RallyScotland fear Hanninen winposted in RSCOT23 | 09 | 2010
IT'S FAIR TO say the organisers of the second RallyScotland will have their eyes firmly fixed on what's happening in round 10 of the Intercontinental Rally Championship in San Remo this weekend.
Why? Quite simply, if Juho Hanninen wins the tarmac event not only will he clinch the IRC championship but more importantly he'll skupper the plans for RallyScotland to stage an event larger than last year's.
Twelve months ago any hopes the organisers had of RallyScotland being the round where the championship was decided was wrecked when Kris Meeke sealed the title early in the season. That, in turn, led to a number of the main teams and competitors deciding not to enter RallyScotland.
Now, despite the Perth-based rally moving in the calendar from the final round to the penultimate event on October 15-17, Hanninen and his Skoda team could still put a damper on the party.
"Aye, we'll just have to wait and see what happens this weekend," clerk of the course Iain Campbell told Scotcars. "It's completely out of our hands, but I think it's fair to say there'll be a big sigh of relief if Hanninen doesn't clinch the title this weekend.
"Everything's in place for next month's RallyScotland and it would be fantastic to have the championship decided in Scotland. That way we'd have a bumper entry and a brilliantly competitive rally for all the fans and spectators."
The San Remo Rally, which starts tomorrow and lasts just 26 hours, features a full and gruelling format of 11 switchback mountain asphalt stages and one man looking forward to the challenge is last year's RallyScotland winner, Skoda's Guy Wilks.
“I’ve reasonable experience of San Remo, and having done the recce four times and the rally twice, I have a good feeling for the region and the character of the roads," the 29-year-old from Darlington said.
"This year’s event is a very different format to other rallies. It starts at lunchtime on Friday and after five decent length stages to warm you up it’s into the monster 44 kilometre stage at night. That is a long way to go on mountainous terrain and it will require high concentration. I enjoy driving at night and I’m really looking forward to it, plus the atmosphere in the mountains with all the spectators will be fantastic.
“On a long stage there is more opportunity to make up time on rivals, but there is also more chance of a momentary lapse of concentration which can cost you dear. Experience counts, and I’ve done stages as long as 53 kilometres before. It’s a great challenge though, because in 44 kilometres the road surface and terrain changes a lot and there is never a straight piece of road that’s more than 200 metres long.
"It’s usually corner after corner, up and over mountain passes, down the other side and along the mountain floor, then up the side of another mountain. Ronde is a stage you can really get your teeth in to. All other stages, particularly on the Saturday, are challenging too, but the 44 kilometre monster, the last stage on the Friday night, could be the key to the entire event.”
Jim McGill