Thread: WRC '09 season opener - Ireland

This race is a great one! Fighting the rugged Irish winter with Guiness... and speed! Founders Ronan Morgan and Sean O'Connor and their large support team have a lot to be proud of.

And since it all began in 2005 Rally Ireland has continually increased in size. Here are just a few numbers: in excess of 250,000 spectators lined the stages and the rally is now worth more than ?48 million to the local economy. Good stuff for the community, good work!

This baby starts January 30, enjoy!

Last time around in Ireland the frenchman beat is fellow Citroen driver Dani Sordo from Spain by less than a minute!

The most decorated rally racer of all time, Loeb will be looking to start strong for sure... if u want the 2009 WRC title "come and get it" he says. Did i mention he just won 5 in a row?

Let's grab a plane for Ireland...

Catch him if u can
Loeb-ireland.jpg

Subaru pulled out of the Championship at the end of last year - that was quite a shock - now Solberg cant compete for the season opener...

Somebody give this legend a car!!

Heres what he had to say about the upcoming rally:
?At Rally Ireland we will get a chance to see who will be challenging this year. I believe Loeb will be close again but it will be interesting to see how the top four perform in Ireland. There is also some great talent coming through and people should be watching Sebastien Ogier this year as he had a great year last year.?


Ill check up on this Ogier driver...

FIA 2008 World Junior Champ of the year, Ogier doesnt stop making headlines... he's the new ''enfant cheri'' of France.

Recently, he won the 77th edition of the Monte-Carlo rally. Not only did he win it in his first participation to the ruthless race but he also won it in a new car, the Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Cant wait to see him in Ireland in similar weather conditions!!

The latest forecast for the weekend of the race promises everything short of plague and pestilence. There is little doubt the conditions will prove challenging, even for some of the best drivers on the planet. The highly-skilled technicians who help keep the cars on the road are already planning for the worst.


The route is a mix of flowing mountain roads and tight, twisty farm lanes. The lanes are bumpy and narrow ? often little more than the width of a car ? with many surface changes.


We are gonna see some divine driving skills!! its gonna be amazing...

Who can stop this ''guy''?

Hail, rain or shine, it doesn't seem to matter to Loeb. He may not be able to walk on water but he can certainly drive on it.

Standings after first race :
1. S. LOEB (F) 10 Pts
2. D. SORDO (E) 8 Pts
3. M. HIRVONEN (FIN) 6 Pts
4. H. SOLBERG (N) 5 Pts
5. C. ATKINSON (AUS) 4 Pts
6. S. OGIER (F) 3 Pts

Solberg got a car!! Ogier nice start also... cool