VIDEOS: Monte Carlo Rally 2013 Videos

Watch all the videos of the amazing 2013 WRC curtain raiser – Monte Carlo – including the amazing, auspicious VW Polo R WRC debut on our Facebook page. An hour very well spent this lunchtime I think you will agree...?

NEWS: Citroën Announce New DS3 RRC: Regional Rally Car

Following the success of the Citroën Racing DS3 WRC, here is the new WRC-inspired DS3 Regional Rally Car (RRC) for private drivers, designed to gradually replace the Super 2000 style rally cars. The car has been built to be used in championships below WRC level, including ERC and some national championships. Citroën say: "Visually different, with slight changes under the bonnet, the RRC otherwise maintains the key strengths of the DS3 WRC. We are proud to present the DS3 RRC. Faithfully derived from the DS3 WRC, the double World Rally Championship-winning car*, this version has been designed for private drivers and is suitable for use in a wide variety of competitions (WRC-2, ERC, MERC, etc.)."
Having come into force at the start of 2011, the new FIA World Rally Cars regulations allow manufacturers to produce a Regional Rally Car (RRC) variant of their models. Set to gradually replace cars in the Super 2000 category, these products are intended for use in the championships below the level of the WRC: WRC- 2 (formerly S-WRC), European Rally Championship (ERC), Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), some national championships and so on.
The World Rally Championship-winning car in 2011 and 2012*, the Citroën DS3 WRC is now available in an RRC version. Visually, the two models are different since the regulations are more restrictive as regards aerodynamic features on the RRC. The bumper intakes are smaller and the rear spoiler complies with the S2000 standards.
Under the bonnet, the 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine has been slightly modified, with a specific engine flywheel and a 30mm booster flange (compared with 33mm on the WRC). Maximum power output therefore drops to 275bhp. The other significant change concerns the brakes in tarmac configuration: the diameter of the discs has been reduced from 355 to 350mm and the water-cooling system has been removed.
Aside from these changes, the Citroën DS3 RRC maintains all the strengths of its big sister: reinforced body with welded, multi-point roll cage offering a high level of safety and resilience, MacPherson suspensions and Citroën Racing adjustable shock absorbers, six-speed sequential gearbox, etc.
Developed over the summer during test sessions on gravel and tarmac, the Citroën DS3 RRC is now available for leasing from Citroën Racing Technologies. Its modest running costs and versatility make it an intermediary option between the DS3 R3 and the DS3 WRC.

Looks terrific and we hope the new RRC cars will revitalise the privateer rallying scene. Tres bon Citroën!  

DS3 RRC TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
CHASSIS
Structure Reinforced body with welded, multi-point roll cage
Bodywork Steel and composite fibre

ENGINE
Type Citroën Racing - 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine, with a 30mm
diam flange
Bore x stroke 82x75.5mm
Capacity 1,598cc
Maximum power 275bhp at 6,000rpm
Maximum torque 350Nm at 3,250rpm
Distribution Double overhead camshaft valve train driven by timing belt
4 valves per cylinder
Fuel feed Direct injection controlled by Magneti Marelli SRP-HP unit

CLUTCH
Type Cerametallic twin-disk

TRANSMISSION
Type Four-wheel drive
Gearbox Sadev six-speed sequential - Manual control
Differential Front and rear mechanical, auto-locking

BRAKES
Front Ventilated disks, 350mm (tarmac) and 300mm (gravel)
Water-cooled 4-piston callipers (tarmac)
Rear 300mm - 4-piston callipers
Distribution Adjustable from cockpit
Handbrake Hydraulic control

SUSPENSION
Type MacPherson
Shock absorbers Citroën Racing three-way adjustable shock absorbers
(low- and high-speed compression and rebound)

STEERING
Type Hydraulic power-assisted steering

WHEELS
Tarmac 8x18’’ wheels - Michelin tyres
Gravel and snow 7x15’’ wheels - Michelin tyres

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES
Length / Width 3,948mm / 1,820mm
Wheel base 2,461mm
Track 1,618mm (front and rear)
Fuel tank 75 litres
Weight 1,200kg minimum / 1,350kg with driver pairing (regulations)

* Subject to publication of the official results by the FIA. 

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB Highlights

Here's all the action from Wales Rally GB this weekend. The 1604-kilometre, 19-stage (325kms) event, drier than usual thanks to its move out of Winter to the end of Summer on the WRC calendar, finally gave Finnish Yari-Matti Latvala a Rally GB win, in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC. He won eight from 19 special stages and completed the event in 3 hours 3 minutes 40.3 seconds, almost a whole half a minute quicker than second-placed Frenchman Sébastien Loeb's Citroen DS3 WRC. Latvala's Norwegian Ford team-mate Petter Solberg completed the podium after losing out to Loeb by the tiny margin of 0.9 seconds, in one of the closest dog fights on the event for years. Ace! See more news and special stage times at: www.walesrallygb.com

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB: Shakedown

Here's the highlights from the Rally GB shakedown, from a remarkable sunny and warm Wales... bring on the special stage action!

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Germany Preview

It's the 30th anniversary of Rally Germany this weekend, and the 10th time the tarmac event has been run in the WRC calendar. Super-Seb Loeb has won the event a massive eight times, in a row... but super-Seb Ogier robbed that off Loeb last year, so what will happen this year? Can the Scandinavian drivers in their  Fords challenge the French drivers in their Citroens? The smart money says no... but, as Didier Auriol used to say: "You can never count on anything... it's rallying, no!" Friday sees the stages blast through the vineyards, on fast flowing roads. Saturday is on the painful airfields, with their tyre-shredding tarmac and lethal hinklesteins and Sunday is a sprint day, with final power stage through Trier. Bring it on!

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Mexico Day 3 (Part 2/2)

The final video of the action in the heat and dust of Rally Mexico... and we'll let you watch it to see who wins between Loeb, Hirvonen and Solberg... great gravel rally. Tequilas all round! Shaping up to be a great season... don't you think?

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Mexico Day 3 (Part 1/2)

Sebastien Loeb, Mikko Hirvonen and Petter Solberg get stuck into the final day... but who will win Rally Mexico?

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Rally Guanajuato México: Day 2 Highlights

All the action from Day Two of WRC Mexico 2012. Some fabulous flat out, sixth gear stuff...

VIDEO: WRC 2012: Rally Guanajuato México Day 1 Highlights

First of four videos showing all the action from the first gravel round of WRC 2012... enjoy the dusty, big jump action...