WRC Belgium Ypres rally

[Mirek]

My few cents.

In the past we have seen also a lot of impact of well selected gear ratios in Ypres because the event is very specific but I don't think it will play that much of a role with WRC cars as it had with S2000 cars (there it was very large factor due to the atmospheric engines). In general in Ypres you need often to accelerate all the way from first gear to sixth gear or to keep very high speeds. You don't need to pay that much attention to torque delivery in medium speed corners like in Spain or Corsica where it's all about that.

Reaching higher top speed is also more important than in other asphalt events and in the past especially with S2000 cars it was one important factor too (probably there won't be that big differences among WRC cars).

Traction from the slow corners is crucial too and will be even more with the mud. Since some junctions are tight it's necessary to avoid understeering at slow speeds.

Anyway I'm quite sure that we'll see a lot of retired cars dug in ditches all around the route. To find the acceptable level of risk will be a huge challenge and previous experience with Belgian events will definitely help a lot.

[tommeke_B]

A good point about the ditches.

However, varying surfaces is common to Rally Deutschland as well, with some concrete surfaces and broken tarmac surfaces. We remember how Neuville broke the rear suspension in 2017 in Baumholder in a cut with a sharp edge.

Well, there's not much to compare actually. I went to Germany a couple of time and did recce most of the stages. The surface changes aren't as many and as drastic as in Belgium. In the vineyard stage the grip is very predictable and probably higher than anywhere in Belgium. On Baumholder, well, it's a completely different world out there. And the Saarland stages often change a little in grip, but you have empty fields left and right on most of the places. Comparing Ypres to Germany is like comparing Portugal to Finland.

Valid point of Neuville breaking the suspension when going out of a cut. In Ypres it's unlikely to go that bad, but punctures could be a huge problem.

[EstWRC]

thanks for all the feedback guys. now i cant even more wait for the rally, it seems we will have hell of a rally in our hands.

[AnttiL]

thanks for all the feedback guys. now i cant even more wait for the rally, it seems we will have hell of a rally in our hands.

Agreed, I'm also very much looking forward into this new challenge and seeing WRC cars on these classic stages.

Here are the maps from 1982 if you want to take a look https://www.rally-maps.com/Ypres-24-Hours-Rally-1982

[AnttiL]

One thing we haven't mentioned in the recent discussion is that Sunday of Ypres will be driven around the Spa circuit and is thus different in character. Another challenge.

[tommeke_B]

Completely different challenge indeed. It's very likely that most of this will be included in SS21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIMh...el=gtrmaxvdb99

[polomayu]

Any infos about how they will manage the spctators? Like in Estonia or maybe in a more free way??

[wwbroe]

Any infos about how they will manage the spctators? Like in Estonia or maybe in a more free way??

I am afraid that it won't be in a more free way. Organizers are the same from Monteberg and also Aarova Rally wich was held last weekend. Spectator control is very strict and you were only allowed to go in specific spectator area's. I think it will be the same in Ypres Rally, surely for first two days. Maybe on sunday, stages held in Spa region, there will be some more liberty alltough the access to Francorchamps circuit will be very limited also. That is if the rally will take place, wich i doubt because of the still rising numbers of corona infections in Belgium.

[Jarek Z]

I'm quite sure that we'll see a lot of retired cars dug in ditches all around the route.

Yes. Just like Juha Kankkunen in 1995. He came to Ypres (an European Championship round at that time) as a main favourite for victory and... went into a ditch on one of the very first stages. Ypres Rally is famous for its deep ditches. You can see it at 3:09 in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAVPj0fnyrY

[Jarek Z]

Another famous accident of the Ypres Rally is the diving of Umberto Scandola in 2006:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twS7nm5ZxUQ
here with onboard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7cTSJIzEkg

This rally has a bad reputation for newcomers. It doesn't happen very often that someone wins this rally in their debut.