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Tapper 5th in P-WRC at Rally GB

Tapper 5th in P-WRC at Rally GB

October 26, 2009

Mark Tapper (NZ, Mitsubishi) thought the mid-Wales stages were similar to those found in his native New Zealand, and the sight of sheep on the hills no-doubt reminded him of home too.

A broken front anti-roll bar caused a lack of mechanical grip all through Day 1, as he understeered into corners and oversteered out. The Pirelli Star Driver eventually went off on the final corner of SS4 and had to wait for spectators to push his Lancer Evo X back onto the road, losing 40 seconds.

The car was repaired in service, despite his engineer, Mike Zotos, suffering from food poisoning. After a good run through Day 2, he lost half of the rear bumper after hitting a bank on the very first corner of the first stage on Day 3. EVENT SUMMARY – Prokop nets P-WRC win after Brynildsen is excluded from Rally GB Martin Prokop (CZ, Mitsubishi) was awarded the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship victory on Rally GB, after the unfortunate Eyvind Brynildsen (N, Skoda) was excluded from the final round of the 2009 series, following post event scrutineering.

Mark Tapper (NZ, Mitsubishi) thought the mid-Wales stages were similar to those found in his native New Zealand, and the sight of sheep on the hills no-doubt reminded him of home too.

EVENT SUMMARY – Prokop nets P-WRC win after Brynildsen is excluded from Rally GB Martin Prokop (CZ, Mitsubishi) was awarded the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship victory on Rally GB, after the unfortunate Eyvind Brynildsen (N, Skoda) was excluded from the final round of the 2009 series, following post event scrutineering.

EVENT SUMMARY – Prokop nets P-WRC win after Brynildsen is excluded from Rally GB

Martin Prokop (CZ, Mitsubishi) was awarded the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship victory on Rally GB, after the unfortunate Eyvind Brynildsen (N, Skoda) was excluded from the final round of the 2009 series, following post event scrutineering.

