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The 2015 Rallying Thread (WRC, ERC, etc)


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#851 messy

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Posted 04 December 2015 - 14:34

I think it's harsh on Evans to be dropped. When you consider how long M-Sport persevered with Matthew 'Sunday driver' Wilson (although there might have been other reasons for that!!). He did quite well last season - he was steady and solid in most rallies but also went for it when he had the experience/confidence on events to do so; see his second place in Corsica and a string of powerstage points. He obviously has ability. Maybe not likely to be the next British WRC champion, but he did well.

 

I just think M-Sport are absolutely desperate for the 'magic driver' who will get them a win. Neuville couldn't despite finishing second in the points, then they hired Hirvonen who couldn't return them to the top step, then pinned their hopes on two youngsters who in Evans' case was solid and did everything that could reasonably have been expected, but not enough. They'll see Ostberg as a safe pair of hands and Camili as the wildcard.



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#852 Myrvold

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Posted 04 December 2015 - 16:36

I see where you are coming from. However, no matter how much I don't like Mads Østberg, there is no doubt that he is better than Evans at this point, and with money from dad, he is a good driver for M-Sport, Camilli brings with him quite a few millions as I've understood it, so then there are no place left for Evans, while it might not be strictly fair, it's no surprise, and not really that harsh either. Corsica was a strange rally, made even stranger with the cancellation of almost 1/4 of the rally.

Also, Matthew Wilson was in a different financial time, where Ford was in it, and they had several big sponsors, and the B-Team was financed by Stobart, that gave enough leverage to keep Wilson in it. There is no coincidence that 2011 was his last year in rallying, and that he now is a tester for M-Sport.



#853 Gilles4Ever

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Posted 15 December 2015 - 18:53

Worth grabbing a copy of @MNRally tomorrow if you want to know what @krismeeke's up to next year. He won't have time for the garden...

 

Gary Boyd Retweeted David Evans

Toyota or Citroen ? UK's Motorsport News will break news tomorrow of Kris Meeke's #WRC future.



#854 BRG

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Posted 15 December 2015 - 19:40

Given how shabbily Citroen have treated Meeke (despite him being their only winner in the post-Loeb era), I hope he goes with Toyota.  They may have sunk in F1, but they were a real rallying force.  When they weren't cheating of course!



#855 AlexLangheck

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Posted 15 December 2015 - 21:18

Except Toyota (TMG Cologne) don't seem to be having much input to the current programme; for some mysterious reason, Akio Toyoda has got involved and given it to Tommi Makinen; a team who have achieved virtually nothing in International rallying. I still find it bizarre.
However, if that is we're Meeke goes, then things are obviously moving along; and his years of testing & development of PSA products will help - as will the degree as an engineer from Queens.

#856 chunder27

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Posted 15 December 2015 - 22:58

Toyota are one of the biggest powerhouses in WRC, and have bene since the 70's.

 

The sad part is that TTE are not running this team so this is almost like MSport taking over from Boreham in the 90's.  Not the same but the same badge.

 

Dont get Makinens involvement, he seems to have uttterly fallen out with Mitsubishi and was close with Subaru for yeras, then takes on Toyota!  What next, Daihatsu!!!



#857 JuanPablo

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 07:16

Looks like a 3 year Citroen deal for Meeke, doing 10 rallies in 2016.

#858 AlexLangheck

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 08:14

Toyota are one of the biggest powerhouses in WRC, and have bene since the 70's.

 

The sad part is that TTE are not running this team so this is almost like MSport taking over from Boreham in the 90's.  Not the same but the same badge.

 

Dont get Makinens involvement, he seems to have uttterly fallen out with Mitsubishi and was close with Subaru for yeras, then takes on Toyota!  What next, Daihatsu!!!

 

Similar to M-Sport - except they had 10-15 years as MWMotorsport running cars all over the world in championships. Not sure what Makinen's team have done - except building a Subaru powered GT-86 4WD for Akio Toyoda.... which seemingly clinched the deal.....



#859 messy

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 08:20

That looks like a good deal for Meeke to me. Doing ten rallies next season is a lot for a 'selected programme', you'd expect maybe five given what that's meant in the past. So he gets a nearly full season in 2016 in a DS3 which he's already proven he can be really quick in, then a place in the new car in 2017 and beyond. I'm happy for him. Didn't want to see him kicking his heels on the side,lines next year. He's a driver who can compete with Ogier on pace, and right now they're like gold dust. 



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#860 Myrvold

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 12:42

Similar to M-Sport - except they had 10-15 years as MWMotorsport running cars all over the world in championships. Not sure what Makinen's team have done - except building a Subaru powered GT-86 4WD for Akio Toyoda.... which seemingly clinched the deal.....


Ran N4 Subarus for some years.

Meeke in Citroën means no Solberg in WRC in 2016

#861 EightGear

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 14:52

Were Citroen really considering Solberg? Just for the sake of filling a seat or with a plan to keep him in 2017?

#862 Myrvold

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 15:35

Were Citroen really considering Solberg? Just for the sake of filling a seat or with a plan to keep him in 2017?

Just for a selected amount of rallies (Sweden was the most secure), as Petter is aiming for a third WRX title in a row ;)

 

Anyway, no chance for that now :)



#863 kurski

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Posted 22 December 2015 - 19:35

Rally Finland organiser's CEO Tiina Lehmonen have resigned to join Mäkinen's ToyotaWRC team.



#864 AlexLangheck

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Posted 23 December 2015 - 10:14

I hope I'm wrong,but the Makinen/Toyota WRC effort has alarm bells ringing.

