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New Stobart Ford line-up to make its debut in Ireland

The Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team will be represented by a brand new line-up when the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship season gets underway on Rally Ireland.

It will be the first time that the WRC has started outside Monte Carlo since 1996, but the Cumbrian-based team says this could be beneficial, as previous successes on the Irish event give it a good chance of a strong result.

Stobart achieved its first-ever asphalt podium in Ireland when Jari-Matti Latvala secured third place on the inaugural running of the WRC event in 2007. Matthew Wilson is also a previous Ireland winner - winning it in 2005 when it was a national championship rally.

Rally Ireland will be the 50th WRC start for Wilson, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Thursday - the same day as shakedown. “This is obviously a special event for me having won it in the past and now it’s my 50th WRC start so hopefully it will be kind to me,” said Wilson. “As the first event of the year, it would be good to start off with a decent result and our pre-event test on Monday will certainly help with that. It will be a good boost to my confidence to get some miles in the test rather than going straight into the shakedown on Thursday morning.”

The first of the team’s points nominated drivers, Henning Solberg, is hoping this year’s event will go more smoothly than his last attempt in 2007. On that occasion he had to use a stand-in co-driver (Goran Bergsten) when regular navigator Cato Menkerud stayed at home during the birth of his second child.

“I don’t have a lot of experience on asphalt but when I competed on this rally in 2007 I was running in the top six on the first day, which was very good,” said Solberg. “It’s not a true tarmac rally because there is so much gravel and mud dragged across the road and I cope with these conditions better. The most difficult things about the stages are the high-speed sections and the unpredictable bumps, and it’s hard to get a good feeling with the car. We found a good setting on some tarmac events last year and with a test planned for Monday I’m sure we’ll start the rally with more confidence than before. I’d really like to start the year off well, and a finish inside the top six would be a good boost ahead of my home event in Norway two weeks later.”

The team’s second points nominated driver, Urmo Aava, will be making his Stobart Ford team debut in Ireland. The Estonian and co-pilot Kuldar Sikk completed the recce in 2007 but haven’t driven the event competitively before.

“When I did the recce in 2007 I found the most difficult part of the stage to understand was the grip,” he explained. “For sure this will be a very difficult rally, maybe even more so than Monte Carlo, and in some places it’s like Finland but only on tarmac - with very high speed sections over crests. The plan is to find a good rhythm but it’s most important to get the car to the finish. This is not a rally we want to attack in. This year is an extremely good chance for me in the Stobart team. We have seen some difficult times lately with teams pulling out, so I know how lucky I am to be with a strong team and will definitely make the most of this opportunity.”

Source:
http://www.wrc.com

Citroen team bosses outline their objectives for 2009

The men in charge of the two Citroen teams contesting this year’s world rally championship for manufacturers outline their aims for the season ahead...

Questions to Olivier Quesnel - Citroen Total team director:

What objectives have you set your team for 2009?
"After winning both titles last year, there is no way we could be targeting anything less than the same result, so we will be looking to win the two crowns again in 2009. Sebastien and Daniel will obviously be out to claim their sixth consecutive world title, and it would be nice to see Dani take his first World Championship win.

“The creation of the Citroen Junior Team will also enable us to bring on other talented drivers, beginning with Sebastien Ogier. I hope this team will be a valuable ally for the Citroen Total World Rally Team."

Do you think that this year's WRC will be as exciting as it has been in recent years?
"I think it will be even closer! As has been the case in previous years, Citroen and Ford will be battling for individual event wins and the two titles, and both teams are even stronger today. It will be interesting to see a driver like Chris Atkinson in a C4 WRC. We know the quality of the cars we supply to our customers and I am convinced they will soon emerge as potential winners."

You were appointed director of Citroen Sport exactly a year ago. How do you envisage your second year in the job?
"Citroen Sport mirrors Citroen's renewal on both the creativity and technology fronts. We are consequently a showcase for the brand, in perfect keeping with its range and philosophy. We will be active on numerous fronts in 2009. In addition to our WRC programmes, we will be looking to the future, too, notably through the reinforcement of our customer-competition operations. This will include the launch of several national and international trophies, as well as increased involvement from our international subsidiaries. We will also start looking at the introduction of new products to round off our range which begins with the C2-R2 MAX."

