Time's Up for Latvala...

[GigiGalliNo1]

Garde Garde Garde!!!

Bye bye JML!

[Brother John]

[quote="Ghostwalker"]well since the Focus is slower then the C4 and if JML wants to achieve the same times as Loeb, JML have to push harder on and sometimes over the limit and when you're on or over the limit your much more likely to crash since you take bigger risks.quote]

Correctly, nevertheless someone who sees what the problem is of Ford.
Just take a look to the behaviour of C4 and of the focus on gravel, snow or asphalt. The Citroën reacted as go-cart where as Ford drivers must fight to keep the car on the good line.
Unfortunate that we no longer see Pentti on the forum, he could much better explain than I what there is wrong with the focus.
I hope that all goes well with Pentti and that we will see him again here on the forum.

[Buzz Lightyear]

If Latvala was a business, he would be bankrupt years ago.
Wilson cannot sack JML, he is paying for that seat.
Ford is a bad position. The market has been strangled by pay drivers.
Goods driver like PG, Aava, Meeke etc..are not allowed to develop.
Hence Ford has no option... only a paying driver!
Its a vicious circle.

[ste898]

Garde Garde Garde!!!

Bye bye JML!

Ford wants to go forward not back!!!

PG andersson would be good choice or Petter.

[m.lowe]

I forget which driver it was that was asked "what do you have to do to beat Loeb?"

I would of laughed if they had said drive a C4

[dukof]

I believe Latvala has a great future, due to his young age. He has time to mature, and he got the speed, which means he will get a new chance after every mistake. His personality is also very respectful, straight and open talker, nothing not to like about this guy. He got a competitive instinct so strong it just beats himself. But I think he is able to suddenly turn his bad luck into incredible performance, like the flip of a switch. There is just some mental barrier he does not have exactly control over, but when he figures this out it can be a true awakening. The difficult thing is to say when he will wake up..? but I'm sure he will. On top of that however, he also needs to alter his style, he still often has a far too wide line.

[Minke]

well since the Focus is slower then the C4

You have to give credit where credit is due. Loeb can out drive.

[Minke]

]In the early 2007 there was a short movie on wrc.com about crashing in WRC where they counted crashing percentage (retirement at least for leg) for drivers in last maybe ten years. The most crashing one was Atkinson, second Duval. They had huge "advantage" over others.

I mention that just for those who think these two are more reliable drivers...

I remember this and while Chris Atkinson was the number one for DNF's as a percentage of starts, they did go on to say thatCA has had very few starts at that time.

Would like to compare other drivers in say, their first 20 WRC starts and see how they stack up.

[RS]

well since the Focus is slower then the C4 and if JML wants to achieve the same times as Loeb, JML have to push harder on and sometimes over the limit and when you're on or over the limit your much more likely to crash since you take bigger risks.

That's not a good excuse, he needs to learn to drive to the limits of his car, which is probably more than Hirvonen achieves. There are probably a few drivers out there who could drive at Latvala's pace but crash 2 out of every 3 or 4 rallies.

Correctly, nevertheless someone who sees what the problem is of Ford.
Just take a look to the behaviour of C4 and of the focus on gravel, snow or asphalt. The Citroën reacted as go-cart where as Ford drivers must fight to keep the car on the good line.
Unfortunate that we no longer see Pentti on the forum, he could much better explain than I what there is wrong with the focus.
I hope that all goes well with Pentti and that we will see him again here on the forum.

You are right that the Focus and the C4 have a very different character. I really hate watching the Focus, probably the dullest world rally car of all time, but does that mean it's slower? Does anyone really believe that Mikko would be on Loeb's level were he in a C4, or that Loeb wouldn't still be ahead of Mikko in the Focus? The problem I have believing this is that Loeb has won on every imaginable surface so far this year, even Norway where one might have expected the Finns had a home advantage.

BTW, I am sure Pentti knows what he is talking about, but you also have to remember he is Finnish so might be inclined to blame the Focus too

[GigiGalliNo1]

Wonder how PG would be in a Ford eh?