Friday’s first special test was interrupted due to Dani Sordo’s car catching fire. It is the first time that the new Rally 1 car returns in the World Rally Championship.
Simo Arkko,
Micke Suopuro
The World Rally Championship saw dramatic moments during the night, when Hyundai’s Dani Sordon the car burst into flames during EK 2.
Sordo tried his cart together Candido Carrera and M-Sport by Gus Greensmith and by Jonas Andersson with to turn off the car, but nothing could be done.
– I have never experienced anything like it. I could never have believed that the car would burn completely. I am sorry on behalf of the team for the loss of the car, Sordo said In an interview with Dirt Fish. (you switch to another service)
According to Sordo, his car already had smoke problems during Thursday, and initially the car was filled with smoke during EK 2. Sordo says he stopped when he saw flames inside the car.
An attempt was made to extinguish the car with a fire extinguisher taken from Greensmith’s car, but the car burned like a torch in open flames. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Sports expert Miikka Anttilan according to Sordo had been complaining about the extra smell of fuel in his car since the special test. He considers it likely that fuel has leaked in the car.
– The FIA (International Automobile Federation) switched to a new fuel for this year and it has been said that it is more challenging in terms of seals and others. Has it caused a fuel leak inside the car? In any case, it must have started from there, Anttila guesses.
According to Anttila, before the start of the season, it was feared that the new hybrid unit behind the car would cause problems. According to him, it seems that the burning of Sordo’s car is not related to the hybrid unit.
– At the beginning of the season, it was feared that the carbon fiber protection of the hybrid unit would cause problems. So far, these (car burnings) have not been seen.
It is the first time that a new Rally1 car returns in the World Rally Championship. Complete destructions are rare at the World Cup level, but not exceptional. In 2020, the World Rally Championship in Mexico saw dramatic moments when Esapekka Lapin The Ford Fiesta burst into flames and was completely burnt.
According to Anttila, in situations like Sordo’s case, it is really difficult to turn off the car.
– When a car catches fire during a special test, it manages to cause such a fire and so much heat that it is really difficult to extinguish it in such a situation.
– If the car was only made of metal, it would be a different matter. The car has carbon fiber parts and when they ignite, it burns like a torch.
The driver duo survived the situation without damage. According to Anttila, you can get out of the rally car very quickly in such situations.
– Even if the seat belts are on, you can get out of there in practically a second. Fasten your seat belts and open the door. It’s a different matter if the door doesn’t open after going outside. In this case, the car was stopped on a wide road and there was room to open the doors. From there you can get to the yard very quickly.
Because of the Sordo case, EK 2 was suspended, and EK 3 was also decided to be cancelled.
The World Championship rally has had other twists and turns during the night. EK 4 was also interrupted when a car drove bySami Pajaria and Emil Lindholm. We also saw each other during the special exam by Craig Breen driving out