Rallye WRC Monte Carlo 2019

[dimviii]

That’s sped up right? I mean they look about twice as fast on that video as they do on the tv footage. Or are they really that quick (I haven’t seen the new generation WRCs live yet)

yes its speed up ,but not at all scenes.

[seb_sh]

What a rally! Even if it didn't have much snow i think it was a proper Monte with different tyre strategies and changeable conditions and great fights for the win and 3rd place. Also I think everyone finished where they deserved.

Citroen
Ogier was great again even with the throttle problem, i think it was real but he did use it for some mind games with Thierry, even if the belgian didn't believe it he had something extra to think about. I think Ogier feels he has a though challenge because probably the car is good on some rallies and not so good on others.
Lappi had too few km to say much about him but i expect some better performances on other rallies.

Hyundai
Neuville played it smart for the championship but that mistake showed again his weakness. Still he is getting better and better and on "his" rallies i think he will be though to beat.
Loeb did the job and can only go up from here as he gets used to the car and the car adapted to him.
Mikkelsen quite good until that mistake, I think he had a wrong approach of pushing a bit too much and the Monte punished him.

Toyota
Tanak and the Yaris are a lethal weapon and he seemed very determined. If the Yaris is reliable he will be a joy to watch.
Meeke showed a different attitude and more control, it will be interesting to follow him during the year and see what happens.
Latvala immediately showed his mental weakness this year, always second guessing himself. I'm sure he will have "his" rallies this year but looks like history is already repeating itself for him.

Ford
Suninen - too bad for that crash but not a great rally for him
Evans seems to continue as last year, if he doesn't find some pace and reduces mistakes I think he may not get another full year.
Tidemand - slow but mature drive, let's see what he does in sweden.


All in all i hope it will be another mega three way fight for the title this year.

[Myrvold]

Yeah, it's a bit ridiculous that you get manufacturer points for 6th & 7th when you finish 11th (+17:56.8) & 20th (+29:34.6) overall.

Don't even know why they award manufacturer points for the top 10, there are only 8 crews that can win points.

It's always been this way, not just the last few years. Drivers that's not nominated for manufacturer points gets "removed" when they are figuring out the manufacturer points.
A good example of this is Sweden 2001. The teams had to nominate 2 drivers to score points. Peugeot nominated it's two full time drivers, Grönholm and Auriol. While Mitsubishi nominated Mäkinen, and Sweden-only driver Rådström. In the rally Mäkinen, Auriol and Grönholm all retired. The winner of the rally was Harri Rovenperä, ahead of Rådström. However, Mitsubishi scored the 10 points in the manufacturer championship, as they had the highest placed nominated driver. While Subaru got credited 3rd, Solberg only finished 6th. Hyundai got 4th, but Eriksson was 8th. And last manufacturer point in Sweden 01 went to Skoda, for the 10th place Bruno Thiry got.

[EstWRC]

So that’s why Jari couldn’t drive the car.

Gotta love those translations time to time

1714

[AnttiL]

It's always been this way, not just the last few years. Drivers that's not nominated for manufacturer points gets "removed" when they are figuring out the manufacturer points.

Well not always. In the 80's and early 90's any car could score manufacturer points.

[dimviii]

any news?


http://forum-rallye.com/uploads/monthly_01_2019/post-157-0-21254000-1548747641.png

[N.O.T]

And even bigger balls to stand where some spectators are.

having balls and being a stupid retard is not the same thing you know....

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Eddie, it's called mind games. Ogier making statements about his car lacking performance are to get Neuville to push less, because his main rival can't push. He wasn't making excuses up in case he didn't win.

T16, its called stating a fact. No mind-games were needed by Ogier. More like by Neuville after the event.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Did Citroen not have the same problem last season?
That was the first thought I had when I heard the complaint from Ogier.
Breen and Mads complained about it at stage end a few time towards the end of last season? or am I gone mad?

Found quote from Breen SS10 in Aus
(11 - Breen Craig / Martin Scott): The throttle was sticking open, every time I pressed the brake it was nosing the car on. Really, really horrible I don't know what the hell it is. Try and get it fixed before the next one.

Well said.

[EstWRC]

Toyota drivers comparison https://youtu.be/RIwxj3gYPVk

Ogier vs Neuville https://youtu.be/RXoA1o8qv30

[dimviii]

"This is the best car I've ever driven, bar none," said Meeke. "It just felt so nice.

"Let's not forget I won this powerstage in the Citroen last year, but the line on that car was fine.

"In the Yaris, I feel I can squeeze everything from the car and push it hard and it's all there under me - there's no stress and no worries.

