Atkinson in the new car in Greece, picture courtesy of swrt.com

In the lead up to the Rally of Greece, Subaru launched the all new Impreza WRC2008.

The new car is based on the latest road going Subaru Impreza which was introduced in June 2007. Although featuring radically new styling the Impreza WRC2008 retains the well proven Subaru horizontally-opposed turbocharged engine combined with Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. The WRC2008 will also sport a dramatic new livery created around the Subaru corporate identity but at the same time preserving the iconic blue identity familiar to rally fans worldwide.

“We are very excited to be able to launch the all-new Impreza WRC2008 ahead of schedule� said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team principal. “It is testament to the dedication and commitment of the team behind the scenes in the UK and at STI in Japan. Just as the latest Impreza road car represents a new era for Subaru so the WRC2008 represents a new era for all of us at the Subaru World Rally Team and I am confident that we will arrive in Greece able to fight competitively.�

The team’s objective has always been to launch the WRC2008 as soon as the testing confirmed that good steps forward in overall performance had been made. We are confident that introducing the car in Greece will enable the team to be highly competitive in the second half of the season and give Petter and Chris the best opportunity to win in 2008.

On the 55th running of the notoriously punishing Acropolis Rally, the all-new Subaru Impreza WRC2008 made its competitive debut today to great acclaim. On this real event of attrition, Petter Solberg and Phil Mills grabbed third place overall on the opening day, whilst team-mates Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot successfully completed their first competitive outing, and also Atkinson’s first ever rally aboard a brand new World Rally Car, lying within striking distance of the front-runners.

The Subaru World Rally Team is not one to shy away from a challenge, demonstrated this weekend by the decision to launch their newest World Rally Car on the most unforgiving event of the season, and ahead of schedule. Introduced to the World Rally Championship on Wednesday evening to worldwide media and VIPs, both Imprezas successfully completed the first day of their debut event on what is largely regarded as the most punishing rally on the calendar, and under the watchful eyes of the world’s press.

"Ok, we have finished the first day which is very important� reflected Chris Atkinson. “It’s good to be in the new car, and we know we still have some work to do. We damaged a control arm in the afternoon on the roughest stage of the day which lost us some time. We knew bringing it in early would be tough, and we need to find a bit more, but that’s what we came here to learn, and we are learning.�

Chris Atkinson battled home in 6th place in a disappointing rally of Sardinia for the Subaru Rally team.

After a solid first day the rally came apart for both drivers on day 2 and Atkinson had an uneventful last day to bring the car home in 6th place.

“OK, it’s good to get more points and to still be third in the championship, but it’s definitely not been an easy weekend� said Chris Atkinson. “I drove the best I could and made no mistakes, and that’s it.�

With Subaru’s all-new Impreza WRC2008 on the horizon, drivers and the team alike are eagerly awaiting its first public appearance.

Image Atkinson during the Sardinia shakedown courtesy of swrt.com

With his team mate holding third, Chris Atkinson has had a solid start to the Rally of Sardinia.

Atkinson and Prévot made a strong start to the event, finishing the first three stages of the morning sharing third overall with Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen. Solberg and Mills meanwhile lay fifth. Having made some changes to their car during the midday service, the Norwegian traded position with his team mate in an afternoon of change, snatching third position as Atkinson slipped to fifth with Hirvonen splitting the SWRT crews. The Australian remains within reach of the podium still, promising to keep this battle fuelled into the longest day of competition tomorrow.

Yeah, it’s not been a bad day today� echoed Chris Atkinson. “It’s good to get through the day with no problems though as it’s been tough. The guys behind are going well and are fast, so we’ll have to pick it up a bit tomorrow to stay in the fight. It’s a close battle for third, and there are a few people quite close who will join the fight tomorrow so it’ll be hard, that’s for sure. I hope we can find a bit more to stay in the top five, but it’s not a bad start.�

The above image of Chris Atkinson and Stephane Prevot, his co-driver and the below article are courtesy of swrt.com

Chris Atkinson has said he enjoys the upcoming Rally Sardinia: “It’s important to drive smoothly and without mistakes in Sardinia as the roads are very technical and narrow but it’s a rally I enjoy. It’s my fourth year here, and my second with Stéphane, so I hope we can have a good event and run competitively. I’m not thinking about another podium finish, but just concentrating on our pace and fighting as high up as we can.�

Sardinia is itself the first of a back-to-back trio of European events, it heralds the start of the most demanding section of the season with three events in just five weeks. The travel and intensified workload will punish drivers, cars and teams alike, and go a long way to setting the Championship scene for the remainder of the season.

