Yes about same "hype". It also got Kalle at one point IMO, when all he had to do was to collect the "obvious" WRC2 title and started off by crashing...
Problem is that the purpose is partly lost when people who have more punctures than ok wheels try to drive on it anyway and first get disqualified in...
Road development can do a lot. If it just about starts to melt but not yet enough to go full slush you get a 0,5-1cm layer of slush on top of harder...
You were wrong, either on purpose or you didn't remember, now you trying to go around it. Mikkelsen was indeed "gifted" first win by Ogier crashing....