Zoom First finish, first points of the season for Tirabassi

After three consecutive retirements on the first three IRC rounds of the season, Brice Tirabassi and co-driver Fabrice Gordon arrived in Russia with a true hunger for results. Objective number one: gaining their first championship points of the year!

That mission was accomplished in Russia thanks to their seventh-place final result. However, it can hardly be said that the adventure went without any hitches...

A long list of components were changed on the Peugeot 207 S2000 as the days went by, starting right from the shakedown. The clutch was first to be replaced, eventually followed by the exhaust pipe, the injectors, the electronics box, the gearbox, the front differential, the catalytic converter, the flywheel... even the pedals were changed!

With team mechanics scratching their heads, the Peugeot engineer called to the rescue was no more successful in finding where the gremlin was hiding in the car.

If Tirabassi and Gordon can pat themselves on the back for managing to collect precious points despite all their problems, they also greatly thanked the BSA crew for the feats they accomplished during the service breaks. In particular: six minutes to take out the gearbox, 38 minutes to change the flywheel, the clutch and the gearbox... the book of records cannot be very far off!

At the controls of a car in better condition, Tirabassi could have certainly expressed his art in true form and reached higher in the overall standings. However, his 207 never went beyond 60% of its maximum power during Rally Russia, making it very difficult to compete against podium finishers Hanninen, Alen, and Basso. As the stages moved forward, Tirabassi fell a little further behind each time.

Despite all the problems, the Frenchman maintained a positive mindset after the event, preferring to look at the good side of things.

"It was a really difficult rally for us, but after three consecutive retirements in Turkey, Portugal, and Belgium, we were finally able to reach the finish line and record our first points," Tirabassi said.

"That's important for morale and for what comes next, starting with the next rally, Madeira," he continued. "We will have a new car which will certainly allow us to race at our best."

Tirabassi will be at the start of Rally Madeira with a new car, but most importantly, with a new Sodemo engine; the issues encountered in Russia emanated from the 207 engine.

Daniel BASTIEN
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