Sardinia lies in the Mediterranean sea between Spain and Italy, just 12 kilometres from the coast of Corsica, itself the scene for a World Rally encounter later in the season. As per previous years, the rally is based in the northern tip of the island, in the industrial port of Olbia on the Costa Smeralda coast.

The soft and almost sandy gravel roads wind through a combination of unspoiled green mountainsides that contrast with the sometime dusty and rocky routes of the lower regions. The traction and braking stability of the cars will be really tested by the loose surfaces that can cause the cars to wander as the road beneath them shifts. Eighty per cent of the local area is hilly, and while more rolling than mountainous, the stages steadily undulate.

In the typically lush Italian hills, temperatures are expected to be upwards of 20 degrees Celsius, but routes can quickly become dampened by the ever-present chance of unexpected storms. The stages are very flowing and technical, meaning it is vital that crews get into a good rhythm from the outset in order to attack fully. Crews running first on the road will clean the loose surface to the benefit of those behind them, but as the roads deteriorate and become rutted by the second passes, it will actually favour the front-runners.

The event starts with a ceremonial start in the exclusive resort of Porto Cervo, 30 kilometres to the north of the service park, and consists of 17 stages stretching 354 competitive kilometres across the northern provinces of Olbia, Sassari and Nuoro. Whilst many of the planned routes are very similar to those used in previous years, there have been several significant changes to pit competitors against new challenges, namely that the third and final day is almost completely new.

The history of the island is evident in the numerous ancient ruins that the route will take the World Rally cars past. Abandoned castles, churches and strongholds all hint at the island’s medieval past and contribute to the collapsed carved stone structures and outcrops that typify this most varied of championship events.

Chris Atkinson in action during the final day at rally of Jordan. Picture courtesy of swrt.com

Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot secured a podium finish on the final day of the Jordan Rally after another day of change amongst the front-runners. The only entry for the Subaru World Rally Team today, the duo snatched a step of the podium as those in front stumbled to make it three podiums in a row.

Only Atkinson restarted the final day this morning, as Petter was sidelined just before the close of day two. Holding fourth position from yesterday, an intense battle for position between the top three meant that anything was likely to happen, and Chris was there to pick up the pieces.

Surely enough, it was Ford’s Latvala who hit problems during stage 18, losing almost 50 seconds during the stage and carrying his handicap into the longest test of the rally, the River Jordan stage. Atkinson continued with his steady strategy, which was sufficient to take him into third position midway through the stage and his fourth podium from five rounds this season.

“Yet again Chris has shown his consistency to ensure another podium position and maintain third position in the Drivers’ Championship� said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “I’m sure Chris is now looking forward to getting his hands on the new car and being able to challenge at the front.�

It is the first time since the beginning of 2005 that any one driver has recorded three consecutive podiums for the Subaru World Rally Team, when Solberg and Mills secured their trio in Mexico, New Zealand and Sardinia.

With a comfortable gap behind him to fourth position, the Australian was able to complete the afternoon’s three stages at a consistent pace, taking no unnecessary risks to reach the finish. His result ensures Atkinson maintains his third place in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

“We scored good points again and it’s good for us and good for the team as it keeps us close to the guys at the front of the championship� said Chris Atkinson. “It was a difficult rally for us as almost from the start we were in the middle of nowhere with big gaps in front and behind of us. We managed to go along at our own pace, keeping it on the road.

