Pontus Tidemand [SWE]

[Rallyper]

But that doesn't help much in getting in WRC. The decisive factor is pure raw speed.

Which PT doesn´t have?

[janvanvurpa]

. There are bigger fish out there. Swedens time as a breeding ground for rally drivers is gone I'm afraid.

And just that there is something that is while obvious to see, the reasons are less clear..In fact its baffling..

What has happened?
This question is especially irritating when you live someplace where the quality and speed of the North American national series is so low that looking at even Swedish DM level events and drivers there leaves most wondering how the hell they are so fast comparatively..

And yet so few to almost none go on to VM level..

What has happened to the land that once produced plenty of potential top drivers?

[janvanvurpa]

and contact$/$ponsor$.

$ponor$ $hould not be forgotten...To many it $eem$ like it may be the central i$$ue. Skill without the money to afford a car is useless.

[mknight]

What has happened to the land that once produced plenty of potential top drivers?

It goes in waves imo. Look at Finland 6-7 years ago Hirvonen and Latvala.. and then nothing. That said Sweden always had fewer rally drivers than Finland.

[Mirek]

Yeah. Just like Meeke then.

Meeke never drove WRC2 so what are you talking about?

Which PT doesn´t have?

The comparison with Mikkelsen in the same car was quite saying I think.

[Essaj]

Rally GB is going to be massive water breaker in WRC2 this year, Kalle Rovanperä driving his first race there and almost anyone who gets beaten by him can back their backs and stop dreaming about WRC seat and imo if Kalle is driving Skoda, there is no one in WRC2 that is going to beat him.

[AnttiL]

It goes in waves imo. Look at Finland 6-7 years ago Hirvonen and Latvala.. and then nothing. That said Sweden always had fewer rally drivers than Finland.

And now Lappi and Suninen and in the future Rovanperä and Huttunen...Sweden hasn't really had WRC winning pace drivers after Kenneth Eriksson. Tidemand could be the next one.

[Rallyper]

$ponor$ $hould not be forgotten...To many it $eem$ like it may be the central i$$ue. Skill without the money to afford a car is useless.

This is spot on. Money isn´t really flowing into the sport of rallying in Sweden. And never was. Back in the years drivers like Waldegård and Blomqvist for example just worked out their skills to factory seats. And they were outstanding in comparison at the time. Talented Swedes are maybe as many as in Finland and whatever, but never get their chances bcs of lack of money or promoters.

Have had serious talks with different people in rallyingbusiness why this situation has come and was last 20-30 years, and seriously found out big sponsors in Sweden rather put money in golf, horses and sailing, unfortenately.

[Rallyper]

Meeke never drove WRC2 so what are you talking about?



The comparison with Mikkelsen in the same car was quite saying I think.

You don´t really follow do you. Or just teasing?
Pls speed we can talk generally, right? Compare to Mikkelsen and PT, so what do say about comparing Kopecky to Ogier then?

[Mirek]

Pls speed we can talk generally, right? Compare to Mikkelsen and PT, so what do say about comparing Kopecky to Ogier then?

Completely irrelevant.