It’s not another Nissan is it?



#865 kurski

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Posted 23 December 2015 - 15:32

The size of Mäkinen's ToyotaWRC team is up to 70 persons now, of which 40 in Finland and rest in Germany and GB. Tiina Lehmonen will be marketing director is ToyotaWRC. She'll start in February.


Edited by kurski, 23 December 2015 - 15:33.


#866 kosmic33

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 12:34

Were Citroen really considering Solberg? Just for the sake of filling a seat or with a plan to keep him in 2017?

Not if they had Meeke.

 

Petter was past it 5 years ago and would never be anywhere the pace after this long a lay off

 

Nice top see Kubica entered in an M-Sport car for Monte with Evans there to race the Skodas in the R5 car



#867 DrProzac

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 13:23

Other rumors suggest Kubica starting in Ciroen's WRC car.

 

As for Solber, he was always one of my favourite drivers, it would be nice to see him in a rally car.



#868 chunder27

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 13:33

Petter would I think still be an asset to some teams, You have to understand that Citroen are transitioning and that Petter has won two rallycross series for them now, even though he is fudning most of it himself.

 

He has made noises of not being keen on funding his racing all the time and wanting tg et manufacturer support, perhaps Citroen might get more invovled in his WRX campaign



#869 Myrvold

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 14:29

Petter was past it 5 years ago and would never be anywhere the pace after this long a lay off

 

If he was past it 5 years ago, I feel even more sorry for the state WRC are in.

 

Petter would I think still be an asset to some teams, You have to understand that Citroen are transitioning and that Petter has won two rallycross series for them now, even though he is fudning most of it himself.

 

He has made noises of not being keen on funding his racing all the time and wanting tg et manufacturer support, perhaps Citroen might get more invovled in his WRX campaign

 

Petter will not get any Citroën support. They are not going to support WRX at all. He'll continue with the DS3 in 2016 for the sole reason that he don't feel he have time to get another car ready, and competetive in the time that he have before the 2016 season starts.
Citroën have never been involved in the WRX team at any level either, it's a completely private effort, made by sponsors and his own savings.



#870 kosmic33

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 15:49

Petter wasn't past it 5 years ago. Its been 7 years now since Atkinson beat him over a season so he's been past it since then

 

Kubica is driving an M-Sport Fiesta.

M-Sport lodged his entry



#871 EightGear

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 18:55

His speed was still kind of OK back in 2012 IIRC, although often breaking things on the car. He's a likeable guy but coming back to WRC now would make no sense I'm afraid.

Edited by EightGear, 25 December 2015 - 01:58.


#872 Myrvold

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Posted 24 December 2015 - 23:44

Petter wasn't past it 5 years ago. Its been 7 years now since Atkinson beat him over a season so he's been past it since then

 

He got pretty fed up, and lost all motivation due to the poor Subaru's though. That's pretty easy to see if you re watch 2006-2008, how he seemed less and less interested. And if Petter was past it in 2008, then it is a really really bad sign that he managed 3rd overall, 1 point off Latvala, ending the year as the second best Citroën, driving for his own private team.



#873 ArnageWRC

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Posted 30 December 2015 - 19:34

I've been catching up with the Absolute Rally podcasts - interesting listening, especially the Mark James interview on the state of the WRC, and the promotion/ or lack of. Hits the nail on the head.



#874 DerFlugplatz

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Posted 30 December 2015 - 20:42

Yes he absolutely does



#875 AlexLangheck

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Posted 30 December 2015 - 22:09

The current promoters are just repeating the mistakes of ISC/ NorthOne - which isn't a surprise as a lot of them are still involved. Go figure. 10-15 years and the sport is still in the same position.

#876 messy

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Posted 30 December 2015 - 22:35

Solberg looked a spent force in his last couple of years at Subaru sure, but he then went on to impress in privateer Citroens - I remember I think it was Rally Jordan 2010, there was a stage which was essentially dancing on top of this ridge and he was amazing, visibly on it, faster than anyone - he did good things 2010/11 and when he got the works Ford drive he did everything but win a round. He's still very quick. Or at least he was last time he was in the WRC.

Solberg is a character and a showman, he'd be a boost for the series.

#877 kosmic33

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 13:15

Ari Vatanen was a character and a showman too.

Does he deserve a factory seat for 2016?



#878 AlexLangheck

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 15:38

Solberg has had his time - he was WRChampion in 2003, 13 years ago. Move on people. Same with some of the WRC journalists whom seem desparate for Loeb to return........

#879 chunder27

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 17:04

They want something to write about that's all.

 

As has been said many times by me about WRC, why on earth wudl Red Bull spend ANY mney promoting the WRC when their sponsored cars have won the thing every year for the past 10 years or so, it would make absolutely no commercial sense.

 

They see to be the main peopole touted as promoting it and they sponsr everything that wins, no brainer really.

 

It doesnt work on tv, never has, and only works as a live spectacle, stop trying to make it work and concentrate on promoting drivers in other fields of motorsport, showing peple who dont know as much abotu rallying how good these guys are.  Instead of trying to make people watch a spport that doesnt work on telly



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#880 BRG

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 17:12

Yeah, why bother?  Let's just give up.   :rolleyes:



#881 AlexLangheck

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 23:29

The coverage we get seems as if they have given up; there are only so many ways you can say the same thing. VW/ Ogier to dominate 2016....

And with that Happy New Year and all the best for 2016.

Let's hope the new year is better for rallying!