“We had some hard times when things weren’t going well but we managed to get through. It was a bit of misfortune for others, but lucky for us. Sometimes that’s just how it goes. We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we want to be more competitive on pace and pushing for wins, but four podiums from five rallies is a very consistent start for us so with that I’m happy.�

The following article is courtesy of swrt.com

In a period of hot events that started with Mexico and will continue into the European summertime, we look at what blazing sun, blue skies and humidity mean for the drivers and the co-drivers aboard the Subaru World Rally Team’s Impreza WRC2007s.

As the series approaches the inaugural Rally Jordan, crews prepare for potentially the hottest WRC encounter of the year as temperatures are set to soar to 40 degrees Celsius over the rally weekend.

Wind no cooling breeze, that’s near unbearable for the team members working in the service park, but inside the World Rally cars crews can face temperatures that are another 10 degrees higher.

The sun’s rays are magnified through the window glass and the roof of the car, and the air inside becomes stifling. Of course, World Rally cars do not have air conditioning in the same sense as their road-going counterparts, and whilst they do have cockpit cooling fans, their efforts are often hampered by dust.

On dry and arid roads such as those in Jordan and Greece, the dust produced by the cars is substantial, and it would take a matter of seconds with the windows or the roof vent open for the car to fill with the swirling clouds.

Extreme in-car temperatures can rapidly drain the driver and co-driver of strength, focus and concentration, leading ultimately to a slower pace and a greater likelihood of mistakes.

Fitness plays a key role in the battle, as the fitter and stronger crews are, the less they will struggle with the physical demands of competition and therefore suffer from the loss of vital fluids through sweat. Fitter drivers are also afforded increased endurance in the heat, enabling them to attack the stages harder and for longer before tiring, and so both Petter and Chris have recently increased their training in preparation.

Hydration also plays a crucial role, absolutely essential to the sustained effort of the drivers and co-drivers over the course of the rally. Between them, either pair of Petter and Phil or Chris and Stéphane can consume 20 litres of specially formulated electrolyte fluid per day, helping to replace those essential vitamins and minerals that have been lost and boost strength and focus.

It is important that the crews do not just drink plain water however, as this can actually lead to a worsened condition and sickness. When drivers sweat, they lose minerals as well as water. If these are replaced simply by water, the body remains hydrated but severely weakened, in a condition called hyponatraemia.

The team also have two methods of reducing in-car temperatures as a result of absorbed sunlight, both of which focus on reflection. Firstly the side windows are lined with a protective and reflective film, similar to the concept of tinted windows on road cars, but in this instance silver in colour. Acting like mirrors, these simply reflect the majority of the sun’s rays and thus help keep the interior cooler.

Similarly, the Imprezas run with white patches on their roofs for the same end. White reflects heat more efficiently than the car’s normal blue, and seeing as the roof has a large surface area and absorbs a high proportion of the cockpit heat, it is a simple but effective measure.

Cockpit temperatures are just as important as extracting every last drop of performance from the car. Like engines, drivers and co-drivers don’t work well if they overheat

The following article is courtesy of swrt.com

In the first of a series of articles we look at what helps drive the car that has taken Chris Atkinson to the podium 3 times this year.

Where far more than expected meets the eye, we look at the complexities of the gearboxes and differentials used in the Impreza WRC2007, and what goes into making them work:

The Subaru World Rally Team has produced over 100 WRC gearboxes since 1999. Almost 50 WRC differentials have been built since 2004.

Each gearbox takes 85 hours to build and costs £75,000. Coupled with the rear differential the transmission system contains over 700 individual components.

Each differential takes 16 hours to build, and costs £20,000. The front and rear differentials share components to reduce costs, whereas the centre differential is unique.

Once a gearbox has been built, it takes three hours for the team’s dedicated dyno to run through the complete test procedure before it is used on a rally.

There are two special insulation panels fitted to the side of the gearbox to shield it from the heat of the exhaust which runs alongside it. Each plate is made from titanium and ceramic coated, using a process designed for space craft.

The engine, gearbox and differential are all individually oil sealed, meaning that each can be removed and replaced without fluid loss.

The gearbox lubrication system has a capacity of 4.5l and is fitted with a high-flow oil pump to keep temperatures down. The gear shift system operates at a pressure of 150bar, or 2,500psi for almost instantaneous shifts.

