http://www.maxrally.com Maxrally, created by Mediatica and McKlein, is a website featuring independent rally news, photographs and features from the WRC, IRC and other series. http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/czechs_and_balances http://www.maxrally.com/site/czechs_and_balances/#When:17:05:13Z McLaren Formula One boss Ron Dennis used to famously point out that he felt physical pain every time that his cars failed to win a race: particularly when they finished second, because “second is first of the losers”. 2012-05-17T17:05:13+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/latvala_admits_acropolis_win_will_be_tough http://www.maxrally.com/site/latvala_admits_acropolis_win_will_be_tough/#When:14:35:34Z Jari-Matti Latvala has admitted victory on next week’s Acropolis Rally is unrealistic after the training accident which left him with a broken collarbone. WRC 2012-05-17T14:35:34+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/arai_theres_more_to_come_from_impreza_r4 http://www.maxrally.com/site/arai_theres_more_to_come_from_impreza_r4/#When:14:33:33Z Toshi Arai says there’s still more improvement to come from Subaru’s R4-specification Impreza following his second-place finish in the IRC Production Cup on Tour de Corse last week. IRC 2012-05-17T14:33:33+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/the_case_against..._jan_kopecky http://www.maxrally.com/site/the_case_against..._jan_kopecky/#When:09:36:09Z Jan Kopecky is Czech. As is Skoda. That's not the only reason why he's occupied a factory seat with the Intercontinental Rally Challenge's top team for over three years, but it certainly helps. IRC 2012-05-17T09:36:09+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/bosses_back http://www.maxrally.com/site/bosses_back/#When:14:11:18Z Arguably the most entertaining man in rallying – Marcus Gronholm – has confirmed he will take his very own Finnish sense of humour full-time to America next year. Other 2012-05-16T14:11:18+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/my_first_car_dani_sordo http://www.maxrally.com/site/my_first_car_dani_sordo/#When:15:06:06Z The winner of the Tour de Corse started his driving career in a Peugeot - complete with a few essential chav accessories... 2012-05-15T15:06:06+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/al-attiyah_gives_neuville_new_zealand_chance http://www.maxrally.com/site/al-attiyah_gives_neuville_new_zealand_chance/#When:13:58:38Z Thierry Neuville's chances of a full season in his maiden World Rally Championship campaign depended on how much he impressed Citroen - and he's clear he's already earned the respect of team-mate Nasser Al-Attiyah, who is handing the Belgian his car for New Zealand WRC 2012-05-15T13:58:38+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/sordo_the_irc_is_great_but_one_win_will_do http://www.maxrally.com/site/sordo_the_irc_is_great_but_one_win_will_do/#When:13:54:06Z Tour de Corse winner Dani Sordo says the level of competition in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge impressed him - although he joked that he wouldn't be back in the series as he would prefer to sign off with a 100 per cent victory rate. IRC 2012-05-15T13:54:06+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/mccormack_delighted_with_perfect_s2000_debut http://www.maxrally.com/site/mccormack_delighted_with_perfect_s2000_debut/#When:11:58:52Z Northern Ireland’s Marty McCormack says he is delighted with his debut outing in a Ford Fiesta S2000 on last weekend’s Tour de Corse, the fourth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. IRC 2012-05-15T11:58:52+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/a_different_drive_up_the_18th http://www.maxrally.com/site/a_different_drive_up_the_18th/#When:10:56:32Z If it’s good enough for Colin Montgomerie, Corey Pavin and probably the world’s most famous biennial golf tournament, then Celtic Manor is probably good enough for Rally GB. WRC 2012-05-15T10:56:32+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/stars_shine_in_pau http://www.maxrally.com/site/stars_shine_in_pau/#When:12:34:18Z Sebastien Loeb is far from the only person who has enjoyed a successful weekend of racing in France, impressive as his two wins in the Porsche Carrera Cup at Pau were. Other 2012-05-14T12:34:18+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/hunt_bags_irc_2wd_podium_in_corsica http://www.maxrally.com/site/hunt_bags_irc_2wd_podium_in_corsica/#When:12:11:36Z Harry Hunt says he is pleased with his performance on last weekend’s IRC Tour de Corse, which saw the Londoner claim the third step of the podium in the champsionhip’s two-wheel-drive category. IRC 2012-05-14T12:11:36+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/kopecky_closes_gap_on_mikkelsen_in_irc http://www.maxrally.com/site/kopecky_closes_gap_on_mikkelsen_in_irc/#When:22:11:14Z Jan Kopecky has closed in on IRC championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen following