Citroen WRT

[wrc2017]

You really have no idea.

That is all well and true all the way down to Argentina after first crash....
At that point it was clear that the car can be fast, it was also clear that it probably had some issues and a change of approach was needed. The second crash in Argentina and the crashes in Portugal and Sardinia did nothing except add a huge repair bill. What's more in Sardinia Matton specifically told Meeke to finish at a comfortable pace.

But at that point Meeke was very much trapped in his own trap. [speculation] He tried to show that he can be fast with the car even though he did not agree with the engineers, by doing that, they refused to change stuff cause why change the car when it's winning rallies [/speculation].
=> Perfect self-trap from Meeke. If he would slow down they would ask "why are you not winning stages when you could in Mexico and lead in other rallies".

So yes in hindsight it seems there was no real choice for him but to keep on pushing at that point.


The only other option would have been to be slow from the start and keep on arguing that the car is not driveable (we have seen that on the onboard in Sweden). But I guess that starting in a lead in Mexico due to start position + overheating issues of other cars just did not let him do that.

On a side note, Mikkelsen crawling around in Sardinia (finally) convinced Citroen to start changing the car, but it's totally not certain that Meeke doing that in Mexico would have had the same effect. After Mexico and Corsica pace it was too late.

[noel157]

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I cheer Meek and wish him to do well so there is more competition in the championship.

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You sound as sincere as an American president at a boy scout meeting.
Ask admin to change the thread title to "Me and my Meeke hating obsession by MKnight"

[Rally Power]

I'm sorry, but it was explained at the time; Meeke was dropped as he had no sponsors or budget - Sordo has always had backing & sponsors.

Funny, at the time the spanish press said that Sordo went to Mini because he refused to become a paying driver at Citroen and that his only financial contribution to Prodrive in 2012 was to accept a wage cutback. It reminds Camilli situation at MSport; everybody keeps saying that FFSA and his personal sponsors pay for his seat, even if Wilson has, more than once, denied it.

[steve.mandzij]

Funny, at the time the spanish press said that Sordo went to Mini because he refused to become a paying driver at Citroen and that his only financial contribution to Prodrive in 2012 was to accept a wage cutback. It reminds Camilli situation at MSport; everybody keeps saying that FFSA and his personal sponsors pay for his seat, even if Wilson has, more than once, denied it.

It's impossible that Wilson actually saw potential in Eric.

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[mknight]

Citroen WRT just had best friday since Corsica.

Breen is one position better on friday than last year with DS3.
Meeke did good in the first loop considering his testing, the car and other circumstances. Ok in the afternoon due to the steering dmg. Above all he kept it on the road and acknowledged that hitting a tree certainly does not help anything. Oh and he just barely dropped behind the winner of the last rally. (again due to the dmg).

But I see true fans are too busy identifying Meeke haters to be interested in that.

[Rally Power]

It's impossible that Wilson actually saw potential in Eric.

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He did, big time btw: “As for Eric, I honestly can’t remember the last time that I was this excited about a new driver (...) Eric’s WRC experience is limited, but I truly believe that he has all the makings of a future world champion”. MW, Dec. 2015
http://www.m-sport.co.uk/m-sport-new...milli-for-2016

Fair to say that Camilli was pretty impressive in WRC2 and the kms he got in the Yaris TMG WRC proto also boosted his potential, which was praised by many (me included) before the ’16 MC. Then, regrettably, the disappointment began.

[Simmi]

While we're talking Camilli I'd like to see him get a couple more WRC car outings now just to see whether he's a bit more comfortable. He was fast-tracked just a bit too quickly. I think everyone acknowledges that. Suninen and Lappi obviously jumping straight in and being quick doesn't look great for guys like Camilli - but they had a bit more 4WD/R5 experience before being thrust into a works car.

We just didn't see enough flashes of speed from Eric. Which makes me think ultimately he's not on the same level.

[steve.mandzij]

While we're talking Camilli I'd like to see him get a couple more WRC car outings now just to see whether he's a bit more comfortable. He was fast-tracked just a bit too quickly. I think everyone acknowledges that. Suninen and Lappi obviously jumping straight in and being quick doesn't look great for guys like Camilli - but they had a bit more 4WD/R5 experience before being thrust into a works car.

We just didn't see enough flashes of speed from Eric. Which makes me think ultimately he's not on the same level.

Eric had virtually no background at all going into his first season. It's a total mystery to me how Malcom thought he could be good. I disliked him all season last year for taking Evans' spot at M-Sport.

I will admit though, he seems to have improved a bit this year in WRC2. His times in some rallies were quite competitive; didn't he actually beat Tidemand in Portugal even though he wasn't entered for WRC2?



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[Rally Power]

I will admit though, he seems to have improved a bit this year in WRC2. His times in some rallies were quite competitive; didn't he actually beat Tidemand in Portugal even though he wasn't entered for WRC2?

Ok, for sure Huttunen is amazingly talented and as all Finns he looks like a fish inside the water on his home rally SS’s, but to see a work driver like Camilli being slower than a kid that’s getting his first R5 outing doesn’t help to believe the French has improved that much...

[steve.mandzij]

Ok, for sure Huttunen is amazingly talented and as all Finns he looks like a fish inside the water on his home rally SS’s, but to see a work driver like Camilli being slower than a kid that’s getting his first R5 outing doesn’t help to believe the French has improved that much...

He was ahead overall yesterday, wasn't he? I might be wrong.

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