RALLYRACC – RALLY DE ESPAÑA 2022, October 20-23, 2022
2022 FIA World Rally Championship, round 12
For immediate release
Thursday, October 20th, 2022
OGIER RETURNS TO WRC ACTION AND IS FASTEST IN SPAIN SHAKEDOWN
SALOU (Spain): The French crew of Sébastien Ogier and Benjamin Veillas set the fastest run of 2min 40.1sec on the 4.21km shakedown stage that wound its way across the abrasive asphalt and through the morning cloud and drizzle on the Col de la Teixata to the west of Salou.
The eight-time World Champion announced his return to WRC action in clinical fashion in a shakedown where tyre choice was critical and Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers dominated the top of the leader board. Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta, Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans were evenly matched in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1s with competitive times on soft compound tyres.
Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet split the Toyotas with a best run of 2min 41.3sec in his Ford Puma Rally1.
Spaniard Pepe López topped the WRC2 times with a best of 2min 52.3sec. His closest rivals were Alejandro Cachón, Jari Huttunen, Stéphane Sarrazin, and title contender Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
After a slight delay because of the sheer number of spectators, newly-crowned World Champion Rovanperä was the first to sample the slippery Spanish asphalt and the Finn clocked an opener of 2min 45.2sec on a soft tyre compound. He said: “It’s going to be a bit more relaxed weekend for us but we try and do the maximum, like always, to help the team win the Manufacturers’ Championship.”
Ott Tänak opted for hard tyres and dropped 13.5 seconds to the Finn. “Hard tyres and full wet, it is difficult to get any idea,” said the 2019 World Champion. Thierry Neuville added: “We have always been fast over here but we are not the only ones. If the feeling with the car is good, it’s going to be fun.”
Evans ran quickest of the first five drivers with a 2min 44.6sec. The Welshman said: “It’s looking like a tricky start to the rally and we need to keep our noses clean on Friday. It was slippery in there and difficult to get the confidence early on.”
Craig Breen and co-driver Paul Nagle began their 25th and last WRC event together with a run of 2min 56.0sec. The Irishman said: “We will try our best. It’s a nice rally in front of us. Let’s see what we can do.”
As the Hyundais and M-Sport Fords struggled on hard compound tyres in the wet conditions, Ogier then topped the times on his first pass with a 2min 42.4sec flier. “I think it’s going to be about being committed and going for it. We have nothing to lose so we are going to try.”
Evans ran fastest overall with a 2min 41.6sec on his second pass, as the Toyotas dominated the early exchanges and their rivals struggled for three passes on the wrong tyres for the conditions. Rovanperä then tied with the Welshman on his second run and then shaved one-tenth of a second off the fastest time on run three.
The Finn’s time was then surpassed by a returning Ogier, who carded a 2min 40.1sec pass, and Katsuta moved up to second with Toyotas dominating the first four positions.
The M-Sport Fords then tackled the stage on fresh tyres and were competitive from the outset, with Loubet, Gus Greensmith and Fourmaux all running strongly and Loubet displacing two of the Toyotas to move into third.
Rally de España 2022 – shakedown times (Priority 1 drivers only @12.45hrs):
1. Sébastien Ogier (FRA)/Benjamin Veillas (FRA) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2min 40.1sec
2. Takamoto Katsuta (JPN)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2min 41.0sec
3. Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA)/Vincent Landais (FRA) Ford Puma Rally1 2min 41.3sec
4. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN)/Jonne Halttunen (FIN) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2min 41.5sec
5. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2min 41.6sec
6. Gus Greensmith (GBR)/Jonas Andersson (SWE) Ford Puma Rally1 2min 43.9sec
7. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA)/Alexandre Coria (FRA) Ford Puma Rally1 2min 46.1sec
8. Craig Breen (IRL)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Ford Puma Rally1 2min 50.4sec
9. Ott Tänak (EST)/Martin Järveoja (EST) Hyundai i20 N Rally1 2min 52.9sec
10. Dani Sordo (ESP)/Candido Carrera (ESP) Hyundai i20 N Rally1 2min 53.2sec
11. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL) Hyundai i20 N Rally1 2min 53.3sec
12. Jourdain Serderidis (GRC)/Fréderic Miclotte (BEL) Ford Puma Rally1 2min 55.1sec
Ends
For further media information:
www.wrc.com