The novelties of the RallyRACC 2011, day by day
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| Petter Solberg (Citroën). RallyRACC 2010 |
The special sporting interest of the RallyRACC 2011 is even increased by a series of changes introduced in the itinerary making Rally de España 2011 a top level evolution of the mixed character it adopted for the first time in 2010. The innovative first rally day will be made up by two loops of 3 different stages, one of them new and on gravel, and the other two mixed, i.e. gravel-tarmac. The last stage of the day will have an added difficulty as it will be run at night.
The novelties, day by day
---Day 1, the most selective
The first day of the RallyRACC 2011 will be the most selective due to its length (751.98 km, 160.36 of which will be timed), but also due to the many novelties included in the special stages - three run twice, as every day - one of them run completely on gravel and the other two mixed gravel-asphalt.
• Pesells (gravel, 25.74 km: completely new)
• Terra Alta (mixed, 35.94 km: same as 2010)
• Les Garrigues (mixed, 18.50 km: two thirds new compared to 2010)
The first of the three has never been raced before and it is the most remote stage as regards the rally’s nerve centre on the Costa Daurada. Most of its route is located close to the neighbouring province of Teruel. The second stage is the same stage that opened the race in 2010, highly praised for its complexity, while the third has undergone a few changes compared to the stage with the same name from last season, as around two thirds of its route are new.
The whole Pesells stage demands special driving skills. It has an excellent, compact gravel surface, sometimes with fine gravel sections, quick but twisty, including zig-zagging bends with a medium radius and some slow intersections that make it very complete.
There are small asphalted parts in some upward sections and even a protective barrier in certain bends. In its central section, the stage runs beside the Algars river and the village called Arenys de Lledó, close to Horta de Sant Joan.
The Algars river is the natural border between Catalonia (Pesells stage) and Aragon (Arenys de Lledó village). The limits will obviously be set by the drivers, but the initial feeling is that this is a stage that will not allow any relax in order to set fast times, mainly due to the high pace it demands, but also due to the need to be focussed and to have good notes considering the few but demanding braking sections and the narrow passages that require the drivers’ to be tactful.
The second stage, Terra Alta, is exactly the same excellent mixed stage that opened the race last year, with no less than five surface changes and a constant selectiveness that puts the drivers’ pace to the test. The start is located at the exit of Vilalba dels Arcs and after a loop to the north it passes beside the Riba-roja reservoir, turning south-west heading for La Fatarella, on asphalt. Just like Pesells, this stage has a truly world championship level, since all of its sections, both on gravel and asphalt, are completely different.
In detail, the five surface changes are: 16.42 initial km on gravel, from the start in Vilalba del Arcs, passing by the troglodyte chapel of Sant Pau; followed by 6.52 twisty km on asphalt, then 1.51 km on gravel to change back to asphalt for a short section of 2.02 km which include passing by the chapel of Sant Francisco, then again gravel for another 9.06 km, to finish on 410 metres of asphalt reaching the town of La Fatarella.
The third and last stage of the first day, Les Garrigues is also mixed and on hard ground, most of it flat, but with more asphalt than gravel sections compared to 2010.
It starts with 1.76 km on quick gravel that becomes narrower, followed, after the already famous downward hairpin with a surface change right in the middle, by 4.22 km on asphalt, which are almost identical to the route in 2010. Then the route changes to continue on a new narrow gravel road of 12.52 km will all kinds of bends but always on excellent ground.
After reaching the town of Torrebesses following a very fast section, the road faces a spectacular 90º intersection on which the cars will have to turn left to continue with soft drops and finish only a few kilometres from the location of the start, after a loop, which makes it very easy to test. The second passage of this special stage will be run completely at night.
---Day 2, the hardest
Three stages, completely on asphalt, which will be run twice, make up the second day, which also includes major changes.
• El Priorat (asphalt, 45.97 km: 4 new km at the end compared to 2010)
• Riba-roja d’Ebre (asphalt, 12.27 km: completely new)
• Punta de les Torres (asphalt, 13.53 km: completely new)
El Priorat is the longest asphalt stage and the overall second-longest of the world championship. It has a selective and varied layout and it becomes everlasting for participants. The layout is the same as in 2010, and many of the official drivers classed it as being the best section on asphalt of the WRC. This year it will have additional 3.93 km at the finish. A fast opening section takes the drivers to the famous intersection at El Molar, one of the most crowded parts of the rally, where the drivers can really feel the support of the fans thanks to the large straight after the intersection. After passing La Figuera, there is a rather twisty descent, heading to La Bisbal de Falset. After skirting the village there is a narrow section with very good grip and linked bends that lead to La Palma d’Ebre. This marathon-stage finishes 4 km after crossing the village.
Riba-roja d’Ebre is a very twisty stage, with two marked slopes, very demanding for the drivers but also for the tyres, as we should not forget that it is the middle stage of a marathon-loop. This is a new stage, although the asphalted middle section is the one used (in opposite direction) in the mixed Terra Alta stage. The asphalt is excellent and within only 12 km the route climbs two mountain passes, with slow linked bends that demand for a thorough analysis to decide which of them has to be faced with decision and which to “sacrifice”. A festival of lines in which the engine and the brakes do also play an important role.
The last stage of the day is also completely new, Punta de les Torres, with a fast and wide first section, followed by a twisty part. There are a series of very characteristic bends that provide the stage with a singular difficulty as it demands a specific pace with perfectly followed lines, making use of the whole width. This stage is not easy at all, despite being only 13.5 km long.
---Day 3, the decisive day
Another three asphalt stages, run twice, that make up day 3 which will be more decisive than ever, considering that neither the positions nor the points awarded at the Rally de España will be known until de last kilometre. The three specials are already known from last year, but that’s no reason for them to be easier.
• Santa Marina (asphalt, 26.51 km: same as 2010)
• La Mussara (asphalt, 20.48 km: same as 2010)
• Coll de la Teixeta (asphalt: the 4.32 initial km of Riudecanyes 2010)
Santa Marina is a classic of the Rally RACC, with its three clearly different sections, starting with a descent that ends up on less good asphalt and a twisty final part. La Mussara is beautiful and starts with an ascent to continue downhill until the famous hairpins in Vilaplana; and Coll de la Teixeta (Power Stage, the stage that will award points to the top three) is actually the first 4.32km section of the stage known as Riudecanyes, i.e. the former route of the N-420 road.