[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[RAS007]

If the problems weren't real the team wouldn't have openly admitted it, and confirmed they have a big update planned in that department for later in the year. The team knows it, the drivers know it, ex drivers know it, and journalist and fans know there's issues.

Doesn't mean Meeke shouldn't take the blame for his offs. Portugal was a bad bad mistake considering he was looking good to take the lead on that stage. The 2nd off in Argentina was stupid as well with nothing to gain.

However I still believe the car has superb potential. Despite the engine blowing up in Corsica (something that has happened only a handful of times in Citroën's WRC history), Meeke was pretty comfortable and beating Ogier and Neuville on pure tarmac pace. The car looked great, and as you say he won in Mexico and could've won in Portugal as well...

Not to pile on Meeke, but didn't he do the lion's share of the development work on the car? If I'm off base, I apologize, but some drivers just aren't that great at development work, and others are (Sainz and Delecour come to mind).

[AnttiL]

Chicanes to be added at Poland and NORF...Just a bet.

Well at least it's happening in NORF. Not traditional chicanes, but something to slow down the fast sections. No haybales that move and break when you bump into them. Something on every stage.

Also the rally clerk says that he does not like the added speed and drivability of the new WRC cars, and that next year they will probably have to redesign the rally route for smaller and slower roads.

And also the tractor chicane on SSS Harju that Ogier complained about, will not be there this year.

http://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000005244717.html (in Finnish)

[pantealex]

Well at least it's happening in NORF. Not traditional chicanes, but something to slow down the fast sections. No haybales that move and break when you bump into them. Something on every stage.

Also the rally clerk says that he does not like the added speed and drivability of the new WRC cars, and that next year they will probably have to redesign the rally route for smaller and slower roads.

And also the tractor chicane on SSS Harju that Ogier complained about, will not be there this year.

http://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000005244717.html (in Finnish)

btw. It´s NRF (Neste Rally Finland), Oil part has been dropped over year ago...

[Hartusvuori]

btw. It´s NRF (Neste Rally Finland), Oil part has been dropped over year ago...

By the way, it sounds stupid to call it NRF. I prefer Rally Finland and can live with NORF.

Route changes won't concern every stage, but almost every stage. Most notable must be SS Päijälä to which they are applying permissions for a new slower section in the middle. Other changes will be must smaller, some kind of "natural chicanes" using junctions to connecting roads or so. Also the anti-cut poles they introduced last year will be used this year.

Removal of tractor chicaine could be solely because Valtra isn't (that big) a sponsor this year as it were last year.

[AnttiL]

Route changes won't concern every stage, but almost every stage.

Not sure if you have additional information, but in the interview he says "varmaan ihan joka pätkälle" which translates roughly to "probably to each and every stage". So at the same time he's diminishing ("varmaan") and emphasizing ("ihan") his comment.

[Watson]

Just stop it with the abbreviations altogether. This silly internet slang gives me a stomach ache. The only thing worse than people writing whole paragraphs in shorthand is when they rape the English grammar with toss like 'could of'.

[AnttiL]

I still haven't learned not to call it 1000 Lakes Rally

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Wales Rally GB eyeing the use of closed roads for 2018 as a way of refreshing the event's competitive route. https://t.co/R8u0EFXRVG https://t.co/sm3RcHvChE

[MrJan]

This would be big news, and bad news.

Not sure that I agree that 'some chicanes' is bigger news than losing a fairly major national event. Particularly as Evans didn't tweet anything about 'all rally fans'. Unfair to say he mislead when the tweet he posted was:

"Always important for rally fans to pick up @MNmotorsport first thing on a Wednesday. Tomorrow it's doubly important. #bigbadnews"

As I said before, it's a UK publication and to me that tweet is aimed at the readership (i.e UK based). In those terms the news was fairly big and fairly bad.

[Rallyper]

This discussion about NORF (NRF, Thousand Lakes, Jyväskylän Suurajot) route would be better in Rally Finland thread, wouldn´t it?