Each unit uses over 40 specialised oil line connectors. Approximately half of these are built specifically for the Subaru World Rally Team, and all use aircraft grade materials.

The gearbox retains the road car’s H pattern but uses a hydraulically and electronically controlled semi-automatic gear change system to shift each gear in fewer than 0.1seconds.

Undergoing 3500 gear shifts on every rally, each unit is rebuilt after approximately 750km of competitive use or two rallies. The oil is changed for every rally.

The gearbox and differential run at 100 degrees Celsius, and need their own oil coolers to maintain that temperature. On hot rallies such as Greece, the operating temperatures can reach 120 degrees Celsius.

It takes between 10 – 12 minutes to replace a gearbox and rear differential. The fastest time on a rally was 10mins and 20 seconds set during Rally Deutschland 2007.

The housings of both units are cast from magnesium for strength and to reduce weight. A gearbox weights 95kg when wet (full of oil) and a differential 25kg wet.

Chris Atkinson celebrates his second place at the Rally of Argentina Pic courtesy of swrt.com

Following the retirment of his teammate Peta Solberg, Chris Atkinson has finsihed the Rally of Argentina in second Place.  This makes it three podiums from the first four races of the season.

“It’s been such a hard weekend it’s more of a relief to finish!� said Chris Atkinson. “Another podium is fantastic for us and for the team, there’s nothing that motivates the guys more than a great result at the end of all the hard work. The feeling in the car was just so much more consistent this weekend and it was easier to drive so I was able to push without making any big mistakes. It’s clear we’ve taken some good steps forward with the car this year and it’s sort of a surprise for me to be third in the championship at the moment. It’s a real shame about Petter as he was going very well and we should have had two cars on the podium, but it demonstrates that we’re definitely moving in the right direction.�

Atkinson’s second place in Argentina moves him into third overall in the Drivers’ Championship, just three points behind second-placed Hirvonen (Ford). The Subaru World Rally Team emerge from South America in third position overall in the Manufacturers’ Championship, but as a result of the electrical problems lost a potential eight points that would have put them within just three of the lead.

Sebastien Loeb continued to lead the Rally of Argentina and Petter Solberg got past Chris Atkinson to move into second.

Atkinson admitted that he has now backed off and was focusing on securing his third podium in 4 starts this season "We've backed right off now," he said. "There's no need to take any risks. Second would be nice, but three podiums in the first four rallies of the year is still better than we would have expected."

He is nearly a minute off Solberg but has a lead of 1 minute 14 over 4th placed Dani Sordo.

Chris Atkinson during shakedown Rally Argentina, courtesy swrt.com

In a continuation of his great start to the season, Chris Atkinson has finished day one in second place behind reigning champion Sebastien Loeb.

Sadly two spins later in the day cost him time and means he will start day 2 some 1 minute 30 seconds behind the leader. Third place is held by his eammate Petter Solberg who is just 8 seconds behind Atkinson.

Chris Atkinson and Stephane Prevot completed Rally Mexico in spectacular style, recording their highest ever finish together in a World Rally Championship event with a hard-fought second place. Meanwhile Petter Solberg and Phil Mills pushed hard to clinch the final Manufacturers’ Championship point, keeping the Subaru World Rally Team in second position in the overall standings.

Atkinson’s second podium in three rallies this season jumps him to fourth overall in the Drivers’ Championship, just six points shy of the top of the standings. It’s his best start to a WRC season, and firmly establishes the Australian as a contender for WRC victories. Solberg and Mills lie just behind in fifth in the Championship standings, as the team continue their strong start to 2008 with more solid points.

On a day when the avid local fans were out in force to support the late inclusion of this event into the WRc calendar, spectator numbers overwhelmed stage 18, the 22 kilometre Guanajuato test, and the decision was taken to abandon it. The longest of the day, its cancellation reduced the day’s competitive length by one third.

