The challenge of Ardeca Ypres Rally 2022.
The 2022 Ardeca Ypres Rally offers a unique challenge to the World Rally Championship crews with deep cuts, heavy breaking and acceleration.
It is the second year that Ypres joins the WRC and 2022 has the potential to throw up a different result.
Last year, Thierry Neuville had the home advantage and Craig Breen had more experience on the Westhoek roads than the rest. That was reflected in the results with a 1-2 for the experienced duo.
This year could be different with new cars, and changeable weather coming in. It could all affect the overall speed of the rally, as we wait to see if the average speed is higher or lower than the 114.2km/h average from last year.
“There are a lot of straights and 90 degree junctions so we have big breaking zones and long acceleration. You have a good effect from the hybrid – it gives you more power,” Hyundai Motorsport’s Neuville said before the rally.
Welshman, Elfyn Evans suggests the new cars give an additional change that must be taken into account with the notes.
That is the weight of the cars. Naturally, that affects the breaking.
“Of course the cars are heavier,” the Toyota Gazoo driver explains. “From a braking perspective, that’s not great but we have the support of the hybrid unit.”
With the new cars the unique nature of Ypres brings challenges not seen so far in 2022.
“It’s hard to compare, but when you have a braking event, let’s say then you have a boost event. So with that cycle comes potentially more boost events on this rally than on a few of the others.”
Furthermore, there are other changes from the Ypres Rallies that will provide an equal battleground for the field.
“Honestly all the roads here are tricky in their own their own way,” M-Sport’s Craig Breen explains.
“Dikkebus for the first time ever in history is one of the opposite way. After all the years on the stage, I know them and it’s strange to see the spectators the other side of the road!”
With rain potentially coming to the event, the road conditions will be tricky and changeable and will offer a unique challenge to the world’s best drivers!
The RacerViews info
By Sam Tickell
Written for Ardeca Ypres Rally Belgium
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