WRC Testing

[Allez Andruet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNxkT6DkpeY
loeb

Isn't that the same place @0:16 where he went off when testing for Monte 2015?

[gorganl2000]

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

and another of loeb
i suppose a few will appear today

[EstWRC]

Rovanpera https://youtu.be/T6koYVrqDNU

[gorganl2000]

Isn't that the same place @0:16 where he went off when testing for Monte 2015?

i'm not sure, may be one of the other members can say

[Ucci]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNxkT6DkpeY
loeb

impressive on dry parts....

[gorganl2000]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJi8E3PTdvM

loeb...tarmac

[Fast Eddie WRC]

More Loeb in tarmac - looking as fast and aggressive as anyone.

https://youtu.be/eo0fyz4qG14

https://youtu.be/JNfvoFJOS2w

[tommeke_B]

https://www.rallye-sport.fr/loeb-une...Vmp7XLzgsWAh_s

Small interview with Loeb concerning the car's behaviour. I tried to make a translation, not too easy to translate the more rally-technical talk.



This weekend in the "Hautes-Alpes", preparing for Monte Carlo, Loeb has finally taken the wheel of his new car, the Hyundai i20 WRC.


After a test on a base mostly covered by snow on saturday, the driver from Alsace had two perfectly dry testing bases this sunday, one very bumpy and short in the morning, one more wide and fast in the afternoon.


Little before 16 O'Clock and when he ended his first pass of the afternoon, the new Hyundai driver took the time to answer our questions. In this interview, Sébastien Loeb explains mostly the differences in behaviour of his new car compared to the C3 WRC, a very interesting comparison as the season is at it's starting point.


Bye bye Citroën, hello Hyundai, what's your first feeling of this changement?
It's interesting to see something different, it's a new experience, a new car and a new WRC, I haven't done this before, so it's interesting. I was used to a certain style of car, a certain style of driving and it has to be done. It's going fairly well, the team is cool, the atmosphere is relaxed.


How will the season start for you?
The first two rallies will be complicated. Monte Carlo isn't the easiest rally, and this year it's almost completely new for me. Apart from the Turini (6kms), I don't have anything in my notes. On a new rally, it's already not easy, but with a completely new car, it's even more difficult. And in Sweden, on a rally where I haven't driven since 6 years, it won't be easy either. The start of the season isn't the easiest, but we'll see.


What can you tell about this Hyundai i20 WRC, notably in comparison to the Citroën C3 WRC?
The car is mostly healthy, a bit different to what I was used to, a bit less "racing" too, a bit more progressive, all in all nice to drive and quite playful. In general the car's behaviour is similar enough, we have to adapt to small changes, like the reactivity of the steering for example.

I've changed 2-3 things compared to what I had as basic set-up. For me the car was oversteering, so I tried to calm it, a bit different to what the other drivers do.

The Citroën's have had the tendency to understeer, but with the back end well in place, and it was efficient. I would have liked the car (C3) to not understeer as much, and to destabilize the back a bit, but we didn't have any solutions for it, we were a bit at the limit, but with this car, it's more to my liking.


What are your impressions on these two bases?
On the first base this morning, it was good, but on the second, I started to have some understeering. We have to find the right compromise, but I won't make any huge changes.

This second base is quite atypical with very large and fast roads, more "circuit" type and we are tending to load the front too much, to alternate the understeering and oversteering, it's probably something we have to work on with the car.

I would say that on the fast in this afternoon, I liked the Citroën more, but on the more bumpy and narrow base this morning, I don't know.

These tests aren't too short and not too long either. We'll see, we will try to adapt. At the end of the morning we defined a good set-up, and we'll try some different things on this base, to have a good set-up to start with.


Do you think you'll play for the victory at Monte Carlo?
It's too difficult to say, but I hope so, for sure. I know I can go fast, but in comparison to what I could do with the Citroën, and knowing the stages are new for me, it doesn't look easy. I will for sure try to get the rhythm and the feeling back as fast as possible.


We'll see you in Sweden this year, but not in Mexico, where you were so fast last year. Why?
Monte Carlo was my own choice, even while the crew thought it wouldn't be possible with Dakar. For Sweden, they simply asked me and I accepted it, despite my long absence there. I liked to be in Mexico, but Dani will be in the third car there, and I'll be driving in Corsica. Even while Dani wanted to be there too. We have to share the car.

[EstWRC]

thanks a lot Tommeke!

[er88]

Thanks! His comments about the Citroen maybe explain why they keep experimenting with the angle and position of the rear wing in testing this winter?