Jwrc 2021

[Andre Oliveira]

Any news?

Kristensson and Zaldivar out, Pajari in?

Car? Rally4 or Rally3?

[rp]

2020 SM3 (R2/Rally4) Finnish Champion Lauri Joona

[Andre Oliveira]

First round will be Croatia Rally.

Btw, Rally4 will be the car again.

[Andre Oliveira]

Martin Koči -> https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=421441512342384

[Sulland]

https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2021/junior-wrc/junior-hotshots-chase-new-prize-package/

Here are the options for the Junior World Champions to choose from for 2022.

For you that can read in here;


And for the Rally2 option,
Do you win the car, or just to borrow it for a year?

What is it you have to pay for; Management, crew of engineers, logistiscs, more tyres and more?
That is quite a pricetag for 5 rounds of rally3 is it not? How much do you guess the driver has to bring from sponsors?

Am I right in thinking the Rally3 option is a much cheaper and maybe better option for a young driver, having trouble getting together a ok budget?

[Co-driven]

You get the car, but you have to run the 5 WRC3 events on the following season, besides entry fees, tyres and fuel. On one hand, you have the "physical" asset, that can be sold on the following year, as Solans is doing. But on the other hand, if the driver doesn't get enough funding, he can't test properly before events, do some proper rebuilds after events and in the end can't really fight for the WRC3 championship. Solans and Bergvist are examples of this, they won the JWRC and the car but couldn't really continue fighting on the next level.

[Rallyper]

You get the car, but you have to run the 5 WRC3 events on the following season, besides entry fees, tyres and fuel. On one hand, you have the "physical" asset, that can be sold on the following year, as Solans is doing. But on the other hand, if the driver doesn't get enough funding, he can't test properly before events, do some proper rebuilds after events and in the end can't really fight for the WRC3 championship. Solans and Bergvist are examples of this, they won the JWRC and the car but couldn't really continue fighting on the next level.

Sorry to say, but Bergkvists car was a mortgage case, even before the win. So total funding was his problem...

[Wold]

Maybe not the right thread, but how is it going for Tom Kristenson getting together his budget =?

[Sulland]

Tom is testing Rally3 with Armstrong and Ken Torn, and others.
https://m.facebook.com/tomkristenssonmotorsport/

He has been working hard getting a Rally2 budget, and is not finished with that job.
He has planned some meetings this week i Poland, Maybe thinking on Rally3 as a good option.

[EstWRC]

Estonian young talent Robert Virves is doing the whole season.

Since 3 rallies of the calendar are on tarmac, he also starts next week on Rally Il Cocco e Valle del Serchio (which will be his first tarmac rally ever) and also on second Italian championship round on San Remo to gain experience on tarmac.

superb news.

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwefGvcW8AMvg65?format=jpg&name=medium

[pantealex]

Roof is too white for my taste.

[Mirek]

I don't like this trent to shift the maximum age of junior categories up. Now we are at 29 years level. What's junior about 29 years old? Koči drove his first WRC event 9 years ago in 2012, some even earlier...

[skarderud]

I don't like this trent to shift the maximum age of junior categories up. Now we are at 29 years level. What's junior about 29 years old? Koi drove his first WRC event 9 years ago in 2012, some even earlier...In bobsleigh (my former sport) you is a jr to age 26, that is late and due to the quite high physical forces (over 6G), no other sports i'm aware of has so old jr's.
So, JWRC should be for max 26 yrs of age, most of these drivers is experienced drivers at 20:)

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk

[PLuto]

Problem is they dont have enough young drivers attracted to do the championship. So they need to raise up the age limit.

[Kenneth]

I think that best soulution would be limit of seasons in WRC than purely age. I personally think that it would be best if driver could compete in JWRC only within 3 years since first WRC season.

But with changed junior championships from next season, I don't think this problem will stay.

[scn]

I don't like this trent to shift the maximum age of junior categories up. Now we are at 29 years level. What's junior about 29 years old? Koči drove his first WRC event 9 years ago in 2012, some even earlier...

The cost is too high for any 25 year old driver that doesn't have rich father (except if he is under FFSA). Instead of lowering the cost, FIA raises the age. Simple.

[Mirek]

I disagree for two reasons.