“Chris did a fantastic job and I firmly believe he can win an event before the end of the year� said Subaru World Rally Team Principal David Richards. “We’ve had a very encouraging start to the year and we’re putting ourselves in a very strong position for when we launch our new car, the WRC2008. Petter did a good job today, and from our performance here in Mexico it is clear to me that we have made some positive steps forward since Sweden, and will continue to do so as we look to Argentina in a few weeks time.�

Atkinson started the final day in second position with a comfortable buffer of over one minute behind him to third. As the Australian promised yesterday, he had a steady day to ensure he did enough to clinch his highest ever WRC finish without taking any unnecessary risks. Opting for two spare wheels as an added safety buffer along the rough and jagged gravel speed tests, the 28 year old was leaving nothing to chance, knowing how easy it is to fall foul of these conditions.

Despite the punishing routes, soaring temperatures and oxygen-thin air over the last three days, his Impreza WRC2007 suffered no significant problems. The Australian felt comfortable with the handling and balance of his car all weekend, and drove a solid rally to be awarded eight points for both himself and the team, the single largest haul of his World Rallying career. image courtesy of swrt.com

“It’s a fantastic result, my best in the WRC!� said Chris Atkinson. “All the team, the guys on my car, Subaru all did a top job. It was good fun to beat Sebastien [Loeb] on the Superspecial at the end there! It’s a great start to the year for me and also for the team, and I hope we can keep building on this. We’re making good steps forward and the car felt really good this weekend. We did some work on the dampers after Sweden and that was a big help – they were good here in the heat which is always a tough test. Now we look to Argentina and to keep this performance going. The sooner I can win the better!�

Solberg and Mills restarted this morning under Superally regulations, and left the morning’s service fighting fit. On the day’s opening stage and with a car the team worked on fervently yesterday afternoon, Solberg felt happy with the balance of his Impreza WRC2007 and was able to push hard to post the second fastest stage time, almost three seconds clear of the rest of field.

Over the final day’s 38 kilometres of stages, Solberg and Mills fought hard to climb to 12th overall, displaying their characteristic grit and determination to the very end to keep the team in second position in the Manufacturers’ Championship and keep himself close enough to fight for a top spot in the Drivers’ Championship as the season develops.

“Today we were ok in the first stage, but with big gaps between everyone at the front people were backing off� said Petter Solberg. “We scored a Manufacturer point which is important, but other than that it’s been a frustrating weekend really. But we keep working and pushing, and Argentina will be better.�

The third day of Rally Mexico brought more of the weather crews had come to expect. Temperatures rose to 28 degrees Celsius by midday, and the dry roads yielded clouds of dust with every passing car. The modified route consisted of just three stages, ended with the final running of the immensely popular Nextel spectator Superspecial stage.

Image:Chris Atkinson during the Mexico shakedown (courtesy of swrt.com)

The Subaru World Rally Team entries of Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot and Petter Solberg/Phil Mills finished the first day of the season’s first gravel rally in third and fourth positions overall after tackling the harsh and unforgiving routes and oxygen-thin air of the Mexican mountains.

The rally on which Subaru has traditionally been strong started in characteristic form as Solberg and Atkinson held the top two spots after Thursday’s shakedown stage. On the first day of gravel-based competition of the season, Atkinson and Prevot held a consistent third position overall. Solberg and Mills experienced early brake troubles that slipped them to sixth, but the duo had a solid afternoon to climb to fourth with two stage wins.

“We’ve again shown that we have the pace to win stages on this event, and despite some problems this morning Chris is on the podium and Petter is close enough to have his sights set on the top three� said Subaru World Rally Team Principal David Richards. “It has been a hard day for the cars and drivers, and it is encouraging to see that Pirelli’s new gravel tyre has worked very well in what have been very tough conditions.�

Today’s roads were a combination of high-altitude dusty gravel stages that reached over 2700 metres above sea level and fast downhill sections, littered with large and jagged rocks. Road cleaning was a big factor in sweeping a lot of the loose material from the surface, leading to smoother roads and more grip for those further down the running order, but the risk of punctures in the sternest test yet for Pirelli’s new Scorpion gravel tyre was ever-present.

Solberg started the day fifth on the road and had a promising start being fastest in the opening section of the first stage. In the last five kilometres however he struck an obstacle in the road, damaging the front end of his car, and, in an unrelated incident, experienced problems with his rear left brakes. This resulted in a loss of braking efficiency for the remainder of the morning until the problem could be rectified at the midday service.