his second-place finish on the 55th running of the Tour de Corse over the weekend. IRC 2012-05-13T22:11:14+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/mikkelsen_pleased_with_speed_in_corsica http://www.maxrally.com/site/mikkelsen_pleased_with_speed_in_corsica/#When:19:14:36Z Skoda UK Motorsport driver Andreas Mikkelsen left the Tour de Corse satisfied with his pace – despite only managing fifth place after going off the road on the fifth stage. IRC 2012-05-13T19:14:36+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_three_jan_kopecky http://www.maxrally.com/site/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_three_jan_kopecky/#When:23:35:42Z With five stage wins out of six, a successful defence of his second place and a significantly reduced margin to championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen, Jan Kopecky excelled on the final day of Tour de Corse by posting one of his best performances of his four-year stint in the IRC. IRC 2012-05-12T23:35:42+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/latvala_back_in_the_saddle_again http://www.maxrally.com/site/latvala_back_in_the_saddle_again/#When:00:01:00Z Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala has completed his pre-Acropolis Rally test without incident as the Finn continues his recovery from a broken collarbone. WRC 2012-05-12T00:01:00+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_two_stephane_sarrazin http://www.maxrally.com/site/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_two_stephane_sarrazin/#When:23:37:02Z Stephane Sarrazin might not be in the victory fight on Tour de Corse – he’s the zero car driver after all – and nor is the N193 from Corte to Bastia part of the competitive route of the IRC round, but Sarrazin was mighty on the 70-kilometre stretch in the all-new Peugeot 208 R2 to earn the Drive of the Day accolade for Friday. IRC 2012-05-11T23:37:02+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/classic_corsica_shakedown_crasher_becomes_rally_winner http://www.maxrally.com/site/classic_corsica_shakedown_crasher_becomes_rally_winner/#When:20:35:16Z When Petter Solberg wrapped his Subaru Impreza round a telegraph pole in a shakedown crash before the 2003 Tour de Corse, the rising Norwegian star looked like he would be heading home before the rally had even begun. WRC 2012-05-11T20:35:16+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/corsica_day_2_sordo_in_control http://www.maxrally.com/site/corsica_day_2_sordo_in_control/#When:20:20:31Z In nearly 10 seasons of trying, Dani Sordo has never won a World Rally Championship event. Now unless anything goes terribly wrong on Saturday in Corsica, it looks like he will get his maiden Intercontinental Rally Challenge triumph at the very first attempt. IRC 2012-05-11T20:20:31+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/briefing_a_maxrally_guide_to_a_regional_rally_car http://www.maxrally.com/site/briefing_a_maxrally_guide_to_a_regional_rally_car/#When:14:45:10Z This week’s Tour de Corse, the fourth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, could be the first of the Eurosport-run events to be won by a car with a turbocharger. Ford’s Fiesta Regional Rally Car is competing on the French island event, along with the Mini John Cooper Works S2000. Worldwide 2012-05-11T14:45:10+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/sordo_leads_as_mikkelsen_hits_trouble http://www.maxrally.com/site/sordo_leads_as_mikkelsen_hits_trouble/#When:09:48:05Z Dani Sordo and the Mini have moved into the Tour de Corse lead after Andreas Mikkelsen went off the road on Friday's second stage. IRC 2012-05-11T09:48:05+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_one_pierre_campana http://www.maxrally.com/site/drive_of_the_day_-_corsica_day_one_pierre_campana/#When:23:59:24Z Granted his intimate knowledge of the Corsican roads were a factor – he lives in Corte where the Tour de Corse will be based on Friday – but against the might of Basso, Mikkelsen and Sordo, Pierre Campana’s capture of his first stage victory in the IRC earned him drive of the day honours for day one. IRC 2012-05-10T23:59:24+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/basso_regrets_lost_opportunity http://www.maxrally.com/site/basso_regrets_lost_opportunity/#When:18:55:10Z Former European champion Giandomenico Basso is regretting one of the biggest missed opportunities of his career, after losing the chance to win Tour de Corse on the final road section of day one. IRC 2012-05-10T18:55:10+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/toyoda_falls_for_his_toyota http://www.maxrally.com/site/toyoda_falls_for_his_toyota/#When:18:13:29Z Toyota’s potential return to the World Rally Championship received a shot in the arm when the head of the Japanese firm Akio Toyoda requested a drive in the company’s latest rally car. Worldwide 2012-05-10T18:13:29+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/corsica_day_1_the_2012_irc_hots_up