Since the departure of VW and the new driver lineups that this will bring, I was thinking about which driver could realistically fight for the Championship considering his own abilities.

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I'm speaking only about the driver's capabilities here, not the cars they'll be driving!
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Ogier
Well, he's already won it 4 times, so he's a given.
YES

Meeke
He's really fast on every surface, but makes too many mistakes. He'd need to find way more consistency than he's shown so far to be a real contender.
PERHAPS

Neuville
He also is fast on every surface and in the second half of the 2016 season he's been as consistent as anyone. If he doesn't regress, he could deliver a WC.
YES

Latvala
Equally fast everywhere, but lacks mental strength. His form can be exceptional or lackluster during the same event, which doesn't bode well with the consistency needed for a title.
NO

Mikkelsen
He's a bit of an unknown. He's shown great speed on nearly every event, but he still has to prove if it was him or the car. For sure in 2016 he's been really consistent, also taking into account that he started 2nd on the road most of the time.
PERHAPS

Paddon
Very quick on gravel, but he's not so good on tarmac, which means he'd have to compensate for bad results in 3-4 rallies. I don't think he's a contender yet.
NO

Tanak
Great overall speed, but way too inconsistent. Sometimes he's on top, sometimes he's down the order and he doesn't know why.
NO

Sordo
He's consistent, very fast on tarmac, but a hit and miss on gravel. Not enough for a real chance on the WC.
NO

Ostberg, Camilli, Hänninen
Just too slow for being in the mix just for a win anywhere, so no chance here.
NO