The Loudon-clear guide to… ADAC Rallye Deutschland
The Loudon-clear guide to… ADAC Rallye Deutschland
Sébastien Ogier’s been waiting a while for this. Since Sweden, in fact. The world championship-topping Frenchman has been made to suffer for his success, but 10 days of road sweeping are done and the lead remains intact. On Friday morning, half a season’s frustration will be forgotten when he launches his Polo R WRC at Mittelmosel with a vengeance.
Regardless which side of the running order debate you sit, this week’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland is going to be a fascinating opportunity to see what a level playing field provides after six different winners from seven rallies.
That level playing field is, of course, weather dependent. If the rain comes – and it has been known on more than one occasion in the Mosel valley – then the advantage will sit with Sébastien.
And it would take a brave man to deny him that.
I’m delighted to say I’m joining Ma Qinghua for the recce in Trier this week. Making pacenotes on these asphalt roads was the latest stage in Ma’s preparations for next month’s now cancelled Rally China.
The rally ahead…
FIA World Rally Championship round 9/14
WRC – WRC2 – WRC3 – Junior WRC - DDFT
Date: Thursday August 18 – Sunday August 21
Based: Trier
Service: Trier Messepark
Stages: 18
Competitive distance: 306.80km (190.64 miles)
Liaison distance: 889.69km (552.85 miles)
Total distance: 1196.49 (743.49 miles)
Longest stage: Panzerplatte Lang SS10/14 40.80km (25.35 miles)
Shortest stage: Super Special Stage Arena Panzerplatte (SS8/9/13) 2.87km (1.78 miles)
Currency: Euro
Time difference: GMT +2
Language: German
German population: 81.77m
Capital: Berlin
Sunrise: 0629
Sunset: 2044
Shakedown:
The 4.55km (2.82 miles) shakedown stage is located at Konz, 10.46km (6.49 miles) from the service park. The stage runs from 0930-1300.
ADAC Rallye Deutschland Itinerary
Thursday August 18
Ceremonial start Porta Nigra 2015
Friday August 19
SS1 Mittelmosel 1 13.67 miles (22.00km) 1006
SS2 Moselland 1 14.52 miles (23.38km) 1044
Service Messepark 1237
SS3 Mittelmosel 2 13.67 miles (22.0km) 1458
SS4 Moselland 2 14.52 miles (23.38km) 1536
SS5 Super Special Stage Ollmuth 5.10 miles (8.21km) 1812
Service Messepark 1857
Saturday August 20
SS6 Freisen-Westrich 1 9.15 miles (14.73km) 0815
SS7 Bosenberg 1 8.97 miles (14.45km) 0841
SS8 Super Special Stage Arena Panzerplatte 1 1.78 miles (2.87km) 1017
SS9 Super Special Stage Arena Panzerplatte 2 1.78 miles (2.87km) 1028
SS10 Panzerplatte Lang 1 25.35 miles (40.80km) 1046
Service Messepark 1300
SS11 Freisen-Westrich 2 9.15 miles (14.73km) 1528
SS12 Bosenberg 2 8.97 miles (14.45km) 1554
SS13 Super Special Stage Arena Panzerplatte 3 1.78 miles (2.87km) 1730
SS14 Panzerplatte Lang 2 25.35 miles (40.80km) 1748
Service Messepark 2002
Sunday August 21
SS15 Dhrontal 1 9.19 miles (14.79km) 0713
SS16 Sauertal 1 9.22 miles (14.84km) 0842
SS17 Dhrontal 2 9.19 miles (14.79km) 0947
SS18 Sauertal 2 9.22 miles (14.84km) 1208
Finish Porta Nigra 1500
Last year…
Redemption for Volkswagen! Finally, the Germans win in Germany. The team was forgiven for not winning its home round in its first full season in the World Rally Championship; there was even a degree of good humour at the fact Trier was the only place the squad really slipped up. When, 12 months on, ADAC Rallye Deutschland was the only event missing from the list of 2014 victories for the Frankfurt squad, the situation was all the more serious. Last year, everything was well again. The Polo players were simply sublime and went one-two-three after a trouble-free and untouchable run at home.
Result: 1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 3h35m49.5s; 2 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Antilla (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +23.0s; 3 Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +1m56.6s.
