2016 Training period 2 - SM Vaakuna Ralli

Toyota GAZOO Racing Rally Challenge Program is well underway in Finland. So far the drivers of the program, lead by Tommi Mäkinen, have competed in two events: the Arctic Lapland Rally and SM Vaakuna Ralli, driven in Mikkeli 26 - 27 February.

Training Objectives

To improve car handling skills on loose surface in the safe snow conditions.  

To get rally experience through SM Vaakuna Ralli, which is the second rally in this season for both drivers, Takamoto Katsuta and Hiroki Arai.

Starting from the rally cross track, they moved to more challenging stages to improve car handling skills.
Starting from the rally cross track, they moved to more challenging stages to improve car handling skills.

Schedule

  1. 2/22 Mon
    Driving training (Rally cross track, Hauhanpohja)
  2. 2/23 Tue
    Driving training (Lapintie、Valkola)
  3. 2/24 Wed
    Pacenote training (Leustu、Surkee)
  4. 2/25 Thu
    Travel to Mikkeli, Administration check
  5. 2/26 Fri
    SM Vaakuna Ralli Day1 (Recce, SS1, SS2)
  6. 2/27 Sat
    SM Vaakuna Ralli Day2 (SS3-SS8)
Starting from the rally cross track, they moved to more challenging stages to improve car handling skills.
Starting from the rally cross track, they moved to more challenging stages to improve car handling skills.
Lots of rally fans visited the service park
Lots of rally fans visited the service park

Day 1-3, 22 Feb. - 24 Feb. Driving and pacenote training

Using rally cross track and several stages, drivers practiced to improve car handling skills and pacenote skills. Tommi and Mikko Hirvonen gave advices for car setups to both drivers. They tried several different setups to find the best solution to their driving. Both could analyze how the car reacts according to the setups. Overall the two driving days went better than ever before and Katsuta and Arai gained confidence and experience before the rally.

Lots of rally fans visited the service park
Lots of rally fans visited the service park
Katsuta and Barritt, 5th in SM2 class
Katsuta and Barritt, 5th in SM2 class
"Road condition varied even in the same stage. It was hard to adjust my driving to the condition" (Katsuta)
"Road condition varied even in the same stage. It was hard to adjust my driving to the condition" (Katsuta)

Day 4-6, 25 Feb. - 27 Feb. SM Vaakuna Ralli

Katsuta and Arai participated in SM Vaakuna Ralli held in Mikkeli, the second round of Finnish National Championship. The rally consisted of 8 special stages with a total of 110 SS kilometres.

The most important and only goal for Takamoto Katsuta in Mikkeli was to finish the rally. Hiroki Arai did very well in Arctic Lapland Rally, so his goal in Mikkeli was to drive without overreaching. After a good result, there is often the threat of trying to achieve too much in the next rally, said instructor Jouni Ampuja.

Katsuta's performance did give the team reason for joy. He has shown good pace and finished the rally as planned. He ended up 5th in his class. On the other hand it was a disappointment for Hiroki Arai this time. He was doing well on Day 1 and kept up with the front-runners. However, Day 2 started with a set-back when Arai left his braking too late on SS3, the opening stage of the day, and was forced to retire. It was clear to the driver as well that the reason for his retirement was going faster than the pace notes indicated. This happens easily when a driver’s confidence in his own abilities grows after good results, Ampuja said.

The winner of SM Vaakuna Ralli was Juha Salo with his Peugeot 208 R5. Katsuta and Arai competed in Group N class, where the winner was Teemu Asunmaa with his Subaru WRX STi R4. The gap between Asunmaa and 5th placed Katsuta was 5:10.3.

The work continues. Next up is Tahko Rally driven 11 - 12 March in Nilsiä, Eastern Finland. It will be the final winter rally of the season, but there is still time to learn more.

Katsuta and Barritt, 5th in SM2 class
Katsuta and Barritt, 5th in SM2 class
"Road condition varied even in the same stage. It was hard to adjust my driving to the condition" (Katsuta)
"Road condition varied even in the same stage. It was hard to adjust my driving to the condition" (Katsuta)

Driver's diary

Hiroki Arai
Objectives
To keep and establish the pacenote skills and timing which I learned from last rally
Impression of Vaakuna ralli
I got an impression that Mikkeli had relatively wide roads with many ups and downs. It was difficult to simulate the rally speed during recce as each corner was quite long and there were many kinds of crests. During the test day, Tommi and Mikko gave me advices for car setups. It was very informative and I could learn how the car behaves with setup changes.
What I learned
Unfortunately I got stuck in snow at SS3 and had to retire. It made me realize the importance of pacenote and partnership with co-driver in rally. I will start over from next rally and continue my challenge.
Comments from instructor
Hiroki started the training with the confidence he gained in Arctic Rally. The driving was very determined and the speed was very good, constant and solid. Sometimes he missed the optimal line but still he controlled those situations very well. The rally result was disappointing, but he seems to have understood what he needed to improve . We expect his improvements in the next rally.
Takamoto Katsuta
Objectives
To finish the rally to get used to driving on snow, to have better understanding of English pacenote, and to gain as much experience as possible
Impression of Vaakuna ralli
I struggled a bit in pacenote making as the visibility was fairy bad because of the blowing snow on recce day. The average speed of special stages was higher than Lapland rally, and I had an impression that there were many big crests in high speed corners. Road condition varied even in the same special stage and it was hard to adjust my driving to the condition.
What I learned
I'm very happy that I could achive my goal to finish the rally. We got a flat tire at SS６and had some machine trouble at SS7, but thanks to Daniel and the team I could manage to complete it. I realized that there were things more important than time or position to me right now and I could could learn many things by finishing the rally. I also found many points that I could improve in pacenote making for next rally.
Comments from instructor
Takamoto was well concentrated already in the recce and continued this during the rally. He was driving extremely carefully throughout the rally and showed good understanding and reaction to the pacenote. He has now learnt the differences between circuit racing and rallying. Having finished the rally he can now start building the confidence back and gradually increase the speed.

Summary

For the most parts, the learning process of our two drivers has been moving forward according to plan, with both of them having reached a level of “good basic skills”.  However they need more and more experience of course.  Experience will make them react quickly and properly when something happens.  We will also try to find some kind of routine and ease for the driving and everything the drivers do, so that they will be able to keep their performance in-check during the actual rallies too.

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