Hyundai i20 WRC

[Franky]

dear all please wait for a bit

it'll be petter and hirvonen/sordo/nuveile

Petter Solberg is a nice guy and a great driver but his time is past in WRC and you can't argue against that.

[skarderud]

Could be interesting to see other m-sport drivers in other cars. Seems like latvala is "back on track", maybe østberg, novikov, tanak and the likes would perform better in a different environment?

[Rallyper]

Now I throw in a torch again. And a swede of course.

What about Mattias Ekström? I think Hyundai have the money to pay him if he want to leave DTM, which I think he should do for another motorsport. His abilities in rallying is well documented and he has very good experience from circuitracing as well.

The only thing - he´s not a youngster anymore, but still he would make a big contribution to Huyndai WRC-team.

[tommeke_B]

Where and when did Mattias Ekström ever put down a decent result? I can't remember... I remember some outings with Fabia WRC, but he never really impressed, as far as I remember. And why should they pay him some crazy salary in stead of taking one of the many great drivers with lots of potential who are willing to drive for free?

[Mirek]

Now I throw in a torch again. And a swede of course.

What about Mattias Ekström? I think Hyundai have the money to pay him if he want to leave DTM, which I think he should do for another motorsport. His abilities in rallying is well documented and he has very good experience from circuitracing as well.

The only thing - he´s not a youngster anymore, but still he would make a big contribution to Huyndai WRC-team.

Are You joking, right? Ekström did overall 8 WRC events, 3 in WRC car. 6 of those were Swedish rally. What he achieved?

1999 - ones in Sweden 30th and 11th in production category
2000 - ones in Sweden 21st and 5th in production category
2003 - ones in Sweden 23rd and 3rd in production category
2004 - won production category in Sweden by 27 seconds from Bäcklund, 12th overall; 24th in Spain, 1st in production category but out of only 6 starters (Trivinho was second), 8 JWRC crews ahead of him
2005 - 10th in Sweden in Fabia WRC, 2 minutes behind Paasonen on same car
2006 - accident in Sweden from 5th place; 11th in Germany, 17,5 minutes behind Loeb, 5 minutes behind MacHale

Since then he drove no WRC event. That is already 7 years. Do You really want to suggest him as a works driver for Hyundai?

[pantealex]

In what segment you would place Fiat 500? A or B?

A it´s same car than Fiat Panda or Ford KA

[Josti]

Are You joking, right? Ekström did overall 8 WRC events, 3 in WRC car. 6 of those were Swedish rally. What he achieved?

1999 - ones in Sweden 30th and 11th in production category
2000 - ones in Sweden 21st and 5th in production category
2003 - ones in Sweden 23rd and 3rd in production category
2004 - won production category in Sweden by 27 seconds from Bäcklund, 12th overall; 24th in Spain, 1st in production category but out of only 6 starters (Trivinho was second), 8 JWRC crews ahead of him
2005 - 10th in Sweden in Fabia WRC, 2 minutes behind Paasonen on same car
2006 - accident in Sweden from 5th place; 11th in Germany, 17,5 minutes behind Loeb, 5 minutes behind MacHale

Since then he drove no WRC event. That is already 7 years. Do You really want to suggest him as a works driver for Hyundai?

Let alone if he'd be really interested in a career in rallying, he'd be rallying. The guy is just a circuit racer at heart.

This endless push for Swedish drivers is getting a bit absurd with examples like this.

[EightGear]

No Teme, not Panizzi. This is a guy who has been competing in the World Rally Championship at various levels the past few years. So could well be the second young driver that has been suggested will be at Hyundai.

Paddon?

[Rallyper]

Are You joking, right? Ekström did overall 8 WRC events, 3 in WRC car. 6 of those were Swedish rally. What he achieved?

1999 - ones in Sweden 30th and 11th in production category
2000 - ones in Sweden 21st and 5th in production category
2003 - ones in Sweden 23rd and 3rd in production category
2004 - won production category in Sweden by 27 seconds from Bäcklund, 12th overall; 24th in Spain, 1st in production category but out of only 6 starters (Trivinho was second), 8 JWRC crews ahead of him
2005 - 10th in Sweden in Fabia WRC, 2 minutes behind Paasonen on same car
2006 - accident in Sweden from 5th place; 11th in Germany, 17,5 minutes behind Loeb, 5 minutes behind MacHale

Since then he drove no WRC event. That is already 7 years. Do You really want to suggest him as a works driver for Hyundai?

Well, more as a testdriver. But results doesn´t tell all. Look at his competitevness overall. But for sure you can always name several guys who should be in before him, never the less he could be worth the money as well...

Remember I said torch... and look what it gave...

[EightGear]

Let's take Valentino Rossi then, he did some rally's and is very competitive in a different motorsport series too.