Silly Season 2016 -- 2017

[M5]

VW opened a perfect Silly Season in World Rally!

Your tips please

[EstWRC]

why you have to make separate threads for everything?

[Sulland]

Tip from a Norwegian forum;

Ogier: Ford
Latvala: Toyota
Mikkelsen: Citroen

Can it be this easy?

[spyros]

Tip from a Norwegian forum;

Ogier: Ford
Latvala: Toyota
Mikkelsen: Citroen

Can it be this easy?

Yes it can be so easy!

[Hartusvuori]

Tip from a Norwegian forum;

Ogier: Ford
Latvala: Toyota
Mikkelsen: Citroen

Can it be this easy?

No Latvala to Toyota. Even if I'd like to see him team up with Malcolm again, it'd so much more cool if Ogier would take the wheel of Blue Oval.

[Simmi]

Latvala to Ford would fit in with their ethos of welcoming back returning drivers to coincide with their career bottoming out. See: Solberg, Hirvonen, Ostberg.

Ogier to M-Sport would be magic. Like an NFL draft style situation almost. Best player goes to the lowest performing team.

[AL14]

Me too I would love to see Ogier in Ford. I still think he will go where he get more paid but his ego can lead him to M-Sport and achieve something Loeb didn't in the past. (I'm not saying it makes him better but that his ego can lead him to this decision eventually).

[MikeD]

Tip from a Norwegian forum;

Ogier: Ford
Latvala: Toyota
Mikkelsen: Citroen

Can it be this easy?

It's a pretty good bet. I just don't see the Ogier/Citroën deal happening, even though it would be the logical one. I am half French and in France Ogier isn't that popular and definitely nowhere near the Loeb status. Many see him as a bit of a traitor after the 2011 season and he's perceived as being quite arrogant. (and with a really bad taste in music after tweeting pics from a Nickelback concert ... yikes!)

I think Ogier would accept the M-Sport challenge if Malcom Wilson can make the right package around Ogier, with e.g. Tänak as team mate. And can you imagine the out-of-the-blue sponsorship package M-Sport suddenly would get if they have Ogier as their leading driver?

[AL14]

My bet:

Ogier: Citroen
Latvala: Ford
Mikkelsen: Ford

Ogier will go to Citroen. Money and winning ambition goes beyond some argument 6 years ago. Citroen is a french team and has just Meeke as very top driver.
Lefebvre and Breen will drive under ph sport at the privateer championhip with ds3 wrc until a third C3 is ready and they will swap it or just one will be chosen.

Hyundai will then stay with same lineup since their three have nothing to envy to Latvala and Mikkelsen.

Latvala: jhouki, story and money will easily bring Latvala to Malcom Wilson who has not money to pay Ogier.
I think there is no way for Latvala to go to Toyota. He knows that it would be a big risk.
Malcom wanted 6 cars for 2017 which means there will be room for Mikkelsen as well along with Tanak.

Camilli will reach Lefebvre and Breen in WRC privateers championship if not all cars are ready.

Results: VW out -> Malcom Wilson very happy and full of money.
He will still not win anything and we will still se a Sebastien winning everything with a Citroen.

Let's see. :)

[Tofrallye29]

It's a pretty good bet. I just don't see the Ogier/Citroën deal happening, even though it would be the logical one. I am half French and in France Ogier isn't that popular and definitely nowhere near the Loeb status. Many see him as a bit of a traitor after the 2011 season and he's perceived as being quite arrogant. (and with a really bad taste in music after tweeting pics from a Nickelback concert ... yikes!)

I think Ogier would accept the M-Sport challenge if Malcom Wilson can make the right package around Ogier, with e.g. Tänak as team mate. And can you imagine the out-of-the-blue sponsorship package M-Sport suddenly would get if they have Ogier as their leading driver?

After 4 titles, Loeb was nowhere to, probably more famous becausePlaystation and Citroen did some adds with him but not a celebrity like now. He really became as famous as Parker or Manaudou after his 7th title in Alsace only

[havk]

My bet:
Ogier: Citroen
Mikkelsen: Toyota
Latvala: Ford

[Andre Oliveira]

Ford M-Sport WRT
1. Ogier
2. Tänak
3. Camilli

Hyundai Motorsport
4. Neuville
5. Sordo
6. Paddon

Citroën Racing
7. Meeke
8. Breen
9. Lefebvre/Al-Qassimi

Toyota Gazoo Racing
10. Latvala
11. Hänninen
12. Lappi

DMACK M-Sport
14. Evans

Adapta M-Sport
15. Østberg
16. Mikkelsen

Jipocar Czech National Team
17. Prokop

Fuckmatie
37. Bertelli

[Fast Eddie WRC]

What is this thread now, 2017 WRC Team Pickems ?! ;)

[Andre Oliveira]

Yeah :) i will win

[dupanton]

https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14956601_521458078050708_7008168677264441591_n.jpg ?oh=d54d7e602b4917876b0f8d13b4dd6045&oe=5894CC80
https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14633088_521458081384041_1826635714345914115_n.jpg ?oh=1cee59a049f738fa826b77e5f7e737cb&oe=588B2766

[Franky]

Why is Duval even on the list?

[dupanton]

Why is Duval even on the list?

It's a joke... Made by a Belgian guy

[Mintexmemory]

It's a joke... Made by a Belgian guy
Actually a joke made by a Belgian guy and a Belgian woman about 36 years ago!!
My take is Ogier will go to M-Sport and cement his reputation in more than one marque. I can see Mikkelsen as No2 to Meeke at Citroen and Latvala (in line with majority opinion) to Toyota.

[Danny0405]

Actually a joke made by a Belgian guy and a Belgian woman about 36 years ago!!
My take is Ogier will go to M-Sport and cement his reputation in more than one marque. I can see Mikkelsen as No2 to Meeke at Citroen and Latvala (in line with majority opinion) to Toyota.

Matton, in Autosport,, says he is not really interested by Latvala and Mikkelsen.
"If they call, I would hang up because I am polite but they are not French and they have not don titles" or something like that

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Colin Clark's take on the last 48 hours...

https://www.facebook.com/voiceofrally/videos/660594637436536/

[SubaruNorway]

Matton, in Autosport,, says he is not really interested by Latvala and Mikkelsen.
"If they call, I would hang up because I am polite but they are not French and they have not don titles" or something like that

Wouldn't*

[Mirek]

Matton, in Autosport,, says he is not really interested by Latvala and Mikkelsen.
"If they call, I would hang up because I am polite but they are not French and they have not don titles" or something like that

To me it sounds like "Don't even try to call me!"...

[SubaruNorway]

To me it sounds like "Don't even try to call me!"...

We wrote it wrong, article says that he wouldn't hang up.

[Mirek]

I understood by I see the same meaning there.

[Simmi]

To me it sounds like "Don't even try to call me!"...

Yeah I read Matton's comments to mean only Ogier is worth the hassle of trying to get an extra car next year.

[dimviii]

To me it sounds like "Don't even try to call me!"...


isn't it a little bit harsch? imho could say it a little bit different...

[stefanvv]

Now without VW his stocks are higher.

[Duvel]

I'm waiting for a coment of Malcom. Would really like to know what he can do, can he get the funding together, can he interest ogier enough?

Tanak - Ogier - Camilli, would be awsome line up.

What about Mikkelsen going to D-mack? Didn't he drive for them in IRC a few years back?

[skarderud]

Mikkelsen was in hankook, wasn't it?

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[dupanton]

Mikkelsen was in hankook, wasn't it?

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Correct

[OnlyRally]

I'm waiting for a coment of Malcom. Would really like to know what he can do, can he get the funding together, can he interest ogier enough?

Tanak - Ogier - Camilli, would be awsome line up.

What about Mikkelsen going to D-mack? Didn't he drive for them in IRC a few years back?

No point to comment anything right now, not from Malcolms perspective. He has to speak with drivers and their managers and maybe with Ford, not with journalists who just feed us with more storys/rumours.

Edit: but he did it anyways, now we have more to talk about :)

Bring on the wildest speculations and predictions before something official comes ;)

[A FONDO]

What about Mikkelsen going to D-mack? Didn't he drive for them in IRC a few years back?

Mikkelsen is now tied with managers who want to leech his big salary. He's not a rich son anymore.

[smsgrafica]

I'm waiting for a coment of Malcom.

Wait no more:


"I'm convinced we have the car for him to take a fifth world championship," Wilson told Autosport.

Wilson revealed he and Ogier have already started talking about a possible deal.

"It's no secret that he's always been my number one pick for a driver," said Wilson.

"We came close to signing him with Ford at the end of 2011 and I will do everything I can to make sure he doesn't get away this time."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126966/msport-launches-bid-to-sign-ogier-for-2017

[leighton323]

Deleted: Wrong Thread

[OldF]

https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14956601_521458078050708_7008168677264441591_n.jpg ?oh=d54d7e602b4917876b0f8d13b4dd6045&oe=5894CC80
https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14633088_521458081384041_1826635714345914115_n.jpg ?oh=1cee59a049f738fa826b77e5f7e737cb&oe=588B2766


The second part must have been made by a consultant.:)

[skarderud]

According to Henning s on twitter, ogier was/is in cumbria today.

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[AL14]

According to Henning s on twitter, ogier was/is in cumbria today.

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I WANT TO BELIEVE

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwQaczfWcAAqtZK.jpg

[Andre Oliveira]

According to Henning s on twitter, ogier was/is in cumbria today.

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Link?

[skarderud]

Link?
Hmmm, not anymore. Deleted?

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[Lundefaret]

My prediction:

Ogier: Ford (difficult, brain says Citroën, heart says Ford)
MSport being a semi official team may have problems funding a big salary driver like Ogier, but his name should attract potential "buyers."
The first company to spring to mind is off course RedBull - because where will their money go now?
So a Red Bull MSport Ford with Ogier could be a possibility.
This would shake up MSport somewhat.
- Tänak would be demoted from his likely current position as Nr 1 driver.
- There is a question about the FFSA-money being directed from Camilli towards Ogier, I dont know if that is a viable option, but Camilli would be demoted to third driver if he stays in the team. I think that Camillis backers pays extra for him to be an "official factory" driver so maybe not an option to go to DMack.
The question is then - will MSport have enough chassis for all drivers to start the Monte?

Latvala: Toyota
Harri Juhki and Tommi Mäkinen go way back, that must count for something.
Latvala being whit out a seat should also mean that he is more open to corporate with Mäkinen.
Toyota Gazoo WRCs possibility to have a WRC driver and development driver of Latvalas calibre must be an early Christmas present?!

Mikkelsen: Toyota
Tough not confirmed Lappi seemed destined for Toyota. Lappi and Mikkelsen share management (EVEN Management). I would think that it is more important for EVEN Management to keep Mikkelsen in a WRC car, than to get Lappi in one. I would therefore suggest the possibility of a "swap", so Toyota gets Mikkelsen instead of Lappi.

For Tommi Mäkinen this must be the all time best Christmas-present ever. Going from being whit out any seasoned WRC driver, to standing there with three drives, two of them being two of the fastest and most experienced WRC-drivers in the circus, of such quality that your former Nr 1 is demoted to Nr 3.

Talk about a silly season to remember!
And what is extra great - we are not entering a "normal" season, we are entering the new Group B!
If the buzz around this latest shift is anything to go about - I am betting that WRC will have a record number of followers.
Never in the history of the WRC have there been so many fast drivers in so many fast cars!
Never in the history of the WRC have there been so fast cars!