First reason is that the cost used to be much higher when JWRC was really something (Sordo, Meeke, Wilks, Andersson, Aava...).
The second reason is that we have number of very young drivers who jump directly into more expensive WRC3.

Hence why I feel confident to say that the way to promote JWRC is neither by lowering the cost, nor by rising the age limit. The only way for me is to get manufacturers involved again (and that's what is happening with Rally3 cars) and to rise the media profile.

[denkimi]

It depends on what you want from jwrc.

If you want it to be a pool of young talents it has to be as equal and cheap as possible.

If you want it to be an expensive jumping board for the best and richest upcoming drivers like it was 15 year ago, then why do we have wrc2?

[AnttiL]

The cost is too high for any 25 year old driver that doesn't have rich father (except if he is under FFSA). Instead of lowering the cost, FIA raises the age. Simple.

How does age give you more money? You can't expect anyone to use their savings or their daily work income on WRC level budget. You always need a financial backer or a sponsor, and age doesn't matter.

I think the reason for raising the age limit that they are now using higher-level 4WD cars. The current FWD junior class is essentially moved under ERC.

Besides, we don't know yet the exact regulations of the new Junior series. Will it be like current JWRC where WRC2/3 Junior will have a fixed short calendar where everyone goes against everyone, or will it be like WRC2/3 where you can pick and choose which events you do?

[Jarek Z]

How does age give you more money?

You have more time to achieve something on national level and convince sponsors that you are good enough to start international career.
Not everybody has Solberg or Rovanpera as his last name ;)

[dupanton]

I think the main problem is that there is only 1 option. You go to M Sport and you give them a big bag of money.
There is no option to buy and maintain the car yourself, go out with a small team the first year to gain experience and to go back with a proper team the next year.
Also, no option to pick another car than Ford Fiesta. Other brands (international, national importer or even a regional dealer) can not support the series.

[AnttiL]

Hopefully there will be new Rally3 cars soon so this M-Sport monopoly ends.

[Andre Oliveira]

It is not a monopoly. It is a deal. Like Citroën had with DS3 R3T.

[pantealex]

It is not a monopoly. It is a deal. Like Citroën had with DS3 R3T.

Yes, you can´t use your own Fiesta Rally4 so it´s deal with M-Sport Poland which has price tag.

[Kenneth]

From Martin Koci's Press release it looked like he will use his own car.

[PLuto]

From Martin Koci's Press release it looked like he will use his own car.

For sure in JWRC he will use car prepared by M-Sport. No other choice. Martin will use different rented car only on additional events out of WRC.

[Andre Oliveira]

Jon Armstrong / Phil Hall

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Exp-FJkW8AA6rNG?format=jpg&name=large

[Andre Oliveira]

Mārtiņš Sesks • Renars Francis
Sami Pajari • Marko Salminen
Robert Virves • Sander Pruul
Lauri Joona • Ari Koponen
Raul Badiu • Rareș Fetean
Jon Armstrong • Phil Hall
Martin Koči • Petr Těšínský
William Creighton • Liam Regan

[Kenneth]

Funny that we will see Codemasters / Dirt Rally livery in next WRC game, smart move.

[pantealex]

Mārtiņš Sesks • Renars Francis
Sami Pajari • Marko Salminen
Robert Virves • Sander Pruul
Lauri Joona • Ari Koponen
Raul Badiu • Rareș Fetean
Jon Armstrong • Phil Hall
Martin Koči • Petr Těšínský
William Creighton • Liam Regan

Only 8 entries and 10 best gets points...

Hopefully there will be guest drivers in every round.

[Sulland]

Are youngsters choosing ERC in 2021?

[Andre Oliveira]

Koči gave up? Not in Ypres entry list.

[pantealex]

Only 8 entries and 10 best gets points...

Hopefully there will be guest drivers in every round.

Now only 6 entries for Ypres :(

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FBgNshNWYAIV0bj?format=jpg&name=medium

[pantealex]

Prize package options were announced before WRC2021 season started...

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FBm8-hVX0AEKP11?format=jpg&name=large

Pic by Rally Cow

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FBmu3oHWYA8Dd9x?format=jpg&name=medium

[Sulland]

Last year I would probably chosen as Kristensson, gone for Rally2, because of few other Rally3 cars in WRC and no titel to fight for under the WRC umbrella.
This year I am not sure.
If you are able to get sponsorship for a 5 round program, for the parts you do not get from M-Sport you own a Rally2 car afterwards. But it is hard to shine in a Fiesta Mk2.

