It was November, 2008 when Japan last hosted a round of the World Rally Championship. Sebastien Loeb clinched his record fifth world crown there – he returns with the rest of the WRC circus this week for round 10 of the 2010 season. Sapporo, located on the northerly island of Hokkaido, will play host to Loeb’s possible seventh consecutive title, providing he wins this week’s event and his closest rivals finish outside the top seven. However, once rally gets underway with two passes through the Sapporo Dome's superspecial stage on Thursday evening (Sept. 9), Citroen pilot Loeb looks to drive for the title rather than gun for his sixth win of the campaign. Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen will be a firm favorite to bag his ninth victory at world championship level using Pirelli tires. "I want to finish the season as well as I can so for sure I will try everything to win Rally Japan," said Hirvonen, the 30-year-old from Finland. "The world championship title is not possible (for me) anymore, but with four rallies to go there are two events where I really think I can challenge for the victory, starting with Japan. While it is over for me for the drivers' title, Ford can still win the manufacturers' title and to do that getting wins is vitally important." Hirvonen has triumphed on the WRC's last two visits to Japan, taking victory in 2007 and 2008. "It's a rally I really like," said Hirvonen. "It's similar to Finland, Great Britain and Australia in that you have fast and flowing stages through forests. But it's so unique in other ways because of the culture and the incredible history. Rallying might not be known in the whole country but the fans that come to the event are so fanatical and enthusiastic. For drivers it makes it very enjoyable and gives you a good feeling." "Rally Japan is not one of the most demanding on tires because the surface is not abrasive like on some other gravel rallies," said Pirelli's senior WRC tire engineer Matteo Braga. "Cold temperatures and rain are always a possibility in Japan and with rain you can get some mud and it's possible some ruts can form. There can also be a problem of rocks being pulled onto the road for the second pass, which creates a risk of tire damage because wheel rims can get broken, but it is not a big risk." While the stages on Friday and Saturday will be familiar to the bulk of the competitors, Sunday's gravel stages are all new. To add to the challenge, there is no midday service on day three of the rally, meaning competitors will have to adopt a degree of caution through the six forest stages before they return to Sapporo for the final two runs through the Sapporo Dome superspecial. Rally Japan is one of the shortest events on the WRC schedule with a competitive distance of 188.611 miles over 26 special stages. Action gets underway on Sept. 9, with the ceremonial finish taking place at the Tsukisamu Dome in Sapporo on Sunday Sept. 12.
Formula One Star Kubica Wins on Pirelli Tires
Robert Kubica has claimed Pirelli's first 'Formula One' victory – more than six months before the Italian tire firm will turn a wheel in the season-opening 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli has recently signed a three-year agreement to supply Formula One, GP2 and GP3 with control tires, but remains fully committed to rallying at both national and international levels. Formula One driver Kubica, winner of the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, is a big rally fan - and he claimed two-wheel drive victory with Pirelli on the Rally d'Alpi Orientali last weekend, a round of the Italian championship, at the wheel of a Renault Clio Super 1600. It was the 25-year-old Pole's first class victory in rallying, achieved over the course of a 14-stage, three-day event covering more than 103.7 competitive miles. Kubica's car was equipped with Pirelli's P Zero asphalt tires, which proved to be both fast and reliable. "I just came here to have fun really," said the 25-year-old Kubica, who was placed 13th overall. "I have to be careful not to risk too much, as Formula One is my real job. But I love the challenge of adapting to rallying." The Rally d'Alpi Orientali was held in difficult mixed conditions in the northeast of Italy and proved to be an extremely successful weekend for Pirelli. As well as Kubica's Super 1600 and two-wheel drive victory, Pirelli also won the rally overall with Paolo Andreucci in a Peugeot 207 S2000, Group N4 with Andrea Perego in a Mitsubishi, and Group R3 with Pierre Campana in another Renault Clio.
Pirelli Finishes Inaugural GP3 Series Season at Home with a Flourish
The first season of the GP3 Series, exclusively supplied by Pirelli, comes to an end at Monza in Italy this weekend after eight rounds of thrilling races all over Europe. From start to finish, the all-new championship has showcased close competition. With GP3 heralding Pirelli's return to Formula One next year, the legendary Monza circuit close to Pirelli's headquarters in Milan is a fitting venue to conclude the first season of the championship. Monza is steeped in history, having first hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1922. Now the track will write another fresh chapter in motorsport by setting the scene for the conclusion of the inaugural drivers' and teams' titles in GP3. Once again, 30 ambitious drivers in identical 280-horsepower cars will do battle for supremacy on one of the most prestigious circuits on the calendar, in front of the most influential people in motorsport. The characteristics of Monza reward bravery and commitment, as so much of the 3.72-mile lap is spent at full throttle. Because of the long straights, the cars run with low downforce, meaning that grip is at a premium in the corners and drivers frequently experience understeer. For Pirelli, the Monza races represent a triumphant homecoming that celebrates the Italian company's return to the top level of single-seater racing for the first time in 20 years. Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez is favored to win the GP3 title in Italy, together with his ART team, bringing the series to an exciting conclusion. Practice for GP3 takes place on Friday, Sept. 10 with qualifying and race one on Saturday, Sept. 11. The second race takes place Sunday, Sept. 12, with both races lasting half an hour.