Finally the 2011 season proper has kicked off and what a first leg! Snow had fallen all night and was still roaring in the morning as the cars lined up for the start. Sebastien Loeb would be first on the road due to last year’s title standings. The French ace would suffer massive time loss as his DS3 struggled for grip on the loose powder. Jari-Matti Latvala would set a time over 40secs faster! Biggest loser in the first stage would be P-G Andersson who had been tipped to do…
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Rally – iRally Colin Clark and Seb Marshall look at conditions for Sweden
Episode 75 – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThe 75th “diamond” edition of the Openpaddock.net podcast is packed full! We have Mike Cockrall (@TeamCanada1) on to talk the new Edmonton track layout. Kristi talks IZOD IndyCar and Doug with the Mazda Road to Indy. We preview Rally Sweden as the WRC calendar kicks off and talk the aftermath of the Robert Kubica accident. What’s next for Lotus Renault? What is next for teams and their drivers during the offseason? We talk about it all, so sit back and enjoy the diamond addition!
Read MoreSSP – Kubica, Sandell, and DMACK *Update*
Welcome to this week’s Sunday Service Park and it is with great regret we kick off the column with terrible news. Yet again the motosport world has turned its eyes to rally and not for the right reasons. Lotus Renault F1 driver Robert Kubica suffered a huge accident this morning in Italy competing in the Ronde di Andora rally. The Formula 1 ace and a pre-season favorite has multiple fractures in his right arm and leg. The polish driver was air lifted to the hospital where surgery began on his right…
Read MoreEpisode 74 – Openpaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadHere we are a couple days later and a few painful hours of editing for the 74th Episode of the podcast. Show is a little long this week at a cool and crisp two hours, but we cover Sno* Drift, WRC, IndyCar and the toss in a little sports car and technical F1 talk! Thanks for the download as always and sit back this weekend and listen to some good discussion as we all wait for the season to get here!
Read MoreRally – All-new Ford Fiesta RS WRC geared up for Rally Sweden debut
FROM: ABU DHABI FORD After completing more than 12000km of testing, the all-new Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car will make its debut at Rally Sweden (10 – 13 February) next week. The opening round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship will introduce a fresh era to the sport, and the renamed Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team has prepared meticulously in the development of its new-generation WRC challenger. Testing broke through the 12000km barrier last week – the equivalent of more than two seasons of WRC competition –…
Read MoreEpisode 73 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin a full panel as the Openpaddock.net podcast returns from a week long break. Kristi joins us to talk Monte Carlo Rally and other odd rally news. Spike is back from Baltimore and provides us with an interview from Simona de Silvestro. We also talk Baltimore GP and other INDYCAR related stuff! Sit back and enjoy the show and thank you so much for the download!
Read MoreRally – Ford switches Fiesta RS WRC test plans for Arctic Rally
FROM: FORD Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team has dropped plans to debut its all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car in Finland’s Arctic Lapland Rally (28 – 29 January) next weekend. Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were scheduled to drive a leg each in the two-day snow and ice rally based in Rovaniemi. It was due to be the final part of the squad’s pre-season test programme before next month’s opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Sweden. However,…
Read MoreRally – Ford Fiesta RS Breaks Cover in 2011 Color Scheme
FROM: FORD BIRMINGHAM, 13 January 2011 – Ford’s all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car was revealed in its 2011-specification today when the company unveiled the color scheme that will adorn the car in the FIA World Rally Championship. Team driver Mikko Hirvonen and Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn unveiled the livery for the eye-catching Fiesta RS WRC at the Autosport International Racing Car Show in Birmingham, motorsport’s traditional start-of-season showcase event. Ford’s official WRC squad for 2011 also confirmed its new name and logo – it will compete…
Read MoreEpisode 72 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun, Kristi, and Mike as they run down the State of INDYCAR Address from today’s winter meetings. Lots of small announcements for on and off track stuff. Shaun also discusses the craziness that has turned into the WRC offseason. Lots of movement on Monday and the picture has become clear heading into Sweden. So as always, sit back and enjoy your favorite beverage and the show!
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