Pryce perfectly placed in Portugal
20.05.16
News release
Pryce perfectly placed in Portugal
Osian Pryce holds a strong second position at the end of a grueling opening day of Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy competition at Rally of Portugal.
The DDFT is the feeder series for the World Rally Championship’s stars of tomorrow, offering the sport’s next generation a shot at the biggest prize in world rallying: a funded 2017 WRC2 season in a Ford Fiesta R5.
Returning to the World Rally Championship after a troublesome season last year, Osian followed the advice of two-time world champion team principal Malcolm Wilson. Rally legend Wilson told the crews a quick and consistent Friday was the way forward.
Osian delivered just that and was never out of a provisional podium position.
The only disappointment came on SS5, where the organisers decided to cancel the second run of the day’s longest stage following an earlier accident.
Otherwise, today went to plan for Pryce and co-driver Dale Furniss.
“I’m happy,” said Pryce. “We’ve had a sensible day: nothing dramatic, not trying to break any records, just driving in a good rhythm and good flow. Second is good tonight, but there’s a lot more to come before the finish on Sunday afternoon.
“The stages we’re competing on here in Portugal are generally quite soft and sandy and they do tend to cut up and get quite rutted. We’ve seen some pretty big rocks pulled out into the road and Dale and I have been on the lookout for them all day – we’ve tried to drive at a speed where we had the margin to change our line and avoid anything too big.
“We had a slow puncture in the fourth stage today, but, to be honest, it didn’t cost us any time and it’s really no surprise given the punishment the tyres were taking. I have to say, the DMACK tyres and M-Sport’s Fiesta have been fantastic all day. I’ve loved my first on Cumbria’s finest and my first day back in one of Cumbria’s finest!”
After an opening day on and around the Spanish border, north of the event’s base in Matosinhos, Porto, the crews head east towards the city of Vila Real for stages in the Serra do Marao mountains.
“Tomorrow’s going to be a real toughie. It’s the longest day of the event and it contains the longest stage of the event – that 23-miler in Amarante just never stops twisting and turning. That’s somewhere where you have to work so hard to keep the rhythm going.”
Today was…
Osian’s day in detail. His times against his DDFT rivals.
SS1: 3rdfastest plays himself in around the Lousada rallycross track
SS2: 2ndfastest (2ndin DDFT) sensible approach to first gravel stage in R2T
SS3: 3rdfastest (3rdin DDFT) same pace as SS2
SS4: 4thfastest (3rdin DDFT) slow front-left puncture
SS5: Stage cancelled after earlier car crashed
SS6: 4thfastest (3rdin DDFT) Osian holds position, another consistent time
SS7: 2ndfastest (2ndin DDFT) Osian moves up to second
SS8: 3rdfastest (2ndin DDFT) Osian thrills the crowds in a packed Porto street stage
SS9: 4th fastest (2ndin DDFT) Crowds even more thrilled second time around
Weather:
Today: foggy first thing, sunny on the stages. Temperatures: 15-24 Celsius.
Tomorrow: patchy rain, cloudier and cooler.
