WRC Testing

[dimviii]

nice video from Zagatoi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TUysBeI6Os

[dimviii]

another nice one from Borl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aoQbVqHA88

[stefanvv]

another nice one from Borl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aoQbVqHA88

Studded tyres too?!?

[nafpaktos]

Test

http://en.best-of-rallylive.com/News...ndai-in-France

[AdvEvo]

Awesome to see the cars on winter tires on tarmac. The cars are more lively and much much more fun to watch then on full tarmac (slick) tires.

[dimviii]

Sordo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE9_RqdNYvM

[traxx]

During winter tests, Gilles De Turckheim is Ogier's co-driver because of a last shoulder surgery for Julien Ingrassia
http://www.worldrallyisfree.com/2014...deja-en-suede/

[manthey]

So what do you mean by changing engine? It is something different isn´t it? Maybe the M-Sport own developed one?

according to a discussion on a fb italian rally page, clues were raised by Alessandro Bosca and famous co-driver Gigi Pirollo
Bosca wrote that he was behind Rossi and in a straight he smoked him in the extent of 20mt
The comment of Pirollo was insightful: he explained that the car and the engine are prepared only to race the km of Rally di Monza, instead his car driven by Capello was with "standard" engine. So a very very health engine but still "regular", it wil not last a wrc event but this rally show yes

Do they not have scrutineering at Monza?

yes, evidence of that is vr46's fiesta was caught 10kg lighter...he paid a fine

[dimviii]

Neuville
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUyZ...ryGfFgGR9Bqpqg

[Mirek]

according to a discussion on a fb italian rally page, clues were raised by Alessandro Bosca and famous co-driver Gigi Pirollo
Bosca wrote that he was behind Rossi and in a straight he smoked him in the extent of 20mt
The comment of Pirollo was insightful: he explained that the car and the engine are prepared only to race the km of Rally di Monza, instead his car driven by Capello was with "standard" engine. So a very very health engine but still "regular", it wil not last a wrc event but this rally show yes

Dimviii may correct me but I don't buy this story for two points.

1) To have significantly better acceleration which is clearly visible You need really big difference in power or the shape of the power curve. Last week I was on a circuit stage where cars accelerated on a straight from 2nd gear chicane. Fabia WRC made cca 20-30 meters advantage on 200 meters long straight over gr.N Impreza. Don't forget that a lot of that difference is due to higher exit speed from the chicane and faster gear changes, not only due to more powerful engine.

2) You can not tune restricted engine with limited turbo boost to have for example 30 Hp more by sacrificing some reliability. That is possible with engine where reliability is the primary power limitation such as Moto GP or Fomula 1 engines but not with something which complies with WRC regulations. At least I don't believe it is possible. Same goes to a completely different sound.

Honestly I haven't followed the previous discussion and therefore I don't want to judge Rossi's car in any way. What I wanted to say is that the explanation above sounds very unlikely to me.