WRC2 news & rumors 2023

[Jarek Z]

Solberg won almost twice as many stages as his nearest rival and led for longer than anybody else through 2023, but is down in the 4th position in the championship and is not sure who his main competition is :)
https://www.wrc.com/a/news/w26571_SolberghasnothingtoloseinWRC2titlehunt

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Chris Ingram:

Maximum attack towards the next rally 🔜

And working hard for a Full Season return for 2024.

Things are looking a lot brighter !

So grateful for the support of everyone backing and believing in me.

[Red bull]

https://www.rallyeslalom.com/ford-verso-il-ritiro-m-sport-in-cerca-di-case-per-il-wrc/. Someone kindly translate this article, thank you 🙏

[bomber21]

It is the same as the other one

[wyler]

https://www.rallyeslalom.com/ford-verso-il-ritiro-m-sport-in-cerca-di-case-per-il-wrc/. Someone kindly translate this article, thank you 🙏

same as the other, loubet "fake" interview + msport "plan b" could be replacing ford with a new brand.

[Red bull]

Thank you 👍👍

[Jarek Z]

After the third non-score in a row Oliver Solberg rules himself out of WRC2 title race:
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/solberg-rules-himself-out-of-wrc2-title-race/

[Jarek Z]

WRC2 Highlights from Day 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJHu-Tx7SQc

[Jarek Z]

WRC2 Highlights from Day 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auuAidOzBOg

[dimviii]

Toyota Gazoo Racing test Yaris Rally2 2023

https://www.ewrc.cz/images/2023/photos/toyota-gazoo-racing-test-yaris-rally2_2023/jp_02.jpg

more
https://www.ewrc-results.com//photo/85471-toyota-gazoo-racing-test-yaris-rally2-2023/108/

[dimviii]

https://twitter.com/RallyoviSrdcari/status/1707372817249906821

[dimviii]

Solo Rally
@_SoloRally
Mares �� Toyota ?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F7bsvMpW0AAJf_t?format=jpg&name=900x900

[CeskyOndra]

That would be GREAAT news, is he going to be manufacturer driver for them then?

[CeskyOndra]

Or they could just pay him for testing it

[dimviii]

or just a potential customer?

[Kenneth]

Both Mares and Cais tested it.

[Tom K]

Maybe they wanted reference from Semetin specialists:D

[AMSS]

That would be GREAAT news, is he going to be manufacturer driver for them then?

I think Toyota has already announced they won`t be having an official manufacturer team for Rally 2, at the most something similar as Toksport

[Red bull]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/tanak-to-return-to-hyundai-for-2024/?fbclid=IwAR3kPzyjUfvc6u_eCaLIykM51wGmxg9rGJkELgaN KqbpckeXVyP28FsssW4 Tanak back to Hyundai 2024.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Ingram shows pace in France but now saving budget for WRC2 2024

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/ingram-proves-his-point-with-pace-against-loeb/?fbclid=IwAR04HXzQpxajxL7t3vYMLYr59VJF3wlWRidRfeDr WSWOz42qPHgHXaxr-4A

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Greensmith confident ahead of CER showdown...

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/greensmith-confident-ahead-of-wrc2-title-showdown/

[Mirek]

Greensmith confident ahead of CER showdown...

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/greensmith-confident-ahead-of-wrc2-title-showdown/

If I am not mistaken he was preparing the setup together with Roman Kresta who is an expert on Czech roads setups.

[PLuto]

If I am not mistaken he was preparing the setup together with Roman Kresta who is an expert on Czech roads setups.

In the final they were not on the same test...

[Jarek Z]

Mikkelsen stays in Skoda:
https://www.wrc.com/a/news/w26909?fbclid=IwAR0IxpypZU4C2Ime8gTqHhYK-rd_QI7Ef8Mic-3fYtetGvoJNrREzjK8kkc

[Jarek Z]

Kajto's co-driver says:

"We should be proud of what we are doing, but realistically we should be focused on WRC2 Challenger."

“We are a private team running with the sponsors’ support and the package we are having is a bit different when you compare Kajto and myself to guys like Andreas Mikkelsen or Gus Greensmith. They are extremely experienced, doing 13 events a year, developing the car for the factory and running in, let’s say, a semi-works team."

“We are still up front in the overall WRC2 category, but we shouldn’t be judging ourselves against Andreas. When I was driving with Robert Kubica in 2014, Andreas was in the best team in WRC with Volkswagen. He started his WRC career in 2008, when Kajto was only doing small rallies in the Polish championship.”

Do you agree? Is it impossible to win against Mikkelsen or Greensmith while being in a private team?

source:
https://www.wrc.com/a/news/w26918_WhyKajtosfocusisontheWRC2Challengertitle

[skarderud]

It's hard to beat a semi-factory team as a privateer, i don't know how easy upgrades are available to a privateer?

But, Andreas don't do 13 rallies a year, he won the championship in 6 rallies, in february he didn't even know if he going to do any rallies this season.

Gus do all rallies he can, so he probably have budgets to do the rallies he wanna do.

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

[meh]

For me Kajto is a bit hobby-driver. I don't see him like raw-speed talented driver, but he is using brain to drive smart and also collect points in smart way. Maybe the smart driving is also related with resources - you just can not risk to damage your car too much and waste money and opportunity to have some other drive.