Tomorrow is…
Saturday May 21
Osian’s day starts: 1005
Osian’s day finishes: 2120
Number of stages: six
Competitive distance: 102.70 miles (165.28km)
Total distance: 371.65 miles (598.10km)
Longest stage: SS12/15 Amarante 23.40 miles (37.67km)
Shortest stage: SS10/13 Baião 11.59 miles (18.66km)
Meet Osian…
Date of birth: 24.02.93
Lives: Machynlleth
Co-driver: Dale Furniss
First rally: Rally Kurzeme (Latvia) August 2009 – 37thoverall, eighth 2WD
Rally starts: 57
British Rally Championship event wins: 5*
British Rally Championship results: 2nd(2013/14), 3rd(2012)
World Rally Championship starts: 5
World Rally Championship class wins: 1
Website: osianpryce.com
* Including Osian’s dominant National Rally Cup victory on this year’s Mid Wales Stages
About Rally of Portugal
May 19-22
Based: Matosinhos
Surface: gravel
Stages: 19
Competitive distance: 368km (228.67 miles)
Total distance: 1683.90km (1046.37 miles)
Website: www.rallydeportugal.pt
Rally of Portugal itinerary
Thursday May 19
Start Guimarães 1810
SS1 Lousada 3.36km (2.08 miles) 1901
Friday May 20
SS2 Ponte de Lima 1 27.44km (17.05 miles) 0930
SS3 Caminha 1 18.03km (11.20 miles) 1014
SS4 Viana do Castelo 1 18.70km (11.62 miles) 1103
Service Exponor 1330
SS5 Ponte de Lima 2 27.44km (17.05 miles) 1539
SS6 Caminha 2 18.03km (11.20 miles) 1623
SS7 Viana do Castelo 2 18.70km (11.62 miles) 1712
SS8 Porto Street Stage 1 1.85km (1.14 miles) 1903
SS9 Porto Street Stage 2 1.85km (1.14 miles) 1918
Service Exponor 1950
Saturday May 21
SS10 Baião 1 18.66km (11.59 miles) 0942
SS11 Marão 1 26.31km (16.34 miles) 1024
SS12 Amarante 1 37.67km (23.40 miles) 1152
Service Exponor 1325
SS13 Baião 2 18.66km (11.59 miles) 1532
SS14 Marão 2 26.31km (16.34 miles) 1614
SS15 Amarante 2 37.67km (23.40 miles) 1742
Service Exponor 1915
Sunday May 22
SS16 Vieira do Minho 1 22.47km (13.96 miles) 0704
SS17 Fafe 1 11.19km (6.95 miles) 0908
SS18 Vieira do Minho 2 22.47km (13.96 miles) 1004
SS19 Fafe 2 11.19km (6.95 miles) 1208
Finish Matosinhos
Media contact:
Miguel Fonseca
+351 913 772 088
miguel.fonseca@acp.pt
Now say hello to the Ford Fiesta R2T
Engine: 999cc turbo, 12-valve, three cylinders
Max power: 180bhp @ 6,200rpm
Max torque: 250Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Sadev five-speed sequential gearbox, plated limited-slip differential and uprated driveshafts
Suspension: Adjustable Reiger dampers, Eibach springs
Brakes: 285mm discs four-piston calipers (front gravel); 310mm discs four-piston calipers (front asphalt); 280mm discs two-piston calipers (rear); hydraulic handbrake
Wheels: OZ Racing 6x15-inch (gravel); 6.5x15-inch (asphalt)
Dimensions: length 3982mm; width 1695mm; height 1481mm; wheelbase 2490mm
Weight: 1030kg
About the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy
The brainchild of M-Sport World Rally Team principal Malcolm Wilson and DMACK managing director Dick Cormack, the DDFT takes the best young drivers from around the world and pitches them into a five-round fight for the biggest prize south of the World Rally Championship itself.
There’s a season in a Ford Fiesta R5 car at rallying’s second tier – WRC2 – on offer to the winner after five rounds. The structure of DDFT has changed slightly this season, with rallies being paired (Portugal and Poland; Poland and Finland; Germany and Spain) and the crew gathering the most points from each of those two rallies will win two rallies in the R5 car next season.
Winning a full WRC2 season of 2017 competition in an M-Sport Fiesta R5 will require consistent speed from Osian and Dale this year.
Media contact:
Sandra Evans
+44 7887 693993
sandra@wordspr.com
Sandra Evans
sandra@wordspr.com
44 (0) 7887 693993
We are words. And words (along with some pictures) make the world turn.
We are talented, passionate, committed and caring individuals. Together we make a great team. We make your team.
Sentences, make, don't, words, alone.
Words alone don't make sentences.
words pr don't make sentences. We sculpt them. And create campaigns.
But, while we're doing that, we're doing it with an arm around you. You're the reason we're here.
Tags:
