Rally Italia Sardegna : Flawless rally expected for Team ORECA
Two weeks after Rally Portugal, Team ORECA heads to Sardinia for the second stop in its WRC2 and WRC3 programs. Following a tough start, and on a surface that will once again be tough on machines, the two entrants are looking to have a flawless rally in order to gain as much experience as possible. Eric Camilli and Benjamin Veillas are running in a very competitive WRC2 class in a Ford Fiesta R5, while Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula take on the WRC3 category in a Citroën DS3 R3 Max.
Hugues de Chaunac : « We must follow a consistent line of progression »
Since returning from Porto and leaving for Sardinia, members of Team ORECA have burned the midnight oil to get ready. First a debriefing, followed by verifications and restoration of the cars to perfect working order. Then a minute preparation for the second round of the season. Following a debut rally that could be considered a testing session in the field, the team now looks ahead to the torturous Sardinian roads.
« Rally Portugal was a first experience and everyone learned a lot. Both the team and drivers. » explains Hugues de Chaunac, ORECA President. « The goal of the program is to support our two young drivers in their learning. So we’ll have to do better in Sardinia by following a consistent line of progression – always moving up. The two rallies are basically back to back, the route seems particularly difficult and tough on man and machine, and it can be very hot. Because of this, we know that the challenge is a tough one for our teams. That said, however, it’s under tough circumstances that we show what we can do and also learn – on many levels. We are expecting a flawless rally on their part. We know their natural abilities and it’s tempting to aim for a particular finishing position in WRC2 and WRC3. But the objective lies elsewhere and this second rally in our program must fulfill those expectations. »
Eric Camilli : « regularly progress stage by stage… »
Eric Camilli continues to get used to four wheel drive. Having taken on Rally Corsica last season and Monte Carlo at the start of the year, the Nice native discovered gravel stages with this type of car for the first time at Rally Portugal. The first steps were rich in information for him and his co-driver Benjamin Veillas, and the pair are looking to capitalize on their efforts so far. « We learned a lot in Portugal » explains Eric. « We know the car better, as well as the team. We therefore have a better general feeling. The goals remain the same : we want to gain experience and regularly progress stage by stage. The objective is to take it to the next level. On such a tough gravel surface, our approach is a humble one. We want to perform well of course : commit no errors, avoid incidents and put all the pieces of the puzzle together to allow us a maximum of running time. We’ll see where we land in the classifications, but we won’t put pressure on ourselves in that regard. Our primary objective is to be at the finish to learn as much as possible, that’s what we are concentrating on. »
Teemu Suninen : « I know what I have to do differently »
Teemu Suninen also wants to hit the ground running in Sardinia. He will be making his third start in WRC3, following Finland in 2014 and Portugal in May. Alongside his co-driver Mikko Markkula, the young Finnish driver continues his discovery of international rallies. « I’m looking forward to the start of the Sardinia Rally, especially since it’s an all new event for me. » he said. « It might be even tougher on the cars, and a little more technical as well, but I think I’m stronger today than before Portugal : I know what I have to do differently. My goal is to again take on as much experience as possible and to improve all along the course of the rally. I’ve prepared for it by training hard and being careful with my daily intake. I also took time to take a breather. I was happy with the car’s handling and with the team’s work in Portugal so I’m hoping for a good rally here. »
Team ORECA will be on two fronts that same weekend. Along with two cars entered in the Rally Sardinia, several mechanics and engineers will be at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where they will be giving operartional support to TOYOTA Racing’s efforts with two TS040 Hybrid entries.