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SWRT crews talk
There is no punishing rally like Tour de Corse!
Letter from SWRT
27 October 2005
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The Tour de Corse is renowned as one of the most punishing rallies for drivers and co-drivers. The twisty, tricky stages have earned the event its 'rally of ten thousand corners' nickname. With a multitude of hairpin bends, sharp descents and steep inclines drivers and co-drivers are put under enormous physical and mental pressure:
On Leg one this year, during SS2 (Aullene-Arbellara), SWRT drivers were subjected to the highest g-forces of the World Rally Championship so far. The forces are high as cars accelerate quickly from the exit of one hairpin bend to the apex of another within very short distances. Subaru's on board data recorders measured a peak lateral (side-to-side) force through the stage of 1.575g.
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In wet conditions the lateral g-forces are reduced - but not by much. Even on a fully wet road the Pirelli shod Subaru Impreza WRC2005 has an impressive grip on things.
During the soaking wet Corsica pre-event shakedown, Solberg's car still recorded a lateral g figure of 1.475g.
Frequent direction changes can be a pain in the neck and both drivers and co-drivers prepare carefully to avoid any muscle strain. As part of his fitness routine, co-driver Phil Mills uses a specially adapted helmet with weights attached to the bottom which he wears to build up his neck muscles. "I just put it on when I watch TV and move my head from side to side. It helps to strengthen my neck. You feel pretty stupid watching Coronation Street with this helmet on, but you appreciate it when you come to an event like this when you have massive forces going through your body."
Concentration levels are always high for drivers and co-drivers, but the Tour de Corse requires extreme absorption in the road ahead. Petter Solberg commented, "A lot comes down to the pace notes.
You really have to concentrate on what the co-driver is saying and it's not easy sometimes. It seems that at this rally Phil is talking all the time - I have to absorb what he says very quickly as the corners keep coming."
Hot and sunny weather can make the car's cockpit a fairly uncomfortable place to be. This year will be Denis Giraudet's eleventh Tour de Corse: "It's very challenging for us and the car gets very, very hot in the high temperatures, almost like a sauna. With all the movement in the corners you see exhausted drivers at the end of each stage."
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Ex-Formula One driver Stéphane Sarrazin has experienced g-forces of up to 6g behind the wheel of an F1 car. He still rates this rally as being one of the most challenging, and as difficult as Formula One: "The g-forces are not as high as F1 and my fitness level is good so I don't have a problem with this, but you have to be 100% concentrated on the road. Vico-Col de Sarzoggiu is the most technical of the event as it's very narrow and twisty. If you don't concentrate here you will have a very big accident."
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2006
2005
