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  1. #61
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    Beside the new drivers joining the championship with R5 cars, it looks like there are no big changes on the Maxi Rally class.

    David Nalbandian moves from Tango Rally Team, to Villagra's team, and will be driving a second Toyota Yaris instead his Chevrolet Onix. It looks like the Onix wont race again, as Ligato and Baldoni will keep driving the old Agile model for Tango Team.

    The 2020 champions Nicolas Díaz (Argentina) and Rodriogo Zeballos (Uruguay) will have their cars again under Gabriel Pozzo Motorsport operations (Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 208 respectively).

    2019 Maxi Rally light class champion Martín Suriani will finally debut his VW Gol Maxi Rally turbo, after a 2020 driving on the RC5 category.

    Augusto D'Agostini will drive his VW Polo MRT under Barattec operations again.

    I'm not sure, but it looks like the Maxi Rally CUP (with 32mm restrictor instead 34) will dissapear.

    About the R4 cars, we will see now two different cars, as VW Polo R4 of Alvarez is ready and has been tested last weekend.





    Short video of the car on instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CK-QGLJB..._web_copy_link
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 10th February 2021 at 14:56.

  2. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by Damian Baldi View Post
    Beside the new drivers joining the championship with R5 cars, it looks like there are no big changes on the Maxi Rally class.

    David Nalbandian moves from Tango Rally Team, to Villagra's team, and will be driving a second Toyota Yaris instead his Chevrolet Onix. It looks like the Onix wont race again, as Ligato and Baldoni will keep driving the old Agile model for Tango Team.

    The 2020 champions Nicolas Díaz (Argentina) and Rodriogo Zeballos (Uruguay) will have their cars again under Gabriel Pozzo Motorsport operations (Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 208 respectively).

    2019 Maxi Rally light class champion Martín Suriani will finally debut his VW Gol Maxi Rally turbo, after a 2020 driving on the RC5 category.

    Augusto D'Agostini will drive his VW Polo MRT under Barattec operations again.

    I'm not sure, but it looks like the Maxi Rally CUP (with 32mm restrictor instead 34) will dissapear.

    About the R4 cars, we will see now two different cars, as VW Polo R4 of Alvarez is ready and has been tested last weekend.
    How come Nalbandian will drive in VRS??! Isn't he one of the owners of Tango Rally Team?

    The Onix is not as good as the Agile?

    What about that Skoda R5 that a driver from Ecuador bought and would be ran by Barattero?

  3. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by Co-driven View Post
    How come Nalbandian will drive in VRS??! Isn't he one of the owners of Tango Rally Team?
    Nalbandian sold his part of Tango Rally Team to Ligato many years ago. Then Ligato sold the team to Levy in 2018 when he become sick.I think Toyota wanted a big name on the team. However, Tango Rally Team have had so many mechanical problems since the owners change.

    The Onix is not as good as the Agile?
    The Onix have prove to be as good as the Agile, but Ligato prefers the Agile because he feels more comfortable driving it. Both cars have the same wheelbase. Baldoni doesn't have an option, because he rents the car, and it seems that the Agile was for rent, not the Onix. I think Tango Rally Team have three Onix. The one that Nalbandian uses at CARX, and two more for him for the rally. I don't know if he is the owner of those cars.

    What about that Skoda R5 that a driver from Ecuador bought and would be ran by Barattero?
    The driver is Dennis Romero, he used to drive a Ford Fiesta MRT, but I don't know anything about his new car. There is a Ford Fiesta R5 from Alonso for rent.

  4. #64
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    Three very interesting interviews (in spanish) with Federico Villagra talking about Toyota's plans, the R4 cars, and the current reality. Castro talks about the plans and difficulties of the R4 cars. Ligato talks about their future.


    Villagra
    http://motorboxradio.com.ar/2021/02/...mas-afianzado/

    Castro
    http://motorboxradio.com.ar/2021/02/...-y-sudamerica/

    Ligato
    http://motorboxradio.com.ar/2021/02/...ran-su-futuro/

    Another news is that from this year the Maxi Rally cars will use a 36mm restrictor instead 34. I really don't know where this people want to go. With the increase of power there will be more mechanical failures related with the transmision. If they want to try to match the R5 performance I think they are wrong.

