Oktober 16, 2013
von samadmin09
Oktober 16th 2013 – The ups and downs do not stop for the HS RallyeTeam: The third stage of the desert rallye was going well for Matthias Kahle and Dr. Thomas M. Schünemann, when suddenly a loud bang in the gearbox put a spoke in their wheel. Nevertheless, after the repairs the team is going to attack the fourth stage tomorrow.
It were not only the midsummer-like 40°C in the shade that made Matthias Kahle and Dr. Thomas M. Schünemann sweat during the third stage of the Marocco Rallye. When navigator Schünemann switched on the ventilation system on the connection stage –the SAM 30D CC does not have air conditioning- the ignition suddenly switched off. This electric problem probably was also the reason for the engine misfire yesterday, so precautionary there will not be ventilation for the copilot from Hamburg in the second half of the rallye.
Kahle/Schünemann started the 250 kilometer long Special from position twelve and made up ground quickly. After 70 kilometers, on place nine, a loud bang in the cockpit signaled the end of the stage for the HS RallyeTeam. The burst gearwheels of the fifth of six gears were flying around in the gearbox. Kahle/Schünemann there and then decided to risk a complete write-off of the gearbox. They turned around and slowly took the shorter way back to the biwak. Winner of the day was Orlando Terranova (Mini All4Racing). The Argentinian was able to increase his overall lead over his pursuers Patrick Sireyjol (SMG Buggy) and Boris Garafulic (Mini All4 Racing) to 24 minutes.
The mechanics of the team from Hamburg replaced the gearbox of the SAM 30D CC, so that Kahle/Schünemann can roll to the starting line of the fourth stage tomorrow – even if it is still unclear from which position. The HS RallyeTeam has already used its joker in respect to the reclassification, but tries to get a special authorization. Otherwise the German team will have to tackle the competition from behind.
Matthias Kahle: „At the beginning of the stage we cleary recognized that the SAM’s performance is far better than it was during the Rallye Dakar. You feel the increase in performance by eight percent with each acceleration. We had a really good speed until the gearbox broke down. Now we hope that our request for reclassification will be accepted. Overall we are lagging behind anyway and hope that the organizer shares our security concerns for the case that we have to move forward through the whole field.“
Dr. Thomas M. Schünemann: „We were just about to overtake a competitor when there was a sudden loud bang in the cockpit. We had to decide that it did not make sense to continue the stage under these circumstances. If we had had a chance for a good position, we might have continued. But we did not want to risk the lose gearwheels to block the gearbox. Then we could have gotten stuck in the middle of nowhere. Despite of the difficulties, we will not give up and fight for a top position tomorrow!“
Next: Stage 4, On the route of the mummy, Distance: 361 km, Special: 295 km
Sand, sand and even more sand is waiting for the competitors on the fourth stage of the Marocco Rallye. The idyllic landscapes between Zagora and Erfoud especially require a good overview for the navigation. But the 295 kilometer long stage has another highlight: It leads through the area where the Hollywood blockbuster „The Mummy“ was filmed.
Results Marocco Rallye 2013 after Stage 3 of 6
Pos. |
Pilot / Copilot |
Vehicle |
Total time
|
1. |
Terranova/Fiuza |
Mini All4 Racing |
7:42:27h
|
2. |
Sireyjol/Beguin |
SMG Buggy |
+24:53m
|
3. |
Garafulic/Picard |
Mini All4 Racing |
+33:39m
|
4. |
Ten Brinke/Baumel |
HRX Ford |
+41:00m
|
5. |
Vasilyev/Yevtyekhov |
Mini All4 Racing |
+44:36m
|
6. |
Rakhimbayev/Zhiltsov |
Toyota Hilux Pickup |
+51:10m
|
7. |
Wevers/Lurquin |
HRX Ford |
+56:11m
|
8. |
Dabrowski/Czachor |
Toyota Hilux Pickup |
+56:32m
|
9. |
Issabayev/Ashimov |
Toyota Hilux Pickup |
+57:50m
|
10. |
Van Merksteijn/Chevallier |
Toyota Hilux Pickup |
+1:21:24m
|
70. |
Kahle/Schünemann |
SAM 30D CC |
+44:13:38m
|
Positions HS RallyeTeam
SAM 30D CC |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
Daily results |
66
|
12
|
71
|
|
|
|
Overall |
66
|
53
|
70
|
|
|
|