I just randomly thought, "Wonder how good FWD cars are at rally?".
So I punched it into google and this is one of the first things that popped up. Obviously its older, AND on tarmac... But still, this is some forceful driving!
I just randomly thought, "Wonder how good FWD cars are at rally?".
So I punched it into google and this is one of the first things that popped up. Obviously its older, AND on tarmac... But still, this is some forceful driving!
How did I know it was going to be a jean Ragnotti video? :)
Watch the Mont Blanc footage.
Or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZyUImGiaow&feature=related
He drives with so much INTENSITY. I love it.
In reply to cxhb:
Thank you, Sir! That video made my evening and it has been saved to my "favorites" file, soon to be downloaded to the hard drive.
The best stuff starts around the 4:15 mark - the cars look like proper racers with box-flares, a bit of aero, and the obligatory huge and fat wheel/tire combos.
But, the exhaust notes and squealing tires are entertaining the whole way through!
In reply to Knurled:
And, an equal big thanks to you, too!
i tried to find the Jim Bamber cartoon of Ragnotti in the R5 turbo with Jean juggling some tennis balls outside the car, and a caption about big balls. 
oldsaw wrote: In reply to cxhb: Thank you, Sir! That video made my evening and it has been saved to my "favorites" file, soon to be downloaded to the hard drive. The best stuff starts around the 4:15 mark - the cars look like proper racers with box-flares, a bit of aero, and the obligatory huge and fat wheel/tire combos. But, the exhaust notes and squealing tires are entertaining the whole way through!
Glad you liked it. It needs to be shared.
Damn. That is some sick driving and excellent footage.
He did stuff that I didn't know was possible in a FWD car!!! Does he give lessons? And on a side note, how do you get a FWD car to rotate like that? Like say,...a 1987 golf gti??
mrwillie wrote: He did stuff that I didn't know was possible in a FWD car!!! Does he give lessons? And on a side note, how do you get a FWD car to rotate like that? Like say,...a 1987 golf gti??
Take your left foot, apply judiciously to brake pedal while keeping the gas floored with right foot.
Oh, and a hydraulic hand brake for the tighter stuff 
You'd find a bit of info on this in the latest GRM 
HiTempguy wrote:mrwillie wrote: He did stuff that I didn't know was possible in a FWD car!!! Does he give lessons? And on a side note, how do you get a FWD car to rotate like that? Like say,...a 1987 golf gti??Take your left foot, apply judiciously to brake pedal while keeping the gas floored with right foot. Oh, and a hydraulic hand brake for the tighter stuff
All good tips, but the in-car clips show Ragnotti reserving his left foot for clutch-work while the right foot works the accelerator and brake pedals simultaneously. And, yes, there was a fair bit of hand-brake application, too.
Ragnotti has some serious skillz.
Wow, I'd never heard of Ragnotti. Thanks!
i like how he anticipates the understeer by supplying oversteer! Some real good footage there!
In a couple of those it looks like he is executing a good old fashion Scandinavian flick...
Wow all that drifting kinda reminds me of a video saw recently, have any of you guys heard of ken block???
Fearless
That video makes me wish I was a rally driver.
not to say that every other rally video I watch makes me wish the same thing.
Im surprised people dont remember him more. Guess it was timing. What other great FWD rally drivers are there?
HiTempguy wrote:mrwillie wrote: He did stuff that I didn't know was possible in a FWD car!!! Does he give lessons? And on a side note, how do you get a FWD car to rotate like that? Like say,...a 1987 golf gti??Take your left foot, apply judiciously to brake pedal while keeping the gas floored with right foot.
Watch him drive. He NEVER left-foot-brakes. Brake entering the corner, accelerate exiting.
cxhb wrote: Im surprised people dont remember him more. Guess it was timing. What other great FWD rally drivers are there?
He drove Group B cars (R5) but when GpB was banned, he went into the lighter weight Group A cars instead of the top-dog stuff. Probably didn't hurt/help that Renault didn't field any of those.
He said that the 2000cc Kit Cars were much faster than the Group Bs. Less power, but much better diffs and MUCH better brakes.
cxhb wrote: Im surprised people dont remember him more. Guess it was timing. What other great FWD rally drivers are there?
Gilles Panizzi was pretty good :)
The music is only in the beginning then it is pure sound.
Mark
EvanB wrote: not to say that every other rally video I watch makes me wish the same thing.
Truth.
Ragnotti is a maestro behind the wheel.
cxhb wrote: What other great FWD rally drivers are there?
Timo Mäkinen, Rauno Aaltonen and Paddy Hopkirk?
I seem to recall Loeb starting out in a FWD car also...
am I the only one who thinks that either Ragnotti or Panizzi would be murderously fast at an autocross in either the old Renault Clio Maxi (Ragnotti) or Peugeot 306 Maxi (Panizzi)? they seem to be VERY good at getting FWD cars to rotate, and those cars look like they would work wonderfully for autoX with some very minor setup tweaks (less locking percentage on the diff on the coast side offset by a LITTLE bit more locking percentage on the acceleration side of the diff, MAYBE a little bit less front bar or more rear bar)
RealMiniDriver wrote:cxhb wrote: What other great FWD rally drivers are there?Timo Mäkinen, Rauno Aaltonen and Paddy Hopkirk?
I'll definitely be looking them up.
You'll need to log in to post.
