Cross-Country Rally NEWS

2021-06-03 11:24:51 Orlando Terranova confirmed his participation in the 5th round of World Cup Baja Aragon in BRX T1 car of Prodrive Open / Comment

2021-06-01 22:51:45 Team RACING LADA: bringing the Lada Niva 35 years later back to the 2022 Dakar Classic

Team RACING LADA is officially registered for the Dakar Classic 2022 representing for the first time Switzerland with Mario Jacober (driver) and Sladjan Miljic (co-driver) and 35 years since Jacky Ickx drove a Lada Niva (#187) at the Paris-Dakar in 1987. Mario talked to Telegram Channel Cross-Country Rally News about the 2022 Dakar project.

We are two passionate car aficionados from Switzerland, who share the vision to revive the glory of the Lada Niva at the Dakar and their overall success during the 80’s rally motorsport era. In our free time we restore classic sports cars and organize special rallies & exclusive car events. Our vision is to be the first Lada Niva racing team since 35 years (POCH Niva, #185 Jacky Ickx/Christian Tarin) to compete again in the Dakar rally. The Dakar rally is a childhood dream and with the ’Classic’ category we can combine it with our passion for classic sports cars. Our motivation is to do something crazy that is challenging and an adventure of a lifetime. With this in mind our objective is to successfully finish the Dakar Classic race representing Switzerland and paying tribute to the Lada Niva. With my close roots to Russia our Lada Niva’s are being assembled in Novosibirsk, Siberia.

https://te.legra.ph/LADA-05-27 Open / Comment

2021-06-01 21:59:13 Orly Terranova goes to a new team?

The Argentine evaluates a test race to decide a big change and drive the new regulated cars (T1+) for the Dakar 2022 with Prodrive.

Campeones were able to learn how Orlando Terranova analyzes their chances for the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. He has the possibility of going to one of the fastest growing and advancing teams since its emergence in the modern Dakarian environment, such as the historic Prodrive led by the experienced David Richards and has among its pilots Sebastien Loeb, nine-time FIA WRC champion. Terranova would be taking advantage of the Baja Spain to participate in a race that he knows very well, as a test, before defining the next step with the English squad.

https://www.campeones.com.ar/articulo/45728 Open / Comment

2021-06-01 11:09:50 TOYOTAS AND MINIS DOMINATE STRONGEST EVER ENTRY FOR RALLY KAZAKHSTAN

The Automotorsport Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AMFK) today announced the strongest entry for Rally Kazakhstan in the five years that it has been an integral part of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies. The event takes place on June 8th-13th and will also be the opening round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Cup for the first time this year.

Forty-one FIA crews, 14 motorcycles and four quads running in the FIM section and two Gaz trucks and an entry from Aktau in the national category will line up at the official ceremonial start in Aktau City on the shores of the Caspian Sea on June 8th.

https://te.legra.ph/Rally-Kazakhstan-2021-06-01 Open / Comment

2021-05-31 12:57:04 Audi with “Dream Team” at the Dakar Rally

Audi is the first car manufacturer to fight for overall victory in the famous Dakar Rally with an electrified powertrain, thus also heralding an energy revolution in cross-country rallying. Audi Sport has succeeded in recruiting three illustrious driver teams for the ambitious project.

Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist (Sweden), Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (France) and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (Spain) will compete for Audi in the world’s toughest rally.

Sven Quandt, team principal of Q Motorsport:

At the Dakar Rally, teamwork and reliabilty are crucial. You need a well-bonded team, a super reliable car and reliable driver teams. You can’t permanently drive at the limit in the Dakar Rally. The right strategy is crucial. I’m very happy that we will have three renowned and strong teams competing for us. We know their qualities very well. Open / Comment

2021-05-30 23:28:59 Two from two for Rosberg X Racing after dramatic conclusion to Ocean X Prix

Rosberg X Racing teammates Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor reigned supreme once more at Extreme E's second event in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal (29/30 May) with the ever-impressive duo overcoming intense pressure from their adversaries to be crowned winners of the first-ever Ocean X prix.

JBXE's Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky picked up rear-wheel damage before she even reached the first corner and inevitably was forced to retire the car, as was Cristina Gutiérrez in the X44 car who came to blows with the Rosberg X Racing ODYSSEY 21 – in an incident reminiscent of the two Formula 1 World Champions on-track disputes in 2016 – at turn one and ended her day on the sidelines.

Final Result

Rosberg X Racing (Johan Kristoffersson / Molly Taylor) 2 laps
Veloce Racing (Stéphane Sarrazin / Jamie Chadwick) +14.676s
JBXE (Kevin Hansen / Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky) DNF
X44 (Sébastien Loeb / Cristina Gutiérrez) DNF Open / Comment

2021-05-29 22:37:48 At the end of Qualifying, it's Teamx44 on top!

