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WRC: meeting in 2021?

With the disappearance of two new events, Finland and New Zealand, the competition can no longer count more than 8 events at the most, and the prospects for the potential heats are not encouraging.

A few hours apart, the WRC suffered two very bad news which leaves us perplexed for the end of the season. Finland’s excellent reputation suggests that this round, which should have celebrated its 70th edition, will take place on schedule (August 6-9). This would have demonstrated that "it is possible" and launched the dynamic. While a decision was to be made around June 15, the organizers preferred to decide. "Although the situation resulting from Covid-19 in
Finland and abroad have improved, they said, there are too many factors going on regarding health and safety risks when setting up the rally, given that it is only in two months. This delay seemed sufficient to allow the consequences of the pandemic to be less fierce and allow this major event in Finland to occur. This did not stop the AKK, the federation, from giving up. "Too much uncertainty
remain on the continuation of state restrictions on public events after July and on how foreign participants, teams and spectators can get to Jyvàskylà safely. It was inconceivable for the Finns to plan everything, incur costs and mobilize all its volunteers with the risk of having to interrupt everything at the last moment. “It is clear that this news is devastating for all of us, explains Jani Backman, the promoter of the rally. By canceling
this year, we want to show our responsibility towards each and every stakeholder as well as the whole of society. At one point, the idea of ​​a postponement was ultimately not retained. "After having evaluated this option, explains Kai Tarkiainen the race director, the number of unknowns and risks unfortunately led us to project ourselves towards 2021." The Finns do not allude to it, but the Covid-19 would also have had an impact on their ticketing. For those with a reputation
to be the only ones to make money during their weekend, it was probably impossible to launch a rally that would not have yielded sufficient revenue. For all these reasons, this decision is brutal and it casts doubt on the end of the championship.

New zealand out

Confirmed a few hours after Finland, the cancellation of New Zealand was not really a surprise. Indeed, the measures preventing foreigners from entering the country are planned to last and it was very unlikely that the WRC actors could reach Auckland.

"It became clear that with our borders closed to international travel and the logistics required to accommodate thousands of international visitors for the World Rally Championship, the date of September 2020 was not practical," said Michael. Goldstein, race director. "We were all delighted to see New Zealand regain its place in the FIA ​​World Rally Championship in 2020 after seven years of absence and we are naturally sad to not be able to go there this year, reacted Yves Matton, director of FIA rallies. Motorsport New Zealand and the organizing team have done a fantastic job so far and we are already anticipating the rally to be held in the near future. "While a replacement date is pending for Sardinia, the other four scheduled meetings are still current. There is however no certainty.

A comedy in 5 acts?

It is in Turkey that the season should therefore resume (24-27 September), but it is difficult to have reliable information as to this possibility. Popular in general indifference and with an assistance park where social distancing has been practiced for two editions already, the Turkish round is not worried on that side. His financial situation, on the other hand, is of concern. It had already raised doubts about its presence in the 2020 calendar and the current crisis should make it even worse. The organizers have still not communicated information even though it must be done four months in advance. If to this is added the question of traveling to Marmaris and especially the return trip to the workshops, this makes a long list of questions. It would not be very surprising for Turkey to end up being canceled in turn.

On paper, Germany, Wales and Japan seem more solid. This is what was also said of Finland ... For the two European rallies, the dilemma of ticketing will arise. Usually quite aggressive in this area, the two organizations are very discreet on the subject, which is not a very good sign. Will they be able to accommodate as many spectators as usual? In what conditions? Will they also prefer to play it safe by heading for next year? During these two trips, two changes planned well before the pandemic will have surprisingly positive effects. The beaches of Lake Bostalsee in Germany are likely to be less attractive in the middle of October (15-18) than in August. For their part, the Welsh can congratulate themselves for having given up installing assistance in the heart of Llandudno, because it would have been complicated to control. The deserted parking lot of a factory in Deeside will be much easier to manage ... If so far the signals have been positive for these events, the fate of Japan is more indecisive. In November (19-22), will it be possible to transit to Asia? After being excluded from the calendar last year, how would the Japanese (and Toyota!) Take another WRC leap? If new cancellations occur, will the remaining appointments still be accrued? Wouldn't it be better to focus on 2021? The recent disappointments confirm the deep divergences between the various actors. On the one hand there is what the FIA ​​and the promoter want, on the other there are the organizers who sometimes prefer to withdraw at the risk of losing their place in the future program, and finally there are the authorities for whom the rallies are not a priority. Should we then consider the idea that the season ended in confusion on a Saturday evening near Leôn, Mexico?