Get your popcorn and your 3D-glasses, and take a sturdy stand - we are in for something VERY special!

[SubaruNorway]

According to Henning s on twitter, ogier was/is in cumbria today.

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What account was that, he's been offline for many years

[Andre Oliveira]

Tommi has one Fiesta R5 completely new, maybe Lappi will use it in 2017.

[skarderud]

What account was that, he's been offline for many years
It was a screenshoot, maybe it was from something else.
I didn't find it again, probably some joke?

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[Zeakiwi]

Is the situation like in 2005 when Gronholm could not say anything about the Ford Focus until 2006? (after leaving Peugeot but testing the Focus at the end of 2005)

[SubaruNorway]

It was a screenshoot, maybe it was from something else.
I didn't find it again, probably some joke?

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Instagram maybe.
I think they were supposed to test around now so not unlikely

[er88]

I really like Juho and he's showed what he could do against Meeke, Neuville and Mikkleson in the IRC etc, but if I was Tommi I'd relegate him to 3rd driver and make him share the car with Lappi. Imo it would be stupid for Toyota to not push hard to sign Andreas and Jari. Two seasoned WRC drivers who are fast and have good experience of developing cars, have fallen into Tommi's lap...

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[Mintexmemory]

There is a sure-fire way to tell if Matton is BS-ing - his lips are usually moving!
I take his statements with a shovel full of salt! I don't see Ogier ever trusting Matton to have his best interests in mind. So the take a call rubbish is just to locate himself positively for the French public. Also I don't believe that he would turn down either JML or AM as he could get either at a knock-down price given that he has most of the bargaining chips!

[Simmi]

There is a sure-fire way to tell if Matton is BS-ing - his lips are usually moving!
I take his statements with a shovel full of salt! I don't see Ogier ever trusting Matton to have his best interests in mind. So the take a call rubbish is just to locate himself positively for the French public. Also I don't believe that he would turn down either JML or AM as he could get either at a knock-down price given that he has most of the bargaining chips!

It just depends whether Matton wants to potentially anger any of his existing driver squad. Meeke may well 'relish the challenge' publicly but there's no way he'd actively want Ogier as a team-mate, reaping the benefits of the car he's developed. And then there's no way they can accommodate Ogier without shafting Breen/Lefebvre at some point.

[Mintexmemory]

It just depends whether Matton wants to potentially anger any of his existing driver squad. Meeke may well 'relish the challenge' publicly but there's no way he'd actively want Ogier as a team-mate, reaping the benefits of the car he's developed. And then there's no way they can accommodate Ogier without shafting Breen/Lefebvre at some point.
Shafting their drivers has always been a Citroen speciality! Why would Matton stop now (although Quesnel was also pretty fly when it came to it!)
Simple solution if Citroen really did want Ogier - move Matton elsewhere!

[gorganl2000]

having read all the comments and thought about it all, i must say there are some logical alternatives being made. as rightfully pointed out, Ogier is the prize here for any team (superb driver and world champ). However, the market is not so simple now at this relatively late stage.

in my opinion, hyundai is kind of settled as a team (Neuville, Sordo, Paddon). they seem to understand the car and the workings of the team, Neuville seems to have come back into his own driving wise and may be is re-united with the team again and the overall spirit is good. So maybe it is best not to break this or introduce a new player at this stage. Plus with the new rules, the team stands a decent chance for manufacturers if the car is good. The question would be is it worth the money and reorganisation to recruit the WRC champion??

with Citroen, though the past is in the past, this could still play a part. When someone leaves a job on not so pleasant terms, they tend not to go back. i hear a lot about team spirit in wrc and i'm not sure how well this would suffice if Ogier went back. As much as we like to think everyone is a mature adult and team members will be professional, we all know memories live a long time. But again that relates to regional and organisational culture. The questions are, does Ogier even want to go back there? i think Meeke and Breen would make a decent team based, so i guess it would be Lefebvre that would need to watch his space or as some pointed out Breen/Lefebvre would share a 3rd car. Would Ogier in the team create a past Loeb/Ogier management challenge with Meeke/Ogier? if 3 cars were available, Meeke, Ogier and Breen would be a good team on paper, i'm not sure sure how the internal workings would play out...so again, like Hyundai, is it worth the money and reorganisation to recruit the WRC champion?

