The Challenge:
Little compares to listening to a rally car being driven on its limit in a forest stage. The screaming exhaust note echoes through the trees, the spectators grow silent as all ears turn to the fast-approaching car. Then, coming into view through twists and turns is the sight of a Team TOTAL rally machine in full flight. This is what sets rallying apart from other motor sports.
Six of the event’s 12 stages are played out in the Longmore Forest, and Team TOTAL heads to the Nelson Mandela Metro this weekend for the Volkswagen Rally to add more silverware to its ever-growing trophy cabinet.
Team TOTAL is the largest privateer rally team in the South African Rally Championship with its four-car squad. The Volkswagen Rally is usually a happy hunting ground for the home team, the BP Volkswagen Rally Team, but their supremacy on this event will come into question this weekend with strong competition from Toyota and Ford crews. A total of 19 Class S2000, ten Class S1600 and three Class S1400 entries will take to the start ramp on Friday, to do battle in the forest speed tests. Severe rain in recent weeks wreaking havoc on the roads, the slippery conditions in the Longmore Forest will be even more intimidating this time round. Full commitment and bravery in bucketfuls will be required for this technical yet high-speed event.
With two cars in the premier Class S2000 and two in the hotly contested Class S1600, Team TOTAL looks to set tongues wagging this weekend when it unveils its new livery. The Class S2000 crews of Jean-Pierre Damseaux/Carolyn Swan and Mohammed Moosa/Grant Martin have a big surprise for their rally fans this weekend. All will be revealed at the start ramp at noon on Friday at Volkswagen’s AutoPavilion centre in Uitenhage.
The Expectations:
Mohammed Moosa (#9 Team TOTAL):
“We are on a learning curve at the moment, and in Port Elizabeth we will be going out to find our feet. This rally’s route is great. Forest stages are wonderful for rallying in. Also, the compact nature of the route allows for spectators to see more action, is easier for crews and teams in terms of logistics and we can push it over the repeat stages.”
Jean-Pierre Damseaux (#10 Team TOTAL):
“This event is always an interesting one, and the recent rains will make it even more so. The route is similar to that of 2010, and we know the stages well. The long stage in Longmore Forest, the 34km test, will be the event’s decider. It will be especially important to avoid punctures and to post a good and clean run through that stage on Friday and Saturday. I’m looking forward to this event!”
Junior Championship contenders Craig Trott/Robbie Coetzee (#52 Team TOTAL) and Stefanie Botha/Angela Shields (#60 Team TOTAL) will continue their assault on the Class S1600 title. The experienced Trott, former multiple Class Champion, will be aiming to drive his Team TOTAL Toyota RunX to the podium once more this season. Teammates Botha and Shields are looking to the forest stages to re-assert their speed on Championship standings.
The Route:
The rally’s action kicks off at noon on Friday from the Volkswagen AutoPavilion and heads immediately for three stages in the Longmore Forest before returning to Uitenhage to take on two tar Super Special stages. Competition on Day One will end at 18h00.
Day Two starts at 08h00 from the Volkswagen AutoPavilion once more with crews heading to the PE Oval Track for the day’s first gravel stage. Friday’s three gravel tests will then be repeated before teams head to a brand new stage at the Nelson Mandela Bay football stadium in Port Elizabeth’s North End. The final stage of the event is the traditional shoot-out on the King’s Beach parking lot, with the event finishing at 15h00.
Follow Team TOTAL:
For news, stage times and photographs live from the event, visit us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/pBFCpZ and on Twitter at http://bit.ly/jBLu4j. You may also download this event’s Spectator Guide at http://bit.ly/q4FTSb.