It seems easier to shine as a driver in next years WRC3 in a Rally3 Fiesta, but after the free season, you are left with no hardware, apart from a diploma.

What would you have chosen?


Your options as a JWRC Champion in 2021:
OPTION 1
The biggest prize in Option 1 prize is the M-Sport Eco- Boost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2 car. The winner will be given outright ownership of this astonishing car together with free WRC 2 registration from the FIA and five free WRC 2 entries for the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship.
Pirelli will continue to support the 2021 champion with 200 tyres to use throughout the 2022 season in WRC 2 events. To guarantee progression in the WRC, the ownership of the Ford Fiesta Rally2 is conditional on competing in a minimum of five WRC events in 2022.


OPTION 2
Prize drives in the all-new M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 – a route of natural progression for a graduating Rally4 star ready to take on the power of an all-wheel drive rally thoroughbred.
The 2021 FIA Junior WRC can choose five fully funded drives on selected WRC rallies in 2022 including re- gistration for WRC’s Rally3 category championship. The prize package is fully supported by M-Sport, Pirelli, WRC Promoter and the FIA, allowing the 2021 champion to step up, in terms of machinery, while also developing their road-knowledge of WRC events.

[Danny0405]

What would you have chosen?

No one :D

More seriously, it is difficult to obtain budget in rally so it helps but between the Fiesta Rally2 which is maybe the worst Rally2 car and the Rally3 category which I think will failed, I’m not really optimistic for the winner.
Personally, I would take the Rally2 car as I think Rally3 will fail but he may also depend on your budget as the Rally2 season is not fully funded so you have to find some sponsorship to complement.. And then, you can sell the car to help to finance a season or to at least, having the car helps you in terms of budget.

Still for Jon Armstrong (who is favorite I think this weekend), it is better than nothing when we see that he did only 3 rallyes between 2018 and 2020.

[Sulland]

Armstrong leading with 15 sec after first day.
But double points in Spain makes it hard to predict the overall result.

[Danny0405]

Armstrong leading with 15 sec after first day.
But double points in Spain makes it hard to predict the overall result.

All the more than I just discovered a rule I didn’t know (and seems to be true by checking the regulation):
«*However, the championship situation is complicated by the double-points finale in Spain, while each driver will also drop their lowest score from the five rounds. In Armstrong's case that is set to be his retirement in Portugal.*» (bbcsport)

So if we exclude the worst results of the 4 first rallies for each driver, it gives:
1. Armstrong: 82 + 3 stages wins today = 85
2. Pajari: 74 + 3 stages wins today = 77
3. Sesks: 67
4. Joona: 40
5. Virves: 36
6. Creighton: 35

Globally, sounds like a winner-takes-all between Armstrong and Pajari except if a dominant driver had a puncture/issue in one stage only and could be close call in that case. For the other, except a double-off, it is over.
At the moment, it smells good for Armstrong but still some road to go and Pajari is generally improving in tarmac rallies after the first day.

[TypeR]

Armstrong +5min40 on SS7

[AnttiL]

Armstrong +5min40 on SS7

“I'm really gutted about that. We missed our braking a bit in a foggy section of the stage. I thought we had got away with it but we got stuck in a field verge. We tried our best but we will keep going.”

[Danny0405]

Not totally over for Armstrong, Virves has catched up a lot on Pajari this morning so if Virves takes the first place, it would be a close call.

Good drive from Virves so far considering his experience

[pantealex]

Armstrong is taking those Bonus Points from SS wins so it´s possible that 2nd place isn´t enough for Pajari

[Bigalstosh99]

Sami dropped 39s in ss10 - problem or just too conservative on his safe pace?

[Bigalstosh99]

Sami dropped 39s in ss10 - problem or just too conservative on his safe pace?

See it now - puncture . . .

[Danny0405]

Armstrong going mad and out
But if he can come back tomorrow, the game is still not over (as he will still be 4th) as Joona is really close from Pajari (2s after SS11) and some SS win points to take (and enough to stay behind Pajari if Pajari 2nd and Armstrong 4th overall).
Quite crazy

Edit: Pajari took 14s to Joona in the last stage so now a 15.7s lead for Pajari. If he wins, he wins also the championship.