"I've been excited from the first stage. I'd never driven the car on studs on dry asphalt before, so I didn't know too much what to expect.


https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/141236/meeke-best-car-ive-driven-gave-me-no-stress

[denkimi]

"This is the best car I've ever driven, bar none," said Meeke. "It just felt so nice.

"Let's not forget I won this powerstage in the Citroen last year, but the line on that car was fine.

"In the Yaris, I feel I can squeeze everything from the car and push it hard and it's all there under me - there's no stress and no worries.

"I've been excited from the first stage. I'd never driven the car on studs on dry asphalt before, so I didn't know too much what to expect.


https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/141236/meeke-best-car-ive-driven-gave-me-no-stress
i have to admit i did expect him to crash him in monte, he was a positive suprise.

but i still think he will crash often trying to beat tanak. let's see if the car is still so nice then.

[Fredouye]

Hi all

Here are my photos from this 19' Monte Carlo : https://flic.kr/s/aHskRasRUy

(shakedown + 7 SS)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/60c738d980d7b8d85f6589b4507f86ce.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/e478b4995aee299d1f7f137cf23c76ea.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/b5263d9e03fba40d4c9b44baae68c788.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/8ca7d128feec5ac67473df493cb86873.jpg

[dimviii]

Portugal 80s

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyF0ib8XgAArlmG.jpg

https://twitter.com/HartusvuoriWRC/status/1090303606828552193

[dimviii]

https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/january-2019/meeke-knife-edge/page/6061--12-12-.html


“Okay, there have been rallies I enjoyed, where I showed good speed, but everything felt on a knife edge. This week, as we saw at shakedown, I was able immediately to get back in. I hadn’t been in that environment for nine months, so it was nice to know we still have a bit of speed.”

Meeke was full of praise for the Yaris, saying it reminded him of Citroën’s previous challenger with which he won three WRC rallies.

“For me the ingredients of this car are correct. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had in a rally car - similar to the one I had in the DS 3 in 2016,” he explained.

“The exciting thing is I feel confident in the car right from the start and in these tricky conditions, so hopefully it will be better in the future.

"I'm happy. The [rally] result is not there but I come away knowing the speed is."

[dimviii]

Hi all

Here are my photos from this 19' Monte Carlo


like this one

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/dbecd966f67f900d9953f7d0dcf40d6e.jpg

[mknight]

i have to admit i did expect him to crash him in monte, he was a positive suprise.

but i still think he will crash often trying to beat tanak. let's see if the car is still so nice then.

My crystal ball prediction is that one of Meeke/Latvala will struggle and it's quite likely when one of them struggles the other will do well. For Monte it was Meeke good, Latvala bad, let's see if that continues.

[Fredouye]

like this one

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190129/dbecd966f67f900d9953f7d0dcf40d6e.jpgFunny thing is that an hour before, gravel crew from Lappi stopped at this exact place, and tried to bend the stick with his foot...I guess he talked to Ogier before the start of the stage

[Norm75]

i have to admit i did expect him to crash him in monte, he was a positive suprise.

but i still think he will crash often trying to beat tanak. let's see if the car is still so nice then.

I'm not convinced he will. Kris showed maturity in Monte.
I think we only really saw his raw speed on the first and last stages of the rally, with everything in between just focusing on getting in a rythym and staying on the road.

All Kris needs to focus on is outdriving Latvala, not Tanak as we all know he is the chosen one. Without punctures, this would easily have been achieved.
Kris seems relaxed and happy with the car. The last time we saw that, maybe the only time in his wrc career, was 2016, and we all know how well he drove that year.

[mknight]

Don't mean to sound negative but 12 months ago I wrote long praise on how Meeke matured after getting 4th without issues in Monte. He didn't have top speed but kept it on the road and got decent results.

[Norm75]

Don't mean to sound negative but 12 months ago I wrote long praise on how Meeke matured after getting 4th without issues in Monte. He didn't have top speed but kept it on the road and got decent results.

The thing is, he did have one big issue which was the car.
Kris lucked in with 4th on Monte last year, with others falling by the wayside.
His speed was never really there Monte 18, other than the power stage which, from memory, had fairly dry conditions similar to this year, where the C3 has always performed well.

I fully understand what you are saying, I said the same thing 12 months ago too, that I thought Kris had started the year maturely, trying to emulate Ogiers tactic of taking solid points scoring finishes instead of trying to win or bust.

I just think Citroen always heaped too much pressure on his shoulders, whether it was in the form of uncertainty about his future, or telling him to go out and win.
Is it coincidental that his team was run by ph sport in 2016 and pressure wasn't put on him.

