Luca Rossetti with SKoda wins the 3rd Eskisehir Rally

Luca Rossetti codriven by Matteo Chiarcossi wins, dominating, the 3rd Eskisehir Rally, second round of the 2012 Turkish Rally Championship 2012; the three-time European Champion took the lead from the second special stage. The driver of Skoda Turkey – Yuce Auto increased, stage after stage, his advantage in the overall standings to reach the final victory. With the Skoda Fabia Super 2000 run by Pegasus Racing and Pirelli tyres the Italian crew, but with Turkish licence, has won 8 out of 9 special stages. The Eskisehir Rally was a completely new race for Luca Rossetti, tackled in a car with which he had competed only once, but the representative of United Business, showing great adaptation skills and thanks to his great experience in competing in ever-changing rallies with completely new roads has, after a special stage of study, become familiar with his performing Skoda and has steadily increased its advantage to climb on the top step of the podium.

Electrical gremlins rob Sykes of Pirelli podium

Rally driver Richard Sykes had a disappointing Pirelli Challenge rally last weekend when a mystery electrical problem caused him to retire from the event.

The Carlisle-based event was round 3 of the BRC Challenge championship and after excellent performances in his Bathams Brewery, G I Sykes Ltd, Boroughbridge Marina and Silverstone Tyres-supported Citroën C2 R2 Max on the opening two rounds Sykes went into the event at the head of the championship leaderboard.

Twingos’ Kielder confrontation

Chris Ingram and Joe Cruttenden emerged as winners in the Twingo Renaultsport R2 Trophy UK on last weekend’s Pirelli International Rally, the MSA British Rally Championship event also adding maximum points to Garry Pearson and Craig Wallace’s R1 Trophy campaign.

The 95 stage mile rally started in Carlisle City Centre on Friday evening, using two runs in Kershope Forest to get the crews in the mood for action. Split by a 45 minute break to ensure that everyone drove the second test in the dark, it was American R2 Twingo pilot who set the pace first time through the six mile stage.

Pacenotes Rally Mag celebrates 100th edition

A very special issue 100 of Pacenotes Rally Magazine is now on sale at all good newsagents!

This month’s edition of the UK and Ireland’s only dedicated rally magazine is our largest ever, with more than 120 pages jam-packed with rally news, photographs, interviews and features.

We take a look back at many of the special moments which Pacenotes has covered since the first edition went on sale in 2003, and have even included images of all 100 Pacenotes covers!

Do you have what it takes to go from Gran Turismo® gamer to real life racing driver?

The Nissan PlayStation® GT Academy 2012 contest is now ‘LIVE’ . The fourth instalment of the highly acclaimed virtual-to-reality racing competition is open to anyone with a PlayStation®3 console by simply downloading a free and brand-new GT Academy qualification challenge themed around the hugely popular Gran Turismo® game. With the ultimate racing prize at stake – an intensive Driver Development training programme that has helped turn previous winners into professional racing drivers with Nissan – a huge entry list is expected for this year’s competition.