[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Franky]

I cant see how people can rate him a winner...at the end of the day he struggled in Ypres last year to get near the pace of the winners/leaders so I would say he is a world beater.

Wasn't it Paddons first attempt in the ERC, let alone on a TARMAC rally...

Paddon had done tarmac events before that. In 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Germany (PWRC 2nd) once and France (PWRC 7th & DNF) and Spain (PWRC 8th & SWRC 5th) twice.

[gorganl2000]

Honestly I don't know much about Paddon's WRC performance from his 1st outing in Spain last year. Finished 8th, ok, but performance wasn't blistering, he just drive enough to finish safely the Rally. So winner or N.O.T is just speculation at this stage. When I said I expect some excellent results from him this year, this means top 5 occasionally, he has very good speeds at gravel and asphalt, but all depends how quickly he will adapt to Hyundai WRC. There are plenty of more experienced drivers in WRC this year already fighting for podiums (at the moment looks like 1st place is reserved for VW).

+1
this sounds to be a reasonable expectation of him. i have a little concern over hyundia's current reliability issues in the last rallies and hope they are resolved so Paddon can focus on driving/learning. i'm glad to see some of the worthy new entrants to WRC category--- gives it a bit of life

i hope he makes the most of his opportunity and has the tools to do so

as for his achievements later on, let's wait and see how that turns out

[stefanvv]

Honestly I don't know much about Paddon's WRC performance from his 1st outing in Spain last year. Finished 8th, ok, but performance wasn't blistering, he just drive enough to finish safely the Rally. So winner or N.O.T is just speculation at this stage. When I said I expect some excellent results from him this year, this means top 5 occasionally, he has very good speeds at gravel and asphalt, but all depends how quickly he will adapt to Hyundai WRC. There are plenty of more experienced drivers in WRC this year already fighting for podiums (at the moment looks like 1st place is reserved for VW).

+1
this sounds to be a reasonable expectation of him. i have a little concern over hyundia's current reliability issues in the last rallies and hope they are resolved so Paddon can focus on driving/learning. i'm glad to see some of the worthy new entrants to WRC category--- gives it a bit of life

i hope he makes the most of his opportunity and has the tools to do so

as for his achievements later on, let's wait and see how that turns out

I have concern about the car's reliability as well. Somehow Hynday's policy is not very clear to me at the moment. Looks like they are very ambitious hiring serious people for this project. I know it is only a transition year with not very high goals, let's hope it is not just some PR work. May be I just have high expectations for them after VW debut last year (I know, I know, VW already had 1 year with S2000 behind them)...
I agree that some "new faces" is refreshing for the championship, not to mention the geographic diversity.

[Rallyper]

Of course Huyndai are trying to get the most out of its start in WRC, no matter how well they have succeeded. Once being in the circus they must get as much PR as they could. One thing is to communicate rallying with as many markets they can.

Results and achievements in rallies is one thing. Twisting out as much as possible in marketing is another. Both though hand in hand at the moment.

[stefanvv]

Marketing purpose is always big value, though many people might object Rallying is not the right place for it's small popularity. VW so far I think are playing their cards well in that respect too, sponsoring some Rallies - Argentina, Mexico, Sweden, these I remember, probably more. But then South America and Mexico are huge markets for them, so it makes sense Hyunday to orient their popularity interest to Australia/Asia and region.

[ThomasS]

If nothing else Paddon is consistent and his body of "work" shows that. Unlike some of his other contemporaries he hasn't been able to stretch his legs the way he would like to . Most of his recent outings have been funded on a shoe string and He's had to play a careful game balancing sponsor interests and showing his speed.

But if you look at 2013 as a snap shot I'd say there are plenty of example of his talent .Taken in the context of his resources , car technology and testing time , they are impressive.

Ypres - First time at Ypres which is clearly a unforgiving and technical rally , experience counts to large degree. Again done on a shoe sting budget in a car he hadn't driven before. Consistently in the top 5 and had a stage win.

Finland- Back in the Skoda but up against some newer technology . Beat Lappi and was tracking for a good result when he hit a rock. Could have risked everything and gone flat out to prove a point but choose instead to take the Podium and finish the rally. Nice result for his sponsors.

Germany- again up against cars with more torque. Had a few stage wins against Kubica and Evans but played it safe because knew he couldn't compete head to head with a Fiesta R5 or DS3 RRR. Another podium.

Australia - Bought a car , but couldn't afford significant spare parts , rag tag crew working on an unfamiliar car. After the electrical trouble plunged him down the order he had nothing to lose. He blitzed the opposition with an all out drive to take a bunch of stage wins which got him the attention of Malcolm Wilson and a drive in Spain.

Spain- Mixed surface event and first time in an unfamiliar car . No gravel testing and limited tarmac testing. Got within .6 sec/km of the leaders towards the end of the tarmac but had a frustrating time getting to grips with the set up of the car on gravel. Despite that got it home in a credible 8th place . A comparable result to many drivers in their first WRC outing.

He's not overrated , he's annoyingly under rated by a bunch of people who know nothing about him. The people who are making the hard decisions think otherwise.

[N.O.T]

more excuses than actual results... he has his chance now so we wait and see.

[ThomasS]

more excuses than actual results... he has his chance now so we wait and see.

Is that all you got ? Again it's hard to take you seriously ( amongst other reasons, heh ! ) when you never actually offer up a substantive argument other than a few meaningless sound bites.

But your right he now has a chance and that's the point. Certain people who clearly think he's got what it takes are giving him chance to develop into a useful and accomplished driver. A year ago nobody ( except a few of us) would have expected a drive with Hyundai and yet here he is...meow.

[N.O.T]

meow indeed...

[BDA Cosworth]

more excuses than actual results... he has his chance now so we wait and see.

N.O.T..... Read, process, reply. In that order.

Hanninen is a completely competent driver. That is not being argued. You guys seem to have selective memories!

Back in 2007 Hanninen finished 5th in the PWRC against what people would consider "non WRC level competitors"
In 2008 PWRC he got second, behind Aigner who hasn't done anything notable since.

Compared to Hayden who finished 3rd in the first PWRC season (with the then unreliable Evo10, on other rounds where he drove the 9 he won and finished second). Also against people who actually have driven in the WRC.
And first in 2011 where he won 4 rounds on the trot. (Beating people who are actually in the WRC now)
2012 change of car to the Super2000 (where he won two rallies and set more fastest stage times then anyone else in SWRC by a clear mile)
2013, struggling for funding the car was just not reliable where it counted. He drove the Fiesta with practically no testing on the back of little seat time in a S2000 car. It handled completely different but just as he was getting faster they switched road surfaces.

I remember a certain Thierry Neuville who finished 4th and had two fifths in 2012 in a FULL SEASON. You guys were probably rubbishing him back then. It's tall poppy syndrome. Those who dare to rise will be faced with people deeming to chop you down.