International Rally Driver of the Year - 2017

[BigWorm]

So, Autsport have released their list of nominated drivers for the award. They include:

• Elfyn Evans
• Jari-Matti Latvala
• Kris Meeke
• Thierry Neuville
• Sébastien Ogier
• Ott Tänak

Who's your pick and why?

Tough to pick between the M-Sport boys in my opinion. Ott and Elfyn have delivered the demands of them taking the next step this season in great fashion, while Ogier was incredibly consistent this year. Ogier clinches my vote, but only just. I would be fine with one of the M-Sport drivers getting the award.

Surprised to see Meeke nominated. I think he has done nothing different in 2017, won some and crashed some more, things we already know he was capable of.

[electroliquid]

I personally would pick Tanak - he's fast, quite reliable, breakthrough year for him - win on gravel and tarmac, few podiums also, he is podium contender on every rally, and can fight for win in most of rallies. But Ogier is champion, so probably he'll win it.

[cali]

Must be Ogier. Tänak did mistakes that cost him the real chance to fight for the championship, Neuville most of the time blindingly fast and then we saw mysterious drop of speed in the summer + really stupid mistakes. Both guys very fast but still inconsistent. Seb O. was clever and of course all champs need a tiny bit of luck as well

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[er88]

Ogier obviously

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[mknight]

Ogier - involuntarily new team and car, immediately wins first rally and then the title due to both speed and consistency

The others in just about this order:
Tanak - sure he put himself on the map with 2 wins, but he also was involved with the fiesta from the very start and didn't win the title, now probably also lost 2nd (should have done the award after australia), so barely behind Ogier in my eyes.
Neuville - fastest driver of the year and a real title contender, but showed he still needs some more consistency (Sweden stands out the most)

Latvala - after disastrous 2016 and declining form he was actually both fast and stable in an new car, good job. But he has been driving and winning rallies on this level for quite a while, so nothing totally new.

Evans - really impossible to judge performance both ways, say if DMACK was 0.5s faster in Wales that would mean that on equal tires he could have ended 7th. Similarly maybe DMACK was 0.5 slower on tarmac or other gravel rallies and he had rally winning speed... pretty impossible to judge with only 1 driver on those tires.


Meeke -bad joke from brit. journalists? The only real positive is winning in Spain after crashing/mistakes in 5 consecutive rallies. But as mentioned here he has done that many times before, win something after crashing a lot. Considering he was pointed as main title candidate before the start of the year I can't see how this qualifies for any award. Also Finland and Germany have shown that others can also drive the C3 faster than him.

[Mirek]

Ogier or Tänak for me.

[racerx1979]

Latvala, Tanak or Ogier all good for me.

[L555MAT]

Im a huge Meeke fan but how the hell is he nominated? Evans has had a great year, but I'd have to say Ogier. IMHO I think this seasons title has taken him above Loeb.

[Mirek]

IMHO I think this seasons title has taken him above Loeb.

Loeb: 9 titles, 78 victories, 116 podiums, 904 stage wins out of 169 starts -> 46,2% win rate, 68,6% podium rate
Ogier: 5 titles, 40 victories, 65 podiums, 498 stage wins out of 122 starts -> 32,8% win rate, 53,3% podium rate

[Roy]

Im a huge Meeke fan but how the hell is he nominated? Evans has had a great year, but I'd have to say Ogier. IMHO I think this seasons title has taken him above Loeb.

You mean Ogier comes into a new team who's car is not builded for him. And if it is not enough gamble, M-Sport is a half private team with less financial resources.
Ogier is champion with two teams. We saw Makkinen struggle after the switch from Mitsubishi to Subaru. Loeb hasn't make a switch. He stays with the French PSA family.

Number facts about how fast Loeb was are right. The switch to this team make him Champion in the first year at M-sport makes Ogier 'great'. For me he is.