72. Dayinsure Wales Rally GB 2016
27. 10. – 30. 10. 2016, Deeside • gravel 330.21 km • total distance including road sections - 1295.74 km • Other years
Info
SS22
"These three guys have been really great and their speed has been excellent. OK so I'm not a young guy but I'm missing experience from this rally."
"I'm very happy that we won here and finished second in the championship."
stopped
"Really really good experience this weekend. Okay, the championship was over after Finland but I'll come back stronger next year. The speed on the final stage was proper – wow!"
"That's not the result we wanted to have. It's good to have such a fight, but I have no words."
stopped
"I have to thank the team. We did an absolutely perfect job during our first time in Wales. The championship is still alive."
"The main priority was to win the manufacturers' title this weekend and I have to say a big thank you to the team because we couldn't do this without their hard work. It wasn't so easy to be honest. I had to push really hard all weekend – Ott was really flying. He was very consistent and didn't do any mistakes. We had to do a perfect rally to beat him."
"I just want to say thanks to the team and the DMACK guys. Our road position wasn't great but we benefited from the tyre and the car. I'm really excited for next year."
"It was a nice weekend for us, especially after I had a tough week last week. A very good friend of mine died in a terrible accident so this podium is for him."
"Just missed out on a podium for two rallies in a row. That puts a bit more fire in your belly to put things right on the next event."
"Great to drive in front of the home fans but the road position made it impossible to do anything with the limitations of this car."
"I can't say that I've done a great performance but the main thing is I'm at the finish and scoring manufacturers' points."
"Tough weekend, we had to build confidence over the three days & it's good to end like this."
"It was much drier than this morning, we lost a bit going wide in some corners. I'm quite happy with another event without any problem."
"I hit a stone on the road and maybe I have a rear puncture."
"There were some small mistakes and then a big one in the final junction. I don't know if it will be enough."
SS20
stopped
SS18
"I'm on the limit. It's very slippery this morning but we have to keep driving fast. There is no grip."
"This one was crazy. There was a big rock on the road – I wasn't happy to see this."
"I was early on the brakes into a hairpin but will went wide. I maybe lost one or two seconds."
"It's really tricky to push because there's no grip at all – especially laterally. It's a really fine line between too slow and too fast. Thierry's got it all under control at the moment."
"We're in no-mans land in fifth place so we're just cruising through. We want to complete today and look forward to next year."
"The stage was normal. It was very slippery. We're waiting for the end."
"There's not much more I could do in that one."
"Last year it was raining really heavily and the grip was much better than it was this time. I'm sure someone will spin in there."
"I'm trying to explore where the grip is and I definitely found where it isn't on two occasions! There's less grip than I expected."
"There was a lot of grip changes. We tried to keep it clean."
SS17
"I'm happy with this. It's very slippery this morning. I have to still drive well this morning because I know Ott has an advantage with his tyres."
"I really have no interest to push at the maximum. I don't want to make any mistakes now. I'm happy like this."
"We did a lot of homework with the engineer last night and we've made some set up changes for today. That didn't feel too bad."
"Really tricky on the high-speed braking. We've nothing to fight for today but we'll try and get into a good rhythm and enjoy the day."
"We changed the set up a bit and it was nice to drive."
"It was okay, but quite slippery. Not the perfect start to the day but it's so easy to do a mistake."
"We have a fight with Mads and that's the first priority this morning."
"Very muddy and the grip was changing all the time. I tried to make a clean driving and it was not so bad."
"That was a clean stage. Getting ready for the Power Stage and wanting to get into a good rhythm for that. I've got zero points on this rally so far so I need to do something."
"It was slippy in some places but it was a nice stage. I think I drove it well."
SS15
"The guys at the front are in a different rally. I'm out the back on my own. I'm driving on the limit but it's frustrating seeing the time go away."
"I was going really well but I think it was the road conditions that slowed us. I tried to push quite hard. It's been a good day."
"I didn't do this stage last year so there were a few places where I wasn't experienced."
"All we can do is keep the pressure on Thierry. We're a bit over ten seconds and that isn't enough for him to relax so we'll continue pushing."
"It's been a bit up and down today."
"We tried to go flat out all day. I think the tyres are a bit too hard for these conditions. But I think we did okay so far."
SS14
"That was a good time for me, we are close to the other ones. We are very happy and we want to continue in the same way. We are more confident with the car and the roads."
"Been a tricky day to be honest. For sure, we're handicapped with the road position but we'll continue to get through."
"That was a good stage. The tyre is working really well in these conditions so I pushed hard."
"We don't really have any answers for Thierry at the moment. I need to learn better in these sort of conditions. But I'll work on that and come back stronger tomorrow."
"I'm still pushing as much as I can because I know on the tyre side we're not on the best option. But we are doing what we can."
