Με πλούσιο θέαμα και εντυπωσιακά περάσματα, ολοκληρώθηκε, πριν από λίγο, η ανάβαση της Θίσβης, αγώνας που προσμετρούσε στο πανελλήνιο πρωτάθλημα. Περισσότεροι από 50 οδηγοί, κάλυψαν από δύο φορές την ειδική διαδρομή των 5,2 χιλιομέτρων και από το σύνολο των χρόνων, αναδείχτηκαν οι νικητές των τριών κατηγοριών (Α, Ν και Ε).

Στην κατηγορία Α, το come back του Μάριου Ηλιόπουλου, μετά το ατύχημα που είχε στην Κύμη, ήταν εντυπωσιακό, γεγονός που αποτυπώνεται και στους χρόνους. Ο οδηγός με το Peugeot 206 WRC, άφησε 12,78 δευτερόλεπτα πίσω του, τον δεύτερο της κατηγορίας, επιβεβαιώνοντας την μεγάλη οδηγική του κλάση ενώ, προσέθεσε άλλο ένα λιθαράκι για κατάκτηση και του φετινού τίτλου. Και σε αυτό τον αγώνα, τον κορυφαίο Έλληνα οδηγό στήριξαν οι  ναυτιλιακές εταιρείες ΑΝΕΚ, Top Ships και Sea Jets. Από εκεί και πέρα, στην κατηγορία Ν, την πρώτη θέση κατέκτησε ο Σταμάτης Κατσίμης με Mitsubishi EVO 9 και στην κατηγορία Ε καλύτερο χρόνο έκανε ο Λεωνίδας Κύρκος για τον οποίο, όμως, εκκρεμεί ένσταση όσον αφορά την ποιότητα καυσίμου.

Η συνέχεια του πανελληνίου πρωταθλήματος θα δοθεί στις 3-4 Ιουλίου με την ανάβαση στον Αχλαδόκαμπο.

By Mario

Με την ανάβαση της Ριτσώνας, ξεκίνησε το πανελλήνιο πρωτάθλημα στην οποία συμμετείχαν 121 οδηγοί από όλη την Ελλάδα. Στη γνωστή ειδική διαδρομή, οι θεατές, είχαν δώσει ραντεβού από νωρίς περιμένοντας με αγωνία τις μάχες αλλά και να θαυμάσουν από κοντά για δεύτερη φορά το μοναδικό, στην Ελλάδα, αγωνιστικό Peugeot 207 S2000.

Με οδηγό τον πρωταθλητή αναβάσεων στην κατηγορία Ε, Μάριο Ηλιόπουλο το 207 έδειξε από τις δοκιμές του Σαββάτου ότι, μπορεί να παίξει πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο στην κατηγορία Ν οπότε και προσμετρούσε. Όμως, κάποια προβλήματα με το σασμάν αλλά και το λάθος set up στις αναρτήσεις είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα να κόψουν τον ρυθμό του εντυπωσιακού “Mario”, που παρ’ όλα αυτά κατάφερε να ανέβει στο βάθρο της κατηγορίας του. Να σημειώσουμε ότι, τον οδηγό στηρίζουν και φέτος οι ναυτιλιακές εταιρείες, ΑΝΕΚ, Top Ships και Sea Jets. Ο επόμενος αγώνας θα διεξαχθεί στις 8-9 Μαΐου στην Κύμη.

Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen today won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally in the new M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car after leading from start to finish on its competitive debut. Ford’s official FIA World Rally Championship team drivers mastered treacherous winter conditions in the mountains of southern France to reach the finish at Monaco’s famous harbour with a 1min 51.4sec advantage.

The Fiesta S2000 has been developed by Ford’s rally partner, M-Sport, and the five-day Monte Carlo Rally offered the toughest of debuts. However, the car never missed a beat over 405.01km of competition, to provide a perfect start to the 2010 campaign for Hirvonen and Lehtinen.

The expertise of the Finns, runners-up in the 2009 world championship, proved invaluable behind the wheel of the exciting new Fiesta S2000. The rally also provided them with an ideal warm-up for the forthcoming WRC season, which begins in Sweden next month. The Monte Carlo Rally was the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), for which M-Sport is a registered contender, and delighted company boss Malcolm Wilson watched live television coverage of the closing kilometres in the service park as Hirvonen safely guided the Fiesta S2000 to victory. Snow and ice littered the mountain roads in the Ardèche and Alpes-Maritimes regions and grip levels constantly changed in the slippery conditions. However, Pirelli’s tyres were a match for the weather and Hirvonen didn’t make a single mistake over the 15 speed tests.

