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 Rally Portugal
It has not been a good time for the WRC to have one its most turbulent times in its 100 year history, To start the North One issues caused many concerns over whether the WRC would survive never mind whether the rallies would be televised at all, and then the season started with both BMW and Ford both doubtful they would be present, which brought into question Citroen; who were unlikely to remain if there were no real competitors to pit themselves against. In the end Ford did commit to another season and BMW with the Mini, being more complicated to resolve, ended moving across to Motorsport Italia. VW and Proton have also made an appearance, although not as manufacturer teams, making the competition very healthy. Fourth rally in and the organisational shake ups are settling down and being replaced with dramatic decisions on rally.
It is certainly true that you can never predict the results or say rally is boring. Rally Portugal proved to be challenging for both the organisers and competitors this year.
Sebastién Loeb and Daniel Elena spun out of Rally Portugal on the third night stage on the Thursday night and were forced to retire with a damaged security roll bar. Surprisingly the crash was due to an error on the crews part where Sebastién, arriving at a crest with a following right, turned left.
The team looked at the video footage and decided that with Sebastién saying it was normal gravel conditions and he was not travelling excessively fast something else happened, they discovered that just before the right there was a left kink and the team felt Sebastién saw the this and was influenced by the kink which caused him to mishear Daniel's instructions.
By the end of the rally the victory appeared to be with Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, with Hirvonen moving into the World Rally Championship lead as he claimed his first victory for the Citroen team.
The Finn ended up dominating an extraordinarily difficult rally, on a weekend when all the other usual frontrunners made mistakes.
The error made by Sebastién Loeb on the opening night on Thursday, was followed by the Ford duo Jari-Matti Latvala and Petter Solberg, who slid out of the lead on consecutive stages amid torrential rain on the Friday. That left Hirvonen to control the rest of the weekend. His final margin of victory was 1m51.8s over Adapta Ford's Mads Ostberg and Jonas Andersson, with Russian Evgeny Novikov (M-Sport Ford) securing his maiden WRC podium in third. Both independent Ford driver's survived final day scares - Mad's car developing a misfire on Sunday morning, and Evgeny driving most of the final loop with a broken throttle pedal.
Despite this issue, Evgeny and Denis Giraudet managed to hang on just ahead of Petter Solberg - who surged back up the order under Rally 2 to take fourth, even though a power steering failure cost him more time on Saturday afternoon. Team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala had a fuel pressure problem on leg three and lost 12 more minutes on top of his Friday crash delay, and had to settle for 14th place and two power stage bonus points.
Nasser Al-Attiyah recovered from a late puncture on his Citroen to win a close fight for fifth with Czech National Ford driver Martin Prokop, as both celebrated career-best WRC finishes. Dennis Kuipers took seventh on his first appearance of 2012 in an M-Sport Ford, despite Sebastian Ogier's best efforts to catch him in his Skoda S2000. Thierry Neuville was in the top five for Citroen Junior until his car overheated on Friday morning.
None of the Minis made it into the top 10. Local hero Armindo Araujo's weekend went awry early when he crashed on Thursday night, and Prodrive's Patrik Sandell lost fourth place to damaged suspension on Saturday afternoon. Sandell's team-mate Dani Sordo took a number of stage wins as he flew under Rally 2 following Thursday evening electrical issues, although a later exhaust problem and punctures limited him to 12th at the finish, although securing three points for winning the power stage.
However, late Sunday, news began to trickle out that the Citroen of Mikko and Jarmo was still in scrutineering and the rally results were not being announced. Then came the shocking news that Mikko and Jarmo were to be stripped of the win due to the Citroen running an non homologated clutch and, in addition the turbo compressor turbine wheel was too large, and the rally win went to Mads Ostberg and Jonas Andersson, and their first WRC win, with Evgeny Novikov and Denis Giraudet and Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson securing second and third places in the overall rally results.
The exclusion also means that Sebastién and Daniel remain at the top of the drivers and co-drivers' standings, with Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson lying four points behind. The Citroen lead is now reduced to 12 points with Ford coming up fast. Whether the results will remain, I am unsure, as Citroen Team Manager, Yves Matton, is to put in an appeal to the organisers.
