Duval replaces Latvala for Spain and Corse

[RS]

http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=7262

[Buzz Lightyear]

BIG NEWS... Colin Clark first suggested this on WRR mid-way through Rally Germany.

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans said: "It's an advantage of Ford's customer programmes in the WRC that we have great depth of quality with the experience to step up to the highest level when required. Our customer teams increase the pool of talent with which we can work and this is a clear example of how Ford, as a whole, benefits from the system."

Is that another way of saying we made a mistake selecting Latvala?

[noel157]

Common sense decision by Wilson. Dudu may be the best available choice for asphalt but I'm not sure he'll have the same pace as last year in the Xsara. Needs more testing in the Focus and needs to be comfortable in the car.

[noel157]

BIG NEWS... Colin Clark first suggested this on WRR mid-way through Rally Germany.

That was after talking to Glen Patterson, PR manager at Stobarts?

[MrJan]

Man will there be egg on their face if Duval crashes (quite a possibility where Francois is involved) and Jari-Matti finishes strongly

[Buzz Lightyear]

Duval has probably positioned himself very nicely. I expect we could demand a nicely little wager. Rememeber, Duval has won in Australia on gravel, and with GB, NZ and JAP to go, if he outperforms JML in NZ, Duval could be in there next year.

[bluuford]

I think it is very good to have one more countryman represented in a big factory team:-) Instead of just one country (Finns are good but on the promotional side of the sport it is not good when all top drivers are coming from one country only)

[User]

Lets say that Duval is 4th in both Corsica and Spain, it's still more points then the probable 0 score from Latvala.

[MikeD]

It's the only sane choice.

A big confidence boost for Duval. I hope he does well even though I want Citroën to win both titles.

In the two tarmac events we have had this year (Monaco & Germany) Latvala has scored 3 manu points, whereas Duval has scored 11 points. This is also a wake-up call for Latvala, that he needs to control himself on tarmac, until he learns how to drive on it. His mistakes in Germany was way to many and not impressive at all.

I wonder how he did so well in Ireland last year .. and then to be so poor on tarmac this year. Strange....

[Finni]

Duval has probably positioned himself very nicely. I expect we could demand a nicely little wager. Rememeber, Duval has won in Australia on gravel, and with GB, NZ and JAP to go, if he outperforms JML in NZ, Duval could be in there next year.

Duval outperforming Latvala is quite impossible scenario on gravel. Only if Latvala "ditches" himself.