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On a Tuesday and Wednesday before a rally, the Subaru World Rally Team drivers complete the reconnaissance or "recce" for short, when they drive through the stages, correct pace notes and look at road conditions. We caught up with recce technician Terry Kaby to find out exactly what happens on these two days.
Tell us about the recce.
The aim is for the drivers to see the stages in conditions close to those they can expect in the rally and create or amend pace notes accordingly. Drivers are allowed two passes through each Special Stage during the recce. On the first pass, the driver "reads" the road the way he sees it and the co-driver writes it down in short hand version. The second time through the co-driver reads the notes back so the driver can make sure he's happy with the calls. Organisers apply a speed limit during the recce of 70-90kph and this is monitored using a satellite GPS system fitted to each car.
Do the drivers use their actual rally cars on the recce?
No. The recce cars are Imprezas built to a Group N specification with a two litre turbo engine, standard engine management system, gearbox, axle and brakes.
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They are also fitted with a roll cage for safety reasons but there are also other safety measures too - the cars are fitted with competition seats and full harness seat belts. The cars are also white with no additional writing on them so they don't attract too much attention from the general public.
How many recce cars do you use?
We have three for long haul events and two for European events. Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson each have a recce car, plus the technicians have a spare car that we use to follow the drivers. This contains spare parts, but we'll use the car if anything happens to the drivers' cars. The spare car is the same specification as Petter and Chris's car.
What's an average day on a recce?
Myself and another technician will be at the drivers' hotel at 0630hrs, ready to leave at 0700hrs. There are a number of checks we do before we leave, such as checking the radio, making sure the wheel nuts are tight and the tyre pressures are okay. We'll then set off for the stages. The co-drivers have an itinerary that means we can see every stage on the rally over the two days. Petter and Chris drive in front and we follow behind in case they have any problems. If they do have problems with a car, even a puncture, we are there and can assist them. They already have enough to do making the notes!
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And when the rally starts, what do you do then?
On asphalt events I write the safety notes for Petter Solberg. These used to be known as the gravel notes. I take a copy of co-drivers' pace notes and mark any additional information, for example where the more dangerous or slippery corners have surface changes. The safety notes are very important as weather conditions can change quickly on an event and drivers need to be aware of any potential hazards. I'll spend Thursday checking the recce cars - they always need re-prepping, cleaning up and having the tyres re-fitted. On Saturday I clean them inside and out ready to go back on the transporter on Sunday morning. Off-event I'm pretty busy too as I shake down the WRC cars, which means l drive them at a test track to check everything is working okay before a rally.
How did you start working with SWRT?
I started doing the gravel [safety] notes for Petter in Argentina, April 2001. Around 2003 I started working alongside another driver shaking down the cars before a rally, but then I got involved in the recce in 2005 once the safety car and notes for gravel rallies were banned. I enjoy all aspects of my job. It's nice, of course, if the team wins the rally and you've been a part of it, shaking the car down, helping on the recce and so on. It's a good team to work for, as from the top down, everybody's working hard, pulling in the same direction.
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2006
2006