[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[AnttiL]

Answer this question. Would you buy a super/hyper car or a Dacia?

The question is more like, would you buy a Ferrari or a BMW M3, the top of the line sports car or a more affordable sports car that's still not cheap. Yeah, if I had endless amount of money, of course I'd go for a Ferrari, but if that meant I'd spend the weekends driving it alone versus driving it with all my friends having BMW M3's as well, I'd go for the BMW.

[Tarmop]

I don`t think that the previous generation WRC €/SS (in a WRC event) is much cheaper than the current spec`s and those who have that kind of money want the best equipment. They are just enjoying themselves and don`t care about some "meaningless" trophy (they were cruising also before, just for fun). Citroen and Ford both need the money and if it means Bertelli`s and Sheikh`s cruising then let them cruise. Ostberg is good enough to add competition, though i wouldn`t see him taking a place from some fast drivers with no money so the current situation is the best.

[Gregor-y]

You're supposed to do that within WRC2, with R5 cars, WRC is only for professionals. When is the last time a privateer got to podium anyway? EDIT: Daniel Carlsson, 3rd in Sweden 2006?

Manfred Stohl made the podium on the three final events of 2006. Third in Australia and New Zealand and second in the UK. In a 307, no less.

[Eli]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...n-for-one-shot

Well that was kind of obvious, Citroen are thinking of Mikkelsen doing more, not just this one off.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...n-for-one-shot

Cant read the above but its also here: https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...-italy-912885/

[AnttiL]

Manfred Stohl made the podium on the three final events of 2006. Third in Australia and New Zealand and second in the UK. In a 307, no less.

But it was the OMV team, at least semi-professional, they contested the whole season with two cars, different than some local trying out in a private car. Same as M-Sport and Stobart. Not factory teams, but not privateers by any means.

[AnttiL]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...n-for-one-shot

Well that was kind of obvious, Citroen are thinking of Mikkelsen doing more, not just this one off.

But their problem is that they've already agreed to give Lefevbre a full season of drives and Al-Qassimi fourth car drives as much as they have capacity...

[Lundefaret]

I don`t think that the previous generation WRC €/SS (in a WRC event) is much cheaper than the current spec`s and those who have that kind of money want the best equipment. They are just enjoying themselves and don`t care about some "meaningless" trophy (they were cruising also before, just for fun). Citroen and Ford both need the money and if it means Bertelli`s and Sheikh`s cruising then let them cruise. Ostberg is good enough to add competition, though i wouldn`t see him taking a place from some fast drivers with no money so the current situation is the best.

Then you "think" wrong.

The 17 cars are much more labour intensive to run.

[mknight]

How does "full season" for Lefevbre agree with the fact that he is not driving on Sardinia?

[Lundefaret]

But it was the OMV team, at least semi-professional, they contested the whole season with two cars, different than some local trying out in a private car. Same as M-Sport and Stobart. Not factory teams, but not privateers by any means.

The OMV team is a very good example of a private team, making up for the lack of factory entries. The rules should be made so that the privateers stand a fair chance.
How and what is up to the FIA, but privateer teams have been an important part of the WRC, all the way from David Sutton winning the championship, through the Jolly Clubs, the Bozians, the OMVs, the Mads Østbergs and Petter Solbergs, etc etc.

So it needs to be a good balance. What this balance is exactly needs to be discussed.