Gravel spies
Gravel spies , also ice spies or ice crews , English gravel cars or gravel crews are teams or vehicles in rallying sports that drive the route again up to an hour before the official start of a special stage in order to check their condition and make changes - especially with regard to gravel, ice and moisture - to be determined compared to the exploratory trips. The so-called record is updated, which informs the rally driver or his copilot about the condition of the track in order to increase the driver's safety and reduce costs due to accidents and damage. Experienced racing drivers are often used as gravel spies, as some experience is required to be able to assess, for example, at which points the route could still freeze or thaw before the start.
In 2004, gravel spies were banned by the FIA as part of the World Rally Championship in order to reduce deployment and transport costs, but after protests by the racing drivers, they were allowed again. The announcement of the event shows whether gravel spies or gravel cars are permitted before the start or not.
Individual evidence
- ↑ World Rally Championship - Glossary - Gravel Crews
- ↑ Rallye Magazin - Lexikon - Schotterspione ( Memento from February 10, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Skoda - Gravel Cars - Definition ( Memento from January 9, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Märtin angry with the FIA
- ↑ Citroën: "Gravel spies are important!"
- ↑ The Return of the Gravel Spies
- ↑ For safety reasons, FIA now allows the use of so-called gravel spies in asphalt rallies
- ^ Announcement ARBÖ Rallye 2012 ( Memento from January 9, 2014 in the Internet Archive )