[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

[bassist]

Mikkelsen entry for 2017 Monte-Carlo Rallye in WRC2 driving a Skoda Fabia R5.

What a bloody waste!

[tc10a]

Ah, thanks. But should he enter some events with a '16 car, that must mean no points whatever he finishes in? Only for the privateers cup, right.

Every car gets points in the overall classification, if it finished in the points places, wether it is WRC 2017, WRC 2016, R5, R3,....

[EstWRC]

another translated piece from me, ERR interview with Wilson

After getting a deal with Ogier, are you now the happiest man on earth ?

Wilson: (Laughing) I hope that in the end it is so. Of course the whole team is really excited about next year. Firstly, we have put a lot work into building and developing the new car and getting Ogier now is icing on the cake. Our position hasnt been so good for a long time. The responsibilities that come now are big but i believe that the timing was right and that our company needed to make the next step. Luckily we found the options to make it. Of course it is a shame that VW left because they gave a lot to the sport. M-sport cant take over what VW left but hopefully we can establish ourselves again.


When was it clear to you that Ott is driving in the team?


W: To be honest i knew it all the season. We have first priority rights to use his services and bringing back to him in the main team was clear from the beginning. I wouldnt have let him drive our new car if he wouldnt stayed with us.


Were there any other drivers besides Ogier who would have partnered Tänak ?

W: Sebastian was my priority number one 100%. We have never had a chance like this. We were very close hiring him in 2011 but it didnt happen. If we wouldnt have got Ogier then we would have taken Mikkelsen. As you understand we are very happy to get Ogier. He tested with us and was very satisfied and after that we continued our talks.


Taking into account that you have four time champion Ogier and Tänak who hasnt won a rally yet, are your expectations for them same or do you approach them individually?

W: Expectations are the same. This is a great chance for Tänak. He has been developing the car from the beginning and this reminds me when Markko was developing Focus in 2003. They have a lot of similarities. Ott got a lot of things in the car that he wanted. I am sure that Ott can be competitive on many rallies. If you look at Poland, Finland and Gb this year, then im sure that there will be many moments next season when there is very exciting to watch and compare Ott's and Ogier's stage times.


How will you react when they both are fighting for a rally win? Will you use team orders or you let them fight until the end?

W: It depends on the situation. I have always been honest to the drivers but in the end of the day we have to consider that our aim is to win the championship and it comes with team work. Ott has developed a lot this season and to work whole season with Ogier will offer him a lot of learning. For sure there will be rallies where Ott is very strong and will be competing for rally win.


All things considered, you cant have a smaller goal than winning the championship?

W: We have one of the best line-ups in recent years. The cars are new for everybody and there will be reliability problems but despite the testing we get the real picture at rallies. But we have very experienced mechanics and hopefully we have taken care of everything.


Next season teams have the chance to have 3 drivers to score points for the team. Does m-sport put out 2 cars or will there be a third one also ? If so, then who will be driving it?

W: It is our goal but we still havent finalised our plans. Monte list will be closed on December 16th, so i think Elfyn will be also driving for us. Hopefully we can offer a lot of our cars to our clients too but we will see. We have worked hard that we have 2 cars ready for Monte.


Is there a place for Eric Camilli in the team, he has a contract with you?

W: Eric will be also in Monte but with R5 car.


Building the cars requires a lot of time but how many cars can M-sport make for own team and for customers?

W: I hope that we can build many cars. Our business depends of this. Our interest developing the car is huge because have got a very good response. Hopefully after Sweden we can offer our cars to customers.

M-sport has worked very close with Dmack. Is it true that they will be competing with 2 cars next season?

W: It wont happen. We hope that we can prepare one 2017 spec car for them but definitely not two.

[Simmi]

Every car gets points in the overall classification, if it finished in the points places, wether it is WRC 2017, WRC 2016, R5, R3,....

I think BigWorm was referring to manufacturer points. Breen's DS3 being registered as a manufacturer entry on the Monte implies you can score points with a 2016 car. But I think Citroen are the only team who will need to exploit this. Unless Tommi wants to try and enter a Fiesta R5 .

[dimviii]

another translated piece from me, ERR interview with Wilson
.

finally a journalist that knows to make right questions. Who is he?

[Doon]

finally a journalist that knows to make right questions. Who is he?

Or was he just there at the right time when Malcolm Wilson was ready to give us the answers we wanted to hear?

[EstWRC]

its an estonian radio reporter Sten Teppan. it seems to me that Wilson is more open to our media than to others.

[dimviii]

Or was he just there at the right time when Malcolm Wilson was ready to give us the answers we wanted to hear?

I don't think so,you can understand from his questions that he knows what to ask.

[dimviii]

Mads with Adapta 2016 fiesta at Monte

https://www.facebook.com/FotoRallyBy...WSFEED&fref=nf

[Andre Oliveira]

Brynildsen trying a Fiesta WRC 2017 too. Maybe a two team Adapta with Østberg all time and second shared by Henning, Brynildsen and Mikkelsen?