now to Toyota, this is unknown territory. Maybe a very big pay cheque could sway him there, but Ogier is a true champion and is driven by an ultra high competitive spirit and wants to win, so i'm not sure he would want to go there immediately in the 1st year with a developing team and car. It would make the wrc interesting though.

so now there is Ford, where Malcolm has expressed open interest in having Ogier in the team and Ogier recently seems to respond favorably to him. So the possibility exists if money is found and the car is decent (looks so from the vids). Ogier and tanak would make a decent team and Camilli could be allowed to develop or axed for someone else (possibly with a pay out depending on the contract) or moved to another Ford team/Dmack.

now the whole Latvala and Mikkelsen issue, i dont see Citroen, Hyundai or even Ford fighting for them, as they have performed rather averagely in what many say is the best car for the last few seasons. So that leaves Toyota. They would need to spend time developing the car and probably come at a good price too. Makinen holds some good negotiating cards now in this market. Latvala, Mikkelsen, and Juho may be a decent team for Toyota, but then the younger talented drivers out there get left out. And what about the potential for Japanese driver development? is this something Toyota wanted when the wrc team was conceptualized?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Silly one for Silly Season...

I did a search for 'Ogier to M-Sport'... and this came up ! :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/EddieFocus/Ogier_zpsqzelccby.jpg

... or was he in S.Wales after Rally GB and got a phone call ?! ;)

[Simmi]

now the whole Latvala and Mikkelsen issue, i dont see Citroen, Hyundai or even Ford fighting for them, as they have performed rather averagely in what many say is the best car for the last few seasons. So that leaves Toyota. They would need to spend time developing the car and probably come at a good price too. Makinen holds some good negotiating cards now in this market. Latvala, Mikkelsen, and Juho may be a decent team for Toyota, but then the younger talented drivers out there get left out. And what about the potential for Japanese driver development? is this something Toyota wanted when the wrc team was conceptualized?

I agree with the vast majority of what you said. But if Malcolm can't snare Ogier I'm more than sure he will take a look at getting Jari or Andreas into the car instead.

[er88]

I hope Seb goes to Ford/ Msport, but still have a feeling Ogier will go to Citroen. It was easy for Citroen to take the approach that they are developing young drivers and looking to the future when VW had both championships locked up, but with their sudden withdrawal the manufacturers title is now wide open. If Citroen get Ogier in alongside Meeke and Breen/ Lefebvre they look massive favourites. Surely it's worth the extra millions they'd have to spend to get Ogier....


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[RS]

I am sure Citroen can make space for another car, whether that's for Ogier or someone else. If MSport get Ogier then Citroen may want to bolster their team with someone like Mikkelsen and demote Breen and Lefebvre to the third car.

Al-Cashmachinni could run the new privateers cup in the DS3 maybe.

[Zeakiwi]

I hope Meeke does not have a repeat of what happened with Prodrive/ Mini and lose his seat.
I wonder if Ogier's - M-Sport discussion is just to get a price for a Citroen deal.

[A FONDO]

I wonder if Ogier's - M-Sport discussion is just to get a price for a Citroen deal.

Don't worry about that, these guys in the teams are deeply in the know about what is happening and what will happen. We get the news weeks and months later but it's not the same for them, they just keep it quiet.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Meeke: Happy to have a contract for next year.. a lot of ‘young’ talent coming through! @Yves_Matton :D 😂 https://t.co/EDhekX8W9P

Condroz SS18 results: 1st stage win for @Yves_Matton with 2.4’' on @ChrisVanWoensel and 3.8’’ on @Craig_Breen #rcdz https://t.co/ay36nSaj5f

[Sulland]

Will be very surprized if Gazoo is not signing either Latvala or Mikkelsen for their first season.
It is a an opportunity too big to pass on!