http://www.maxrally.com/site/corsica_day_1_the_2012_irc_hots_up/#When:15:14:31Z So far this year, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge has been all about the Skodas, but after the opening afternoon in Corsica there's a three-way battle brewing between Skoda, Ford and Mini. IRC 2012-05-10T15:14:31+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/play_it_again_gabriele http://www.maxrally.com/site/play_it_again_gabriele/#When:22:06:40Z Veteran team boss Gabriele Favero is never one to shy away from a challenge having helped to nurture the likes of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala during their respective stints competing in Italy early in their careers. European 2012-05-09T22:06:40+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/crisis_averted_as_fuel_reaches_corsica http://www.maxrally.com/site/crisis_averted_as_fuel_reaches_corsica/#When:21:59:26Z The Tour de Corse will go ahead as planned this week after island authorities are understood to have intervened to avert strike action in France that had left 15,000 litres of competition fuel stuck in port in Marseille. IRC 2012-05-09T21:59:26+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/tommy_lee_joins_ken_block_in_his_fiesta http://www.maxrally.com/site/tommy_lee_joins_ken_block_in_his_fiesta/#When:10:40:27Z Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee (more famous, in my opinion, for his on-off relationship with Baywatch’s Pamela Anderson) has teamed up with Ken Block for his latest YouTube sensation. Other 2012-05-09T10:40:27+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/corsica_and_its_corners http://www.maxrally.com/site/corsica_and_its_corners/#When:18:35:54Z The Tour de Corse is also known as the ‘rally of 10,000 corners’ – but that’s completely wrong as back in the 1980s somebody actually once bothered to count them all and the true figure is closer to 20,000. 2012-05-08T18:35:54+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/next_year_under_the_spotlight_this_week http://www.maxrally.com/site/next_year_under_the_spotlight_this_week/#When:16:27:36Z The calendar for next year’s World Rally Championship is being constructed in Paris this week, with the 2013 schedule under discussion at the World Rally Championship Commission. WRC 2012-05-08T16:27:36+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/neuville_advises_hunt_ahead_of_tour_de_corse http://www.maxrally.com/site/neuville_advises_hunt_ahead_of_tour_de_corse/#When:13:31:25Z Citroen’s Thierry Neuville travelled to northern Italy last week to give some pointers to Britain’s Harry Hunt ahead of this weekend’s Tour de Corse, the fourth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. IRC 2012-05-08T13:31:25+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/saturday_stage_knowledge_key_says_mikkelsen http://www.maxrally.com/site/saturday_stage_knowledge_key_says_mikkelsen/#When:09:00:01Z Andreas Mikkelsen reckons his knowledge of the final day’s stages could make the difference in his quest for his first IRC victory on asphalt when the series resumes in Corsica this week. IRC 2012-05-07T09:00:01+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/ford_pair_ready_to_come_off_the_bench http://www.maxrally.com/site/ford_pair_ready_to_come_off_the_bench/#When:18:19:20Z Ford drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Matthew Wilson both expect to be fit in time for the Acropolis Rally of Greece later this month. WRC 2012-05-06T18:19:20+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/my_first_car_markku_alen http://www.maxrally.com/site/my_first_car_markku_alen/#When:14:33:26Z The most useful thing in any young rally driver’s career is time in the car – and this was something that Markku Alen never lacked, as his first rally car and first road car were one and the same. 2012-05-06T14:33:26+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/the_iceman_cometh_back http://www.maxrally.com/site/the_iceman_cometh_back/#When:15:55:42Z The Iceman, back in the Formula One paddock, hasn’t exactly melted – he’s way too cool for that – but he’s got a smile on his face a bit more often than we saw during his final year of rallying in particular. Other 2012-05-05T15:55:42+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/stohl_aigner_could_be_an_ogier-beater http://www.maxrally.com/site/stohl_aigner_could_be_an_ogier-beater/#When:13:22:15Z Manfred Stohl reckons Andreas Aigner could have been a rival to Sebastien Ogier had he enjoyed the same breaks as the Frenchman. IRC 2012-05-05T13:22:15+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/solberg_the_party_is_within_sight http://www.maxrally.com/site/solberg_the_party_is_within_sight/#When:20:16:22Z Petter Solberg says his rally-leading performance in Argentina has convinced him he is now ready to win for Ford. WRC 2012-05-04T20:16:22+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/sarrazin_makes_irc_return..._well_sort_of