"We had no intention whatsoever to cheat and the decision appears out of proportion. Given the fact that the reported differences didn't bring us any advantage, we've decided to appeal.
"At the moment, most of all I feel sorry for Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, who produced a superb performance on a particularly difficult rally. They really deserved their first win with us. All I can do, on behalf of the entire team, is offer my sincere apologies for this situation. I hope that Mikko and Jarmo will have the chance to top the podium again very soon."
Devastating to Mikko and Jarmo, but for Mads and Jonas Andersson it is the first genuine privateer WRC rally win since Gianfranco Cunico and Stefano Evangelisti won the 1993 Rallye Sanremo for Ford. I await the appeal verdict's decision!
 ALMS
Guy Smith, sporting his new Stilo ST4 Quattro FN, made a great start to his defence of the American Le Mans Series title when he claimed maximum points in the Sebring 12 Hours in Florida. While the Welton-based race ace took the chequered flag in eighth place, Smith was vitally the best-placed ALMS P1 class registered car home in the annual Sebring race – the opening event of this year's 10-round endurance sportscar championship staged in North America. Guy, driving a brand new British-built Lola B12/60 Mazda Coupé which had only turned a wheel for the first time a week earlier, plus co-drivers Chris Dyson (US) and Steven Kane (N Ireland) completed 317-laps, with Guy driving three stints behind the wheel, totalling almost five hours in the race run in hot weather conditions. The next ALMS race is at Long Beach, California, on 14 April and is a two-hour race around the 1.968-mile street circuit.
"I'm happy with our class win considering the 'newness' of our Lola," commented Guy. "We didn't expect to be particularly fast straight out of the 'box' and was just aiming to get the car home to the finish. Unfortunately for them, our main ALMS title rival encountered a problem in the closing stages which promoted us but we'll take our good fortune on this occasion.
The Stilo helmet was also fantastic, so comfy and the light weight was really noticeable. Last year my neck was sore after a long stint, but after this race, I didn't have a twinge. Brilliant!"
 Brands Hatch Launches 2012 Season with Action all the Way
I went up to the BTCC media day, as Jason Plato and Andy Neates' Stilo ST Quattro FN wide's were ready for them. The pair were surrounded by media – cameras – microphones and recorders and I had only a few moments to be able to go through the features and make sure the lids fitted them properly before the next interview took them over.
"just got my first Stilo Zero helmet from @nickygrist today. OMG light is an understatement! Cheers Nicky"
@jasonplato 7:53 PM - 19 Mar 12 via Twitter for iPhone
"Received my first of the latest Stilo helmet from @nickygrist today. This helmet is the nuts, it's so light it floats! Best lid I've ever seen"
@andyneate 5:25 PM - 19 Mar 12 via Twitter for iPhone ·
As it turned out the first BTCC weekend at Brand Hatch couldn't have been more exciting and gave the 30,000 spectators on the Sunday an immense day of action. The Triple eight team pulled out all the stops and with hardly any testing at all, found Jason Plato qualifying in third with Matt Neale in his new Honda Civic qualifying in second. with Dave Newsham in his Team ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra Team ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra taking pole.
The race started eventfully, with cars running off at Paddock Bend then settled into Matt Neale pushing Dave for the lead, with JP attacking the pair. Along the start finish straight, JP saw an opportunity and went for a closing space on the pit lane side, but ended up touching the rear wing of Dave Newsham's car, resulting in Newsham spinning off into the barriers at Paddock Hill bend, and the ultimately resulting in JP losing a number of placers. The win went to Rob Collard with Matt Neale coming in second and the second EBay motors BMW of Stilo wearer, Ton Onslow-Cole coming in third.
The second race started no less excitingly with, Rob Collard converting his pole position into the lead, ahead of Matt Neal and Tom Onslow-Cole. However Onslow-Cole was soon handed a drive-through penalty for jumping the start.