    Cruz del Eje Rally, inscription list, many drivers missing. Finally only four R5 cars. On the Maxi Rally list, no Renault Clio, no DS3, no Onix, only 1 Fiesta but four Toyotas.
    https://rallyargentino.com/documento...21_oficial.pdf

    Today, season 2021 kicked off in a very modest ceremony at the Mario Kempes Stadium at Córdoba.
    Video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrqWqmHMRXU













    Video pre shakedown
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeS0SXcv5w8

    Shakedown video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Glvge3JKTU

    Cancio with the Skoda was the fastest (but almost put the car upside down). Scuncio with the Hyundai didn't take part (I don't know why, maybe the team was delayed)
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 12th February 2021 at 03:13.

  5. #65
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    End of stage #1 EDITED TO UPDATE

    The competition wasn't good for different reasons. First, many driver were in touch with their cars for the first time. Second the drivers had expect the road to degredate a lot more than finally happened, taking it too carefully.

    Some Maxi Rally drivers suffered uncounted mechanical problems, low fuel press (Diaz at SS #2), high engine temperature (Ligato), brake pressure (Baldoni), engine (D'Agostini) etc etc.

    R4 drivers didn't have any chance against the R5 cars. Alvarez is doing his first race with a new car and new codriver and taking it too easy. Castro had to stop to change a wheel.


    Martin Scuncio in the lonely Hyundai had a big out and is out of the race.
    Video of the crash
    https://twitter.com/i/status/1360280807521325059
    Onboard video
    https://twitter.com/i/status/1360538591441653764







    The best of the race at the moment, is the R5 fight between Martinez and Cancio. At the RC2B (Maxi Rally) the fight Ligato - Diaz is the only close one, with Pasten, Baldoni, Padilla and Zeballos not so far.





    Marcos Ligato, video onboard
    https://twitter.com/i/status/1360302385369931778
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 14th February 2021 at 17:07.

  6. #66
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    End of Event #1

    On the RC2A class (R5 and R4 cars) after the huge crash of Scuncio, it was a close fight between Cancio and Martinez with Alonso starting very slow and later taking rhythm after a year without driving. Later Mantinez had a puncture and lost three minutes, giving Cancio the victory, but not without drama, as Cancio's car spun on the wet road after the red board at the end of SS5 and the car ended up hanging on a big rock. They were able to put back the car on track with just 30 seconds left before taking a penalty. Both R4 cars sufered puntures loosing 6 minutes each. However the R4 cars showed a very good performance against the MR cars and without mechanical problems.

    On the RC2B class (Maxi Rally and Maxi Rally with 32 mm restrictor) there was a good fight between Ligato and Diaz, but at the end of SS5 Ligato's car stoped giving Diaz a clear win. Lot of cars suffered mechanical problems, Villagra, Baldoni, D'Agostini, Nalbandian, Cutro and more. The cars with 32mm restrictor all ended the race with only Cutro ending his race at SS5.

    The resurected RC2N class with four Mitsubishi cars saw Tomas Garcia Hamilton taking the win with an EVO IX, starting slowly after more of a year without driving, and improving while the race to take the lead over the old man Prevedello.



    Video resume of event #1
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIks26Rp1D8

  7. Likes: the sniper (13th February 2021)
  8. #67
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    Stage #2 of Event #2 was a car' slaughter.

    Jorge Martinez from Chile made history winning the rally with his Skoda. Alejandro Cancio who was second behind him retired with a blown engine (he don't know if the car will be ready for the next event in march). Juan Alonso finished second 2 minutes behind, but he was slower than Martinez and Cancio all the time while puting himself up to date. Padilla put the best Maxi Rally on the podium of the general clasification 3 minutes behind Martinez.


    RC2A class (R5/R4)
    Martinez and Alonso with Skoda were 1st and 2nd, Alvarez finished 3rd with the Polo R4, but almost 20 minutes behind after many problems. Castro abandoned with machanical problems.


    Point Cola Team had a weekend to forget. They started with problems to cross the frontier lossing precious time and having to work overnight. Then on Event #1 Martin Scuncio car suffered terminal damage after a huge crash. The poor mechanics (only two) had to work overnight again, with two other guys helping to put the spare car on shape for the Event #2. The joy didn't last much, as Scuncio lost a front wheel on SS2 and that was all. I don't know how this team will continue after so big losses.

    Unfinished second car on saturdar





    RC2B class (Maxi Rally)
    Geronimo Padilla was the indisputable winner with a stunning rhythm from the beginning. Gastón Pasten and Augusto D'Agostini followed him most of the race (all three with VW Polo), but on SS6 both suffered with no steering asystance until the end, lossing a lot of time. Miguel Baldoni and Federico Villagra have inherit those positions, but they never were directly in contention with the leaders. Several cars suffered with overheat thanks to a very hot summer day and the new 36mm restrictor. Same with brakes, there were several cars affected with brake problems.