That means:
Teamx44, Rosberg X Racing and CUPRA ABT Motorsport head to Semi-Final 1, where the top 2 will make the Final.

JBXE Racing, Veloce Racing and Xite Energy Racing head to Semi-Final 2, where the top 2 will make the Final.

Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti United Extreme E and ACCIONA I SAINZ XETeam head to the Shoot Out, where they will fight for points. Open / Comment

2021-05-28 12:20:00 Extreme E reveals Ocean X Prix course

This weekend (29-30 May) Extreme E, the electric off-road racing series will host its second X Prix – the Ocean X Prix – in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal. Situated 37km from the capital, Dakar, the shores of Lac Rose hosted the finish of the world’s most famous cross-country rally – the Paris-Dakar - on numerous occasions between 1979 and 2007, and will play host to the Extreme E Ocean X Prix this weekend.

Teams will once again face a mostly sandy terrain, though a very different challenge and location to the deserts of Saudi Arabia. The race will take to the existing tracks surrounding the lake, named after, and renowned for its striking pink colour, caused by algae that thrives within its highly-saline waters. The Ocean X Prix starts on the beach, running alongside the Atlantic Ocean which hugs the West African coastline.

All-new for the Ocean X Prix is the Super Sector – the middle section of the course. This new element of the sporting format gives drivers the opportunity to earn five points for their team by being the fastest driver in that sector over the weekend. In a slight change to Saudi Arabia, the Final will also feature four-cars.

Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took victory in the inaugural X Prix last month in the Saudi Arabian deserts, but with the top three teams within seven points of each other.

Once again, nine teams and 18 drivers will compete, but in a slight change to the Saudi Arabia race format, the Final will be a four-car battle, with two teams from each of the two Semi-Finals progressing to the concluding race of the weekend.

Saturday 29 May

Like the Desert X Prix, Qualifying consists of two rounds of time trials. The team starting order is decided by a draw for Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2. All races feature two laps with the incorporated driver ‘Switch’ feature.

Sunday 30 May

Three races will take place as follows:

The teams will be listed 1st to 9th place based on the total combined time of each team’s two Qualifying runs.
The top three teams go into the Semi-Final 1, where the top two finishers claim spots in the Ocean X Prix Final.
The middle three teams (4th, 5th, 6th) go through to Semi-Final 2, where again the top two progress to the Ocean X Prix Final.
The bottom three teams (7th, 8th and 9th) head to the Shoot Out.
The Ocean X Prix Final features four cars – the top two finishers from each Semi-Final.

Teams can also benefit from a HyperDrive boost available to each driver on each lap of the race. Activated when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel, they will enjoy an extra push of continuous power for a few seconds.




Team and drivers, shedule, points: https://te.legra.ph/Extreme-E-05-28 Open / Comment

2021-05-27 20:56:05 Sebastian Halpern to drive the MINI JCW Buggy

Argentinean driver Sebastian Halpern is switching to the MINI JCW Buggy. His goal is to start the 2022 Rally Dakar in the car developed and built by X-raid. To prepare for that, and to get to know the Buggy better, he will contest a number of cross-country rallies beforehand. Halpern will make his debut in the MINI JCW Buggy at the Rally Kazakhstan (7th to 13th June 2021). There he will compete together with his compatriot Ronnie Graue.

The Argentinean is no stranger to X-raid: in 2015, he lined up in a MINI ALL4 Racing at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina – as co-driver to Lucio Alvarez. Halpern has enjoyed success in cross-country rallying and at the Dakar for many years. In 2011, he finished runner-up in the Quad category at the Dakar. In 2018, he finished ninth as a driver in the Car category. He has also claimed multiple victories at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina.

Ronnie Graue has been part of the X-raid team for many years, he won the Bajas Cross Country World Cup in 2019. In 2020, the experienced co-driver finished the Dakar Rally in sixth position.

I am proud to be part of the X-raid team. The MINI JCW Buggy is currently the best car if you want to be successful at the Dakar. My big goal is the Rally Dakar in 2022. To ensure I am as well prepared as possible, I will contest a number of cross-country rallies together with X-raid. Outings are planned at the rallies in Kazakhstan, Morocco and the Hail Rally in Saudi Arabia.

In addition to all the training, I will also participate in some national rallies. I have a lot of work ahead of me in the coming months to be able to travel to the Dakar with a good set-up and in good shape, both physically and mentally. Open / Comment

2021-05-26 12:25:09 Open / Comment