Loeb, says it all I guess!

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Nice to see my friend's video already linked on here. We had a great event, seen 11 stages, all were great places. Perhaps the most spectacular event I've ever seen... Also the organisation of the event was great, everyone was very friendly etc. :) My photos are to be online this afternoon/evening.

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How did you manage to see 11 stages? Maybe you can write a short story about your trip to Sweden? It was very interesting to read story of Hartusvuori. I will try to do that as well. Here is my story from the last year in Latvian news site: TVNET :: Motoru sports - Latvie

Not sure how Google Translator will cope with it. :)

Just few words are not translated:

saģērbjamies
nesākoties
paspēsim
sānslīdēm
Panašķojam
noskatījuši
nebļauj un nedzen
nekāpa
novēlies

and dop but not need to be translated :)

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Originally Posted by Koceens

How did you manage to see 11 stages? Maybe you can write a short story about your trip to Sweden? It was very interesting to read story of Hartusvuori. I will try to do that as well. Here is my story from the last year in Latvian news site: TVNET :: Motoru sports - Latvie

Not sure how Google Translator will cope with it. :)

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Yes, 11 stages is a very good effort. We managed 7, and that was only because we got lucky seeing an extra one on Sunday.

Interesting what people have been saying about the snow banks being softer this year, I guess if the Finns are used to leaning on them a lot then this probably did hamper them.

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Originally Posted by Sprocket

I noticed too both Loeb & Ogier had moments in the banks which they powered through. I'm not sure if the banks had not been particularly soft they would have got away with it. Usually it would have meant being well and truly stuck or stopping to clear radiators.

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Both were very, very lucky there, especially Ogier whose bank was neglitible as he was too much off the road there.

Smoth driving with perfect timing in breaking and steering in, has always been rewarded faster times than going sideways all the time. Loeb is the master of thet driving style. Although he was very, I say very lucky coming back on the road on Sunday stage when he drove 105%...

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Originally Posted by uranium

Just few words are not translated:

saģērbjamies = get dressed
nesākoties = not started
paspēsim = get in time
sānslīdēm = sideways action
Panašķojam = get taste of
noskatījuši = saw earlier
nebļauj un nedzen = don't scream and say to go away from place
nekāpa = didn't step out [of the car]
novēlies = fallen
dop = special stage

and dop but not need to be translated :)

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Made translations if someone needs.

Something is not right with this picture:


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BDE1ypJCMAAZ6av.jpg:large

Rally Sweden!

Rally Sweden 2013 - YouTube

Nice video by codriver Torstein Eriksen (I think it was not posted here before)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D2xIQ-9xjA

Wilson and Al-Quassimi excursions into snow. Starts at 1:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dRFRsOaKPA&feature=youtu.be

Here is my gallery from this weekends event, working as official photographer for Rally Sweden:

Rally Sweden 2013 | Benjamin A. Ward | Fotograf | benjaminward.no

My most curious photo of the rally :D

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8...116ee718_b.jpg

I don't know what you think, but Ogier winning the power stage shows a lot of the fighting spirit he is on, and what are his real intentions for this season...
VW will not fool us again with fake targets, for me it's the 2 titles this year, or nothing.
See you in GB for a new WC.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxhis5_rallye-de-suede-best-of_sport#.UR1eCGcrHvC

So, Rally Sweden has been driven. A few thoughts of the rally. First of all, like I suspected, VW was/is ready for a title. With that amount of testing, the speed and reliability will anough for them to grab the title this year. All that talk of few podium places at the latter part of the season was just mindgames. Unfortunately Latvala was believing it. Now he saw that with Polo one can win. And that one was Ogier. Latvala is prone to fall in that kind of problems. Now his strategy will be messed. He can't drive Polo with winning pace but he will try and that will lead nothing good :mark: I suspect over-trying and crashes. About other Finns..... Hirvonen.... I can't believe what I saw. Yes, a mistake is acceptable when you try but if you compare Hirvonen to for instance Grönholm or Solberg in the past, when they had an off early on the rally and they had absolutely no chance to points, they drove like hell because they had nothing to loose. They flew over the stages and made the rest top times. What did Hirvonen? Cruised through the rally, made avarage 9th positinion stage times and it seemed that he didn't even try. Or at least I hope he didn't even try because if he did, it's all over for him. With that kind of effort, Hirvonen won't win a single rally this year. Hänninen.... Well, Hänninen was like I suspected. No offense to anyone but it seem that this was the pace he can offer to WRC. :mark: And that is not enough, I think anyone can agree that. Nikara was trying but unfortunately he was trying too much. That can happen when you push. Which leads me to Pontus Tindemand. I want to see that kind of attitude with Finns. It doesn't matter it was his homeland where he drove, he showed he was fast and made some excellent stage times and kept the car on road. Very goosd performance so far it lasted. And Ogier.... I have to tell I was suprised. I knew Ogier can be fast but i didn't expect he was that fast. Now that VW is consistent and Ogier that fast, there wont be anyone to challenge him. I can tell you guys this early that he will be the new champion. No way Latvala, Östberg or Hirvonen will win him. Last time I saw someone was faster than Ogier with similar machinery was NORF last year when Lappi fought against him ;) Bring him on and we'lll have a decent championship :)

A.F.F:

I can only agree with you!

http://i6.minus.com/iMhwyWbd08wAl.jpg
http://i2.minus.com/ilWDAbAVbuQuo.jpg
http://i6.minus.com/iwjnMMYzRHX2q.jpg
http://i2.minus.com/iHR0wnm7zmNOB.jpghttp://i2.minus.com/i6Wqlxci8EaVg.jpg

This video includes some aerial footage from the Drone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGeLCSGZA1A

Massive slides, big jumps, Tamrazov's roll, a Norwegian song, Swedish drunk girls...

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

The footage from the drone is superb!

The last video of the Swedish Rally by Motorsportfilmer.net is finished, hope will have a look :)
https://vimeo.com/59774105
(Music ends at 1:30 for you who hate that :) )

Everything i post is on youtube too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QJAeELiSbMhttp://www.raceinfo.no/temp/tn_Skjer...2002.02.24.jpg