SS13
"It's a good time but Ogier is really controlling things."
"There's not much more I can do in these conditions. Still missing a lot of traction. Thierry is very fast and I can't catch him at the moment."
"I did a good stage. The conditions were much more grippy and I was very clean. I don't think it's possible to go much faster."
"Still not perfect and room for improvement. I have to change my style to drive fast on the second pass."
"Very slippy but we drove as much as could."
SS12
"It was more shiny on the road surface but I was expecting that. It's okay."
"The feeling from the car is much better after making some changes but we've got absolutely no traction. The wheels are spinning everywhere."
"Perfect stage for me, I did really well. I tried to find the grip and it was okay."
"Definitely more slippy and greasy than I expected. The grip is low so tyre wear shouldn't be an issue today."
SS11
"We've had a couple of slow punctures this morning – one at the end of the first stage and the other after the second. That's both of the spare tyres done."
"Yes, I'm pleased with the morning. Catching Seb is going to be tough but we'll continue to push and see what we can do."
"I didn't take any risks or anything like that. Some of the time loss is coming from my driving and some from the road conditions."
"Things are working well. I was a bit in trouble on the second one this morning after hitting the bank and thinking I'd damaged the car. But everything has been good otherwise."
"I've tried to adjust the set up and it's a bit better but I'm driving rubbish myself. We're still in the fight, though."
SS10
"I didn't have a great pace to be honest. When you're not in the fight you don't want to take any risks. Nothing to do. We'll continue to drive and get some experience."
"That was okay. It was quite tricky with the fog but the stage was pretty nice. We are in between Sordo and Latvala so we need to protect from Jari and attack Dani."
"That wasn't a good time. I thought we had a good run but maybe I was hesitating too much and a bit too careful in the fog."
"That was very, very bad. I was not in the pace and the feeling is low. When I tried to go a little bit faster I went out of the road."
"Frustrating because the conditions aren't suiting my driving style and I can't attack. But you have to drive with what you've got."
"Very bad. Not a good feeling in the stage and no confidence. A lot of fog in there."
SS9
transmission problem on road section, return to service
"Now the set-up is working and it's looking much better. I'm more positive for the rest of the day."
"It's not easy to wake up on this stage because it's very fast. But the time isn't so bad to start the day."
"I did my best. The roads are so slippery. I can only imagine what it's like to be running at the front in these conditions."
"The car is okay, I just need to get into the rhythm and get the feeling back."
"We had a lot of oversteer and understeer with the car. That was very slow."
"Struggling with the car and the balance. We'll have to try and make some changes."
"I made a very good stage. I'm happy with that"
"That was a nice stage, great profile at the beginning. Was a bit foggy so not to easy to be fast but it was okay."
SS8
"Now we are on the pace. It was really fun this stage."
"It's perfect. I tried this morning after the first stage and got a good rhythm. We have been driving the same style. We lost a few seconds on the last stage but that's okay."
"I have done some mistakes and tried to push too much today. The last stage was okay. We need to keep the pressure on Lappi because he doesn't have much time to make any mistakes."
"We had a front-right puncture for the last 6km. What can we do? This sort of thing can happen."
"It would have been nice to do the stage with four-wheel-drive because the conditions were very nice."
"I didn't feel very well, the car was understeering and it was very slippery. We'll see tomorrow."
"I tried to go a good stage so we can hopefully finish the day in a podium position. I thought I had a puncture at the start but I think it's okay."
"It's been a tough day. Not really happy about this. Bu nothing we can do apart from fighting as hard as we can. We couldn't have picked a worse day for it to happen with no midday service."
"Happy that the day is over now! A bit unlucky that Jari-Matti and Andreas have had some problems."
SS7
"I spun shortly after the start and we lost some seconds."
"I think Suninen had a spin or something. I spun as well in this one and I needed to reverse as well. I maybe lost about seven seconds."
"That was a perfect stage for me and I did all I could."
"The problem with the rear is making it difficult at the moment. Today we just have to manage to get through. Too many things stopping us. Tomorrow should be better."
stopped
"I'm very frustrated. We have a transmission problem and there's nothing more I can do."
"Struggling this afternoon, a set up change has sent us in the wrong direction. We'll try and change that now."
"This stage was very slippery so I'm happy we're finished with it. The first stage in Myherin had more grip but this one was worse."
SS5
high speed spin
"After the crash of Craig (Breen) I lost my concentration. I drove in the middle of the road and didn't take any risks."
"We had some problems with the rear suspension, something may be lose. Some times the wheel is open – I don't know why it's like this."
"It felt quite good in there but the time is not perfect."
"Much better than in the 1st pass but still really difficult! We had a good run even if we went wide in few places."