http://www.maxrally.com/site/sarrazin_makes_irc_return..._well_sort_of/#When:17:22:38Z Stephane Sarrazin will be back behind the wheel of a Peugeot rally car in the IRC next week but, sadly, his outing on the Tour de Corse will be limited to running as the course-opening zero car. IRC 2012-05-04T17:22:38+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/argentina_-_what_was_the_cost http://www.maxrally.com/site/argentina_-_what_was_the_cost/#When:17:03:36Z Forget Sarkozy versus Hollande in France; ministers versus Murdoch in the Royal Courts or even Manchester versus Manchester in Manchester, the big debate over the last 10 days has been centred solely on endurance in Argentina. WRC 2012-05-04T17:03:36+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/fiesta_r1_victory_strengthens_m-sport_success_story http://www.maxrally.com/site/fiesta_r1_victory_strengthens_m-sport_success_story/#When:16:38:23Z As the Ford Fiesta RS WRC rampages on the global stage, it’s easy for M-Sport’s other rally cars to be overlooked. The success of the Fiesta R2 and the Fiesta S2000 is plain for all to see, but recently the new Regional Rally Car and Fiesta R1 have been making their mark too. Other 2012-05-04T16:38:23+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/targa_florio_gets_irc_call-up_in_place_of_mecsek_rallye http://www.maxrally.com/site/targa_florio_gets_irc_call-up_in_place_of_mecsek_rallye/#When:16:20:55Z The Targa Florio Rally in Sicily will replace the Mecsek Rallye in Hungary in this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge. IRC 2012-05-04T16:20:55+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/ask_max http://www.maxrally.com/site/ask_max/#When:18:53:33Z In a brand new feature, MAXRALLY's team of rallying experts are ready and waiting to answer your questions about any aspect of the world of rallying. Other 2012-05-03T18:53:33+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/ostberg_not_fussed_about_having_luck_on_his_side http://www.maxrally.com/site/ostberg_not_fussed_about_having_luck_on_his_side/#When:18:50:14Z Mads Ostberg says the fact that some of his best results are coming via misfortunes ahead is not taking the shine off his superb start to the 2012 World Rally Championship. WRC 2012-05-03T18:50:14+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/features/entry/only_obeying_orders http://www.maxrally.com/site/only_obeying_orders/#When:12:14:48Z With all the discussions flying back and forth about team orders at the head of the field in Argentina, it was maybe surprising that nobody stopped to ask the driver of car number 52 what he thought about it. 2012-05-03T12:14:48+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/mccormack_to_drive_for_solberg_team_in_corsica http://www.maxrally.com/site/mccormack_to_drive_for_solberg_team_in_corsica/#When:07:36:39Z British driver Marty McCormack has landed the biggest opportunity of his career, driving for the PS Engineering team on the Tour de Corse later this month. IRC 2012-05-03T07:36:39+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/atkinson_takes_sunshine_from_the_rain_in_aprc http://www.maxrally.com/site/atkinson_takes_sunshine_from_the_rain_in_aprc/#When:19:19:14Z Chris Atkinson might not have won Rallye de Nouvelle Caledonie, the second round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, but he did at least extend his lead at the top of the table. Worldwide 2012-05-02T19:19:14+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/remembering_henri_toivonen_26_years_later http://www.maxrally.com/site/remembering_henri_toivonen_26_years_later/#When:14:24:24Z Twenty-six years ago today rallying lost one of its brightest prospects as Finland’s Henri Toivonen was tragically killed after a fatal accident on the 1986 Tour de Corse. Other 2012-05-02T14:24:24+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/guerra_wins_to_top_pwrc_title_battle http://www.maxrally.com/site/guerra_wins_to_top_pwrc_title_battle/#When:21:52:07Z The Production Car World Rally Championship has a new leader following the trip to Argentina. By claiming his second win in as many starts Benito Guerra now tops the standings at the expense of his team-mate and erstwhile leader Michal Kosciuszko. WRC 2012-05-01T21:52:07+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/ogier_praises_mikkelsens_south_american_speed http://www.maxrally.com/site/ogier_praises_mikkelsens_south_american_speed/#When:18:32:30Z Volkswagen Motorsport driver Sebastien Ogier has paid tribute to the speed his team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen showed during last week’s Rally Argentina. WRC 2012-05-01T18:32:30+00:00 http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/evans_leading_brc_at_seasons_mid-way_point http://www.maxrally.com/site/evans_leading_brc_at_seasons_mid-way_point/#When:13:30:43Z Elfyn Evans has proven that consistency could be key to winning this year’s highly competitive British Rally Championship. European 2012-05-01T13:30:43+00:00