Rally Liepaja 2015

[PLuto]

Most of the stages are frozen ice and snow. Only exception is shakedown...

[PLuto]

City SS 12 will be cancelled due to weather conditions.

[nafpaktos]

Tests Rally Liapaja Robert Consani - Maxime Vilmot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKvr2uf2TwE

This is the right positioned camera.wrc promoter do you hear?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Lets see if the Pirelli's are as good here as on the Janner ...

[Negaiss]

Acording to latest forecast, Sunday will be very windy and with spoty heavy snow. I gues strong wind gusts also can affect driving somehow!

Gusts ap yo 22-24 m/s are forecasted in the region (around Liepaja).

[PLuto]

Actually in Liepaja is +2 and more windy than in previous days.

[sindroms]

Free practice is on! You can follow crews on gps map - http://gps.autorally.lv/

[bluuford]

Actually in Liepaja is +2 and more windy than in previous days.

Shortly about the weather. Quite unexpected warm weather has arrived to the region. But be aware that stages are more inland and the wind is not so strong there and temperatutre is also lower.

So, Shakedown, temperature is between +1 and +2, wind 5-6 m/s from NW and W
Ss1 and 2 Cloudy, no major precipitation, temperature +1 wind 6-7 m/s
This +1 should not be too bad for Ss2 and 4 but it more dangerous to Ss1, as it is more in open fields and together with strong wind, the snow melts faster. So, drivers must save their studs there (next stage is more in forrest).
Ss3 Temperature around +1 degree, major part of the stage is in the forrest, so, there should be no big harm for the snow and ice layer.Wind is from West and 6-7 m/s

Ss4 and 5 Temeperature is still around +1 or little less, wet snow might start to fall during the stage or just before the stage goes live. Wind is still 5-7 m/s and from West

Temperature drops below zero overnight. And snow continiues to fall.
SS6: Wind picks up, turns to NW and N and there will be proper snowstorm with widnspeeds 9-11 m/s temperature will be around -2 (windchill factor together with wind will be huge, its should feel like -15!). I expect around 5 cm of fresh snow in the forrest and some snowpiles on the road for the first cars at the end of stage (more open landscape). Should be huge disadvantage for the first drivers.
SS7 and 8, wind picks up even more and it is now 10-12 m/s, temperature is still between -1 and -2. Snow continues to fall. Both stages are semi-open landscapes and it means nice flying snow and some snowpiles on the road.

Last stages: 9-11. Wind is still almost the same 10-12 m/s, from North. Temperature should be around -2 and some sun might appear for short periods. Just some snowshowers are expected. However, due to strong wind and flying snow, you might not be able to see the sun or that it is not actually snowing :-)

So, Take ultra warm clothes with you and make sure they are windproof and waterproof (for tomorrow). Be careful in the traffic and stages, visibility can be very bad due to snowstrom and you might not hear rallycars due to strong wind on the stages!

[RICARDO75]

Free practice is on! You can follow crews on gps map - http://gps.autorally.lv/

Very nice. Łukasz Kabaciński is far from everyone. Any problem for him?

[Jeppe]

Lets see if the Pirelli's are as good here as on the Janner ...

I bet Pirelli does not have advantage against Michelin when competing Scandinavian tyres (with the 7-8 mm studs). If there is no snow and only frozen gravel then Pirelli will have ad bdue to it´s different type of manufacturing method.

But we´ll see. I hope this will not be a tyre gamble...