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  1. #21
    Senior Member EstWRC's Avatar
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    new episode with Evans and Cormack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lXS2XHm_t0
    #8 Ott Tänak - Martin Järveoja #8
    - World Rally Champions 2019 -

  2. Likes: b3637853 (17th May 2017)
  3. #22
    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    CC: Could Portugal turn out to be the Battle of the Brits? Read my thoughts here https://t.co/jojAx4cXAD @ElfynEvans @krismeeke @rallytravel

  4. #23
    Senior Member AnttiL's Avatar
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    https://www.facebook.com/voiceofrall...62887183873947

    My Thoughts on Citroen Racing, Andreas Mikkelsen and Craig Breen
    I wrote this piece on Monday morning before the news of Mikkelsen’s drive for Citroen in Sardinia broke. I think that news justifies the first sentence in my article. I’ve added a paragraph or two at the end on the potential ramifications of this “one off drive” for Andreas.
    Is it fair to say Citroen Racing are in a bit of a crisis? On the face of it you could probably argue yes. A less than auspicious start in Monte, an undriveable car in Sweden, a blown engine in Corsica and a bucking bronco of a machine in Argentina all point towards that conclusion. And that’s before we start looking at the stuttering start to the season Kris Meeke has made. To be fair to Kris, he has shown signs of brilliance, Corsica was particularly impressive, but it’s extremely difficult to find any momentum when, for one reason or another, you simply can’t put two good rally finishes in a row together. And where do we start with Stephane Lefebvre? Too many lapses in concentration and too many mistakes.
    But Citroen will come good, they always do. Kris will win more rallies this year but i fear he’s now too far behind to make any meaningful challenge for the driver’s title. And Lefebvre will learn - eventually.
    There is however one very big, bright shining positive to Citroen Racing’s season so far. Craig Breen has been simply a revelation. More than the odd eyebrow was raised when Breen was announced as a part time factory driver at the start of the 2016 season. He’d spent a couple of years floundering around various low key European rallies nursing a sick puppy of a car to the odd half decent result. But Yves Matton is a canny judge of driving talent. He looked at the bigger picture with Breen.
    To put it simply, Breen has never done anything in his career other than rise to the challenge. He has always delivered, and Matton was fully aware of that.
    For me what has always marked Breen out is his ability to learn and improve. He’s never been one to set the time sheets on fire on the odd stage or two then bin it spectacularly - he's left that to one or two other notable wannabes. He’s diligent and he’s dedicated. Right from the very early days back in 2009 when he first came to prominence winning the Irish, British and International Fiesta Sporting Trophies it was obvious what marked Breen out. Never the outright quickest, he was always the most intelligent, the hardest working and the most willing to learn and adapt.
    And he’s continued to apply that successful formula right through his career. And you know what? He’s never stopped learning and improving. Finland last year showed that Breen has the speed to compete and win at the highest level, and with his grounded, functional approach, i have no doubt he’ll get there.
    There have been some dark days and some frustrating periods in young Breen’s career to date. But all of that has only served to make him stronger and more determined. You won’t meet a nicer, more joyful and appreciative driver anywhere.
    Citroen Racing might well be having a tough time of things right now, but in Craig Breen they have unearthed a gem who might well turn out to be their saviour.
    Long may Breen’s star shine bright and brilliant!
    So now we know, crisis or no crisis, Citroen Racing have taken the plunge and dropped Lefebvre in favour for the out of contract Mikkelsen for Sardinia.
    It’s a brave man who admits that his plan isn’t working and action is needed. This current Citroen Racing team is very much Monsieur Matton’s and he alone will take responsibility for it’s short comings. On the face of it Matton has resolved the engineering issues that plagued the team’s early part of the season. And now he’s taken steps to address the issue of underperforming drivers. Lefebvre is dropped and Meeke is reminded that a world class driver is waiting in the wings should performances, and results, not improve. There are some around the service park who belligerently stick to their plans in the mistaken belief that change is a sign of weakness, or worse, an admission that you got it wrong. We should applaud Matton for having the back bone to make major changes quickly and expediently, before things, as my good friend George Donaldsonwould say, become catastrophic.
    Mikkelsen’s move to Citroen, in my view, is highly unlikely to be just a one off. My guess is that he will have been given assurances that if he performs in Sardinia, there will be more outings for him in the remainder of the season. And he has every chance of performing in Sardinia. Yes he will be hampered by his absence of competitive seat time in 2017 machinery, but he will be up to speed very quickly indeed. His road position on Day 1 will be a massive advantage and will give him the opportunity to dial himself in and still remain competitive. We only have to look back to Australia last year, just seven rallies ago, to see the true pedigree of the young Norwegian. In terms of performance, i’d say forget the three seasons that preceded Oz, what we saw on that event was the true speed, determination and ability of Mikkelsen. He won on merit and in some style, and he can do that again this year. More than once if given the chance.
    But i don’t believe this potential deal will impact on Meeke’s position at Citroen. Kris has shown pace and ability, and a little bit of recklessness this year. He has proved himself more than capable of matching Ogier and Neuville’s pace. Next year’s Manufacturer’s Championship i believe is the number one target for Citroen, and with Meeke, Mikkelsen and Breen, they have a line up more than capable of challenging for it.
    For more of my thoughts on Mikkelsen and what this might mean for the 2018 season, take a look at my last Thoughts form the Kitchen Table.
    Also this video https://www.facebook.com/voiceofrall...2537780575554/
    Last edited by AnttiL; 25th May 2017 at 11:29.

