Legendary French driver, Jose Barbara, has died at the age of 72. Based at Le Touquet, he was competing behind the wheel of World Rally Cars up to last year.
Jose Barbara with Sebastien Loeb.In the 70s, he was an official driver for Ford France in national championship events at the wheel of Capri 2600s. He had been a colleague of fellow Le Touquet resident Thierry Sabine, the creator of Paris Dakar.
In the autumn of 2010, at 65 years old, he scored his 100th victory. He won the Rally of Le Touquet eight times.
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M-Sport’s contracted driver, Eric Camilli, has been initially promised four events at the start of the season in R5 cars, plus undefined events in a World Rally Car, depending on his results in the R5, and the availability of WRC cars.
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Emil Bergkvist is back in action. After a frustratingly unproductive 2016 season, the Swedish 2015 Junior European champion is set to continue with the Belgian based J-Motorsport in the World Rally Championship WRC2 category.
Emil will also work with Citroen Racing in the development of the DS3 R5 model.
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Busy season ahead for Rome rally driver Max Rendina, who is also promoter of Rally di Roma Capitale, the new event in the FIA’s European Rally Championship this year.
Rendina will contest five world championship events this season as well as some ERC events in a Motorsport Italia ŠKODA Fabia R5.
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Skoda Motorsport chief Michal Hrabanek with Erik Wevers and the 100th Skoda Fabia R5.Skoda Motorsport has announced that Erik Wevers’ rally team in Holland has purchased the 100th Skoda Fabia R5 car. It is around 20 months since the Fabia R5 car took to the stages.
Not to be beaten, M-Sport is planning to present the 200th example of the Fiesta R5 at the Autosports show in Birmingham.
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A sudden cancellation of the opening round of the 2017 British Rally Championship (the Grooms Garage Mid Wales Stages) has been followed by the decision to invite the Brick & Steel Border Rally, based in the forests on the English/Scottish borders, to take its place.
“Current financial uncertainties of running a forest stage event” have been cited as the reason for the Mid Wales Stages event being cancelled.
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Red Bull, known for its visual coverage of extreme sports, has announced a new TV outlet for the WRC, which will be accessed through the internet.
Red Bull is targeting existing rally fans who will now get extended coverage, plus a live stage on Saturdays.
Presenter Mike Chen says: “The WRC is the most extreme form of motor sport on the planet”.
The Monte Carlo Rally coverage will have as guest commentators 2015 World Endurance Sportscar Champion, Mark Webber, and former WRC driver Matthew Wilson.
Access will be available globally by using latest internet technology and is free.
WRC+ continues with its subscription service as before, which majors on the Sunday Power Stage each event.
WRC Promoter say: “Our traditional coverage of live and highlights programmes via our broadcast partners will continue as normal in 2017, alongside our usual service on WRC+, which will offer increased live action this year”.
- Martin Holmes
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