[seb_sh]

My prediction after the latest news/tests:

Ford: Ogier, Tanak, Camilli
Hyundai: Neuville, Sordo, Paddon
Citroen: Meeke, Breen, Lefebvre
Toyota: Hanninen, Latvala, Lappi/Suninen (alternating)
DMACK: Evans
other or own teams: Ostberg, Mikkelsen - not team mates necessarily

[RS]

So Mikkelsen won in Australia and Latvala was beaten even by Lappi. Let's see if justice prevails.

[N.O.T]

So Mikkelsen won in Australia and Latvala was beaten even by Lappi. Let's see if justice prevails.

When it comes to finnish village teams managers come before justice..

[pantealex]

Will it be worst day of N.O.T´s life if Ogier joins Toyota ?

"Only and best driver in car which is same level than R5´s"

[kirungi okwogera]

When it comes to finnish village teams managers come before justice..

I suspect you're right, I'm sure all the finnish rally org is close-knit and so on, but it ain't like you haven't been wrong in a huge way recently. I'd hope somebody would look at Australia results and come to their senses. Mikkelsen shouldn't be driving private after winning 2 rallies this season.

[seb_sh]

I suspect you're right, I'm sure all the finnish rally org is close-knit and so on, but it ain't like you haven't been wrong in a huge way recently. I'd hope somebody would look at Australia results and come to their senses. Mikkelsen shouldn't be driving private after winning 2 rallies this season.

On the contrary I think Mikkelsen would be better off in a private Ford in 2017 than in a DMACK Fiesta or a Toyota.

[bluuford]

Well, Citroen for Mikkelsen looks most realistic to me. If I would be team boss, I would not count on Meeke/Breen combination for championship. Breen has too little experience and 3rd drivers spot would be ideal for him, less pressure and can get used to the rallies. No way they can fight for the championship with the current trio.

[seb_sh]

Well, Citroen for Mikkelsen looks most realistic to me. If I would be team boss, I would not count on Meeke/Breen combination for championship. Breen has too little experience and 3rd drivers spot would be ideal for him, less pressure and can get used to the rallies. No way they can fight for the championship with the current trio.

Of course it makes sense what you say, but both Lefebvre and Breen have contracts for the full season so they would have to work something out or run more cars. And that depends on budget. Also Matton initially suggested that he is only interested in Ogier.

[Gordini]

Like this silli season.
When is date it will be 100% registered with Fia, teams for 17?

[BleAivano]

*edit wrong thread.

[Andre Oliveira]

Like this silli season.
When is date it will be 100% registered with Fia, teams for 17?

15 december

[Andre Oliveira]

Ford M-Sport WRT
1. Ogier
2. Tänak
3. Camilli

Hyundai Motorsport
4. Neuville
5. Sordo
6. Paddon

Citroën Racing
7. Meeke
8. Breen
9. Lefebvre/Al-Qassimi

Toyota Gazoo Racing
10. Latvala
11. Hänninen
12. Lappi

DMACK M-Sport
14. Evans

Adapta M-Sport
15. Østberg
16. Mikkelsen

Jipocar Czech National Team
17. Prokop

Fuckmatie
37. Bertelli

More than 1 month after, i still bet on it :) Soon, very soon....

[RS]

More than 1 month after, i still bet on it :) Soon, very soon....

It looks highly likely, but no Polos?

[skarderud]

Silly season is over (or on), ogier in Ford fiesta.

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[EstWRC]

whats your source?

E: got it from other topic

[Vaggelis27]

Status on facebook from Grondal

[skarderud]

Vw Qatar red bull wrc team Norway? Probably just some photoshop from a fan.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161212/1f3f95ac6a88d7d0a9af1c13a00aafb9.jpg

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