Jordan Rally Shakedown Timings 2010

Shakedown times from Petter Solbergs website:

Loeb, Citroën 1.13,4
Petter, Citroën 1.13,5
Sordo, Citroën 1.13,5
Latvala, Ford 1.13,7
Hirvonen, Ford 1.13,8
Ogier, Citroën 1.13,9
Villagra, Ford 1.15,1
Wilson, Ford 1.15,2
Henning, Ford 1.15,3
Kimi, Citroen 1:16.2

Petter’s site is amazing check it out here… http://www.pettersolberg.com/

Rally Jordan Preview

Four long weeks they ask us to wait for Rally Jordan. Four weeks!

It wasn’t all bad though, the IRC brought a lot of excitement into my month (where Bahrain’s Formula One race couldn’t) and the Australian GP yesterday was also incredible.

I always think the same when watching IRC on Eurosport, half an hour of coverage a night never seems to be enough to do the event justice. But on the brightside it would appear more live IRC stages will be appearing on our TV screens when we get back to Europe. Thanks to Total Rally for that information.

Huge congratulations to Hänninen who owned the event even with the disadvantage (not that you’d know) of running first on the road during day 2. While I’m on an IRC roll what a complete gutter for Meeke. One stage to go but it just wasn’t to be. But I digress. This was supposed to be a Rally Jordan preview!

Last seen on the WRC calendar in 2008 this is a far cry from the gravel tracks of Mexico and the ice of Sweden. With no real features to define the route, Jordan’s stages offer a massive challenge to any brave enough to take them on.

Jordan enjoys a long history with rallying. The Middle Eastern Rally Championship has been held there almost every year since 1983 with it featuring on the WRC calendar for the first time in 2008 when it was won by Mikko Hirvonen.

Not much has changed for 2010.  21 stages will be run totalling 339.48 competitive kilometres and most of these will be driven well below sea-level – some lower than 400 metres. This not only makes the service park the lowest of the season but the Dead Sea area is also the lowest on Earth, on land at least!

So what can we expect to see this year? Well, a lack of visual points will mean many a car making an ‘off-road’ excursion due to a wrong pacenote or just pure inexperience.
It will also be a swelteringly hot event with temperatures regularly reaching 40 degrees Celsius. Expect many red and sweaty faces and the odd phased look from those struggling the most!

Day two (Friday) will feature ‘Jordan River’ the longest stage of the weekend which at 41.45km will be run as ss10/13 and judging by last year’s times it will take the crews just over 28 minutes to complete.

However it is day three which will have the most historic stage of the weekend. Whether you are religious or not you cannot deny the fascination that remains over this part of the world. Believed to be the place of Christ’s baptism the rally will come to a magnificent end after a second stage run near this area, which is held sacred to, so many.

In 2008 it was Sébastien Loeb who looked the strongest throughout until a freak head-on accident with Conrad Rautenbach put them both out of the rally. When asked recently how Loeb felt about his chances for this year’s Jordan Rally he (fantastically) replied,

It should be OK. Conrad is not taking part in the rally!

Well, how can you reply back to that? He’s obviously feeling pretty confident and thinking he’s got something to prove too.
The Ford drivers will be fighting him all the way though as they aim to recover from a terrible Rally Mexico in which their cars let them down.

It will be a tough battle of the fittest in Jordan so make sure you keep up to date with all the action this Thursday onwards on wrc.com.

Event Information
Date: April 1-3, 2010
Round: 3 of 13 FIA World Rally Championship
Based: Dead Sea, Jordan
Stage surface: Gravel
Total stage distance: 339.48kms
Number of stages: 21
Longest stage: 41.45km Jordan River (SS10/SS13)
Service Park: Dead Sea Centre, Jordan

Picture from www.eurosport.fr

Event info table from Stobart motorsport.