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Quickly

Estonian Rally

A few weeks ago, entangled in a financial mess, the organizers of the Estonian rally announced its cancellation. Under the impetus of Ott Tànak and his sponsor DirtFish (a flight school and an American site), the race was restarted. It was to allow the teams to resume competition just before the Rally of Finland, an idea rendered obsolete with the disappearance of the latter from the calendar. Maintained but postponed (August 7-8), will the Estonian Rally take place? And with which tray?

WRC 8

For its 5th season, the WRC eSports Championship has received support from the Toyota Gazoo Racing. Competitors competing in the WRC8 game now know that the virtual championship winner will leave with the new 230hp GR Yaris.

Sweden Rally

Under the leadership of Glenn Olsson, organizer of the Rally Sweden, an original idea was put in place to relaunch the competition. On a special of the world round near Torsby, several Swedish pilots (Tidemand, Solberg, Ekstrôm ...) clashed in a duel system until the final. Broadcast on the national channel, this Rally Sweden Lockdown was prohibited for spectators. However, it is to be hoped that in the future rallies will not be reduced to this.

Salinteloc

A long-time ally of the PSA group in competition, the Saintéloc Racing team will turn in 2020 to the electric component of the creations of the French entity.

The Saint-Etienne structure, whose rallying part is overseen by Vincent Ducher, will operate the Opel Corsa e-rally in parallel with the Peugeot 208 Rally 4 and the usual R5s, notably in the ERC. Remember that the Corsa e-rally must compete in the Opel e-rally Cup in Germany. Saintéloc Racing already has solid experience in electric racing with the Andros e-Trophy, won by Aurélien Panis last winter.

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Carpool with John Haugland

"Above all, never talk about politics!"

In these times of confinement and closed borders, John Haugland remembers what it meant to represent a brand based in the East. A pioneer in Norway with his almost exclusively foreign career, he also played a role for future generations.

A SKODA 130 RS! WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED BY THIS CHOICE? THIS IS A MODEL THAT MARKED YOUR CAREER!

On paper, it was a simple Gr. 2. However, I won several rallies with it. On the asphalt, the distribution of the masses made it formidable. This is special since it is one of the few built by the factory still intact. Skoda completely redid it for me a few years ago and gave it to me. We have a verbal agreement. When they need it for a demonstration, I lend it to them. It's a collection model, that's why I was so meticulous for this Carpool: if it rains, I don't take it out I (laughs)

FOR A NORWEGIAN, IT'S SOME AMAZING THAT, FOR 20 YEARS, YOU HAVE RACED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON SKODA. YOU'VE NEVER EVER DRIVED SAAB OR VOLVO ...

If that had been the case, I think I would not have gone very far. As often in life, I was lucky to be there at the right time and to know how to seize opportunities.

How did it start?

It didn't come at all from my father, for whom motor sport was reserved for idiots. From a very young age, I became passionate about mechanics. In Stavanger where I lived, there were mostly motorcycle competitions. When we moved to the Oslo area in the 1960s, it was heaven. I have been able to attend many car races. In my engineering studies, there was a practical part which I managed to carry out within the team that Skoda had in rally with three Norwegian pilots on Octavia Touring Sport. I was in particular a mechanic on these cars during the Monte-Carlo 1969.

ARE YOU ALREADY RUNNING?

I started with the circuit in 1965. I was an apprentice at the importer Skoda and I used my own equipment with good results. During my military service in 1967, I met a member of Skoda Motorsport who knew what I was doing. He put me in touch with other people both in Norway and in Czechoslovakia. They agreed to give me a car on the condition that I build it, which we did at the barracks. From 1968, I was employed to run. I was barely 22 years old and I was a factory pilot, but not only! My boss had told me: “No one in the company will devote a single minute to the competition. We pay you, but you manage for travel, accommodation, the team ... ”

WHY WAS SKODA SO INTERESTED IN RUNNING IN NORWAY?

For the picture! After the Second World War, it was easy to buy cars from Eastern European countries. They were not expensive, but they were not of high quality and had a bad reputation. At Skoda, they bet on competition to change that. If a Skoda stood out, it was because the product was good. My role was to run a lot and demonstrate that a Skoda could go as fast as the others.

AT THIS TIME, YOU'RE NOT OPERATING YET IN RALLY?