Questions to Benoit Nogier - Citroen Junior Team manager:

What is the thinking behind the Citroen Junior Team?
“It’s a natural continuation of the programme that we put in place last year. Our aim was to enter a genuine manufacturer team. This project led to the birth of the Citroen Junior Team. It’s an opportunity to maximise our growing profile, even though we are very aware that we have different objectives to the factory team. The Citroen Junior Team is a programme with which to develop drivers. Thanks to this structure, we hope to find some future drivers for Citroen.”

How will the team operate throughout the course of the season?
“The exact programmes are still being finalised. We have entered the Citroen Junior Team onto all 12 rounds of the 2009 calendar with a minimum of two cars per event, which allows us to score points towards the World Rally Championship for Manufacturers on each round. Conrad Rautenbach will be present on all 12 rallies. Evgeny Novikov will start his eight-round programme on the Rally Norway.

“Sebastien Ogier will take part in the first six rallies, but he has a real opportunity to bulk out his programme as the season goes on. As for Chris Atkinson, he will drive one of our Citroen C4 WRCs in Ireland. As we already made clear when we signed the deal there are no plans currently in place beyond then, even though there’s a strong will to do so from both sides.”

What is the team’s goal on its World Championship debut?
We would like to prove that we can be competitive compared to the opposition. The average age of our four drivers - Chris Atkinson, Conrad Rautenbach, Sebastien Ogier and Evgeny Novikov - is just 22. They will all certainly want to demonstrate their outright speed, but the team’s objective is for them to acquire as much World Rally Championship experience as possible and get to the finish of each event. That’s our priority.”

Source:
http://www.wrc.com

`King of Swing´ Roberts pushed by Rainey for celebrity golf debut

Rekindling the competitive fires for his debut in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, MotoGP Legend Kenny Roberts has been spurred on in his training by fellow former MotoGP World Champion Wayne Rainey.

Preparing to compete for a $6.1 million purse at the American event, which takes place from February 9th until February 15th, Roberts´ dedication to his shot at golfing glory has left Rainey highly impressed.

`Kenny hit a hole-in-one during training for this tournament on hole #11 at Poppy Hill in Pebble Beach. He is on his way to becoming a legend out on the golf course too!´ says Rainey on his friend´s training form.

`Half of my life I have trained to race motorcycles and the other half was as a team owner. Now I am training to be a golfer,´ said Roberts. Normally I would just go out and play golf, but I am out on the golf course trying to do this better which is something I have not done in a long time,´ adds Roberts.

`I would have never imagined it would be like this and it is great to train and focus on making myself more consistent on the golf course. The roles are reversed now as I am at Wayne´s house in Monterey for the winter and he is pushing me to go out and practice. In the past, Wayne would be at my house for the winter and I would push him to train.´

Source:
http://www.motogp.com

Bridgestone looks forward to Official Tyre Supplier Status from 2009

Bridgestone is pleased to confirm that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to be the Official Tyre Supplier for the MotoGP class in the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008.

The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all MotoGP competitors will exclusively use Bridgestone tyres. Riders using Bridgestone tyres have won the past two MotoGP seasons. In 2007 Ducati rider Casey Stoner was the first competitor to win the title using Bridgestone tyres, whilst Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi won last season’s title.

The opening round of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar on the evening of April 12th.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive Officer of Dorna, said:
“We’re delighted to have secured Bridgestone as sole tyre supplier for all teams in the MotoGP class of the FIM World Championship for the next three years. Bridgestone is a company with a fantastic reputation and they make anoutstanding contribution to motorsport. We strongly believe that this new agreement is very positive as it will simultaneously reduce costs and increase competition in MotoGP.”

Hiroshi Yasukawa - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport, said:
“Becoming the ‘Official Tyre Supplier to the MotoGP World Championship’ is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2009 season with great anticipation. “In these turbulent times of economic crisis, Bridgestone is delighted to be working positively with Dorna to make an exciting contribution to MotoGP. We are dedicated to our support of MotoGP and being chosen as the official tyre supplier shows the high regard in which we are held by the sport in which we have been involved since 2002. Our participation in MotoGP is an important element of our position as the foremost tyre supplier in motorsport.

