Pays d’Ormont SS10-14
Every week, up to the Rally France-Alsace 2012, we will introduce each special stage, decrypted by the Rally’s General Manager, Dominique Serieys, and with the help of the organization stage managers. This week, Pays d’Ormont’s special stage (SS10-14).
Key Factors:
- Saturday, October 6th
- 43.45 kilometers
- 1st car due: 1st loop 09:36 – 2nd loop 15:36
- Number of Course’s Safety Marshalls: 79
- Number of Public’s Safety Marshalls: 148
Analysis:
This stage that is easily accessed has been lengthened by 7 kilometers, and is the longest special of the Rally. It combines many kinds of roads, large and narrow, with different surfaces in the forest and on open ground. After Grandrupt the crews will tackle the new section with the crossing of Saint-Stail, the climb up through the forest and the run down to Le Vermont to the finish. This stage could rearrange the current ranking and open up big gaps.
The opinion of Sébastien Loeb:
«A monument. A very technical special stage, very fast, which was maybe my favorite last year. We’re going to have a lot of fun.»
The opinion of Dominique Serieys, Rally France-Alsace’s General Manager:
- Description: «It is THE stage: the longest one and the most complete of the Rally. With more than 43 kilometers, there will be, for sure, significant gaps… I believe the teams, the drivers as well as the co-drivers, will appreciate this evolution, and some of them might enhance their advantage and use this stage to outdistance their opponents.»
- Public Areas (ZP): « So many choices there… Given the length of the stage and the two loops, the spectators can spend without any doubt the whole day over there. If I were one of the spectators, I would go to the following Public Areas: the ZP2 next to Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, the ZP4 in Denipaire, the ZP9 at the right hairpin turn of Ménil-de-Senones, the ZP10 at the left hairpin turn of Chatas, the ZP14, ZP15 and ZP16 which are located in the new section after Grandrupt & Saint-Stail, the ZP17 where there is a large parabolic turn in Le Vermont, the ZP19 with its direction change at the Puid village; and finally at the bump preceding the left hairpin “Ragnotti” turn (named after the famous French driver, for his impressive moves in the nineties) which is situated at the ZP22, less than a kilometer before the finish line.
To be noted, for the spectators with disabilities and reduced mobility, the particularly interesting initiative of the Conseil Général des Vosges: MIP Space Rally France-Alsace.»