Before he could take his penalty, Onslow-Cole had lost a couple of places. Plato took the inside line on the way up to Druids on lap two and then Plato, Gordon Shedden and Andrew Jordan all passed the BMW.
While he opened up a sizeable lead on the first lap, Collard was soon forced to defend from Neal and Plato. It only took the two NGTC runners until lap five to find a way past. Neal claimed the inside line as they headed through Clearways and Plato positioned his MG so he could follow the new leader into Paddock Hill Bend. However, it was clear that the MG's battle had caused the tyres to wear and the later half of the race saw JP struggling to maintain grip. It was still a very delighted JP who came in third behind the youngest competitor on the track, Andrew Jordan in the Pirtek Racing Honda, who had slipped through in the final lap of the race - A much relieved Matt Neale taking the win.
The stakes were then set for the reverse grid line up for the third race. JP started in 6th with Matt Jackson in 5th and Andrew Jordan and Matt Neale in 7th and 8th respectively. As soon as the race started JP was hard on Matt Jackson and Andrew Jordan, pushing to get to the front, when, on lap 4, Matt went wide on Paddock and causing his front splitter and sump to crack, spilling fluid onto the racing line into Druids. The duelling pair of JP and Andrew Jordan saw Matt going off at Druids, but were to absorbed in the battle to Graham Hill to notice things in their rear view mirrors.
All those on the racing line behind JP and Andrew were caught by the dunked fluid and became passengers in their cars, sliding one after the other into the ravel at Druids. Ultimately there were seven cars taken out by the spill and the race had to stop to allow the marshalls time to clear the cars and lay cement dust over the spilt oil.
Some were able to get back to the start finish line and start at the back of the grid. Rob Collard led the pack away with Rob Austin in second and Andrew Jordan in third, followed by JP. Matt Neal did not have such a great start and ended up going onto the grass and rejoining at the back. Dave Newsham, overtook JP tree laps in but was retaken by Jason on Clearways, after Dave went wide, with clear handling issues.
Andy Neate, was not having such a good day, and, after the re-stat was given a drive through penalty and ended up out of contention at the back of the pack. By this time, JP could see a win and attacked hard, taking the front runners on his favourite spot at Clearways, with the MG having a clear speed advantage down the straight. Once at the front, even second runner, Andrew Jordan was unable to catch him, and JP took the car home to victory, with Andrew second and Dave Newsham in third.
I do not think anyone, including Jason himself, expected that and I am sure the celebrations went on through the night. So, JP leads the championship after the first weekend, ahead of Matt by four points. However, Jason's celebrations were dampened further into the evening when the organisers announced that Jason was to receive a fine and 3 points on his race licence for the contact made with Dave Newsham in the first race.
 The HRDC
The HRDC will dedicate its full programme of five historic races at the Castle Combe 'Historica' meeting on 9 April to the achievements of Alan Mann, who passed away on 21 March.
HRDC Race Director Julius Thurgood relays: "Alan Mann was a great friend and mentor to me and his encouragement towards the formation of the HRDC was inspirational, especially when the going was tough. His consistent encouragement and conviction that the HRDC ethos of serving the historic race driver was worthy of his support has inspired me to take this project forward to the highest level.
"Alan will be greatly missed by all in the racing fraternity, but especially so by all the friends and allies that he made latterly in the historic sector. Hopefully, in time, his son Henry will continue with Alan's plan to run the Alan Mann Racing Ford Prefect 107E in HRDC Touring Greats this season. It would never do to lose the evocative and inspiring sight of the Alan Mann Racing livery in historic racing. Because of Alan's universal popularity in the HRDC Paddock, it is therefore fitting that the HRDC dedicates all five of its races at Castle Combe to the memory of the many extraordinary achievements and the generosity of spirit that were the hallmarks of this great man."
A specially commissioned trophy dedicated to Alan Mann will be awarded by the HRDC at this meeting, to the competitor/team that displays the key elements of Alan Mann's racing philosophy: "Preparation, Determination, Presentation and Skill".