"The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the world’s great rallies and it’s a big thrill to win here," said 29-year-old Hirvonen. "It was a long, hard event and the conditions made the challenge even tougher. This car is brand new to competition but everything worked perfectly from the first kilometre. That’s a tribute to the whole team, and particularly the people who put in so much effort over the last two weeks. "To start the season with a win is a big confidence boost. I enjoy the winning feeling and I want to carry on like this when the WRC starts next month in Sweden," added Hirvonen.

M-Sport managing director Wilson said: "It’s a dream debut for our new Fiesta S2000. We led from the first stage to the last and didn’t experience a single problem, which is hugely encouraging for a new car. Mikko drove at exactly the pace he needed to win and his feedback will be crucial in our further development of the Fiesta.

"I would also like to thank the team at M-Sport, which has put so much effort and commitment into turning this car from a blank sheet of paper into a Monte Carlo Rally winner in just nine months," added Wilson. Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s motorsport chief, said: "I’m delighted to see the Ford Fiesta S2000 winning such a prestigious event as the Monte Carlo Rally. The fact the car won its debut rally is a testament to the continued strong relationship between Ford and M-Sport and the companies share great technical expertise in developing rally cars. The strength and reliability so evident in the Fiesta road car have provided the perfect base from which to develop the Fiesta S2000."

Newly-crowned Junior World Rally Champion Martin Prokop will drive the all-new Ford Fiesta S2000 next season in the first year of a long-term plan with Ford’s rally machinery. The 27-year-old Czech will tackle seven rounds of the new FIA WRC Cup and S-WRC*, beginning with the opening rally in Sweden in February.

Prokop and co-driver Jan Tománek plan to use next season as a platform from which to step up to the primary WRC in 2011. Prokop’s Jipocar Racing team will prepare and maintain the Fiesta S2000 from its base in Jihlava, Czech Republic. There will be little time for Prokop to acclimatise himself to his new car as the team will receive the Fiesta S2000 just a couple of weeks before Rally Sweden (11 - 14 February).

“I decided to drive the Fiesta S2000 because it is a great, beautifully built car,” said Prokop. “I like the way Ford organises its WRC campaign, as well as the fact it knows how to present its successes and effectively support its customer teams.” Prokop could become the first graduate of Ford’s recently-completed ladder of opportunity, designed to take talented young drivers from the sport’s grass roots to rallying’s top tier.

“Ford has a clear vision of helping young drivers to climb the rallying ladder. It will be possible to convert a Fiesta S2000 to a new specification WRC car for 2011, which is ideal for me. I want to go ever-further as a rally driver, therefore I find this possibility of a smooth transition to WRC very appealing,” he added. “We are delighted to have the current Junior World Rally Champion in one of our cars,” said M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson, whose company developed the Fiesta S2000 and is Ford’s senior partner in international rallying.

“I’m pleased Martin has made the commitment to take the S2000 route in his career as it is the next step up from a J-WRC car. We’re looking forward to working with him and giving him as much technical support as possible. We have had great interest in the Fiesta S2000 already and the S-WRC is looking to be an exciting championship for all the drivers involved next year,” added Wilson. Ford of Europe’s senior motorsport manager Gerard Quinn welcomed Prokop to Ford’s rally family.

“I’m delighted that Martin has chosen a Fiesta S2000 for 2010. He has seen the opportunities available to talented young drivers via Ford’s ladder of opportunity and I look forward to seeing him as a front-running challenger in the S-WRC next season,” he said. In addition to the S-WRC, Prokop and Tománek could tackle some rounds of the Czech Rally Championship in their Fiesta S2000. Under consideration are high-profile events like the Bohemia Rally and the Barum Rally. Prokop isn’t shy in sharing his ambitions for the season.  “It won’t be about collecting experience. We have driven enough world rallies to have higher ambitions. The crucial point for us is to learn quickly how to work with the new car. If we manage that, I’m sure we will be able to maintain our level from 2009 in S2000 next year. And this means fighting for the podium in each rally.” he said.