He made no mistakes and had no mechanical problems whatsoever, and celebrated a “perfect” rally with his team on the finish podium. Later at post event scrutineering, the measurements of the car’s rear brake callipers were checked and found not to comply to the homologation papers. The parts were supplied by Skoda and fitted to the car by the team believing they were correct, but upon inspection even the measurement of a spare calliper given in evidence, with the correct homologation number of the box and on the calliper, was incorrect. As a result, the Stewards of the Meeting excluded car number 39. Prokop had held 2nd position for all but two of the 16 special stage event, and despite not record a fastest stage time and could not close the gap on the leader. After a good first day, Prokop punctured two tyres on SS10 and with only one spare had to drive carefully through SS11 and 12 to make sure the ‘flat’ he kept on the rear did not deflate. With a large time gap in front and behind him, Prokop’s aim was to get his Lancer Evo IX to the finish ramp in Cardiff Bay without problems, which he did. P-WRC victory in GB (and 10th in the overall classification) was enough for the talented 26-year old to add P-WRC Vice Champion to his J-WRC title, and brought to a close a fantastic season. This was Toshi Arai’s (J, Subaru) first Rally GB since 2001, and his first in a Gp N car. Although he was pleased to have initially finish 3rd, he wasn’t so happy with his speed. Try as he might, the Impreza wasn’t giving him the confidence he needed to challenge for fastest stage times and a relatively subdued Toshi completed the event with little of a flamboyance normally associated with the hard-charging driver. He just missed a deer on SS13, Port Talbot 1, and was more than pleased to have allowed the beast its freedom, given the damage it would have probably done to the car. Second position was a great result to end the season, as Subaru prepares to introduce improvements to the Impreza for the 2010 P-WRC. P-WRC champion* Armindo Araújo (P, Mitsubishi) had already completed his six allowed points-scoring events, so wasn’t eligible to score points on Rally GB. He did contest the event in a Gp N Lancer Evo X, primarily to gather technical information for Ralliart Italy, and survived overheating problems to enjoy his victory lap of honour and finish 9th overall. He made no mistakes and had no mechanical problems whatsoever, and celebrated a “perfect” rally with his team on the finish podium. Later at post event scrutineering, the measurements of the car’s rear brake callipers were checked and found not to comply to the homologation papers. The parts were supplied by Skoda and fitted to the car by the team believing they were correct, but upon inspection even the measurement of a spare calliper given in evidence, with the correct homologation number of the box and on the calliper, was incorrect. As a result, the Stewards of the Meeting excluded car number 39. Prokop had held 2nd position for all but two of the 16 special stage event, and despite not record a fastest stage time and could not close the gap on the leader. After a good first day, Prokop punctured two tyres on SS10 and with only one spare had to drive carefully through SS11 and 12 to make sure the ‘flat’ he kept on the rear did not deflate. With a large time gap in front and behind him, Prokop’s aim was to get his Lancer Evo IX to the finish ramp in Cardiff Bay without problems, which he did. P-WRC victory in GB (and 10th in the overall classification) was enough for the talented 26-year old to add P-WRC Vice Champion to his J-WRC title, and brought to a close a fantastic season. This was Toshi Arai’s (J, Subaru) first Rally GB since 2001, and his first in a Gp N car. Although he was pleased to have initially finish 3rd, he wasn’t so happy with his speed. Try as he might, the Impreza wasn’t giving him the confidence he needed to challenge for fastest stage times and a relatively subdued Toshi completed the event with little of a flamboyance normally associated with the hard-charging driver. He just missed a deer on SS13, Port Talbot 1, and was more than pleased to have allowed the beast its freedom, given the damage it would have probably done to the car. Second position was a great result to end the season, as Subaru prepares to introduce improvements to the Impreza for the 2010 P-WRC. P-WRC champion* Armindo Araújo (P, Mitsubishi) had already completed his six allowed points-scoring events, so wasn’t eligible to score points on Rally GB. He did contest the event in a Gp N Lancer Evo X, primarily to gather technical information for Ralliart Italy, and survived overheating problems to enjoy his victory lap of honour and finish 9th overall. correct, but upon inspection even the measurement of a spare calliper given in evidence, with the correct homologation number of the box and on the calliper, was incorrect. As a result, the Stewards of the Meeting excluded car number 39. Prokop had held 2nd position for all but two of the 16 special stage event, and despite not record a fastest stage time and could not close the gap on the leader. After a good first day, Prokop punctured two tyres on SS10 and with only one spare had to drive carefully through SS11 and 12 to make sure the ‘flat’ he kept on the rear did not deflate. With a large time gap in front and behind him, Prokop’s aim was to get his Lancer Evo IX to the finish ramp in Cardiff Bay without problems, which he did. P-WRC victory in GB (and 10th in the overall classification) was enough for the talented 26-year old to add P-WRC Vice Champion to his J-WRC title, and brought to a close a fantastic season. This was Toshi Arai’s (J, Subaru) first Rally GB since 2001, and his first in a Gp N car. Although he was pleased to have initially finish 3rd, he wasn’t so happy with his speed. Try as he might, the Impreza wasn’t giving him the confidence he needed to challenge for fastest stage times and a relatively subdued Toshi completed the event with little of a flamboyance normally associated with the hard-charging driver. He just missed a deer on SS13, Port Talbot 1, and was more than pleased to have allowed the beast its freedom, given the damage it would have probably done to the car. Second position was a great result to end the season, as Subaru prepares to introduce improvements to the Impreza for the 2010 P-WRC. P-WRC champion* Armindo Araújo (P, Mitsubishi) had already completed his six allowed points-scoring events, so wasn’t eligible to score points on Rally GB. He did contest the event in a Gp N Lancer Evo X, primarily to gather technical information for Ralliart Italy, and survived overheating problems to enjoy his victory lap of honour and finish 9th overall. ENT SUMMARY Prokop nets P-WRC win after Brynildsen is excluded from Rally GB Martin Prokop (CZ, Mitsubishi) was awarded the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship victory on Rally GB, after the unfortunate Eyvind Brynildsen (N, Skoda) was excluded from the final round of the 2009 series, following post event scrutineering. Brynildsen knew he could challenge for victory in the Welsh forests, having enjoyed a successful test in his René Georges Rally Sport Fabia S2000 the weekend before on the Cambrian Rally (a round of the BTRDA Gold Star series, held in North Wales), and having won Group N in the car on the Rally de España. The car was perfect for his driving style precise, with early acceleration and lots of revs Denis Giraudet, Brynildsen set fastest time on the opening stage and led by almost one minute by the end of the first day. When that increased to two minutes by mid-way through Day 2, he eased off and cruised through the second half of the event problems whatsoever, and celebrated a “perfect” rally with his team on the finish podium. Later at post event scrutineering, the measurements of the car’s rear brake callipers were checked and found not to comply to the homologation papers. The parts were supplied by Skoda and fitted to the car by the team believing they were correct, but upon inspection even the measurement of a spare calliper given in evidence, with the correct homologation number of the box and on the calliper, was incorrect. As a result, the Stewards of the Meeting excluded car number 39. Prokop had held 2nd position for all but two of the 16 special stage event, and despite not record a fastest stage time and could not close the gap on the leader. After a good first day, Prokop punctured two tyres on SS10 and with only one spare had to drive carefully through SS11 and 12 to make sure the ‘flat’ he kept on the rear did not deflate. With a large time gap in front and behind him, Prokop’s aim was to get his Lancer Evo IX to the finish ramp in Cardiff Bay without problems, which he did. P-WRC victory in GB (and 10th in the overall classification) was enough for the talented 26-year old to add P-WRC Vice Champion to his J-WRC title, and brought to a close a fantastic season. This was Toshi Arai’s (J, Subaru) first Rally GB since 2001, and his first in a Gp N car. Although he was pleased to have initially finish 3rd, he wasn’t so happy with his speed. Try as he might, the Impreza wasn’t giving him the confidence he needed to challenge for fastest stage times and a relatively subdued Toshi completed the event with little of a flamboyance normally associated with the hard-charging driver. He just missed a deer on SS13, Port Talbot 1, and was more than pleased to have allowed the beast its freedom, given the damage it would have probably done to the car. Second position was a great result to end the season, as Subaru prepares to introduce improvements to the Impreza for the 2010 P-WRC. P-WRC champion* Armindo Araújo (P, Mitsubishi) had already completed his six allowed points-scoring events, so wasn’t eligible to score points on Rally GB. He did contest the event in a Gp N Lancer Evo X, primarily to gather technical information for Ralliart Italy, and survived overheating problems to enjoy his victory lap of honour and finish 9th overall. – smooth and– and he exploited this to the full. Co-driven by the vastly experienced– which in heavy rain, fog and mud wasn’t as easy as it sounds. He made no mistakes and had no mechanical VENT SUMMARY – smooth and– and he exploited this to the full. Co-driven by the vastly experienced– which in heavy rain, fog and mud wasn’t as easy as it sounds. He made no mistakes and had no mechanical VENT SUMMARY

