Formula One has always overshadowed rallying, but while everyone is raving about Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, there is an equally impressive story of domination going on in the WRC.
Volkswagen have topped the podium in all five rounds held so far this season, demonstrating the strength and depth of the entire team which has given them a 97-point lead in the championship already.
And while F1 and the WRC are a world apart, both Mercedes and Volkswagen drivers have something in common – they both rely on their support crews to win.
The F1 pit crews need to be on top of their game for quick turnarounds in a matter of seconds, but you could argue that the VW rally support crew has a tougher job on its hands to keep their cars and the trio of Jari-Matti Latvala, Sebastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen, on the road.
Unlike F1, the WRC runs over three days, covering hundreds of kilometres, the rate of attrition is far greater than one would imagine.
A typical round of the WRC would mean drivers averaging 100km of competitive racing on surfaces ranging from tarmac, gravel, snow or mixed, all depending on the host event.
Conditions could get worse should it rain or stages get engulfed by fog. Take for example last weekend’s Rally Argentina, which has a reputation for being one of the toughest tests of both man and machine – and lived up to it too.
Thick fog meant Sunday’s home run provided what was arguably the biggest challenge of the weekend. The first day saw as many as 11 retirements, so the onus of getting the drivers back on stage was on the support crew.
In the WRC, or any other rally championship for that matter, an efficient support crew means the battle is half won, because it’s not just about fixing an engine issue or an electrical problem, very often severely damaged bodywork needs to be replaced in quick time.
I’m not for a moment suggesting that the likes of Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have it easy racing on a defined circuit but the stages of the WRC are an entirely different ball game; one never knows what’s lurking around a bend that could contribute to damaging the car.
It is imperative that the driver, co-driver and the support crew are totally in sync with each other if they are to stand any chance of getting on the podium.
And unlike F1, each rally presents a totally different set of circumstances that require perfect collaboration between the support crew, the driver and co-driver. We hear plenty about the F1 pitcrews and the great job they do but perhaps it’s time that the rally boys got a bit more recognition.
MEEKE SAVES MATTON THE BLUSHES
On the eve of Rally Argentina, Citroen Total Abu Dhabi boss Yves Matton insisted that Kris Meeke’s future at the works team was safe, despite the Northern Irishman crashing out of the previous three consecutive rallies.
Matton admitted that he was concerned by the crashes, but insisted that Meeke needed to be given time and there was no question of replacing the Dungannon native.
Meeke, on his part, admitted to feeling low on confidence after the three crashes and unable to explain what had gone wrong in Sweden, Mexico and Portugal.
While many may have raised eyebrows at the decision to hand Meeke a seat in Argentina, one of the most challenging events on the WRC calendar, Matton stood by his man.
And Meeke did not disappoint – the Ulsterman finished third on the podium, his second top-three result following the season-opener in Monte Carlo.
If Meeke’s confidence had taken a huge hit in the run up to Argentina, it certainly helped that Matton threw his weight behind his beleaguered driver in the belief that the man who began his rally career under the watchful eyes of the late Colin McRae would one day become good.
As it turns out, Matton’s faith in Meeke’s abilities paid rich dividends. Just goes to show that backing your man against all the odds can work wonders.