No. My first experience took place during the Rally Viking of 1969. Skoda aligned me there. There was a special broadcast live on TV on Sunday. I was very tired and I got off the road ... live! The car was not too damaged, we managed to leave and finish. On Monday, I thought my boss was going to fire me, but he said, "It was fantastic! "The pictures had made a lot of talk and now he wanted me to do more rallies. From 1970, I had a mount coming directly from the factory to compete in the Norwegian championship.

HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN YOUR OBJECTIVE TO ACHIEVE SUCH A STATUS?

When I started, I aspired to win, whatever the discipline. What I wanted was to try to go as far as possible. I never imagined that one day I would find myself organizing my seasons myself. Budget was not an issue. I decided on the program and Skoda provided me with the car and the equipment. Having mainly models not allowing to aim for absolute victory, I learned to focus on my category, but I still managed to win six European championship rallies with this 130 RS.

IT WORKED IN NORWAY, BUT HOW DID YOU MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL TO RUN AS MUCH ABROAD?

I had already made one or two trips to Czechoslovakia and Skoda officials were monitoring our results. They aligned me to the Austrian Rally of the Alps where the main teams were present. Alpine with Thérier and Andersson, Lancia, Fiat, Porsche ... We managed to finish 7th by winning our category and ahead of the other three Skoda. The same year, we finished 4th in the Tour of Europe which lasted several days, on a Skoda 110 L. After these results, I started a collaboration with the brand which ended in 1990.

WHAT WAS THE ATMOSPHERE IN A TEAM LIKE IT?

There is a very long tradition of competition at Skoda. Since the brand has existed, it has participated in races. We had an excellent technical relationship and what was very appreciated was the speed of realization. We used to meet at the end of the day in a restaurant in Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic. Editor's note) where the team was based. Armed with paper and a pencil, we decided to change things and, a few days later, it was done! There were no need for multiple meetings. It was possible because we were a bunch of friends. Today, if Skoda wants to make a change, it takes them 6 months.

AS YOU WERE THE INSTIGATOR OF THIS ORGANIZATION,

HOW DO YOU WORK?

I had an engagement with an import-export company called Motokov. She was sending material west. It ranged from bikes to tractors to cars. She was paid in dollars and therefore had the budget to align a rally team, all the components of which were provided by Skoda. At the start of the season, we had a meeting to determine the program. In addition, if for my part I managed to find sponsors or if I concluded agreements with local importers capable of covering the costs, Skoda provided me with what I wanted. It is for this reason that I have been able to go to Greece, Germany and very often to England. It never worked in France, except during the Monte-Carlo 1987.

HAVE YOU NEVER REGRETED NOT TO LEAVE EUROPE?

Why? Certainly it would have been interesting, but there never was an opportunity. In addition, when I competed in around ten races a year, it was a real job.

AND HOW WAS IT WORKING FOR AN EASTERN COUNTRY?

German customs officials were very zealous and the administrative procedures could be endless. You had to be patient. Among the things that sometimes helped was to have stickers on the car or to distribute. The color was not very present in these countries, so a sticker could facilitate the passage.
This was also true during reconnaissance especially. If we were arrested, this scheme allowed us not to give money.

HOW WAS THE COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR TEAM?

We spoke German. Today, I tell myself that I was really lazy not to learn Czech.

COMING FROM "THE WEST" HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM? IT DIDN'T TRIGGER JALOUSIES?

On the contrary, the team staff was proud that a western driver wanted to drive their car. As far as the audience was concerned, there was enormous enthusiasm for motorsport. I have never been badly received. Of course, it was a communist regime and, on my first visit, one of the officials told me two things: "Above all, you never talk about politics! "And" Don't be surprised if there is someone out there who
watch in the competition department ”. I knew what to expect, but that did not prevent me from having discussions with technicians in the passenger compartment of a car for example. The funny thing was that everything was always the fault of the Russians.

ON THE REVERSE, HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN REQUESTED IN MARRIAGE?

It was indeed the only way out of the country, but it never happened to me. To run, I had to be careful when choosing the team members. You had to bring people who had a wife, children, a house ... to be sure they wanted to come back!

YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO SKODA ON TWO TIMES. WHAT MEMORY DID YOU KEEP?

In 1978 Skoda began to line up the director's son. Although he has no experience in motorsport, he has become a priority for everything. With my teammates, we suddenly went into the background and I hated it. I decided to leave. British Leyland asked me to race the RAC with a Triumph TR7. With a large V8, this drive was fantastic to drive. My role was to secure points and I ranked 12 •, but there was no follow-up. A few months later, Andy Dawson hired me on one of his Datsuns. In Sweden, I finished 9th. I had to participate in Portugal, but the car never arrived, or rather I refused to make the trip to England to recover the car and bring it by road to Estoril to face the rally without recognition. It is ultimately Timo Salonen who will inherit this steering wheel. When you know his career, maybe I should have made this round trip (laughs)! These two experiences made me regret my relationship with Skoda anyway. I understood how lucky I was. I asked them to take me back ... and they agreed. I undoubtedly lived then my best period.