Top 10 running order
1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC)
9 Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger (Volkswagen Polo R WRC)
2 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (Volkswagen Polo R WRC)
20 Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (Hyundai i20 WRC)
3 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 WRC)
5 Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
4 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Hyundai i20 WRC)
12 Ott Tanak/Raigo Molderr (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
6 Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (Ford Fiesta RS WRC)
10 Stéphane Lefebvre/Gabin Moreau (DS 3 WRC)
Leading WRC2 runners:
31 Armin Kremer/Pirmin Winklhofer (Škoda Fabia R5)
32 Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (Škoda Fabia R5)
33 Max Rendina/Emanuele Inglesi (Škoda Fabia R5)
34 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Killian Duffy ((Škoda Fabia R5)
35 Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler (Škoda Fabia R5)
36 Yoann Bonato/Denis Giraudet (Citroën DS 3 R5)
38 Pierre-Louis Loubet/Vincent Landais (Citroën DS 3 R5)
39 Quentin Giordano/Thomas Roux (Peugeot 208 T16 R5)
40 Quentin Gilbert/Renaud Jamoul (DS 3 R5)
41 Julien Maurin/Olivier Ural (Škoda Fabia R5)
Leading WRC3 runners:
61 Fabio Andolfi/Manuel Fenoli (Peugeot 208 R2)
62 Simone Tempestini/Giovanni Bernacchini (DS 3 R3T)
63 Ole Christian Veiby/Stig Rune Skjærmoen (DS 3 R3T)
64 Damiano de Tommaso/Paolo Rocca (Peugeot 208 R2)
65 Terry Folb/Franck Lefloch (DS R3T)
66 Vincent Dubert/Alexandre Coria (DS 3 R3T)
67 Martin Koci/Lukas Kostka (DS 3 R3T)
68 Jordan Berfa/Damien Augustin (Peugeot 208 R2)
69 Romain Martel/Vanessa Lemoine (DS 3 R3T)
70 Michael Burri/Anderson Levratti (Renault Clio RSR3T)
Leading Junior DDFT runners:
103 Osian Pryce/Dale Furniss (Ford Fiesta R2T)
104 Gus Greensmith/Alex Gelsomino (Ford Fiesta R2T)
106 Jon Armstrong/Noel O’Sullivan (Ford Fiesta R2T)
107 Jakub Brzezinski/Jakub Gerber (Ford Fiesta R2T)
109 Oscar Solberg/Patrik Barth (Ford Fiesta R2T)
Stuart Loudon’s key stage: SS10 Panzerplatte Lang 1 25.35 miles (40.80km)
Realise this might be a little bit obvious, but this is the one which could change the face of the event. It’s not just because it’s the longest stage of the rally, it’s because it’s, well… it’s Panzerplatte: it’s the hinkelsteins, the junctions, the surface changes, the weather, it’s everything rolled into one to make this one of the season’s toughest tests. It’s a Tarmac Motu*. Why this one, not the second run? The first loop includes marginally more mileage (an extra run at the Arena stage) and, if the temperature’s knocking on the door of 30, tyre wear could be critical.
Stuart will be watching… #4 Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (Hyundai i20 WRC)
Kevin Abbring and Seb Marshall deputised for the Spaniards brilliantly last time out in Finland, but their Hyundai team-mates are off the bench and back for Trier. The fractured vertebrae Sordo suffered in his Finland test crash is all fixed and this is an event where Dani can, should, and likely will, fly. He took his maiden WRC win here in 2013 and nothing would give him more pleasure than a second success on Sunday. Let’s see what he can do.
Weather with you:
When the sun’s shining we’re going to be looking at mid-20s, but when the rain comes expect that temperature to drop to around 20. Thinking is: dry Friday, wet weekend. But this is the Mosel valley, in meteorological terms, anything can happen!
