Latest news with #ToyotaGRYarisRally1Hybrid
Observer
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Observer
France's Ogier claims Rally of Sardinia
OLBIAa, Italy: Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier picked up his third win of the season with victory in the Rally of Sardinia on Sunday. The Toyota driver, who is not competing in the full 14 rounds of the WRC, began the day 17 seconds ahead of Ott Tanak (Hyundai), enabling him to control the rally from the front until a late error almost cost him the win. On the final stage, Ogier failed to turn into a tight corner carved with deep ruts and was forced to stop and reverse before restarting. "In the ruts, I just couldn't turn the car," said Ogier. "There was no speed at all, so I didn't try to force it and hit it. I preferred to stop and reverse. Not ideal. Still, it was enough to win." Ogier's fifth win in Sardinia and his 64th career victory lifts him to second in the title race, 19 points behind leader Elfyn Evans, who could only finish fourth in his Toyota. France's Sebastien Ogier and his co-driver France's Vincent Landais steer their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid. — AFP "We have to be satisfied with this weekend," said a positive Evans who lost time with a wheel change on Saturday. "We didn't have any major problems and we're in the championship battle with these guys (who finished ahead of him). They were very fast." The Estonian Tanak closed the gap to Ogier to 8sec but had to settle for second ahead of another Toyota driver, Finland's Kalle Rovanpera who came in 50sec off the lead and drops to third in the title race, a point behind Ogier. It was Toyota's sixth victory in six rallies this season and meant the same podium for the second rally running following Portugal in mid-May. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) rounded out the top five while reigning world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) went off the road on Friday's fifth stage and finished outside the points in 19th position. The next round of the WRC is the Acropolis Rally which takes place in Greece at the end of June. — AFP
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rally drivers protest the swearing ban that has sparked a backlash in Formula 1
FILE - Britain's driver Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martins with Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid, compete during a special stage of WRC Acropolis Rally in Thiva, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) FILE - Belgium's Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe in a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid compete during a special stage of WRC Acropolis Rally in Thiva, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) FILE - Belgium's Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe in a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid compete during a special stage of WRC Acropolis Rally in Thiva, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) FILE - Britain's driver Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martins with Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid, compete during a special stage of WRC Acropolis Rally in Thiva, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) FILE - Belgium's Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe in a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid compete during a special stage of WRC Acropolis Rally in Thiva, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) As Formula 1 drivers grumble about their governing body's crackdown on swearing, their counterparts in rallying staged a protest Wednesday. The FIA, which oversees F1 and the World Rally Championship, has sought to cut down on swearing in its sports since last year, when it punished F1 champion Max Verstappen for using an expletive in a news conference. New rules for 2025 mean drivers who repeatedly swear or make political or religious statements could be suspended or docked points, as well as being fined. Advertisement On Wednesday, rally drivers protested by refusing to give interviews, or only speaking languages other than English, on the TV broadcast following 'shakedown' test runs ahead of the latest championship event in Kenya and indicated they'll keep up that approach for the four-day competition. Standings leader Elfyn Evans spoke Welsh and defending champion Thierry Neuville gave comments only in French. 'It's nice to be in Kenya. Unfortunately, you guys don't hear from me so much this weekend," two-time champion Kalle Rovanperä said. "If that's the case, what we need to do to make a difference, we will do it.' They were protesting because driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined 10,000 euros ($10,900) for using an expletive during an in-car interview broadcast on TV at Rally Sweden last month. The World Rally Drivers Alliance, which represents most top-level WRC crews, said in a statement it was 'taking the responsible decision to remain silent... or to answer in our mother tongue' so as not to risk punishment. Advertisement 'We all agree to keep rudeness at the microphone to a minimum. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a certain freedom of expression and to keep emotions alive while drivers don't need to be afraid of getting punished in any way,' the rally drivers' association said. 'We have asked the president of the FIA for some positive changes in the rules to help us achieve this goal.' The FIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The drivers' association has previously said the FIA's fines are 'exorbitant' and 'vastly disproportionate' to their earnings. Advertisement Wednesday's protest is similar to Verstappen giving brief and vague answers in an FIA news conference at last year's Singapore Grand Prix after the FIA ordered him to perform a work of 'public interest' for swearing. ___ AP auto racing:
