2016 Silly Season

[pantealex]

If it is Toyota, then things are looking better for that programme than currently seem.

Meeke is better test driver than Hirvonen ?

I disagree

[Mirek]

Why do You think so?

[Rally Power]

The fact with Camilli is this.
Malcom Wilson had not the results he wanted from his young drivers. Evans didn't improve in speed the year when he should most, and Tanak showed sparks of it but finished as the last of the manufacturers drivers due to his inconstistency in both of staying in the road and in speed.

He had three options (I will list them in real Lundefaret style):
I will not consider only easy money as a variable. If Fiesta don't get real results he will sell less of them so he has to bring home podiums and stage wins.

1) give those guys another chance after two years. Was it worth it? I don't think so. If the outcome is almost the same after 2 full years something went wrong and in the third year it will not change too much. The only exception could be made for Tanak and in fact he will contest all rounds but in the DMACK Fiesta with tires he already knows and with a team wthat does not put as much as pressure.

2) Take one of the two drivers. The same goes for this option. Tanak will have his chances with DMACK, Evans would likely be a loss of time.

3) Get rid of them and try again with another young gun. Consider you already have an experienced, consistent and podium-winner driver that will assure you some more performance troughout the year. Now you have to choose the young boy (and with young I don't mean age which does not count that much in rally but experience, that count very much).
Let's make a list of them:

- Tidemand: VAG boy with a contract. Impossible to bring in.
- Lappi: same here.
- Lefebvre: Citroen boy. Impossible to bring in.
- Kubica: not actually a young gun, but he could have been an option. I won't write too much about him otherwise we will talk only of it. But well, Kubica is discarded from the list.
- Breen: it could have been an option but his outings with WRCs were not the most performing, he had a very unlucky season in 2014. I think that judging from his codriver tweet the morning after Camilli was announced he has been considered.
- Camilli: and only one remained. Our french guy won rallye de jeunes and despite his long break and few outings, he showed potential. Of course he did not win anything etc... But he was the only reasonable prospect of the only reasonable option that Wilson had at the end of the season.

Great post AL14.

I imagine Suninen could also have been in Wilson's radar, but probably Jouhki conditions weren't the most favorable.

Btw, some of the Yaris large testing kms were made in WRC ss. Will we ever know the speed difference between TMG's Yaris and the others WRC's?

[tommeke_B]

Btw, some of the Yaris large testing kms were made in WRC ss. Will we ever know the speed difference between TMG's Yaris and the others WRC's?

Which WRC stages? I think I missed something. :)

[AndyRAC]

Meeke is better test driver than Hirvonen ?

I disagree

No, I didn't mean that - I meant there's obviously some substance to the programme; other than smoke & mirrors.

As for testing Meeke is a qualified engineer (similar to Marc Lieb at Porsche) with a degree from Queens University in Belfast; he has been testing & developing PSA products for years.

[Rally Power]

Which WRC stages? I think I missed something. :)

It looks like Mosel region...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b67TfFYRtc

This year, besides that Mosel test before Germany Rally, they also were in south of France immediately after MC, in Sweden (after SR) and Finland (before 1000 Lakes). They went so far and didn't test in any known WRC ss?
Also believe in some of their first outings they use former Alsace/Rallye de France stages.

[noel157]

I think (and hope) Meeke will stay at Citroen, Toyota and TMR looks good on paper but too many variables (and Finns) after next season. Better the devil you know.
I'm sure he's happy just be wanted by factory teams, a big change from a few years ago.

[AL14]

I think too he will stay at Citroen. For what we know I think it would be a clever decision. Citroen is not participating this year in order to concentrate for 2017-19. It is a strong decision and those guys know how to win championships in modern rallys.

By the way, If he choose Toyota I would enjoy it. I never liked how Citroen treated him and it would be a nice revenge if he leaves and beat them in a regular basis from 2017. The fact is that Toyota is really a gamble. He has been in Luppola and for sure he knows more than us their situation, but I think Citroen will come back very strong after the decision for 2016. This is for sure.

[JAM]

If Kris Meeke stays on Citroen, he will be the number 2, because the n.1 is reserved for Sebastien Loeb.

Loen wanted to stay on WTCC to try the title in 2016, but PSA put him on the Dakar project not to win (they have other good names to win Dakar) but to be availabe to work on 2017 WRC car and drive it in 2017.

[N.O.T]

if kris meeke stays on citroen, he will be the number 2, because the n.1 is reserved for sebastien loeb.

Loen wanted to stay on wtcc to try the title in 2016, but psa put him on the dakar project not to win (they have other good names to win dakar) but to be availabe to work on 2017 wrc car and drive it in 2017.

lol

[greencroft]

Yeehaa!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWU_XAeXIAAnAue.jpg:large

[EstWRC]

this is amazing! At one point it seemed that Tänak and Meeke will be both without seats but in the end Tänak will do all rounds and Meeke almost all. There is still hope in humanity :p . Very happy!

[bassist]

Well deserved recognition of his speed and dedication. Tommi will prob go with `Finns` at Toyota anyway!

[Karukera]

XMas bargain goes to Citroën.

[dodge33cymru]

Tommi's immediate concern, driver-wise, has to be to find a good development driver quickly. No doubt Meeke was top of that list, as a development driver able to compete the following year, but who else is on the list for potential car developers if Hirvonen or Solberg aren't interested?

[EstWRC]

What races they will be missing? I guess Argentina, Mexico and China?

[dodge33cymru]

I'd guess those three plus Australia. Argentina is the only flyaway I would expect them to consider.

[EstWRC]

oh, correct, i forgot that we will have 14 rounds next year

[jacko]

Tommi's immediate concern, driver-wise, has to be to find a good development driver quickly. No doubt Meeke was top of that list, as a development driver able to compete the following year, but who else is on the list for potential car developers if Hirvonen or Solberg aren't interested?

Available (i think) experience drivers who can contribute to develop the Yaris WRC 2017 (besides Hirvonen and Solberg), we have a Freddy Loix, Juho Hänninen, Chris Atkinson, Bryan Bouffier, Robert Kubica and Elfyn Evans.

TMG already were working with Lindhom and Sarrazin.

[Simmi]

We already know Tommi will be working with Hirvonen and Hanninen don't we?

[dodge33cymru]

We already know Tommi will be working with Hirvonen and Hanninen don't we?
As far as I know, they were talking but nothing official came out of it. Quick search and I can't find any conformation for either in English.

[mousti]

oh, correct, i forgot that we will have 14 rounds next year

I guess China will break the record of lowest entries ever in WRC? :p

[Andre Oliveira]

No. Several national entries there.

[vino_93]

It could be like Argentine, with crews competing only for national championship doing only 2 days instead of 3 - or some national cars not allowed to start.
Let's wait ...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

If Citroen dont keep Meeke, who are they going to get in 2017 ?

It was no surprise for me Citroen keeping Meeke - there was simply no-one better for the job.

Congrats Kris - you earned have this over the years.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Meeke Q & A

http://krismeeke.com/news/2015-12-15-kris-qa-on-his-new-citroen-deal

[RS]

Can we expect some news from Kubica today as Monte entries close?

[WUff1]

Can we expect some news from Kubica today as Monte entries close?

Interesting question.