"I really struggled in this one with the fog. But I tried to do my best."
"Most of the stage was really bad with fog and I couldn't see past the bonnet. Not driving at my maximum but we're not as far behind the Polos as we were last year."
rolled
"I tried to keep in the clean line all the time. Perhaps it was too clean, I don't know?"
"I just wanted the stage to be over with."
SS4
"That was quite okay. We're improving with every stage and I hope we can continue like this."
"I'm trying to keep full throttle as much as I can. It's a really nice rally – I like it."
"Yeah, when you really find the rhythm and find the way to drive it's great fun."
stopped
"At the beginning it was good stage but we then missed the last junction and had to reverse. That may have cost us 10 seconds.
"I'm getting more confident and getting a good feeling with the car. I'm enjoying it a lot."
"Very good stage but very slippery. I think we may have broken an anti roll bar so we will change that before the next loop."
"That was a lot cleaner even if the time wasn't as good. I'm reasonably happy and I have to remember how little experience I have in this car."
"I had a good rhythm but just no grip. I did my best in there."
"The last couple of kilometres were muddy and slippery but everything okay."
"We went wide into some big bushes and I was a bit worried about the aero after that. But looks like it's all okay."
"This was a really nice stage. Everything is okay with the car."
"This stage was a bit more slippery than the one before but I have confidence with the car and I'm enjoying it a bit more."
"It's all very close but there's a long way to go. If we can try and keep close today, I think we can have a big attack tomorrow when the conditions are a bit more consistent."
"Looks like a driveshaft. Nothing we can cure for the rest of the day. It's been going on all day."
"That was okay for us. But I'm a bit concerned with a small thing on the car. It's not a good noise in the transmission – but it's working okay at the moment."
SS3
rolled
went off
"Not easiest conditions, but had a good rhythm now. Didn’t plan for the puncture’s on SS1 Car feels good!"
"I was very careful in that one. Good to be here as this is my first Rally GB. We can push more but it's very easy to make a mistake and his something."
"That was quite okay but the conditions were still tricky. Hopefully we can make a few steps this weekend. This is only my third gravel rally of the year."
"Now I understand how you should drive in these conditions. That was quite a clean stage for me. I will keep full throttle."
"Unfortunately, puncture for us. We don't know the reason, it's the race"
"A really tricky morning in conditions that we didn't want. The roads are like ice. I'm doing as much as I want to do to keep things safe."
"Looks like the tyres are working really well. I made a small mistake at one of the junctions but everything else was okay."
"I went too early in on a hairpin and we stopped there for a few seconds. Lots of spectators there so I felt very embarrassed."
"That was a better stage than the first stage because the fog was gone. I could see where i was going and the grip level wasn't so bad."
"The stage was okay, but I spun the car at the first junction and stalled the car. I maybe lost around six or seven seconds."
"The grip is very tricky and I'm trying to do the best job."
"That was a bit easier but we had a spin in the start so we lost a bit of time. We maybe lost 10s with that. Have to get some points and be in front of Thierry. My driving is getting better and better."
"This one was better – for both the grip and fog. I'm sure Ott will be very fast this morning, we saw that yesterday with his Shakedown time."
SS1
stuck in the ditch
"We took it quite carefully because there was lost of fog."
"I slightly went wide and there was a tree. But it was a slow corner and everything is working okay. But really hard to find the correct rhythm."
"So hard to drive in these conditions. Some drivers can push and take some big risks to claim some time. But I was quite safe."
"Very tricky. The balance of the car is not good. Not been a good stage for me – way too slow."
"The middle of the stage was very difficult. For the first one I'm not pushing."
"Not easy. I tried to do my maximum on this stage."
"That was the worst stage I've ever driven in my life. Someone up there was looking after me. I was driving like an idiot. But I'm happy with that time!"
"Thought I'd have dropped more time – hellishly slippery. Perfect conditions if you're the first on the road."
"Muddy like hell in there. Cars in front are generating so much loose mud it's really hard to drive. Tried to do my best but the fog was really difficult."
"Very tricky conditions in there, not easy to find a rhythm. Hard stage to start the rally with. Difficult to find the pace."
"A lot of fog. We are fighting for the manufacturers title so I don’t want to take risks in these very difficult conditions."
"Really difficult. Lots of fog and slippery. Really, really bad and I feel bad in the car."
"Wasn't the best stage because the car was moving around a bit."
"Not confident. There was some fog and I struggled too much. I don't feel the limit of the grip and I slide around – the car is too hard."
"Really tricky conditions and very much on the safe side. Easy to do a mistake. Wow, that was difficult!"
"Very difficult, very slippery and visibility is quite bad in the middle with heavy fog. I had some issues with my wipers and couldn't see properly. Difficult stage for me."