  5. #24
    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    Latest episode with high praise for M-Sport and rumours on the future of Meeke and all the 2018 seats:


    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...UbMVxoBsd&_rdr

  6. Likes: Allez Andruet (22nd August 2017)
  7. #25
    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    A lot of opinion and speculation, but he must've heard some pretty strong rumours fron connected people in the SP to want to put the podcast out, and quickly.

    The opinion on the Citroen team and Meeke's future (or lack of) sounds especially strong. A real big shake-up there may be on the cards.

  8. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC View Post
    A lot of opinion and speculation, but he must've heard some pretty strong rumours fron connected people in the SP to want to put the podcast out, and quickly.

    The opinion on the Citroen team and Meeke's future (or lack of) sounds especially strong. A real big shake-up there may be on the cards.
    I also think Kris has very little future in that C3, he really seems a broken man. Such a shame, but I think it will be Mikkelson, Breen, and Loeb/Leferuve.

  9. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by bassist View Post
    I also think Kris has very little future in that C3, he really seems a broken man. Such a shame, but I think it will be Mikkelson, Breen, and Loeb/Leferuve.
    OK, Meeke fucking up on SS1, but he and the C3 should have had the pace to win that rally. Mikkelsen is not the second coming, Meeke was getting on the pace again Day 2, and the car failed. OK, if Mikklesen for some reason get the last 3 rallys along with Meeke, it will be a better indication. Mikkelsen didnt impress on either Sardinia or Poland. Everyone is forgetting in the moment of madness, that the C3 will not be competitive in the last 3 events.

  10. #28
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    Mostly predictable stuff. Most interesting part is the Hyundai rumors, seems like at least one of the drivers will be swapped for someone else - unless of course Paddon or Sordo pull off some miracle performances in the remaining rounds.

  11. #29
    Senior Member racerx1979's Avatar
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    Paddon and Sordo will be there in 2018 unless Sordo retired.

  12. Likes: rhm (23rd August 2017)
  13. #30
    Senior Member AnttiL's Avatar
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    I think the biggest news regarding that video is that Colin himself does not believe in Meeke anymore. He did so up until Germany.

  14. Likes: Allez Andruet (23rd August 2017),pantealex (23rd August 2017)

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