The media week:
Wednesday August 17
0800-2100 accreditation open (media centre, Messepark)
0800-2130 media centre open (Messepark)
1800-1845 Hyundai media lounge, service park
1845-1930 M-Sport meet the team, service park
Thursday August 18
0800-1600 accreditation open (media centre, Messepark)
0800-2200 media centre open (Messepark)
1310 meet the crews (top three from shakedown), service park
1340 FIA pre-event press conference (media centre, Messepark)
1930-2000 autograph session for P1 drivers (Hauptmark, Trier)
2015 ceremonial start (Porta Nigra, Trier)
Friday August 19
0830-1400 accreditation open (media centre, Messepark)
0830-2300 media centre open (Messepark)
1920 (approx) meet the top three crews, service park
Saturday August 20
0645-2330 media centre open (Messepark)
2030 (approx) meet the top three crews, service park
Sunday August 21
0600-0000 media centre open (Messepark)
1500 podium finish (Porta Nigra, Trier)
1615 FIA pre-event press conference (media centre, Messepark)
Stuart’s restaurant recommendation:
Don’t bother with a restaurant. Stay in the service park, buy yourself a bratwurst and wash it down with a couple of pints of cracking German ale. Providing the weather’s warm, there’s always a great party atmosphere in the service park, particularly once the band gets going!
Recent winners:
2005: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citröen Xsara WRC)
2006: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citröen Xsara WRC)
2007: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citröen C4 WRC)
2008: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citröen C4 WRC)
2010: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citröen C4 WRC)
2011: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (DS 3 WRC)
2012: Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (DS 3 WRC)
2013: Dani Sordo/ Marc Marti (DS 3 WRC)
2014: Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 WRC)
2015: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC)
Most successful driver on Germany’s round of the WRC:
Sébastien Loeb (9 wins)
World Rally Championship stat centre:
Rounds run: 8
Rallye Monte-Carlo (January 21-24), winners: Ogier/ Ingrassia; Rally Sweden (February 4-7), winners: Ogier/Ingrassia; Rally Mexico (March 3-6), winners: Latvala/Anttila; Rally Argentina (April 21-24), winners: Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (DS3 WRC); Rally of Portugal (May 19-22), winners: Paddon/Kennard; Rally Italy (June 9-12), winners: Neuville/Gilsoul; Rally Poland (June 30-July 03), Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger; Rally Finland (July 28-31), winners: Meeke/Nagle.
Stages completed: 150
Cancelled stages: 9
Accumulated winning time: 26h46m37.4s
Accumulated competitive distance: 2698.57km (1679.36 miles)
Accumulated liaison distance: 7822.42km (4863.34 miles)
Accumulated total distance: 10884.99km (6763.91 miles)
Longest stage of the season so far: Guanajuato (Rally Mexico) 80.00km (49.71 miles)
Shortest stage of the season so far: Street Stage Guanajuato (Rally Mexico) 1.09km (0.67 miles)
Most WRC fastest stage times in 2016
1 Ogier 38
2 Latvala 29
3 Meeke 21
Most WRC stages led in 2016
1 Meeke 45
2 Ogier 32
3 Latvala 31
Most WRC2 fastest stage times in 2016
1 Teemu Suninen 33
2 Elfyn Evans 28
3 Lappi 27
Most WRC2 stages led in 2016
1 Suninen 38
2 Lappi 32
3 Pontus Tidemand 24
Most WRC3 fastest stage times in 2016
1 Michel Fabre 41
2 Tempestini 27
3 Veiby 26
Most WRC3 stages led in 2016
1 Fabre 41
2 Veiby 39
3 Tempestini 26
Eight drivers have led WRC rounds; 12 have led WRC2 and eight have led WRC3.
WRC standings
1 Ogier 143pts
2 Mikkelsen 98pts
3 Latvala 87pts
WRC2 standings
1 Evans 95pts
2 Suninen 93pts
3 Nicolas Fuchs 59pts
WRC3 standings
1 Fabre 79pts
2 Veiby 69pts
3 Tempestini 68pts
ADAC Rallye Deutschland media contact:
Peter Linke
media@adac-rallye-deutschland.de
+49 89 530997-0
Stuart Loudon media contact:
Sandra Evans
+ 44 7887 693993
Stuart Loudon is a semi-professional co-driver who has started 84 rallies, 18 of which are rounds of the World Rally Championship and one of which was with an Ashes-winning English cricketer. He makes biscuits in the family business when he’s not working towards his dream of becoming a factory co-driver in the WRC.
* For those of a younger generation (or those born outside Lanarkshire) type Colin McRae Motu Road Rally New Zealand into YouTube. Then watch and learn how to drive with the kind of patience and precision needed to be a champion.
Pictures courtesy of Red Bull Media House/Volkswagen Motorsport
Stuart Loudon and Words PR work their socks off to make sure every last dot and detail of the document is 100 per cent accurate – but we can’t be responsible for any changes to the itinerary or stage distances.