The Norwegian lost a total of 50 seconds over the course of the morning’s three stages and dropped to sixth position overall. Having sorted the problem during the half-hour service interval, Solberg and Mills mimicked their early performance by recording the fastest time on the afternoon’s first speed test. As Ford’s Gigi Galli and Mikko Hirvonen suffered troubles of their own, the SWRT duo climbed to fourth by the end of the day, beating Hirvonen and recording their second stage win in the penultimate head-to-head spectator stage that brought the day to a close.

The afternoon was not without added difficulty as all crews had to avoid the surprise of large rocks in the middle of the road. Solberg chose to go off the road twice to avoid such rocks, losing time as opposed damaging the car, as did Atkinson, who survived with all four tyres intact despite running over one of the rocks with the front right wheel whilst in sixth gear.

“Considering we lost a minute this morning, fourth today is not bad� said Petter Solberg. “We have won two stages, and we are pushing so hard but it will not be easy. We have two tough days left. The rocks in the stages this afternoon were incredible, just right in the middle of the road. They were so big, I don’t know how they got there. If I didn’t go off the road to avoid them, that would have been it. When you’re going flat out, it’s hard to avoid things like that but you still just have to commit.�

Atkinson meanwhile started just behind his team-mate in sixth on the road. The Australian had a consistent day in third position overall, despite driving one of day’s tricky and rocky stages with a malfunctioning intercom, meaning that he couldn’t hear Stephane Prevot’s pace notes and had to drive from memory. He didn’t feel quite as comfortable with the car as he did during yesterday’s shakedown route, but nevertheless recorded five top-three times from today’s eight stages. On the final back-to-back spectator stage, Atkinson beat rival Henning Solberg after the first lap but suffered a spin and a stall on the second lap, losing a few seconds.

“Today has not been bad for us and we’re in a good position to push hard tomorrow. We’ll have to see whether we can close the gap to Sebastien and Jari-Matti as it won’t be easy� said Chris Atkinson. “It was my mistake to spin in the final stage, and giving a few seconds away to these guys isn’t the smartest, but that’s how it goes. It won’t be easy for sure, and I have Petter and Hirvonen behind so we will push hard as always and see.�

The day started at 15 degrees Celsius and rose to a high of 28 degrees. The crews tackled three stages before the midday service, followed by repeat passes of each in the afternoon and two back-to-back passes of the spectator Superspecial stage between Leon and Silao.

After a fantastic third in Monte Carlo, Chris Atkinson (pictured during the Rally of Sweeden) has been bought back to earth with a thud. A spin on stage 3 of the Rally of Sweden saw the Australian drop 15 minutes.

"We had a spin, but I wasn't entirely sure why," said Atkinson. "We'll have to look at some data. I was actually driving quite cautiously, not pushing too hard, and I just lost it. My mistake, I guess, but we're going to have to look at it."

It is unlikely he will be able to score points from here, but will still compete in the rest of the Rally.

He was joined by some very good company when World Champion Sebastien Loeb rolled his Citroen. Loeb subsequently withdrew from the remainder of the day, and under super rally rules will rejoin with w 20 minute penalty tomorrow.

"I just touched the snow bank and it threw the car really sideways," Loeb told reporters at the end of the stage. "It dug in and rolled once. We have no clutch now, and it's not so good. But we will try to reach the service."

Image courtesy of SWRT.com

Chris Atkinson has driven his Subaru into third place at the season opening Monaco Rally.

With a contract extension signed late last year, Chris is under pressure this year to deliver on Subaru's faith. Whilst known to be fast, and with many fastest stages under his belt, he is also sadly known for his offs. In fact he currently has the highest crashes to starts in WRC history.

Clearly Subaru feel that given time he will reduce the offs and then the wins will start coming.

Certainly in Monaco he drove a great race and was under constant pressure on the final day to hold his position.

Lets hope he can build on the start and who knows join Casey Stoner as a World Champion.

Image courtesy of swrt.com