[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

[Andre Oliveira]

Championship classification means the order of the provisional classification of the respective Championship for Drivers for the current year. For the first round of the Championship, the start order shall be that of the final classification of the previous year. The FIA shall decide the order of drivers who were not classified in the previous year.

[EstWRC]

yes, they go by championship order

a long interview with Tänak in estonian newspaper and i thought some bits may interest you. i translated it question-answer format. ill start with the most interesting one.

- You were there when Ogier was testing the new car. Was there anything to learn from him or was it just a test ride and there wasnt really a working process?

Tänak: Ogier is very professional. Did i learn something, i dont know. Ogier came, saw and drove the car and left. We had a little chat, shared our thoughts and altogether we had the same opinion about the car. Every driver has his driving style and favourite set-up but in general the understanding about the car we have is the same.


- the current car and the new car you are testing are very different. Did you have to change your mindset when going from one car to another?

Tänak: Yes, the cars are different and the biggest difference is in power. Old machines feel powerless compared to the new ones. In the beginning it was difficult to get used to it in testing and at rallies but after some time it got easier. We knew what to expect.

- Next season every team will come out with new car. What do you think, how the field is shaking up?

Tänak: It will be interesting. Everyone is hoping that the cars will be equal and the competition will be tight. I believe it will be because the requirements and terms set by FIA are quite restricted and the clever engineers are able to get maximum out of the car right away. We will get a some kind of picture in Monte how the cars are working in different conditions.

- How do you rate the new Ford?

Tänak: It feels a good car. How good it really is, depends how good car the others have. We are really close to ideal conditon - M-sport has done a really good job.

- The cars are getting more powerful. In 80's they went the same route that the cars went powerful, lighter and it made the sport dangerous. Can the danger be avoided now?

Tänak: Now safety is more important than it was back then and i want to believe that everything is under control. Safety is number one and after that everything is made to make it more spectacular. Back then the cars were powerful but there was very little control over the cars, now they have much more control. With these new cars, it will depend a lot about driving skills and big balls (this is my translation, he did say courage) and to make big gaps should be easier.

[Leon]

yes, they go by championship order

a long interview with Tänak in estonian newspaper and i thought some bits may interest you. i translated it question-answer format. ill start with the most interesting one.

- You were there when Ogier was testing the new car. Was there anything to learn from him or was it just a test ride and there wasnt really a working process?

Tänak: Ogier is very professional. Did i learn something, i dont know. Ogier came, saw and drove the car and left. We had a little chat, shared our thoughts and altogether we had the same opinion about the car. Every driver has his driving style and favourite set-up but in general the understanding about the car we have is the same.


- the current car and the new car you are testing are very different. Did you have to change your mindset when going from one car to another?

Tänak: Yes, the cars are different and the biggest difference is in power. Old machines feel powerless compared to the new ones. In the beginning it was difficult to get used to it in testing and at rallies but after some time it got easier. We knew what to expect.

- Next season every team will come out with new car. What do you think, how the field is shaking up?

Tänak: It will be interesting. Everyone is hoping that the cars will be equal and the competition will be tight. I believe it will be because the requirements and terms set by FIA are quite restricted and the clever engineers are able to get maximum out of the car right away. We will get a some kind of picture in Monte how the cars are working in different conditions.

- How do you rate the new Ford?

Tänak: It feels a good car. How good it really is, depends how good car the others have. We are really close to ideal conditon - M-sport has done a really good job.

- The cars are getting more powerful. In 80's they went the same route that the cars went powerful, lighter and it made the sport dangerous. Can the danger be avoided now?

Tänak: Now safety is more important than it was back then and i want to believe that everything is under control. Safety is number one and after that everything is made to make it more spectacular. Back then the cars were powerful but there was very little control over the cars, now they have much more control. With these new cars, it will depend a lot about driving skills and big balls (this is my translation, he did say courage) and to make big gaps should be easier.

thank you EstWRC

[EstWRC]

any time

[EstWRC]

Hyundai launch stream here in less than 10 minutes http://motorsport.hyundai.com/livestream/

direct link http://dsweblab.com/hyundai/

[EstWRC]

[bassist]

Hyundai launch stream here in less than 10 minutes http://motorsport.hyundai.com/livestream/

direct link http://dsweblab.com/hyundai/

Pretty little thing.

[Duvel]

Pretty little thing.

Will be hard for the others to try and beat that look, really nice!
Sure hope it's as fast as it looks good.

[Jack4688`]

Will be hard for the others to try and beat that look, really nice!
Sure hope it's as fast as it looks good.

The base car is lower in relation to its width, relative to the others, so none of them will appear similar to that - the Yaris is overly short and the Fiesta, of both the outgoing generation and the new one launched this week, are quite narrow and tall.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Good to read that interview with Tanak, especially re Ogier & the 2017 Fiesta, "we had the same opinion about the car".

Tanak has been prasing the new car highly in testing, so it would appear Ogier did too...