[dimviii]

another angle from De Mevius crash
https://youtu.be/YI6iu-c98Do

[dimviii]

https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/bog_61385.jpg
https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/bog_40289.jpg
https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/bog_14565.jpg
https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/bog_39270.jpg
https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/lum_02528.jpg
https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2019/photos/rallye_automobile_de_monte_carlo_2019/vpl_5p6c8143.jpg

[racerx1979]

Now that's a cool livery above

[T16]

T16, its called stating a fact. No mind-games were needed by Ogier. More like by Neuville after the event.

How can you say it's a fact, when you have no evidence, other than Ogier claiming it was so? Ogier did need mind games, as Neuville wasn't exactly hanging around. Do people really believe that Citroen won't have sorted out a throttle fault that occurred twice last year by now? H wasn't getting the excuses in early, he was trying to make Neuville not push so hard.

[Fredouye]

Budar confirmed the issue : https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/141217/ogier-explains-monte-finale-throttle-scare

[janvanvurpa]

Now that's a cool livery above

pretty hard to go wrong with Black, red and yellow...

[Jarek Z]

pretty hard to go wrong with Black, red and yellow...

These are Belgian national colours. I think de Mevius is backed by Belgian motorsport federation.
Cool livery indeed.

[Got Mail]

1715

I think this is pretty sexy.

[Jarek Z]

I think this is pretty sexy.

Beautiful! Is she not a Red Bull driver anymore? Or is it some strange incarnation of a bull in the middle?

[T16]

Budar confirmed the issue : https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/141217/ogier-explains-monte-finale-throttle-scare

Of course they have to back him up.
Like I said above, there is not a chance on this planet that they would still be experiencing the same fault that they did twice in the past.

[dupanton]

These are Belgian national colours. I think de Mevius is backed by Belgian motorsport federation.
Cool livery indeed.

Correct

[gorganl2000]

no too sure if these were posted already, but a few comparative vids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESjN8j2a0iI
neuville, loeb, mikkelsen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIwxj3gYPVk
tanak, meeke, latvala

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXoA1o8qv30
ogier, neuville

[Fast Eddie WRC]

How can you say it's a fact, when you have no evidence, other than Ogier claiming it was so? Ogier did need mind games, as Neuville wasn't exactly hanging around. Do people really believe that Citroen won't have sorted out a throttle fault that occurred twice last year by now? H wasn't getting the excuses in early, he was trying to make Neuville not push so hard.

So everyone in the media, rally journos and experts, were all taken in by this lie by Ogier. Only you somehow found it wasnt true. So where is YOUR evidence ?

And did you see the decisive PS ? Neuville absolutely threw the i20 over the finish. He held nothing back and still lost time to Ogier.

[deephouse]

So everyone in the media, rally journos and experts, were all taken in by this lie by Ogier. Only you somehow found it wasnt true. So where is YOUR evidence ?

And did you see the decisive PS ? Neuville absolutely threw the i20 over the finish. He held nothing back and still lost time to Ogier.

Why nobody asks if maybe Neuville held a little back the whole weekend or just saturday and sunday.. I mean what if last year's sweeping the road will be also huge at this year's event. Then Neuville will definetly have better start than Ogier. He also say it loud that secnd place in Monte is not tragic and that will come to handy on next event.

[Tarmop]

He also said, that he would have wanted to win it and then consoled himself with Sweden start position ( quite logical and may prove handy). This is also supported by the fact, that position no. 3 was over 2 minutes behind pretty much half of the event, while they two were chasing tenths.

This Ogier blaming is getting more andmore ridiculous and when someone like Neuville fuels it (against whom the whole world quite often is), it should be considered even more ridiculous.

[T16]

So everyone in the media, rally journos and experts, were all taken in by this lie by Ogier. Only you somehow found it wasnt true. So where is YOUR evidence ?

And did you see the decisive PS ? Neuville absolutely threw the i20 over the finish. He held nothing back and still lost time to Ogier.

Eddie, firstly, I am not the only one who thought he was bluffing... Neuville also said it. Secondly, stuff like this goes on all the time in all sorts of sports and certainly in motorsport. People bluff, make stuff up etc. etc.

I don't have evidence, of course I don't... if I did, the whole world would, because I would be one of the last to know.

Yes, you're correct, Neuville gave it everything on the last stage, because he didn't believe Ogier!

Finally, if the car was as bad as he said, do you honestly think he could set the times he did? - Like you said, he still beat Neuville on the last stage... when he's driving a WRC car to the absolute limit, but with a throttle he knows may stay 20% open... come on, he would have definitely left a little in reserve so he didn't have a horrendous accident if he really did know there was an issue.

Of course I may be wrong, but this is just my opinion.

