WRC Rally Italia Sardegna 2012

WRC Rally Italia Sardegna 2012 – Preview

RSL Staff

– October 16, 2012Posted in: Featured, News, WRC

The penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia for the last all-gravel event of the season. Moving from May to October this year looks set to provide new dynamics on the stages and innovations this year include new tests near Sassari and competition over four days.

The service park and official start will once again be hosted in Olbia while the finish ceremony, along with headquarters and the main press room, will be located in the elite coastal town of Porto Cervo.

While Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and the Citroën Total World Rally Team have provisionally clinched the titles, the battle for honours in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship continues. A number of crews still have a mathematical chance of claiming this year’s crown and competition will be fierce during the penultimate round of this series.

Accreditation for Rally Italia Sardegna will take place at the Conference Centre, Hotel Tennis Cervo in Porto Cervo.

RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA – ROUTE GRAPHICS

CHANGES TO THE ROUTE SINCE 2011

This year’s rally will start on Thursday afternoon with two runs over the 28.14 kilometre Terranova stage. Friday’s first full day of competition includes two new stages near Sassari – Castelsardo and Tergu-Osilo – the second being a classic Sardinian stage. Saturday takes the crews to traditional forestry stages while Sunday is dedicated to two runs over the Gallura test, the second passage counting as the Power Stage.

RALLY DATA

Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages:

1,241.45 km
306.04 km
16

RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA

Thursday 18 October
Free Practice (P1 and P2 crews) - 07:30-09:30 hrs
Qualifying (P1 and P2 crews) - 10:35-11:15 hrs
Shakedown (P3 and non-priority crews) - 11:30-13:00 hrs
Road Position Selection, Olbia Town Hall - 12:30 hrs
FIA press conference, Subsidiary Press Room, Olbia - 13:30
Start of the rally - 15:00
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone, Olbia - 19:30

Friday 19 October
First car arrives for regroup, remote service and Media Zone, Sassari - 13:08 hrs
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone, Olbia - 19:30 hrs
End of day press conference, Service Park, Olbia - During the 45’ service

Saturday 20 October
‘ROAD’ Press Conference, Subsidiary Press Room, Olbia - 11:00 hrs
First car arrives for mid-day service and Media Zone, Olbia - 12:40 hrs
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone, Olbia - 18:00 hrs
End of day press conference, Service Park, Olbia - During the 45’ service

Sunday 21 October
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone, Olbia - 11:58 hrs
Prize-giving and podium ceremony, Porto Cervo - 12:45 hrs
FIA press conference, Press Room, Porto Cervo - 13:30 hrs

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Thursday 18 October
Michal Kosciuszko, FIA Production Car World Rally Championship
Marcos Ligato, FIA Production Car World Rally Championship
Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën Total World Rally Team
Petter Solberg, Ford World Rally Team
Ott Tänak, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
Chris Atkinson, WRC Team MINI Portugal

Sunday 21 October
Winning FIA Production Car World Rally Championship crew
Top three crews in the overall classification
Representative of the winning entrant

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

‘Meet the Crews’: On Friday and Saturday the top three drivers will attend a ‘Meet the Crews’ session for media and fans. This will take place in the service park on the ‘WRC Stage’ at the earliest opportunity during the end of day 45 minute service.

Autograph Signing Session: On Friday and Saturday selected crews will be available for a 15 minute autograph session. This will take place in the service park during the end of day 45 minute service at the teams’ service areas.

In addition, crews will undertake autographs as follows:
Thursday 18 October, Olbia Town Hall in association with the Road Position Selection
Friday 19 October at the Sassari remote service. Part of the regroup time will be dedicated to meeting children from the local schools invited to visit the event.