Some 47 entries alone have been received for the headline HRDC 'Touring Greats' 45-minute race event, which bodes well for a fantastic day of historic racing at this traditional April 'Must Do' meeting at the friendly Castle Combe venue this coming Easter Monday
 Endurance Road Rally Championship
There are just over two weeks to go if you want to get a discounted entry for the third round of the 2012 Endurance Road Rally Championship, the Ross Endurance on Saturday 28th April – and the deadline is an easy one to remember, it's Easter Day! Get your entries in ASAP by post or online – head to www.rossmotorsports.co.uk/News.htm for regs and entry forms. The organising team has even found you somewhere to stay.
It's a brand new and exciting event for the championship and we look forward to seeing you there.
Please see http://endurance-rallying.co.uk/ for everything you need to know about the Endurance Road Rally Championship.
 The Sebastién Loeb Racing Team
The unfortunate demise of Sebastién and Daniel in the WRC Rally Portugal, did allow Sebastién to be present for the launch of his new venture -
Sebastién Loeb and Dominique Heintz (Team Manager) presented the official team in the heart of the city which gave birth to the most successful automobile racing driver.
In the presence of many players in the French motorsport, community members and regional partners, Sebastién Loeb and Dominique Heintz presented the Sebastién Loeb Racing team, which will take it's first steps on the track in 2012.
The sports program will focus on the Matmut Porsche Carrera Cup and the European Le Mans Series, with a motto: as high as possible, as quickly as possible. The ambition is there: the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013.
The two founders wanted to make the official presentation in Alsace, a region that is dear to their heart.
"It was important for us to do it in Haguenau," confirmed Sebastién "Running a team is a new challenge, but our adventure began here fifteen years ago. Our roots are in Alsace and the team is also based a few miles from here at Soultz-sous-Forêts. The human aspect is an integral part of this challenge, so we wanted to present the team here."
Now eight times World Rally Champion (WRC) - a record - Sebastién Loeb has lived a "special moment" according to his own words. "Every day, our project is more concrete," he says. "This presentation is a new step forward in the competitive debut of the team. This is a turning point: we have presented both our ambitions, our program and our first partners. We have launched!"
On the menu, a double program in France in 2012 with the Matmut Porsche Carrera Cup where the team will start with two Porsche 997 GT3 Cups. The running of the GT3 in the French FFSA GT Championship is not exclusive. Internationally, the team will engage in the European Le Mans Series in the category LMPC (Le Mans Prototype Challenge), reserved for the Formula Le Mans. Participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours is also under consideration.
"Clearly, Le Mans is our goal" says Dominique Heintz. "It's a race that is a dream, a myth which represents an enormous challenge. To meet this challenge by 2013, we have to a good base to work from. This is the case with the Matmut Porsche Carrera Cup, a monotype series which is a indicator, and with the Formula Le Mans, which will allow us to gain experience in the prototype before a running in in the LMP2."
With youth and gentlemen drivers
Dominique Heintz discovered and launched Loeb's rallying career. With the idea of seeing history repeat itself on the track the two men begin this new chapter. "Putting trust in a young person, this is what happened in 1986, and that's what I did with Sebastian in 1996. Focus on Youth, sharing a passion is the basis of our friendship," says Dominique.
"Allowing a young talent to climb the various levels as was the case for me would be just fantastic," added Sebastian. "This is one of our goals, and generally, it is the philosophy of the Loeb Racing team. We have established a program based on this criterion: and we will participate in the championships which are intended for both youth and gentlemen drivers."
High goals!
With eight World Rally Champion titles, Sebastién Loeb is a great competitor. Dominique Heintz is one too. Not surprisingly, the Loeb Racing team will therefore be aiming for the top step of the podium. "We want to target wining in all programs" admits Dominique. "It's ambitious for a team that is starting, but the image of Sebastian. We cannot have other goals other than winning. This has been the case since its inception. Jump as high as possible, as quickly as possible. For this, we need to do things right. We are two people with a lot of passion, but also two competitors. We want to act in a professional manner: it is not an adventure for fun. This is a business project that is long-term."
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