[ERC] Acropolis Rally 2014

**Mirek** · 3rd April 2014, 23:25

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

No, that isnt fair. Breen was beaten by Bouffier last year in a very similar car, BUT Bouffier had and has a huge amount more experience. Breen set fastest stage times on some events and often lost time through punctures and minor offs, not that much on sheer pace. And it was his very first ERC season on events he was driving for the first time.

We discussed this to death before but again...

Bouffier had worse and less reliable private car, almost no budget, zero tests, sometimes new co-driver who brought some money (Ypres where he finished second). You are not fair to him when You are trying to find some advantages of him. the only one was his experience but otherwise he was driving in conditions plenty of others wouldn't even bother to drive over the start ramp.

**mousti** · 4th April 2014, 00:24

Originally Posted by Mintexmemory

As you would expect of a works driver preparing notes for future use, very similar to Ogier's Fabia year.

By the way I'm a big admirer of Abbring so this year will see both the Pugistes scoring wins I'm sure

What has notes to do with a testing course? It's quite an advantage such test. I remember the year that Hanninen won he only did 1 run on SD because his Fabia already had a great setup from the test some days before SD.

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**Mirek** · 4th April 2014, 15:56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc548v7IgUc

**Mintexmemory** · 4th April 2014, 17:02

Originally Posted by mousti

What has notes to do with a testing course? It's quite an advantage such test. I remember the year that Hanninen won he only did 1 run on SD because his Fabia already had a great setup from the test some days before SD.

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Sorry I didn't make myself clear. All of last season, pre-rally testing and the events, with the 207 was designed to give CB the experience required to mount a strong challenge this year. What I can't remember (please remind me if you know) is how much of Craig's testing time was 207 set-up vs 208 development?

**Mirek** · 4th April 2014, 18:35

You are both speaking about something else.

Testing prior a rally makes a big advantage mainly in confidence. No matter what You call the test being intended for. Period.