SUBARU is Dead......

[Daniel]

Carlos didn't do well? He finished 4th in his last full season and a close 3rd in his 2nd last season. Truly a good for nothing sick dog as NOT would say

[Finni]

Simple. Your memory doesn't serve you at all.

Just check stage times and see the truth. Petter had strong upperhand in those rallies I mentioned.

[duff]

Simple. Your memory doesn't serve you at all.

Sorry A.F.F, Finni is right on this one. If you look at the 2002 Rallies stage by stage better had the upper hand in terms of speed a majority of the time.

Doesn't detract from his status as one of the true greats, most committed, and biggest talents ever in the sport. Anyone who would question this (I don't know why they would for a 4 time WRChampion) need just watch this footage

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=EMcjSiWP4Qw

[WRCfan]

Fantastic video that! The big sweeping left hander from New Zealand...amazing driving!

No one can take ANYTHING away from Tommi after a career such as the one he earned. End of story!

[duff]

If you look at the 2002 Rallies stage by stage better had the upper hand

Sorry, typo. Petter not better!

[A.F.F.]

No need to be sorry duff. I forgot with whom I was talking with. Finni is always right.

[Daniel]

It's amazing how quickly people forget how it really went down isn't it? Simply because Tommi wasn't winning lots of rallies he was being ridiculed. Perhaps Tommi was just a very good second driver and drove well in support of Petter. Just as Carlos was a great support to sebastien. It seems if someone isn't winning ten rallies a year they're being ridiculed Tommi did well in his last few years in my opinion. Sure he didn't take any titles but only one person can be champion.

[duff]

It's amazing how quickly people forget how it really went down isn't it? Simply because Tommi wasn't winning lots of rallies he was being ridiculed. Perhaps Tommi was just a very good second driver and drove well in support of Petter. Just as Carlos was a great support to sebastien. It seems if someone isn't winning ten rallies a year they're being ridiculed Tommi did well in his last few years in my opinion. Sure he didn't take any titles but only one person can be champion.

OK Daniel...
As far as I can see there has only been one person who has been ridiculing Tommi on this thread (and lots of us have had our say on that character). The point of the previous number of posts was whether Petter was outpacing Tommi at Subaru or not.
But you have to think that a 4 times world champion wouldn't be expecting to change teams and then be pushed that hard by a youngster who hadn't won a rally yet.

Of course Tommi did well in his final years, but the score card in 2002/2003 can't have been to the standards that someone of his incredible competitive nature, and his amazing credentials, would have expected in a car that was half decent at the time. True there can only be one champion, but one win in his last two years when Petter won five surely can't be what a 24 times rally winner (and the most dominant driver of his generation) was hoping for when he signed the contract.

[Nenukknak]

I can't believe how people are sticking up for Tommi here. Tommi was great at Mitsubishi an aggressive driver who was virtually unbeatable at his peak. He went to Subaru to win rallies and become champion if possible, not to help Petter or for help in development as a testdriver. Everyone had high hopes and after he won the Monte with Subaru expectations were high. But it didn't happen Tommi failed due to himself and due to bad luck. After that crash in Argentina the Tommi as we knew him was gone.

His years at Subaru were rubbish, not for a run of the mill driver, but certainly for a 4xWC. Tommi was/is a great driver but I've always thought that his last years at Subaru were a sad and undeserving ending for such a great driver. But that's how it goes in motorsport, it takes a match between driver and vehicle, for years Tommi and the Lancer were that match. The Impreza and Tommi never became friends.

[WRCfan]

Totally agree with above post. Tommi and the Subaru never really got along as we all would have hoped! Interesting you mention after the big accident the Tommi we knew was gone and this is also very true...I never really thought of it that way but it is true.