
M-sport has high hopes for new Fiesta RS WRC
Team hopes 80% new car will bring regular podiums
The short Panzerplatte sprint test, which proved a big hit with fans on its introduction last year, will be driven back-to-back on Saturday morning. It will be followed by the daunting multi-surfaced 45.61km full-length stage across the vast tank training area.
Competitors will repeat both stages in the afternoon, but will drive the 2.87km sprint, most of which can be viewed from the main spectator area, just once.
The rally, round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship, is again based in Trier. It will feature 21 stages covering 374km – 48km more than 2014 – in the narrow Mosel vineyards, the Eifel region, Saarland country roads and Baumholder.
Friday kicks off with the Sauertal test near the Luxembourg border before the Waxweiler stage on the Eifel’s slopes.
Plans for a new stage near Spangdahlem have been dropped so drivers head to the hairpin-littered vineyards for the 23.24km Moselland and 13.67km Mittelmosel, the latter returning in a more compact format after a year’s absence. All four tests will be repeated in the afternoon.
Saturday begins in the vineyards at Grafschaft before the Bosenberg country stage near St Wendel returns for the first time since 2001. After the Baumholder tests the same stages are repeated in the afternoon, but in a different format.
The final day remains unchanged from January’s provisional schedule, comprising the 19.59km Stein & Wein and 14.08km Dhrontal, which forms the Power Stage with bonus points for the fastest three drivers.
Pictures by ADAC Motorsport.
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