    RC2B Copa Pirelli (Maxi Rally with 32mm restrictor)
    This cup or subclass had a good fight. Alejandro Menendez with a VW Gol have take it easy all the weekend, never pushed too hard and it payed off. Their rivals Nadia Cutro with Toyota Yaris, ex soccer player Claudio "Piojo" Lopez with Chevrolet Agile (the only car from Tango team to finish without problems), Federico Devoto running his Toyota Etios with turbo engine for the first time and Cesar Folledo with the lonely VW Gol atmospheric. All drivers (but Folledo) were going back to action after a long time, or making a debut with a different car, so they approuched the race carefully. Devoto suffered problems with the throttle potentiometer almost all the race with some spikes of speed at some SS, same for Cutro who showed speed on the last SS to secure the second place. Lopez have show some speed by the end. Finally it was Menendez, Cutro and Lopez on the podium.


    A nice video from side of the road
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7otg5dPBoKc
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 15th February 2021 at 03:51.

  9. #68
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    Next weekend it's "Pagos del Tuyu Rally", a rally on the flat land surrounded of lagoons. It's a classic of the "Mar y Sierras" championship, but this time it shares the date with Rally Argentino championship.

    Opposited with the previous news, it will be a single date (not double), with two stages saturday and sunday (near 37 km each loop, two loops per stage), making a total of 147 km.




    News from teams, cars and drivers:
    - Leandro Bonnin moves his DS3 MR from the now defuncted CGR to the GP Motorsport of Gabriel Pozzo.
    - Martin Suriani has been doing some tests with his VW Gol MR, now attended by Los Monos team.
    - Esteban Bilbao makes his debut on the MR class with a Ford Fiesta by Baratec.
    - Cesar Folledo will take part with an Audi A1 MR turbo of RC Competición, while his usual VW Gol waits for the installation of a turbo engine to replace the current atmospheric engine.
    - Alejandro Cancio seems to have his Skoda repaired after the engine's failure
    - Martin Scuncio will take part with the lonely Hyundai now showing a new livery.
    - Dennis Romero's Skoda R5, is traveling to Argentina and it should be at the Baratec workshop for the next event in april.

    Romero's Skoda on the way




    Hyundai new livery





    short video of Suriani's VW Gol test
    https://www.facebook.com/10000559411...6298361566618/

    short video of Bilbao's test
    https://twitter.com/i/status/1366768843964702721

    when you have the car, but not the engine
    https://twitter.com/i/status/1365039660897099783
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 4th March 2021 at 19:03.

  10. #69
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    I have took some days off for holidays and the city where I went was just 30 km from Madariaga where Rally del Tuyu was taking place. On sunday with one of my brothers we went to the assitence place to meet some friends who work for Point Cola team. We were very lucky and found the cars just arriving to the assiatece after the morning stages.

    The cars parked one by one exactly where we were and stayed there waiting for the time to enter. I had the opportunity to see all the cars and talk with some drivers and codrivers. I had a very nice talking about the cars, the setup (mostly the ride height) and other details as the current 36mm restrictor etc etc. I had the opportunity to talk with Bonnin, Zeballos, Pasten, with Bonbaci (about the Yaris he have built for Cutro) and crossed a few words with David Nalbandian. Villagra was busy checking something on the car's direction, same as Diaz who had an overturn the previous day.

    Then we went into the assistance place and saw some team's equipment and car spare parts (as the Hyundai R5 transmission that they changed early), dampers, tires and rims.

    After a quick stop for food we went to the only corner available to be able to see the cars passing. It was a very intense day and in a few hours we were able to do lot of things.

    Geronimo Padilla


    Jorge Martinez


    Alejandro Cancio


    Federico Villagra checking the car


    Luciano Bombaci


    Nicolas Diaz's car showing some damage after the overturn


    David Nalbandian car after losing the bonnet and with damage from the saturday overturn.


    Nalbandian's Yaris, Federico Devoto's Etios



    We were watching the cars passing at the place shown on minute 0:22
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vBZdphgprg
    Last edited by Damian Baldi; 17th March 2021 at 00:26.

  11. #70
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    Any idea what is the power of the MRT cars with that restrictor? It's same size as current WRC cars and roughly 25% larger than of R5 cars. The cars shall be very powerful.
    Stupid is as stupid does. Forrest Gump

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