On its way to Mexico, where the third round of World Rally Championship will take place from March 9 to March 12, Eurolamp World Rally Team visited Portugal for training.
During two days on the first March weekend the mechanics and engineers had a lot of experiments with car’s gravel set-ups. Valery Gorban and Sergey Larens worked on a training track trying to adapt from snow and fros of Sweden to warm and stones of Portugal.
After the training, during summarizing of the work and making plans on the forthcoming rally, the team couldn’t help to remember that last year in Mexico after the finish on 10th place Eurolamp WRT became the first Ukrainian team whose drivers earned points in WRC category racing on the car which was prepared and was served by Ukrainian staff. Moreover the driver and the co-driver continued the chain of pleasant memories and told about theirs races of World Rally Championship during which they obtained the first points.
«In fact, our first scoring finish took place in Poland in 2009. But in that race the drivers of our category, N4, didn’t obtain official points. So, formally, my first points in World Rally Championship were earned in Sweden, in 2011. And when I remember that race the first thing which comes to my mind is how astonished I was by everything that was happening around me…» — told Valery Gorban, Eurolamp WRT driver.
«It was 30 degrees of frost. We had to overcome the huge distances of road sections and special stages. We felt like there was only frost and once more frost and nothing except frost around us. We slept no more than 4-5 hours per day… After the finish – so long awaited finish – it was the first time when the racing seat made me feel terrible pain in buttocks. Generally it was really strength test for the whole our team and our crew. And it was very pleasant feeling to pass that test!»
It is noteworthy that the first Sergey Larens’ World Rally Championship race in which he obtained his first points was Rally Portugal 2011. And it was the race when he was co-driver of Valery Gorban for the first time.
«Then I had to prepare for the race as quick as I could and had to be ready to replace Evgeny Leonov who had injured his back on a prerace training», — told Sergey Larens.
«I was extremely concentrated to provide maximum comfort of driving for Valery Gorban and to help him to ride out the tense situation. It was not an easy task because of the complicated type of Valery’s note-pace. It was very exigent challenge for me. I remember how the blood boiled in my head… But eventually all was successful, we occupied 5th row in our category, and all team’s crews were on the finish of the rally.
I remember very well that all of us were in a very good mood and the day ended with great supper – the whole team came together to a fish restaurant of Faro city where we tasted excellent cataplana… »
Rally Mexico will start on 9 March. After three tough days and 370 kilometers of fights on the special stages the staff of Eurolamp WRT will come together for supper again. They will be in a good mood again and will remember something pleasant…