Neste Rally Finland 2016

**AL14** · 31st July 2016, 10:01

Some thought heading to the power stage:

I am positively surprised by Kris Meeke approach this year. The power of a three year contract is huge. This should make team principals think... He is very confident and strong. I watched his onboard last year and compared to today. They seem two different drivers. Also Nagle is different, last year he was always saying to Kris words like: "watch this" "be careful on this one". This year I never heard him saying such things.

The real surprise is Breen, really, how can he be up there? Hat off and I hope he can get a well deserved podium place.

Ott Tanak, we all feel for him because of rally Poland but let me say this guy still has the very same problem from the beginning of his career, and always blaming bad faith, tires, cars, the stars in the sky doesn't help.

Hyundai i20 is clearly nowhere in this rally. Suspensions? Less grip than others? Luckily we are enjoying a nice inhouse battle all the rally long between two guys who doesn't like each other. Very nice.

**Eli** · 31st July 2016, 10:10

Originally Posted by AL14

Some thought heading to the power stage:

I am positively surprised by Kris Meeke approach this year. The power of a three year contract is huge. This should make team principals think... He is very confident and strong. I watched his onboard last year and compared to today. They seem two different drivers. Also Nagle is different, last year he was always saying to Kris words like: "watch this" "be careful on this one". This year I never heard him saying such things.

The real surprise is Breen, really, how can he be up there? Hat off and I hope he can get a well deserved podium place.

Ott Tanak, we all feel for him because of rally Poland but let me say this guy still has the very same problem from the beginning of his career, and always blaming bad faith, tires, cars, the stars in the sky doesn't help.

Hyundai i20 is clearly nowhere in this rally. Suspensions? Less grip than others? Luckily we are enjoying a nice in-house battle all the rally long between two guys who doesn't like each other. Very nice.

Actually if you watch Ouninpohja you will see quite a few warnings from Nagle, but also you will see how controlled Meeke's drive is. Anyhow whatever the outcome, Ogier is going to enjoy the next few rallies as all 3 (and two thirds of them) are on tarmac so.. a lot of drivers will be feeling like a fish out of sea. Hyundai's NG i20 hopefully will take the fight to the VW's in Germany with both previous winners Thierry & Sordo driving them.

**dimviii** · 31st July 2016, 10:15

if Meeke wins, will be the 1st British to win Finland.

Sun 12:08 - SS24 Start order
A few changes to the running order to suit the TV schedule. Here's how the leaders will tackle it, starting with the top three in WRC 2. 1. Tidemand, 2. Suninen, 3. Lappi, 4. Al Qassimi, 5. Ogier, 6. Abbring, 7. Mikkelsen, 8. Ostberg, 9. Paddon, 10. Neuville, 11. Breen, 12. Latvala, 13. Meeke

**Frostmourne** · 31st July 2016, 10:18

guys, any link for the power stage?

**Franky** · 31st July 2016, 10:22

Originally Posted by AL14

Ott Tanak, we all feel for him because of rally Poland but let me say this guy still has the very same problem from the beginning of his career, and always blaming bad faith, tires, cars, the stars in the sky doesn't help.

He has changed. Even if we'd take your assumption that he still has the same old problem. With that problem, he would had been in the forest on day one but he has been going at it for the entire rally. There have been three drives really driving it - Meeke, Latvala and Tänak. Can't say about Ogier as we really don't know where he would had been. The rest have just been losing time to those three.

Besides, every driver blames different things. Some blame the car all the time, another the running order and I'm sure someone blames N.O.T the self-proclaimed god.

Also another thing is that we really do not know how fast Wilson's VW beater really is. M-Sport squad really isn't giving a good benchmark with their Michelins.