Once it had to happen, because the fortune in racing is very changeable, and knew that Petter Solberg own experience.. World Champion rally-cross 2014 and the unconditional leader failed season finale of the Swedish stage, taking off the track and into the gravel zavyaznuv. But Norway did not take the alarm bell as a trend. And in vain! The next stage in Canada, he is not even got to the final. And by his own fault.
Step went wrong from the very beginning with Petter. 16 in the first series of qualifying races, only victory in the second «hit», the fourth and third in the final races — Solberg came in the semi-finals, but confidence in his abilities and did not smell.
In the first two turns semifinal arrival everything collapsed. Petter became leaders, but Timmy Hansen did not think to give. As a result, in the first turn Solberg clipped Swede and tucked in his Peugeot bump. Fortunately, all six participants continued to move along the route. But in the next turn of the Norwegian repeated the maneuver that caused a chain of events...
Solberg spun — he missed ahead of all other contenders. Hansen threw right — he crashed into a car Reinis Nitishsa. This has resulted in damage to the right front suspension of the car pilot team Peugeot-Hansen. He continued to move, but ohromevshaya machine virtually ruled, at some point it has pulled to the right, but there was again unfortunate Nitishs. The collision resulted in both drivers at once — and the Swedes, and Latvians.
The originator of this whole situation Petter Solberg was able to return to the race, but raced off ahead to catch up with rivals could not. The result — the fourth and last place in the semifinals. Thus, «thanks to the» thoughtless maneuver reigning world champion lost the final race of three potential favorites! And the main loss was not the very Solberg, and, of course, Timmy Hansen.
By winning his home event, but without the first place after the end of the final race (judges considered the last corner overtaking unnecessarily rude), if Timmy got its second wind. In Canada, he brilliantly won three qualifying heats session, and another one came in second place, behind only Solberg. However, hopes of an heir to the dynasty Hansen first win did not come true — in the semifinals it «knocked out» Norwegian veteran.
As a result, the first semi-final won his debut in the team ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport Team Tommy Rustad. Topi Heikkinen and Tanner Foust closed the top three winners, and also reached the final.
Looking at the dramatic semi-final first check the participants of the second semi-final first overcome a bunch of turns almost without incident. No luck only to Timur Timerzyanovu...
The Russian made it to the semi-finals, but in the opening race at his path stood Johan Kristofferson. The blow to the back of the car, turn and, as it turned out later, breaking the left rear suspension — the chances of a good result Timur left.
Was depressed after the disappearance of Timmy Hansen team members Peugeot-Hansen again cheered — fallen from the hands of the Swede picked up the banner of his teammate Davi Jeanne. Frenchman confidently held its semi-final race and won.
Mattias Ekstrom and Andreas Bakkerud took second and third place, Timur Timerzyanov dragged his Ford to the finish line in fourth position, Johan Kristofferson was fifth, and Manfred Stohl did not get to finish — in the fight against Bakkerudom he crashed into a fence made of tires and went.
At the start of the final race has a very interesting and motley company — a sieve first semifinal held middle peasants Rustad, Heikkinen and Faust, and managed to qualify from the second favorite to Jeanne, Ekstrom and Bakkerud. Such an alignment could not imagine anyone.
Compared to the semifinal heats finals was frankly boring — no accidents, no contentious overtaking, no gatherings...
Despite the advantage in the classroom, from the start Ekstrom and Bakkerud were in the tail of the six participants. Leadership captured Joan, in pursuit of him and rushed Heikkinen Rustad. And only then — Bakkerud, Faust and Ekstrom.
On the first lap the peloton split — Rustad, Bakkerud and Ekstrom stopped at the «joker-lap.» It was the wrong decision — in the end it is this trio remained outside the podium!
Jeanne Faust and Heikkinen and finished the final race, keeping the same order as in the first round. The same can be said about their rivals.
Davie Jeanne won a second victory of the season, to sweeten the pill team Peugeot-Hansen — of course there are more happy to first place Timmy Hansen.
But Petter Solberg is thoughtful: the second consecutive unsuccessful stage — this is a trend...
The next race on the World Cup cross-country rally will be held on August 21 in Norway.
