The 2011 WRC season got underway last weekend and it is already shaping up to be a great one. The event marked the debut of the new breed of rally cars, namely the Ford Fiesta and the Citroen DS3. Ford was looking to get back on top after struggling and falling to the likes of Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier in 2010. And get off to a good start they did taking all 3 podium spots in Sweden.

Mikko Hirvonen drives his Ford Fiesta to victory at 2011 WRC Rally Sweden

Mikko Hirvonen wrapped up his first victory of the year, looking more like the Mikko of 2009 where he challenged Loeb for the driver’s championship. “I was really nervous before the last stage but what a fantastic start from the team with the new car,” Mikko said. “The car has been quick straight away and after a tough season last year I am really pleased with this. But I am not taking this feeling any further. We’ve won here and now we need to move on to the next round in Mexico where it will be a different game. But I’m very happy with this and it couldn’t be better to have a Ford one-two-three.”
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The 2011 Rally America season got under way on Friday with the first stage of Sno Drift, held in Atlanta Michigan. As usual the name told the tale with stages covered in ice and snow, with frigid temperatures in the teens and twenties for most of the event. There was less snow then usual, so the snow banks weren’t as high which meant there was much less room for error.

Travis Hanson makes history winning Sno Drift in his Super Production Subaru

The lack of snow banks had an impact right away for last year’s Rally America champion, Antoine L’Estage and his Rockstar Mitsubishi Evolution X as he went off on stage 4 and was forced to retire from the event after not being able to restart the car. Before the off by L’Estage, he held a 20 second lead over new Subaru Rally Team Driver David Higgins, who then assumed the lead. But the first day would claim Higgins and his Subaru STI as a victim as well. Going into stage 6 Higgins had a lead of over 2 minutes in front of Super Production driver Travis Hanson, but Higgins’ STI motor failed on the stage and he was forced to retire from the event.
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Everyone remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books from when they were growing up. The stories led you to certain points where a choice needed to be made and that choice was left up to you. Each choice had a different result and a different story. Well, now you can Create Your Own Rally Adventure, by choosing which angle you want to watch the Subaru Rally car go through a stage of the Canadian “Rally of the Tall Pines”. The 2011 Subaru STi Rally Car is driven by Pat Richard and the co-driver is Alan Ockwell.

Well the 2011 WRC season is just around the corner and there are a bunch of changes coming up. New cars, drivers with new teams and more. So, I thought it was a good time to do a quick update on what was going on.

Last week Ford revealed the new livery for the 2011 season for the new Fiesta WRC car. Ford said it is meant to be an aggressive looking livery. It sure looks good to me.

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This weekend is the first Gymkhana Grid event, put on by Ken Block, DC Shoes and Monster Energy. The Ken Block Invitational event will be held December 3 & 4 at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA. Competitors include Ken Block (obviously), Formula Drift driver Dai Yoshiahra (Nissan 240SX), Rally driver Andrew (ACP) Comrie-Picard, Drift/Rally driver and Top Gear America host Tanner Foust, Drift driver Stephan Verdier (Subaru STi) and most interestingly to me, 2010 Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. in Ken Block’s personal car a 1978 Ford Escort Mk2. Vaughn Gittin JR normally drives a Ford Mustang for the Ford / Monster Team.

Vauhn Gittin JR will be driving Ken Block's Ford Escort MK2 at this weekend's Gymkhana Grid event.

Missing from the event will be Travis Pastrana who apparently has “forgotten how to turn right” (at least according to the ‘commercial’ put together for the event) since he has left the Subaru Rally Team and officially announced a Nascar campaign for 2011, teaming up with Michael Waltrip racing. More…

Rhys Millen recently teased a Climb Attack video made in conjunction with Hankook and Red Bull and it’s finally here. Rhys took his Hyundai Genesis Coupe ‘drift’ car up the beautiful slopes of Serra do Rio do Rastro, sliding and drifting his way up leaving behind clouds of smoke. I’m not sure how he had any tires at all left by the time he was there as you can see long black marks behind him in the smoke as he drifts nearly the entire thing. Enjoy Red Bull and Rhys Millen’s video Climb Attack Brazil video below.

This rumor actually has come credibility behind it, however unlikely it may seem. Petter put on a spectacular show as a privateer this year, but does not want to try it again next year. He is in talks with both Ford and Citroen for a WRC manufacturers seat, but nothing is confirmed.

Petter Solberg is hoping for a WRC manufacturer seat next year, but there are other possibilities as well.

Solberg said recently, “”I’m tired of having to chase the deals. For the last two years, I have been on planes and in meetings non-stop. And when I haven’t been doing that, I’ve been driving, testing and working with the team. I feel like I haven’t seen my family for two years. I don’t think it’s fair to carry on like this. I want to go to a manufacturer team and I want to fight, that’s all.” That is very understandable, it has to be tough trying to scrap together the money and then focus on driving each event. More…

The updated PAX indexing factors have been release for the 2011 season. The average change is just .71%, so in other words not much changed. It appears that the ST classes have become a bit closer. Full Solo PAX/RTP list below:

For historical PAX values visit Rick Ruth’s PAX/RTP page

Petter Solberg had warned Sebastien Ogier before the World Rally Championship’s final event, Wales Rally GB, that his 2nd place standing in the driver’s championship was not necessarily safe. It turns out Solberg was absolutely right. While Loeb claimed his 62nd WRC win, the big news was Solberg, as he challenged him all weekend for the top spot. Solberg was very impressive, especially considering some of the problems he faced, but Loeb was able to hold him off.

Sebastien Loeb claims his 62nd WRC Victory at Wales Rally GB

Solberg’s Citroen suffered gearbox issues on Day 1 which cost him the opening day lead. Solberg said that the issues cost him at least 10-15 seconds. “When we wanted first it would go to fourth for example and when you can’t trust the car it’s difficult to push properly.” Solberg’s co-driver Patterson said, ““On the second Sweet Lamb stage the car actually stopped because we had no gears.” Solberg also drove the first day without a starter motor, which caused him to drive more cautiously and make sure the car kept running.
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Team GotCone driver and GotCone.com blog contributor Christy Carlson made her Rally America debut last weekend at the Rally America Nocona Stomp Rally in Nocona, TX. After finishing 4th in G2 in the Nocona Stomp Rally I on Saturday morning, Carlson and co-driver Adam Kniepp picked up the pace in the Nissan Sentra SE-R rally car for the afternoon to claim 2nd place overall for Nocona Stomp Rally II.

Carlson said, “It felt strangely comfortable, as though this was meant to be.” after suiting up and getting ready for the first stage of the rally. Early on she said she was telling herself, “Just feel out the car. I’m not here to win, I’m just here to finish this one… so make sure you can finish.” That attitude changed after seeing the results for the morning stages. “Its time to show them that there really is a competitive female in this sport now.”, she said. She felt much more comfortable with the car and her co-driver in the afternoon and was able to ‘dial it up’ a bit. She finished just 40 seconds behind the leader and in 2nd place overall. More…