[racerx1979]

This stuff happens in the amateur world too. I remember when Stig Blomqvist was doing the American Rally Series for a half a season. I don't remember the rally, but it was an early one. He was only ahead by a few seconds before the final stage. He opened his hood and his co-driver (wife I think) spilled some water on the manifold... the leading drivers who was behind them at the time control saw the steam and Stig told them they have a leaky head gasket... Stig ended up winning that stage by 16 secs.. lol. Old trick by and old wise man... he was in his 60's.

[stefanvv]

he still beat Neuville on the last stage

I'm not suggesting who's right or not, just for the record Ogier seemed to make some repairs (and this is written somewhere) on the car before that stage. On the other hand he also seemed almost equal to Neuville on the first pass, so this stage seemed more to his liking/car.

[Rallyper]

I'm not suggesting who's right or not, just for the record Ogier seemed to make some repairs (and this is written somewhere) on the car before that stage. On the other hand he also seemed almost equal to Neuville on the first pass, so this stage seemed more to his liking/car.

Only pic I say him "repairing" was him clicking dampers at rear...

[T16]

Only pic I say him "repairing" was him clicking dampers at rear...

I think you'll find that Ingrassia was on his phone too...

[stefanvv]

Only pic I say him "repairing" was him clicking dampers at rear...

No-one has trust in Ogier anymore :D

"Q:
You had a throttle issue today, when did you discover that? Did you think it would spoil the party?
SO:
Actually it started yesterday night on the road section and I started to get a strange reaction on the throttle when I was lifting – the car was going on with 20 per cent of pedal. It was not so nice, especially on stage mode. It could be tricky, we tried to check everything we could – it looks like a sensor is a bit crazy. Luckily it was still working some times, but it can catch you by surprise, so it’s also dangerous. Finally, we managed some small fix, it was not 100 per cent but at least we could finish the rally and give a last push on the power stage to keep the win. It was another busy day for my heart! The win was difficult to reach but also I didn’t know if I would finish. The sensor could be gone and this would be a bigger drama and that also adds to the emotion."

But when Neuville says he doesn't trust Ogier, everyone believes Neuville. Neuville also said his puncture on last stage in Catalunya was from stone picked by Evans before him, oh well this was recorded on video at least he was just blaming someone else for his own mistake.

[drive]

Oh dear... if someone doesnt like one, then that someone dont hear or cant read even...

Ogier didnt say that pedal was going like 20% allways.... it did happen and he was concerned that same problem could happen again and in maximum attack mode that wont be nice.

Simple.

[stefanvv]

Lost in translation

[janvanvurpa]

This stuff happens in the amateur world too. I remember when Stig Blomqvist was doing the American Rally Series for a whole season. I don't remember the rally, but they it was an early one. He was only ahead by a few seconds before the final stage. He opened his hood and his co-driver (wife I think) spilled some water on the manifold... the leading drivers who was behind them at the time control saw the steam and Stig told them they have a leaky head gasket... Stig ended up winning that stage by 16 secs.. lol. Old trick by and old wise man... he was in his 60's.


What season did Stig do which whole season...Whole NASA season? Whole Wawwy Amewica season? Duh Knees whole season?

05 season Wawwy Amewica? ...Hmmmmm

[Rally Power]

Ogier alleged bluff is apparently making people to forget the most important aspect of last day fight: Citroen’s 100th…(kidding). Actually, Neuville wasn’t able to fight till PS last km as he cooked his tyres on the second Turini pass. Like it was said endless times before: it’s not only about being the fastest, it’s mainly about being the most regular.

[Mirek]

Sometimes people forget that the definition of truth is not what they believe in :)

In a story like this there is always enough people to believe they are right even when there is no way on Earth how to prove that. I think that it's not bad sometimes to say "I don't know" and move on.

[stefanvv]

Well said. If Neuville didn't comment it, probably no one would.

[racerx1979]

What season did Stig do which whole season...Whole NASA season? Whole Wawwy Amewica season? Duh Knees whole season?

05 season Wawwy Amewica? ...Hmmmmm

He ended up leaving the season early.... He was rallying under Sutton Cars. It looks like he did only 6 events.
https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/210-stig-blomqvist/66

[EstWRC]

Ogier vs Tänak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o7mGZJAZ50&t

[dimviii]

sanglieeeeerrrr!!!

https://youtu.be/nbXDicajwJc

[EstWRC]

Ogier vs Loeb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2ofb7F39HM

[AnttiL]

Awesome photos from Tapio Lehtonen https://rallirinki.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Rallye+Monte+Carlo+2019/

[EstWRC]

one more video of the flat out places with marked speeds this time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkPiaRQW4ck

They havent got Ott from the Col De Turini downhill section (where they all have 186-189 km/h) michelin stated in their fact vids that he clocked 192km/h there.

https://twitter.com/Michelin_Sport/status/1090256466483732481

[dimviii]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyysGhjUcAAGN3h.jpg