Will Gollop

[Barrie]

Just been watching last nights Nutts Corner coverage, and was amazed at how Will's got his car so well sorted already. I know Peter will no this, how easy is it to install the euro restrictor so the likes of Gollop and Carnegie can compete in European rounds. Im sure they could pick up good results if competing the odd event this year, I know Will was thinking of French championship do the frogs use restrictors?

[Peter S]

Firstly Gollop told me that he will be doing at least two rounds of the European championship this year. Looks like Belgium and Holland.

France run to the exact same FIA regulations including the 45mm restrictors, as does every other championship in Europe apart from England.

The restrictor is very easy to fit, and can be done on any car. The only problem it effects is the power band that the engine runs in. Therefore the gearing has to be played about with on the dyno to make sure the engine runs correctly. This will reduce Gollops car from 650bhp to around 520/530bhp but will increase the torque, so it will be even quicker of the line. Carnegie has driven his Focus before with the restrictor in Europe...2/3 years ago in Belgium and Holland so he has information on it already. From what i have heard Gollop will have a step two engine in very soon.

The restrictor itself has to be fitted to the compressor housing. All the air passing into the engine must therefore pass through the restrictor.


Out of interest i have been told that John Cross is running his Focus fully restricted to FIA rules. thats why he seems to be struggling. As is Tony Bell's Toyota Corolla Wrc, which may be seen in Europe quite often this year due to his lack of presence in the Gb championship.

From what i have heard, Gollop, Carnegie, Cross, Bell and a Modified (i cannot say who) could all be across For the benelux double header rounds of the European championship at Maasmechelen and Valkensward.

Please note i have written a full European championship preview/document (17 pages!!) and will be online at www.rallyracing.nl in the next couple of days on the news section. Anyone wanting a copy of the full document of the preview can obtain one by sending an email to me, once it has gone online.

[Peter S]

Oh the other problem with the French championship, is that they have a control tyre, which is so hard in compound that it takes the drivers a long time to get used to it. Hansen went to do the French series two years ago and struggled for the first two rounds while he adapted his style to suit.