The thrills and spins of a rally car

Competing for the top honours, trophies and podium finishes are 27 Subaru Imprezas—clearly a staple of Uganda rallies and fan favourite—9 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, and 5 Toyotas—Run X, Allex, Vitz and Sprinter. Despite the model, make, and the different performances, each of the crews is confident that their car has what it takes to win the Pearl of Africa rally, which is the sixth round of the Africa Rally Championship series.

Getting ready for a rally takes hours, days and weeks of preparation, requiring heavy doses of patience, tuning of the technical aspects, and attention to the detail. In actual sense, the bulk of the time for preparation is spent on a lot of the “other stuff” before the driver and co-driver/navigator sit in the cockpit of that is up to the measurements.

Since the engine is the heart of any vehicle. It has to be well maintained and serviced; all parts are fixed and working well. And whatever needs to be replaced has been replaced. “Before and during the race, the mechanics have got to check that there is nothing leaking, engine oil, the gear box and the fans are working and the electricals are okay,” says Kakaire.

Safety
“Before we get into the rally, the car is subjected to what they call a scrutineering check. This is done by FMU. It is a technical check to see that you meet all safety standards and mechanical conditions of the car.” In addition to the engine, other aspects that have to be checked include tyres, rims, suspension, and shock absorbers.

All these have to be the type required for competition.
Interestingly, contrary to assumptions, a number of competition rules actually restrict rally cars in some aspects. A case in point is the turbo. While a street car will have an open turbo, FIA regulations set a not-more-than 33mm opening for a turbo on a rally car.

According to rallycars.com, “A turbo restrictor is essentially a tube fitted directly on the turbocharger’s air intake….their main purpose is to reduce the turbine’s air intake flow and, consequently, its output. The internal diameter of the restrictor is being continually reduced by FIA regulations from 38mm (1992) to 36mm (1994) to 34mm (1995) and now 32mm on Group N cars (the 34mm restrictor still applies to Group A cars). Turbo restrictors also increase the turbo’s lag time but most teams overcome this effect by fitting anti-lag systems.”

As pointed out above, the teams look to circumvent such restrictions to enhance their cars without breaking the regulations. One of these is the anti-lag system, also known as bang-bang because of the loud explosion sound it produces.

Because of the turbo chargers, at intervals, there are lags in which the engine is less responsive and output is below nominal. Other ways to boost the car include a launch control, which is an electronic de vice that assists the drivers to accelerate from a standing start. If you have seen a rally car at the start line, this explains the way it seems to “jump off” at the go signal.

There is also the kind of fuel fed, some use the kind specially blended to improve performance. A good example is V-Power produced by Shell and Ferrari; it was developed from Formula One races. Others used are aviation fuel and Turbo Max (or Turbo Evo).

Another important performance-boosting component is the ECU—engine control unit, also known as competition computer. Though there are several brands with varying advantages, it is also possible to install software that can map the engine appropriately.

Even what are considered ordinary in other cars such as hand brake, steering, gear box, jack, clutch, pedals are different when it comes to rally cars. Continuous research and development has led to better products directed at improving performance and handling for the drivers to gain an advantage over the competitors. In all, motorsport is as much about common sense, strategy and style as in skills, knowledge and discipline. A few seconds can mean winning or losing the race.

PREPARATION
“The best preparation is the mental preparation,” says Dusman Okee, vice president, Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), which governs and regulates the sport. “The drivers and their teams have to be mentally prepared ahead of any event.”

This includes the co-driver or navigator as shared by George Semakula, who has competed in several rallies. “First and fore most, one needs commitment and has to be organised, if one of the two factors is missing, he or she will never be successful,” he says.

Peter Kakaire, a rally driver, concurs and adds that in addition to that, like any sport, both driver and co-driver have to be physically fit. They will have to put in hours and hours of gym time, and keep themselves hydrated. Motorsport is gruelling and takes a toll on the body and mind, so one has to be ready for this. “Just a few kilometres in that car, locked up with only an air vent on the roof and you will have buckets of sweat pouring down your body.”

RULES & REGULATIONS
Along with this, is the knowledge of the rules and regulations and supplementary rules for each competition. “The starting point is to understand the sport. Motorsport is a discipline and it is controlled by rules and regulations,” notes Kakaire. These are issued by FMU and FIA—Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which are the governing bodies at the national and international levels.
He points outs that even before even one participates in a rally, he or she should know the International Sporting Guide from FIA and the competition rules published by FMU for the National Rally Championships and the other local rallies and sprints. These cover everything that happens in the car, around the car and the course and everything else connected with the event.

Citing the upcoming Pearl of Africa Rally (POAR), Joshua Kato, another rally driver observes: “The POAR is a unique rally. Cars must be cleaner and better prepared, not because the rally is long but because of the external scrutineers. About the car, you need a good engine, good tyres, bucket seats must or should be FIA homologated.”
Homologation is basically approval from the relevant authorities, everything about being officially sanctioned.

COSTS AND TRAINING
Many motorsport enthusiasts often dream of getting behind the wheel of a rally car. Though the costs of getting involved in the sport seem prohibitive, the good news is that with a much smaller budget and some organisation anyone can start rallying. A three day event may cost you between Shs5m and Shs10m.

First, they will need to get the skills. And there also, the other good news is that there is a place in Uganda where they can learn how to drive in a rally.

Precision Rally School is being set up in Jinja, where one can get training. They also provide for those who want the feel and experience of rally cars without necessarily getting in a race. Previously, one would have to get up to Abdul Sidi Rally Academy in Kenya, which was the nearest rally driving school. In addition, there is now a pool of various people who can impart the skills, some from their experience, others also having FIA certification. FMU also has a grant from FIA to develop the sport in Uganda and runs a virtual academy.

With the basic skills, another aspect is getting a co-driver and assembling a team. At the minimum, one needs a mechanic (two would be good), an electrician, someone to handle administrative issues and service van/car. He or she will also need the FIA/FMU approved equipment, from the helmet, head and neck support (HANS) device, suit, shoes, driving gloves and balaclava (a form of cloth headgear designed to expose only part of the face).

According to Dusman Okee, FMU vice president, for someone operating on a small budget, the best entry in what is known as 2WD championship, which one can compete with a standard car fitted with a roll cage and other safety measures. Here, one can compete in 60 per cent of the rallies as well as sprints and win trophies.

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