2007 WRC prediction thread

[Finni]

Why wouldn't be Citroen fast from the start? To me it seems that Ford has been exactly as fast whole year and now Citroen has done much more work on C4 than what Ford did on -06 Focus before Sweden. I also suspect that C4 will be quite reliable instantly (altough possibly not as invulnerable as Xsara after years). Loeb is obviously most likely championship candidate. But it will be interesting to see if he as consistent with C4 as he was with Xsara.

Grönholm is Loeb's challenger number one. Ford is now very reliable (the car was invulnerable after Germany under both drivers and we know that Grönholm certainlu put some pressure on it!). There is though few questionmarks. Can Grönholm be as consistent as Loeb? Can he drive the seasons with only one major error (this year he did two undeniable major error whereas Loeb did one). Other questionmark if Grönholm can keep his speed level as he will be 39 year old. His sharpest top-speed with his age is already excpetion in modern age of rallying.

I believe that Subaru will their most obvious problems. But it will be still questionmark if Subaru can be really par with Ford and Citroen in terms of speed. But I believe that Petter will be at least almost equal to Loeb and Grönholm on gravel. Also Petter's asphalt pace will be at least relatively competitive as they are now on Michelins. Afterall Petter will loose his championship chances due to reliability problems in early season.

Hirvonen will put some pressure on top-drivers on gravel but I suspect that he will not be par with top-two or top-three. But in some races Hirvonen can match paces of top-boys.

Sordo will continue imporving on gravel. But in rally long he cannot keep up with top-boys. On tarmac Sordo will probably take his first wrc-win.

[Finni]

One thing is obvious: Next year will be much more exiting than this year. There will be more drivers near to top-boys. And asphalt races are vry interesting because now also Subaru will be competitive - altough probably little bit behind Ford and Citroen.

[A.F.F.]

Not to mention more drivers than this year

[Simmi]

Will S2000 take off next year?
The Corolla looked decent enough at the weekend in Wales but you cant judge a formula on seeing a single car a few times.

[A.F.F.]

I think so, at least partly. Peugeot will be homologated early next year and Fiat already is. I believe will be seeing them also in WRC events.

[escortg3]

I will also put my money on Loeb. He is simply a level above Grönholm - both in terms of speed and fewer driver errors.

And the new C4 will be very fast. No doubt about that.

Agreed

[alleskids]

In Monte carlo the Citroen C4 can surley compete for the win, because tarmac was/is the basic for Citroen, and Loeb has something magical in Monte Carlo, but on gravel the C4 lacked a bit speed, were the Focus is almost unbeateble. In the two snow rallies Marcus is even harder to beat. The big questionmark will be Subaru on BF Goodrich. How bad were the tyres and how bad was the car ?
1 Gronholm (on reliability)
2 Loeb (he wil be close to Marcus)
3 Hirvonen (the beter leutenant on gravel)
4 Sordo ((number 2 on tarmac)
5 Solberg (because the Subaru wil surley score bette ron the BF Goodrichs)

[noel157]

Weakest link in the Citroen team will not be the C4, it'll be Sordo. Ok, couple of gearbox problems but he seems to have lost all his confidence. He's got to show good times on all surfaces next year.

[Tom206wrc]

What predictions do you make about Mattslow Wilslow next year ?? :

[Simmi]

2 points/2 stage wins

At least then he probably will defy my expectations.