2011 Cyprus Rally

The Cyprus Rally 2011 was the eleventh and final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2011. The rally was held from 3rd to 5th November at Cyprus.

Background

The paddock of the Cyprus Rally was first time in 2011 in the port city of Paphos in the southwest of the island. The rally was further held in the Troodos Mountains north inland. Eleven stages were extended over a distance of 187.58 kilometers evaluated. The rally began on Thursday evening with a short spectator special stage in Paphos. This was followed by four exams on Friday and six on Saturday.

A special feature of the rally was the varied road surfaces. In part, the route led through coarse and rough gravel, but also partly on the broken asphalt and concrete sections. The proportion of gravel roads and paved roads was roughly balanced.

This necessitated compromises in suspension tuning. The tire manufacturers were on different strategies to deal with the different road surfaces. Michelin provided both teams with slicks for asphalt as well as with pure gravel tires. In contrast, traditional Pirelli and Yokohama tires mixed. These were on special stages with changing road surface at an advantage.

Among all the IRC championship rounds of the 2011 season, the Cyprus Rally had the highest priority, because twice the otherwise normal score for the result, it was awarded. Thus did the organizers of the IRC effect that the decision for the title until the last race of the season falls as possible and not cave the number of participants.

Before the start of the rally still had six riders chances for the overall victory of the IRC. January Kopecký led the drivers' championship with 131 points, ahead of Juho Hänninen with 125 points and Thierry Neuville with 115 Points. Also passed for Andreas Mikkelsen with 111.5 points, Bryan Bouffier with 110.5 points and Freddy Loix with 103 points still opportunities. Bouffier but could not for the title fight since Peugeot brought only a vehicle for the higher-ranked Neuville at the start. Since Kopecký had to expect the highest points loss due to the result string control, he was not considered despite his championship lead as the top favorite for the title. Instead, it was rather expected Hanninen and Neuville.

In addition to the five title contenders started, among other things, the regular IRC participant Patrik Sandell and Karl Kruuda, the two Škoda Germany pilots Matthias Kahle and Mark and Toshihiro Arai Wallenwein and Nasser Al -Attiyah. Al -Attiyah as namhaftester guest starters graduated with a Ford Fiesta S2000 IRC its first use of the 2011 season and peilte in victory. Overall, the rally had but rather exhibit a relatively sparse field of riders. In order to rally 34 vehicles were reported. Kopecky's co-driver Petr Stary had to start to cancel due to illness and was replaced by Pavel Dresler.

Course

Andreas Mikkelsen won the audience test with about three seconds ahead. The next day, Juho Hänninen came on WP2 from as early as the second curve of the road and overturned. He could no longer go on then and lost already in this early stage of the rally his chance at the title. The Mikkelsen still lying in leadership contributed to WP3 also a mistake. In his spin he came just ahead of a precipice to a halt. Although he was able to continue with about 10 seconds loss, but lost the lead to Thierry Neuville. But a defective alternator cost Neuville on WP4 almost three minutes, which he also threw out of the title fight. Then he renounced the onward journey to save his engine. Thus Mikkelsen went back in the lead and now went back the fastest times. At the end of the day he had after WP5 moved out a lead of 20.7 seconds Nasser Al -Attiyah. January Kopecký was 46.1 seconds back and Freddy Loix already 1:41,2 minutes. Mark Wallenwein had lost by two punctures eight minutes and was consequently far away from the points.

At the second stage reached Hännien under SupeRally regulations back in the race one, but with a large residue. Neuville, however, gave up a start and prepared instead of the Golden Stage Rally ago. After the intermediate state Mikkelsen was on course for the title. His biggest rival now Kopecký had to rely on help Protect van Al -Attiyah, as Mikkelsen would have been with a win in any case champion. Mikkelsen succeeded in the morning but to increase its lead to over half a minute. Al -Attiyah countered on WP8 despite a spin just before the finish with a best time and took Mikkelsen another six seconds. But on the following link stage Al-Attiyah suffered an engine failure. Since he had no spare engine with it, he had to retire. Mikkelsen was now virtually unassailable lead and had his vehicle only to the finish. In WP9 both Mikkelsen and Kopecky had a puncture, the Kopecký however took more time. Loix fell due to engine problems on the last two tests date back to fifth place behind Karl Kruuda. Finally Mikkelsen won with 1:40,5 minutes ahead of Kopecký and thus won the championship. Patrik Sandell won the third place in his first podium finish in the IRC. Numerous failures also played the Škoda Germany pilots in the cards. Matthias Kahle in sixth and Mark Wallenwein eighth drove their best results of the season. 26 vehicles counted.

With wins in their respective classes to Toshihiro Arai secured the Production Cup and Jean -Michel Raoux the 2WD Cup.

Results

Final result

Stages

Golden Stage Rally

Following the Cyprus Rally was held the Golden Stage Rally on 6 November. It was a separate event, the result of which made ​​no impact on the rating of the IRC. It was driven by a total prize money of 150,000 euros, of which 40,000 went to the winner. The rally consisted of two stages: a 19.43 km long track with changing road surface has been covered twice.

At the Golden Stage Rally, however, only a small part of the IRC starter approached. Al- Attiyah and Loix had because of technical defects renounce the start, while Mikkelsen wanted to celebrate with his team and not risk a failure. Also Arai and Škoda Germany traveled from before.

A tight duel for the victory with two unlucky the previous IRC Rally Thierry Neuville and Juho Hänninen. Above all, Neuville was taking a major risk and drove the entire distance to the limit. He sat down at the end with six seconds ahead against Hänninen by. The podium was completed in January Kopecký with over half a minute behind.