I like his attitude - he knows why he is doing it (driving rallies) and even in difficult situation he stays calm and down to the Earth.

[Rallyper]

For me Kajto is a bit hobby-driver. I don't see him like raw-speed talented driver, but he is using brain to drive smart and also collect points in smart way. Maybe the smart driving is also related with resources - you just can not risk to damage your car too much and waste money and opportunity to have some other drive.

I like his attitude - he knows why he is doing it (driving rallies) and even in difficult situation he stays calm and down to the Earth.

Agree. Smartness but not top fast.
No dilemma for him.
But remembering all Swedish youngsters in the past with even less money trying to impress teambosses with speed, didn´t succeed. Either crashing or critizised for being slow...
For Kajto nothing of that is actual.

[skarderud]

No powerstage for WRC2 in 2024?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

[Eli]

No powerstage for WRC2 in 2024?

Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk

Yep, https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/wrc2-powerstage-axed-for-2024/

[Rallyper]

Is it too early to place Oliver in Rally2 Toyota, next year?

[Steve Boyd]

Is it too early to place Oliver in Rally2 Toyota, next year?
Maybe.

If he really enjoys dad's Mk2 Escort on the Roger Albert Clark Rally he might give it all up for historic rallying :laugh:

[Jarek Z]

Mikkelsen stays in Skoda:
https://www.wrc.com/a/news/w26909?fbclid=IwAR0IxpypZU4C2Ime8gTqHhYK-rd_QI7Ef8Mic-3fYtetGvoJNrREzjK8kkc

But now he says good bye :)


2495

[WRCStan]

I was looking at results and Greensmith beats all those around him in the standings head-to-head, including Mikkelsen. IIRC, Mikkelsen was calling for such a championship this time last year when Lindholm won.

Ok you've had that conversation times over, but perhaps Greensmith deserves a bit more credit.

[mknight]

I was looking at results and Greensmith beats all those around him in the standings head-to-head, including Mikkelsen. IIRC, Mikkelsen was calling for such a championship this time last year when Lindholm won.

Ok you've had that conversation times over, but perhaps Greensmith deserves a bit more credit.

I wonder what results you were looking at.

They met on 4 rallies that both nominated for WRC2:
- each ended better two times
-results sorted:
Greensmith 1.-2.-4.-crash
Mikkelsen 1.-3.-4.-13.
- points sorted:.
Greensmith 25-18-12-0 = 55
Mikkelsen 26-17-13-3 = 59

That's as close to equal as it gets.

If you add the two rallies where Greensmith started but didn't nominate (Sard. and Estonia) it turns into a walkover, since Mikkelsen won both and Greensmith crashed out of both while behind him.

[WRCStan]

That's a closer analysis than mine, and I passed over the pointless retirement for Gus. Wasn't looking at points, or non-nominated rounds where incentives, objectives and prudence change, looking purely at win/lose knockout on position. Even I still rate Mikkelsen higher, but point is Gus must've had a good season compared to many others in WRC2 who get more support when it comes to theoretical open Rally1 seats.

When you look at the tarmac events results and competition, who's better of the two?

[bomber21]

That's a closer analysis than mine, and I passed over the pointless retirement for Gus. Wasn't looking at points, or non-nominated rounds where incentives, objectives and prudence change, looking purely at win/lose knockout on position. Even I still rate Mikkelsen higher, but point is Gus must've had a good season compared to many others in WRC2 who get more support when it comes to theoretical open Rally1 seats.

When you look at the tarmac events results and competition, who's better of the two?

Mikkelsen.

[seb_sh]

Ciamin with Hyundai Rally2
https://twitter.com/PowerslidePod/status/1740696683183223197?t=_PgQGH-xv52Wt5pzdfjEGw&s=19

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The Racing Factory:

It's official ! After 6 years of passion and dedication, we are proud to announce our debut in WRC2 !

On January 25th, Chris Ingram will join us and make our debut in the Rally Monte-Carlo ! A dream come true !

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/AQ5XuwUmb631af4B/

[wyler]

italian media:
suninen close to land a deal with skoda

[meh]

Italian media:
suninen close to land a deal with skoda

That would be nice. This is the only option to show what he is capable of, without any team orders.

[er88]

Pleased for Suninen if true. Was maybe thinking a return to msport might happen, rally2 program with selected events in rally1

[wyler]

Pleased for Suninen if true. Was maybe thinking a return to msport might happen, rally2 program with selected events in rally1

msport would have been better for the sport, but worse for the driver...

[TypeR]

Considering how he left M-Sport and commented the team's work.. I doubt he will be called back :D

Solberg-Suninen in Skoda would be interesting battles

[Sulland]

msport would have been better for the sport, but worse for the driver...

Mikkelsen and Solberg concluded along the same lines.

M-Sport need to focus on WRC2 and 3 to get the funding platform they need to continue development of the Puma.
That finacial streem will continue also after WRC1 is killed off.

[wyler]

Mikkelsen and Solberg concluded along the same lines.

M-Sport need to focus on WRC2 and 3 to get the funding platform they need to continue development of the Puma.
That finacial streem will continue also after WRC1 is killed off.

indeed. sadly doesn't look like this, at least not for monte. definitely no top driver with fiesta, but i guess even no good driver also.