“In supplying all MotoGP competitors we will treat manufacturers, teams and riders with fairness and to do this we can draw on our experience of supplying all of the teams in Formula One with our tyres for the past two seasons. We hope that having all riders using our tyres will mean exciting races in MotoGP for the next three seasons.”

Source:
http://www.bridgestonemotorsport.com

Capirossi has confidence in more aerodynamic GSV-R

Loris Capirossi is ready and raring for another season in the MotoGP World Championship, one that will see him riding a heavily redesigned Suzuki GSV-R for his second year with the Japanese factory. The Italian continues his preparations for the upcoming year alongside an almost complete lineup of premier class rivals next week at Sepang, and is eager to get back into action.

`I can´t wait to ride again!´ says Capirossi, whose last test was a private run at Phillip Island at the end of 2008. `Over the winter break I have been getting motivated, and physically I am in great shape.´

On the subject of shape, that of the GSV-R will be a different one to that of the bike that finished the most recent MotoGP season. Capirossi and teammate Chris Vermeulen have both taken part in wind tunnel testing in Japan in order to redefine the optimal form for the 2009 prototype, with the results used by engineers during the testing embargo.

`The aerodynamics, engine and chassis are all-new, and I am expecting a lot from them because of the hard work that has been going on in Japan. I´ve got high hopes because of this!´ says the veteran.

`In Sepang we will be focusing on the setup; we don´t care about the times at the moment. The goal is to be ready for the first race of the year, and to have the best season possible.´

Capirossi´s twentieth season in Grand Prix racing will begin on April 12th, at the opening round of the 2009 campaign in Qatar.

Source:
http://www.motogp.com

Alonso pays tribute to Dennis

By Edd Straw and Matt Beer

Fernando Alonso has paid tribute to his former team boss Ron Dennis, after the Briton announced his intention to step down as McLaren team principal last week.

Although Alonso had a fractious relationship with Dennis during his season at McLaren in 2007, the double world champion said that didn't prevent him from respecting Dennis's achievements during his 28 years at the helm of the team.

"I think we are not best friends, but I think there is respect from each other," said Alonso at the launch of Renault's new R29.

"We didn't have a perfect end to our relationship but we know how much he has done for Formula One. When I was young I remember McLaren and I had great respect for him.

"There are not many people like Ron in Formula One anymore. Ron did it like in the old days: one guy developing and growing up with the team, making a Formula One team successful and winning championships."

Alonso had joined McLaren on a multi-year deal in 2007, but the two parties agreed to end the contract after just one season due to the poor relationship between them, allowing the Spaniard to return to Renault.

Source:
http://www.autosport.com

Dennis to step down as team principal

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde

McLaren boss Ron Dennis will step down from his role of team principal before the start of the 2009 season, the Briton announced on Friday.

The 61-year-old, however, made it clear that he is not retiring, but will instead focus on other commitments related to the McLaren Group.

Dennis said he would still attend some races, but intends to pass on his team principal responsibilities to Martin Whitmarsh as of March 1 this year.

"First thing I am going to do is work harder, that is the first target," said Dennis during the launch of the new McLaren.

"I intend to raise my own game because I think everybody in our organisation at every level realises this is a tough period in which we are going to work and of course we are a very diverse organisation now.

"We have a clear intention for our production car programme which is really a challenge. Any product we bring to the market will certainly fall the other side of this financial period.

"I stress nothing to get too excited about but it is absolutely time for Martin to take over as team principal. As from March 1 he will adopt that responsibility. I will still go to races, not all of them, because I am passionate.

"I intend to work harder and will take on greater responsibility in the group. I will be full executive chairman. It is time and I have to say it is absolutely 100 percent my decision. It is what I want to do, but I do intend to work much harder.

"Don't see it as some sort of retirement, I want to work harder in other areas and having to plan those tasks around the GP calendar is disruptive to the process. It is a job that Martin will embrace and enjoy.

"It is a job over the years we have shared anyway, but it will be his decision to influence things at a grand prix circuit."