[WRC] Ardeca Ypres Rally 2022

[EstWRC]

Great video https://youtu.be/8-OumTfkgvY

[WRCStan]

About the Lefebvre penalties... Alain Georges of DG Sport isn't too happy about the apparent 'setting up' of the complaint. Toksport had sent someone to film the corner at Wijtschate, both on SS11 and SS15. They had told all their drivers not to cut that corner. You can indeed see that Mikkelsen avoids the cut, which is clearly the fastest and safest line to take. Especially on SS15 the asphalt was filled with gravel. You can see the corner on the onboard from Lefebvre from 6 minutes 10 onwards. Lefebvre takes a very deep cut indeed. Four wheels off the road.

But it's the intent that disturbs Alain Georges the most. And I can follow him. He says that it sets a very bad precedent for other teams in years to come. Do we want positions getting changed because teams send cameramen out to 'catch' their adversaries doing a cut that's too deep? It's not the spirit of (this) rally.

I don't like it and it would've been a real shame if Mikkelsen won this way.

Funny that Toksport agreed that one pass was more extreme than the other which resulted in 5 seconds and 10 seconds penalty. If they'd have argued that's besides the point maybe they'd have got 2x 10s penalty and the win?

It's said in the appeals that this particular corner was discussed with a manufacturer, the stewards and the organiser after the recce; so if Toksport knew specifically to send out a camera here, surely Georges/Lefebvre knew about it too? If so, who's the idiots?

[mknight]

Lefebvre's explanation (in stewards decision) is that he cut the corner "for safety reasons".

It also says the protest was submitted before PS. I rechecked that during that penalty party in Monte 2021 everyone was getting 5s per cut. Since Lefebvre was at that time 23s up it was unlikely they would change results. (Maybe to put pressure (or make him cut less) before PS, but dunno when Lefebvre got to know).

Still I think the timing of the appeal was bad. Should have done it saturday evening. Also still stand that it was good not to change results.

[ouvreur]

If you compare what Lefebvre did, on the corner he was penalised for twice in Ypres, with the corner that brought about all the penalties in SS4/7 of Monte 2021, it's actually quite offensive that Lefebvre got any sort of penalty at all here.

In Ypres, we're talking centimetres at most, to the wrong side of some imaginary line through a single corner, with the penalty for the second offence being more severe than for the first.

In Monte, it was metres, missing one corner completely, with the penalties for first and second offences being the same.

I can see why Alain Georges is upset. I would be too.

[AnttiL]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/colin...river-ratings/

[mknight]

If you compare what Lefebvre did, on the corner he was penalised for twice in Ypres, with the corner that brought about all the penalties in SS4/7 of Monte 2021, it's actually quite offensive that Lefebvre got any sort of penalty at all here.

In Ypres, we're talking centimetres at most, to the wrong side of some imaginary line through a single corner, with the penalty for the second offence being more severe than for the first.

In Monte, it was metres, missing one corner completely, with the penalties for first and second offences being the same.

I can see why Alain Georges is upset. I would be too.

In Monte it was first time people were getting penalized for this big time. Also might have something to do with the sheer number of drivers ( I count at least 15 including half of Rally1 still in the rally).

Since then they are specially warned not to cut.

Here Lefebvre was half a car (1m) more in than anyone else (Rossel included, Rossel even cut less than Ingram), twice on the same corner and on a few others. Just check the other corner on same SS15 at 4:50. Except on the other corner(s) there weren't people filming that send in a complaint.

The stewards decision also says that they don't consider onboards as enough proof. Lucky for Lefebvre.

AG should just be happy the stewards made the good decision not to change whole results, instead of complaining that someone caught them braking the rules.

[mknight]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/colin...river-ratings/

As I wrote on twitter.

Feels strange seeing CC complain about people giving "abuse" to Solberg for Finland and then reading all the zero and 1 point scores he gives. As long as comments towards Solberg are on similar level it is the same, except CC does this for a living.

Sure there is a line but can't draw it at being unable to say anything.

--------

The scores this time are fine. Whether the low ones should be 0, 1 or 2 points doesn't really matter.

[Eli]

Btw, this might have gone under the radar, but this was only the second podium on tarmac for Lappi, with his first being way back in Germany 2018, I know he didn't display any amazing times but he managed to keep his nose clean and get another good result.

[AnttiL]

Btw, this might have gone under the radar, but this was only the second podium on tarmac for Lappi, with his first being way back in Germany 2018, I know he didn't display any amazing times but he managed to keep his nose clean and get another good result.

Also first time Lappi scores two consecutive podiums. Usually a podium (or other great result like Sardegna 2017) has resulted in a crash in the next rally.

[mknight]

Btw, this might have gone under the radar, but this was only the second podium on tarmac for Lappi, with his first being way back in Germany 2018, I know he didn't display any amazing times but he managed to keep his nose clean and get another good result.

I think he did very well and precisely what was missing up to this point of the season (including in Finland).

His job at Toyota right now should not be to charge for wins and risk crashes, especially not when one or both other Toyotas are out (yes, talking about Sardinia), or on first stage (Croatia).
His main job is to score points when the two top drivers have an issue and score more points than Hyundai.

I heard somewhere (pbrly Allive) that this might have saved his seat for next year (vs Katsuta), I can agree on that.