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Mads Ostberg took to the race track last weekend in a bid to polish his asphalt driving skills before next month's mixed surface Rally Catalunya.

The Norwegian made his track-racing debut at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3, as a guest driver in the final double-header round of the Scandinavian Porsche Carrera Cup at Mantorp Park in Sweden. 

More used to the Ford Fiesta World Rally Car he campaigns in the WRC, Østberg got the chance to familiarise himself with the rear-wheel-drive Porsche at a soaking wet pre-race test on Thursday. 

And after onboard camera footage showed Mads reaching for a non-existent handbrake, [see below] his Mtech Competition squad added a false lever to make him feel more at home.

Driving car number 911 on Saturday's race day, Østberg finished ninth in Race 1 and seventh in Race 2. 

Having missed the last WRC round in Germany, Østberg said he was happy to get the opportunity to practice before his return in Spain. 

"This type of training helps both my technique and awareness on driving style and will help me perform better on Tarmac," he said. 

"I improved my driving through the weekend and happy with my progress. The goal was top five but because of a bad qualifying I only managed 7th climbing from 11th. It's an acceptable result for the first time.

"Now it's time to focus on rally and I'm really looking forward to get my hands on the wheel of a WRC car again!"

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Hyundai Motorsport could enter four drivers in the final two rounds of the WRC season ahead of a possible four-car campaign in the 2018 championship.

Team principal Michel Nandan hinted that title challenger Thierry Neuville, new signing Andreas Mikkelsen, Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo could all be entered at Dayinsure Wales Rally GB (26 - 29 October) and Kennards Hire Rally Australia (16 - 19 November).

He also confirmed the Korean manufacturer was considering a four-car team for 2018, when Mikkelsen is expected to join the squad alongside the other trio, who are already contracted.

Speaking to WRC Live’s Becs Williams, Nandan said the availability of spare parts meant it was not possible to enter four drivers for the mixed surface RallyRACC Catalunya - Rally de España (5 - 8 October), where Mikkelsen will replace Paddon.

“We’re quite deep in the season and have a certain amount of parts, and enough to do like it should be for the championship, with spares. Why it was not considered for Spain is that you have Tarmac and gravel so you need more parts, and it was not reasonable,” he said.

Hyundai recruited Mikkelsen to enhance its flagging title bid in the manufacturers’ series, in which it lies 64 points behind M-Sport World Rally Team. Results in Spain will determine the entry strategy for the gravel rounds in Britain and Australia.

“We have looked at it and we could put four cars. It doesn’t mean it will be like that but we’re looking at that because it’s also in the interests of Hyundai for the championship.

“We have to try to do it and there we could do it. It depends where we will be (in the championship). I think a lot of things still need to be done, even if there are only three rallies left, but we will see how the situation will be,” added Nandan.

Looking ahead, Nandan said 2018’s strategy would be finalised shortly.

“We have our three drivers from this year under contract until the end of 2018. Nothing is still done with Andreas at the moment.

“It’s true we are looking at the possibility of four cars but for this we need to have some approval because budget is concerned for that. This should be decided in the next weeks,” he explained.

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The Automobile Club de Monaco has confirmed details of next year's 86th Rallye automobile Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the 2018 World Rally Championship season.

The event will run from 25-28 January from a service base in the town of Gap, which has hosted the rally for the past four years. The planned route is 50% different to this year's and, as usual, follows an itinerary that is unique in the WRC. 
 
After two-and-a-half days of recce from Monday 22 January, competitors will tackle shakedown at 1600hrs on Wednesday on the same 3.35km stage near Gap that has been used for the last couple of years. 

Crews will then transfer south to Monaco ready for Thursday's official start in Casino Square from 1800hrs and two night-time stages in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region: Thoard – Sisteron (SS1 - 37.13km) will be run in the reverse direction for the first time while Bayons – Bréziers (SS2 - 25.49km) will be in the same format as 2017.

On Friday, crews will tackle 150km of stages in the Hautes-Alpes, Drôme and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence regions south of Gap. The longest day of the rally comprises two loops of the same three stages: Vitrolles – Oze (SS3/6 -  26.76km), Roussieux – Eygalayes (SS4/7 -  33.63km) and Vaumeilh – Claret (SS5/8 - 15.24km).
 
The action shifts north of Gap on Saturday, with stages based in the Isère and Hautes-Alpes regions. The leg begins with a double loop consisting of Agnières-en-Dévoluy – Corps (SS9/11 - 29.33km) followed by Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes – La Bâtie-Neuve (SS10/12 - 16.71km). Crews will then head south again and repeat Thursday's Bayons – Bréziers (SS13 – 25.49km) stage - this time in daylight - before a final visit to the service park and an evening drive back to Monaco. 
 
Sunday's final leg features four stages in the Alpes-Maritimes that total 63.72km and are run without a service. The drivers will go twice through La Bollène-Vésubie – Peïra-Cava (SS14/16 - 18.30km) and La Cabanette – Col de Braus (SS15/17 - 13.56km) which on the second pass will count as the rally-closing live TV Power Stage. 

The event wraps up in traditional fashion when winning crews will be welcomed and honoured at the prize giving ceremony in front of Monaco Prince’s Palace from 1500hrs.

source: wrc.com

 

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Craig Breen will miss next month’s WRC round in Spain after Citroën confirmed Kris Meeke, Stéphane Lefebvre and Khalid Al-Qassimi for the mixed surface fixture.

Citroën Racing team principal Yves Matton said budget restrictions meant Breen would not start RallyRACC Catalunya - Rally de España (5 - 8 October), but confirmed the Irishman would return for the final rounds in Britain and Australia.

“Obviously, Craig Breen’s fans will be disappointed that he is not competing in Spain, but I have to contend with budget restrictions that mean we can’t enter any more cars,” explained Matton.

“At the start of the season, Craig’s programme was planned over 11 rallies and we considered, in consultation with Craig, that it was preferable for him to be competing in Wales and Australia instead.”

Breen was disappointed that he his involvement in Spain will end after he's completed the recce. He said via his Instagram account: "It's my turn to give the others a chance. Of course I'm disappointed I won't drive at one of my favourite events, but I am happy to be back in the car again in Wales and Australia."

Confirmation of the line-up ended speculation about Meeke’s seat for Spain after his troubled season hit a new low when he crashed in the opening Saarbrucken street stage at ADAC Rallye Deutschland last month.

His position looked in jeopardy as Andreas Mikkelsen drove the C3 to second place on the asphalt encounter, but the Norwegian’s decision to switch to Hyundai guaranteed Meeke’s place.

“Quick on both gravel and Tarmac, Kris Meeke will hopefully be able to build on the confidence he acquired during the second leg in Germany, and aim to secure a positive result,” said Matton.

Matton congratulated Mikkelsen and co-driver Anders Jaeger on their move. “I really enjoyed working with them and it’s a good thing for the WRC that they are back in the championship full-time.

“Andreas was one of the options we considered when working on our driver line-up for 2018, but when it came to making a final decision, we decided not to pursue it,” he said.

 

         

 

 

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