[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[jparker]

Well, if I understand correctly, if VW didn't withdraw from WRC, Ogier and Mikkelsen would have been here right now.
So, what's unfair?
It looks like Nandan and Matton are trying to cash out on the back of others misfortune.
Also, Makinen has the same reasons to fear VW return, but he doesn't.
It's all about attitude. Are you in WRC to win, no matter the competition, or you are there to scavenge as much as you can, the same way MW is doing for years.

[AndyRAC]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38684048

Talk about flogging a dead horse, I really can't understand why she doesn't put the money into entering UK events instead

It's difficult enough for talented young motorsport drivers in the UK to get sponsorship - and we have people like her who have done virtually nothing trying to raise ££££.

[Eric]

What good has Matton done for citroen? Not much.. I know its the first rally, I know its Monte Carlo, but he hasn't been very successful in this job. Jost Capito is on the market, he did an amazing job with VW. If Citroen doesn't succeed this season I can't see why they shouldn't have a little chat with Capito and see if he is interested.. If so, I'm not surprised if we see Mikkelsen and/or Ogier with citroen in 2018.
Maybe I'm dreaming, but that would have been something!

[itix]

What good has Matton done for citroen? Not much.. I know its the first rally, I know its Monte Carlo, but he hasn't been very successful in this job. Jost Capito is on the market, he did an amazing job with VW. If Citroen doesn't succeed this season I can't see why they shouldn't have a little chat with Capito and see if he is interested.. If so, I'm not surprised if we see Mikkelsen and/or Ogier with citroen in 2018.
Maybe I'm dreaming, but that would have been something!

I think you're dreaming. Matton has been at Citroen for years and one small "slip up" of hiring Lefebvre (which he probably was pushed into from above since they most likely wanted French blood in the team) while VW still was on the cards for 2017 is not going to compromise his position.

We all would have hired Breen after Finland last year and we all would have hired Meeke at the end of 2015... and Breen was still the right choice. I really hope Meeke makes a serious effort to turn around his inability to stay on the road when things really matter soon. He has the speed, that we all know.

[Eric]

I think you're dreaming. Matton has been at Citroen for years and one small "slip up" of hiring Lefebvre (which he probably was pushed into from above since they most likely wanted French blood in the team) while VW still was on the cards for 2017 is not going to compromise his position.

We all would have hired Breen after Finland last year and we all would have hired Meeke at the end of 2015... and Breen was still the right choice. I really hope Meeke makes a serious effort to turn around his inability to stay on the road when things really matter soon. He has the speed, that we all know.

Im not talking about "one small slip up". Im talking about the fact that Citroen haven't won much these last couple of years. If 2017 becomes yet another year with little to celebrate, I can't see how they can continue on without any changes in the team.

[Rally Power]

WRC 2017: Teams fail to agree on private Volkswagen campaign

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...e-vw-programme

Just noticed that VW’s private entry was already discussed. Apparently, some team managers are against it, and so are most of you. Honestly, these shouldn’t be a matter for partisanship and FIA must take WRC greater interest into consideration.

People say it doesn’t comply WRC rules, but there are already some strange rules (or exceptions?) around: private drivers, like Ostberg, Prokop or Bertelli are allowed to run ’17 Fiestas as long as they figure as false MSport drivers (the same can happen in any other team); last year Citroen run a short programme through their private partner, PH Sport, and during 2011 Mini official team was allowed to enter only 6 events. Many other examples can be mentioned.

Despite being conform to homologation tech regs, the new Polo doesn’t cope with over demanding WRC administrative system. That’s enough for VW opponents to consider it’s not fair to allow Mikkelsen, or any other driver, to use the car on a short WRC programme, even under a private entry…meanwhile, easy going WRX will get a new team, backed up by VW Motorsport, racing a ’17 WRC Polo derivate.

Yep, Motorsport it’s a big happy family but WRC is always in competition with WRX, WTCC, WEC or even F1 about getting manus resources; after all, its manus money that keep the wheels turning. Besides, even if WRC is now living a fantastic era, with 3 top brands (plus Ford, timidly supporting MSport) involved, the past already showed that any of them can suddenly pull out.

It’s true that nobody forced VW to go away, but if there’s a real interest in VW Motorsport staff (and probably even on some VW board members, not totally happy with November’s move) to rally the new Polo, FIA WRC officials should take it, no matter what other teams think. More, if WRC was managed in a pro active way, they should take the opportunity to do some lobbying on VW’s Group for a full WRC return in ’18, with any of their brands.

[macebig]

I think you're dreaming. Matton has been at Citroen for years and one small "slip up" of hiring Lefebvre (which he probably was pushed into from above since they most likely wanted French blood in the team) while VW still was on the cards for 2017 is not going to compromise his position.

We all would have hired Breen after Finland last year and we all would have hired Meeke at the end of 2015... and Breen was still the right choice. I really hope Meeke makes a serious effort to turn around his inability to stay on the road when things really matter soon. He has the speed, that we all know.

Supporting Ogier instead of Loeb was enough for Quesnel to be shown the door.And he had won 4x WDC, 3x WCC plus Le Mans with Peugeot.

[EightGear]

Im not talking about "one small slip up". Im talking about the fact that Citroen haven't won much these last couple of years.

Citroen dominated WTCC when their focus was away from WRC. Matton was responsible for this as well.

[cali]

Just noticed that VW’s private entry was already discussed. Apparently, some team managers are against it, and so are most of you. Honestly, these shouldn’t be a matter for partisanship and FIA must take WRC greater interest into consideration.

People say it doesn’t comply WRC rules, but there are already some strange rules (or exceptions?) around: private drivers, like Ostberg, Prokop or Bertelli are allowed to run ’17 Fiestas as long as they figure as false MSport drivers (the same can happen in any other team); last year Citroen run a short programme through their private partner, PH Sport, and during 2011 Mini official team was allowed to enter only 6 events. Many other examples can be mentioned.

Despite being conform to homologation tech regs, the new Polo doesn’t cope with over demanding WRC administrative system. That’s enough for VW opponents to consider it’s not fair to allow Mikkelsen, or any other driver, to use the car on a short WRC programme, even under a private entry…meanwhile, easy going WRX will get a new team, backed up by VW Motorsport, racing a ’17 WRC Polo derivate.

Yep, Motorsport it’s a big happy family but WRC is always in competition with WRX, WTCC, WEC or even F1 about getting manus resources; after all, its manus money that keep the wheels turning. Besides, even if WRC is now living a fantastic era, with 3 top brands (plus Ford, timidly supporting MSport) involved, the past already showed that any of them can suddenly pull out.

It’s true that nobody forced VW to go away, but if there’s a real interest in VW Motorsport staff (and probably even on some VW board members, not totally happy with November’s move) to rally the new Polo, FIA WRC officials should take it, no matter what other teams think. More, if WRC was managed in a pro active way, they should take the opportunity to do some lobbying on VW’s Group for a full WRC return in ’18, with any of their brands.

I'm not against VW participating, quite the contrary but if I was a team manager, I would not see a point to let them in unless they commit the same way as the rest of the teams.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

[Eric]

Citroen dominated WTCC when their focus was away from WRC. Matton was responsible for this as well.

WTCC..? Im talking about WRC. And in WRC Citroen haven't been successful for a long time. Really hoping this will be their year, but if not, I hope there will be some changes. Citroen should have at least one car in the top 3-4 in every rally.