He made no mistakes and had no mechanical

problems whatsoever, and celebrated a “perfect” rally with his team on the finish podium.

Later at post event scrutineering, the measurements of the car’s rear brake callipers were checked and found not to

comply to the homologation papers. The parts were supplied by Skoda and fitted to the car by the team believing they

were correct, but upon inspection even the measurement of a spare calliper given in evidence, with the correct

homologation number of the box and on the calliper, was incorrect. As a result, the Stewards of the Meeting excluded car

number 39.

Prokop had held 2nd position for all but two of the 16 special stage event, and despite not record a fastest stage time and

could not close the gap on the leader. After a good first day, Prokop punctured two tyres on SS10 and with only one spare

had to drive carefully through SS11 and 12 to make sure the ‘flat’ he kept on the rear did not deflate. With a large time

gap in front and behind him, Prokop’s aim was to get his Lancer Evo IX to the finish ramp in Cardiff Bay without problems,

which he did. P-WRC victory in GB (and 10th in the overall classification) was enough for the talented 26-year old to add

P-WRC Vice Champion to his J-WRC title, and brought to a close a fantastic season.

This was Toshi Arai’s (J, Subaru) first Rally GB since 2001, and his first in a Gp N car. Although he was pleased to have

initially finish 3rd, he wasn’t so happy with his speed. Try as he might, the Impreza wasn’t giving him the confidence he

needed to challenge for fastest stage times and a relatively subdued Toshi completed the event with little of a

flamboyance normally associated with the hard-charging driver. He just missed a deer on SS13, Port Talbot 1, and was

more than pleased to have allowed the beast its freedom, given the damage it would have probably done to the car.

Second position was a great result to end the season, as Subaru prepares to introduce improvements to the Impreza for

the 2010 P-WRC.

P-WRC champion* Armindo Araújo (P, Mitsubishi) had already completed his six allowed points-scoring events, so

wasn’t eligible to score points on Rally GB. He did contest the event in a Gp N Lancer Evo X, primarily to gather technical

information for Ralliart Italy, and survived overheating problems to enjoy his victory lap of honour and finish 9th overall.