FOR WHAT REASONS?

The 130 RS was launched in competition in 1975. Until 1979, there was no modification, but we accumulated a lot of knowledge and ideas. When we implemented them by focusing on each detail, it became even more effective. Our opponents did not understand how the car could have progressed so much without a new homologation ...

AFTER THE 130 RS, WHAT OTHER CARS DID YOU MARK AT SKODA?

ü there was the 130 LR Gr. B. I used it from 1985 and it was much faster than the 130 RS, because more modern with its 5-speed gearbox, its disc brakes at the rear , etc. However, competition had also increased and it was not easy to compete. During this period, I met Pierre Lartigue during the 1985 Tour de Corse, then at the Skoda Rally. He then welcomed us in his workshop near Nice for the Monte-Carlo 1987. At the end of the rally, to celebrate our class victory, he had reserved for the whole team a restaurant overlooking the port of Monaco.

AT THE END OF YOUR CAREER, WERE YOU CLOSE TO SKODA?

Effectively. I still go to Mlada Boleslav regularly. Skoda opened a very interesting museum. I sometimes play the role of ambassador there.

WHAT DICTED YOUR JUDGMENT?

I was 44 years old and I felt it was time to do something else. I had opened a flight school where it was possible to drive on ice and land. I wanted to devote myself to it. With the launch of Favorit in 1988, they insisted that I carry out tests. At the start, I didn't want to discover this car which inaugurated the engine at the front ... but ultimately it was like a new toy! I re-stacked until 1990, but mainly in England, then I turned to historical tests.

YOU HAVE ALSO RETURNED TO THE NORWAY CHAMPIONSHIP, BUT IN ANOTHER ROLE ...

Several manufacturers have contacted me to organize branded cuts. There have been Peugeot, Nissan, Subaru. In recent years, this has stopped a bit.

BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, SEVERAL HOPES HAVE ALSO COME TO SEE YOU. HOW DID IT START?

In 1998 Toyota Norway was tired of being indifferent. They wanted to do like their counterpart from Denmark who obtained spinoffs with Henrik Lundgaard in the European championship. The Norwegians chose Petter Solberg to race the RAC. He came to see me for help.

IT IS NOT HOWEVER WHAT COULD OPEN THE DOORS OF M-SPORT ...

Indeed. During the 1998 Lebanon Rally, where Petter finished 2nd, the team was present with Mohammed Bin Sulayem. I may have been in contact with Malcolm Wilson. I also knew Fred Gallagher, who had been my co-pilot and who was sailing Ari Vatanen at that time on an Escort WRC. Fred also told Malcolm about Petter. A test was organized in England with Fred in the car. It went well and Malcolm proposed a Focus to Petter who had to find the budget. During the presentation of this car after the RAC, Petter was even invited to get on the platform with Colin McRae and Simon Jean-Joseph. He did not expect it ... and he moved with crutches after his exit to the RAC with the Toyota.

HAVE YOU CONTINUED TO INTERVENE THEN?

In Norway, the notes were provided by the organizers. They were unsuitable for the WRC. Used to working with this system, Petter couldn't take notes. They were very bad. He wanted to run with his friend Cato Menkerud, who had no WRC experience. With Malcolm, we pushed for Phil Mills, who knew the World Cup, to collaborate with Petter. I did the forcing and I got the wrath of his mom, who is the real head of this family! "They have nothing in common, it will never work!", She assured me ... before coming to apologize later in the year.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT CURRENT NORWEGIAN PILOTS?

I find that Mads Ostberg's approach is positive. There aren't enough shuttlecocks in the WRC, but he continues to be there. It may pay for him. This looks more complicated for Andreas Mikkelsen who does not ride in R5 and whose alternatives are not numerous. There is also Ole Christian Veiby who represents the new generation.

DO YOU HAVE SCOOPS ON THE FUTURE OF SKODA IN RALLY?

After having won so much with the R5, the brand decided to reduce its involvement. Everything was stopped, including the tests. Michal Harbanek (director of Skoda Motorsport. Editor's note) explained to me that nothing more would be done on the R5 and that there would be something new in 2022. And he also told me that I would not would say no more, because I met people like you! (laughs)